*Official* England in Sri Lanka 2021

[Noumenon]

Building up nicely!

 

[nightprowler10]

It's not only that Pope couldn't play Shah, it's that he looked like an absolute idiot. If he plays the same way in India I'd expect that the first one or two instances of the ball skidding on straight will do him in every time.

My recollection is that he just kept going on the backfoot too much against Yasir. That really did him in.

 

[hazsa19]

Brilliant by Root, didn’t need that much help for us to get a lead and the others couldn’t even manage that.

Curran ain’t up to it in test matches as a bowler or a batsman. Needs to figure out which 1 he can improve and do it.

Ive got to say, the more I’m hearing about this ‘rotation policy’ the more angry I’m becoming. Smacks of arrogance by a pretty average side.

 

[Pothas]

Nah loads of players said how tough things were in the bubble, this is just the price that England have to pay for playing so much cricket.

 

[Tom Flint]

When I first saw curran at 18 I thought what a great talent and when he is a bit older and adds a few mph he will be a real handful. But he is still bowling exactly the same pace. His batting has improved a bit since those early Surrey days but no where near consistent enough to be ahead of someone like woakes.

 

[Arachnodouche]

What's been the percentage of boundaries sweeping for Root? He's playing the reverse as safely as the orthodox version atm.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Agree with earlier comments that playing a full first class season would help Curran. At the moment his bowling is his strongest suit but he's not one of our best 4 quicks and his batting is handy but doesn't merit an allrounder slot. While Stokes and Woakes are around he's not got an obvious role in the side.

 

[91Jmay]

What's been the percentage of boundaries sweeping for Root? He's playing the reverse as safely as the orthodox version atm.

They showed a stat during innings he'd played 8 reverse sweeps and hit 7 of them for a strike rate of 270

 

[TT Boy]

Another interesting sweep stat which they showed yesterday, and when Root was still well under 100 runs, was that he scored 68 runs with the sweep alone this series – that’s probably 100+ now. Next best was Bairstow with 20 odd runs from the sweep with no Sri Lankan in double figures. Matthews was their highest with 8 runs.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Roooooooot

Think we are stuffed though despite his heroics. Need early wickets to get back in it tomorrow.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Another interesting sweep stat which they showed yesterday, and when Root was still well under 100 runs, was that he scored 68 runs with the sweep alone this series – that’s probably 100+ now. Next best was Bairstow with 20 odd runs from the sweep with no Sri Lankan in double figures. Matthews was their highest with 8 runs.

I think Cricinfo said today that this Root innings was the 2nd highest they had in their database for sweep shot % played (not sure how far back they've been recording shot selection data). The only innings ahead of it was Root's double from the previous Test.

 

[Groundking]

Root stands a fair chance of breaking Sachin's record for most runs

Please don't, we all thought this about Cook too....

 

[mr_mister]

I think Cricinfo said today that this Root innings was the 2nd highest they had in their database for sweep shot % played (not sure how far back they've been recording shot selection data). The only innings ahead of it was Root's double from the previous Test.

Wonder if that goes back to Haydens heroics in '01

 

[nzfan]

Caught up every ball Root played in this series and can't quite say I've watched better batting vs spin in a long time. There are lots of good batters that can play spin but none can manipulate the field like Joe Root. A real master class. The sweeps, reverse sweeps, using the feet and placement... Everything looks amazing. The only way he could have got out yesterday was run out.

Embuldeniya is such a good bowler. A lot like Hearth. Beautiful change of pace, good use of angles in the crease, very consistent line and length. Only going to get better.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Yeah, phenomenal from Root. He seems to have taken out every last element of risk from the reverse sweep so much so it is for all intents and purposes just the one overarching shot for him i.e. The Sweep, on either side of the wicket.

 

[Prince EWS]

Leach probably should've batted right handed when Dilruwan was bowling tbh.

 

[Jack1]

Leach is better when he plays more orthodox I think. Don’t really think he should have been sweeping there. Should have left that to Anderson after his reverse for four. Frustrating as England needed a decent last wicket stand

 

[Senile Sentry]

Anderson so Alpha with a reverse swept boundary off the first ball he faced. WAG.

 

[vcs]

SL in trouble now. 2 down with Thirimanne still at the crease.

 

[Prince EWS]

This is really starting to rag. 200 would be hard to chase down.