Tour Matches

[Howe_zat]

England Lions played Sri Lanka for their second warm up game. So clearly they're not averse to doing it. Looks like a scheduling fault, which we can't really pin on either board, as it's the FTP that says they've got to do two series every season.

 

[Spark]

Australian posters are welcome to correct me, but none of tbe state sides played full strength sides on the Ashes tour.

Tour games are about spending time in the middle and getting rid of rustiness, which India will need considering Gambhir, Tendulkar and Zaheer have all missed the Windies tour.

I don't think they were far off full-strength tbh. WA might have looked second-string because they had so many injuries.

 

[Furball]

England Lions played Sri Lanka for their second warm up game. So clearly they're not averse to doing it. Looks like a scheduling fault, which we can't really pin on either board, as it's the FTP that says they've got to do two series every season.

But it's the BCCI's fault that the England tour comes straight off the back of a tour to the West Indies.

The BCCI could have started the England tour a month ago and gotten plenty of tour games for their players to acclimatise. But because the IPL pushed the tour of the West Indies back, they've got almost bugger all time to prepare. That's not the ECB's fault, that's not the ICC's fault, it's not the FTP's fault.

 

[Anku31]

England Lions played Sri Lanka for their second warm up game. So clearly they're not averse to doing it. Looks like a scheduling fault, which we can't really pin on either board, as it's the FTP that says they've got to do two series every season.

A single tour match with a full strength England Lions team should have been better instead of two tour matches against half strength counties.

 

[Anku31]

But it's the BCCI's fault that the England tour comes straight off the back of a tour to the West Indies.

The BCCI could have started the England tour a month ago and gotten plenty of tour games for their players to acclimatise. But because the IPL pushed the tour of the West Indies back, they've got almost bugger all time to prepare. That's not the ECB's fault, that's not the ICC's fault, it's not the FTP's fault.

I somehow agree with you on this.

 

[Furball]

I'm going to throw this out here and suggest that the reason Sri Lanka got to play the England Lions was because there was a batting position open after Collingwood's retirement and having a Lions game where Morgan, Bopara, Taylor, Hildreth and Patel could all play suited the England management and selectors.

I don't think the strength of the opposition matters that much. If Zaheer Khan gets to bowl 30 overs, then as long as he's not bowling absolute filth that's much better than just stepping off a plane and bowling at Lord's. Who he's bowling to or how many wickets he takes doesn't really matter.

 

[Anku31]

I'm going to throw this out here and suggest that the reason Sri Lanka got to play the England Lions was because there was a batting position open after Collingwood's retirement and having a Lions game where Morgan, Bopara, Taylor, Hildreth and Patel could all play suited the England management and selectors.

Yes,this might be a reason.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah, you're probably right GF.

 

[biased indian]

I'm going to throw this out here and suggest that the reason Sri Lanka got to play the England Lions was because there was a batting position open after Collingwood's retirement and having a Lions game where Morgan, Bopara, Taylor, Hildreth and Patel could all play suited the England management and selectors.

I don't think the strength of the opposition matters that much. If Zaheer Khan gets to bowl 30 overs, then as long as he's not bowling absolute filth that's much better than just stepping off a plane and bowling at Lord's. Who he's bowling to or how many wickets he takes doesn't really matter.

this would have been decided much earlier rt like say some 6-8 months in advance and as far as i know England announce tour fixtures much in advance than any other country. so there could have been no way that the collingwood form effected the tour matches fixture...


and as for the BCCI argument ...they have one game and they could have asked for Lions game rather than the somerset game ..its not that Lions wont play 2 match in one season ?

 

[Anku31]

Worst possible scenario would have been BCCI thrashing the tour matches & starting the 1st test on 15th July. :P

 

[GIMH]

I think we can all agree that a Somerset victory would be a victory for cricket, just like in 2005. Come on Somerset!

 

[Anku31]

I think we can all agree that a Somerset victory would be a victory for cricket, just like in 2005. Come on Somerset!

Yeah.I hope Somerset's half strength teams beats us by a little over hundred runs.And then,we beat England by an innings & 400 runs in the first test.
Then it will be your pain in the a** to decide which is better,Somerset 2nd XI or Strauss led English Super Kings!!!

 

[biased indian]

Yeah.I hope Somerset's half strength teams beats us by a little over hundred runs.And then,we beat England by an innings & 400 runs in the first test.
Then it will be your pain in the a** to decide which is better,Somerset 2nd XI or Strauss led English Super Kings!!!

only thing common to both will be Strauss dismissed by Zaheer for a pair

 

[Furball]

this would have been decided much earlier rt like say some 6-8 months in advance and as far as i know England announce tour fixtures much in advance than any other country. so don't know how much would have the collingwood form effected the tour matches fixture...


and as for the BCCI argument ...they have one game and they could have asked for Lions game rather than the somerset game ..its not that Lions wont play 2 match in one season ?

Depends on the scheduling really, I don't think the counties would be too pleased at losing their best players for a meaningless tour game, particularly as there's not really any benefit to the England side from having a Lions fixture.

 

[superkingdave]

Yeah not sure the Lions match against Sri Lanka would have anything to do with the vacant test batting spot. They've played the first tourists of the summer every year for the past few. Second tourists seem to be a bit hit and miss, they played the Aussies and India last time they toured but didn't play Pakistan or South Africa.

Lions games have also been televised on SKY so I wouldn't be surprised if its part of their deal

 

[Anku31]

only thing common to both will be Strauss dismissed by Zaheer for a pair

For sure.

 

[marc71178]

I'm going to throw this out here and suggest that the reason Sri Lanka got to play the England Lions was because there was a batting position open after Collingwood's retirement and having a Lions game where Morgan, Bopara, Taylor, Hildreth and Patel could all play suited the England management and selectors.

Wasn't the schedule announced well before Collingwood retired though?

 

[biased indian]

Depends on the scheduling really, I don't think the counties would be too pleased at losing their best players for a meaningless tour game, particularly as there's not really any benefit to the England side from having a Lions fixture.

infact after little checking ...the fixture was announced well in advance ...on 14 dec 2010

if it was lions games England players also would have benefited Strauss could have just played it with out going to somerset for a place ..and by the way has this happened before ...should have don't think its the first time

 

[Bun]

I think we can all agree that a Somerset victory would be a victory for cricket, just like in 2005. Come on Somerset!

yep, like lords. sadly murray mints had the last laugh.

 

[Anku31]

Is it going to be telecasted by ESPN-Star? India vs Somerset.Any idea??