*Official* England Tour of Sri Lanka 2018

[YorksLanka]

congrats to England..Rashid and Stokes were fantastic imo..Morgan seems in the form of his life too( but I rate him highly anyway). I think we were 25 runs short ( and still may have lost) but I was encouraged by the opening partnership and whilst he threw his wicket away, I thought Sadeera gave a good account of himself. Gutted for KM but it was a good ball to get first up and I think we should persist with him. I would go with the same team apart from adding in KP when he is fit again into the middle order. Still cant understand why we pick Shanaka as an all rounder but then don't bowl him? He batted ok as a pinch hitter but tbf, Thisara can do that role and I would rather have KP as he is more consistent..

 

[marc71178]

congrats to England..Rashid and Stokes were fantastic imo..Morgan seems in the form of his life too( but I rate him highly anyway). I think we were 25 runs short ( and still may have lost) but I was encouraged by the opening partnership and whilst he threw his wicket away, I thought Sadeera gave a good account of himself. Gutted for KM but it was a good ball to get first up and I think we should persist with him. I would go with the same team apart from adding in KP when he is fit again into the middle order. Still cant understand why we pick Shanaka as an all rounder but then don't bowl him? He batted ok as a pinch hitter but tbf, Thisara can do that role and I would rather have KP as he is more consistent..

Did you have anything to do with the random Yorkshire adverts on the sightscreens?

 

[EmJo]

I would play Hales for sure. He's had a raw deal. I'd play Hales over Root in T20, we aren't getting bowled out in that. We can just blaze away from ball one for the highest total.

I would let Root concentrate on Captaining the Test side and making that better as I feel batting for the T20 team will impair his attention. I just also feel Hales is a better T20 player.

 

[EmJo]

Stokes ODI batting so much better than the start of his career. Accumulation/rotation come on so much. Always had the natural power and ability to hit good balls for four/six, now much better allround game. Pleasure to see.

Another efficient display by England. Hotting up now for the last few spots for the WC squad. Bad news for Dawson getting injured. TCurran and Stone both giving themselves chances of getting that last two or three spots going.

I don't think Dawson would have been a realistic choice for a world cup call up but maybe an injury replacement but England could be coming into form at the right moment.

 

[Howe_zat]

Root is a better player than Hales in all three cricket formats, darts, guitar, and shove ha'penny

Hales is arguably better at Uno (I've a lack of evidence there) but that's about it

Hitting harder =/= scoring faster

 

[Burner]

Root's in a different post code compared to Hales in both ODIs and Tests but he's not better than Hales in t20s. Atleast not yet.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Given workloads and finding a way to rest players I'd be happy for Root to miss out to Hales in the hit and giggle matches.

 

[Agricultural]

Root is a better player than Hales in all three cricket formats, darts, guitar, and shove ha'penny

Hales is arguably better at Uno (I've a lack of evidence there) but that's about it

Hitting harder =/= scoring faster

Root isn't better than Hales in t20 cricket. Test and ODIs yes. But t20? Sorry, but no.

 

[BSM]

Thinking about it, I'd probably take Hales over Roy in T20s for now. He hasn't really done much tbh. Saying this, I don't think Root should be playing consistently in t20s, as these are unquestionably the best oppertunities for him to be rested. But as it stands, if we were on the verge of a T20 world cup, he'd probably be one of the first batsmen I'd pick. He's playing in the Big Bash this year as well, so hopefully he can prove himself in franchise cricket

 

[YorksLanka]

Did you have anything to do with the random Yorkshire adverts on the sightscreens?

ha ha I wish mate..if I was that well off I would treat you all!!

 

[Tom Flint]

You always need your best most reliable bat even in t20s you may think we'll never get bowled out but the day you take that risk it might just happen.
Wasn't root the one who saved our innings in the t20 final when all the 'boshers' got out cheaply?

 

[EmJo]

Given workloads and finding a way to rest players I'd be happy for Root to miss out to Hales in the hit and giggle matches.

This is what I was thinking maybe a chance for Hales to work himself into the team.

 

[EmJo]

Root's in a different post code compared to Hales in both ODIs and Tests but he's not better than Hales in t20s. Atleast not yet.

Just feel Root should stick to the longer format of the game and leave the specialist players to deal with the shorter form. Not saying he's rubbish just wish he concentrates on Tests.

 

[EmJo]

Root is a better player than Hales in all three cricket formats, darts, guitar, and shove ha'penny

Hales is arguably better at Uno (I've a lack of evidence there) but that's about it

Hitting harder =/= scoring faster

I knew he played the banjo but not sure about the guitar. No one's saying he's not a better player just wish he can perfect playing an innings in a test match.

 

[BSM]

You always need your best most reliable bat even in t20s you may think we'll never get bowled out but the day you take that risk it might just happen.
Wasn't root the one who saved our innings in the t20 final when all the 'boshers' got out cheaply?

Indeed he did. Took 2 wickets up front as well. Problem is, the unspectacular nature of Root's batting in the format makes people forget that he's been the best performer in the crunch matches. In the same tournament his 90 was the major reason we were able to chase down 230 against South Africa

Having Hales in the team instead might make it more likely that we're gonna hit a very, very big score (though our batting lineup would already be good enough to have a decent chance of doing so) On the other hand, our chance of collapsing greatly increases because our batting lineup is full of people who only know one way

In fact, the value of Root was aptly demonstrated in the odi series' against Australia and India this summer. He did nothing against Australia, and batted 6 or 7 when we got 480. Ridiculously there were people saying after that that there was no room for him in the odi team either, because they saw our sloggers trounce a sub-par australian side and thought that would be the norm. In the end, against the only other one day team on our level at this time, he scored the 2 levelled hundreds that were required to beat them, when others didn't necessarily show up.

 

[Moonsorrow999]

England don't need any more power hitters or sloggers. They have that with Root in the side. What Root provides is someone who can score runs in all conditions. Let's say it's a final and the ball is swinging, I don't fancy many of these batsmen in England's side to be able to play swing at all. Root, however may be able to help them to a competitive total. If the pitch is of any other nature, particularly flat, then when England are 200-1 or whatever at the 30 over mark, then there's nothing wrong with Root trying to hit out and then sending the power men in. But if you don't have someone like a Root in your side, that England batting line up suddenly looks like it has a weakness, which other than swing or reverse swing I don't think it has.

 

[fredfertang]

Bloody Lankans, do they ever give up?

 

[Woodster]

Good test here for England with the openers gone and needing to go at just under 6 for around 35 overs on a pitch that’s slowing up. Morgan and Root have to look to just build a nice partnership ticking the board along, reckon we’ve got two ideal players to do just that here.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So we win by DL again then I guess.

 

[andmark]

The picture TMS just tweeted is very damning. Would take an age to get the water off the covers.