***Official*** England vs Sri Lanka 21st August-10th September 2024

[Chin Music]

With Smith moving up to bat at 6, and Curran at 7. Might be an option, but I'd have much preferred us to pick a proper opener to replace Crawley instead of putting Lawrence there.

Yeah, their batting looks better but I'd be doubtful that their bowling will stand up much over here.

 

[danzydab]

sri lanka could have done a brave baz-esuqe selection and picked mahesh theekshana, he looks pretty good.
should be a thrashing as windies are a stronger team.

vishwa and rajitha are decent seamers on their day,

the batting maybe on par with windies

seems like i had a steve smith brainfade.
i meant the young seamer, matheesha pathirana

 

[reyrey]

Carse was the closet thing to a pace bowling all rounder on the last Lions tour. Is he out injured?

 

[wpdavid]

Carse was the closet thing to a pace bowling all rounder on the last Lions tour. Is he out injured?

Currently serving a 3 month ban for betting offences.

 

[grecian]

Jove isn't bowling at the moment is he? Neither is Tom Abell, who wouldn't have been picked anyway. I guess it'll be Sam Curran, but I'd like them to go left-field with Gregory, Walter, Barnard or my choice Higgins.

 

[wpdavid]

Jove isn't bowling at the moment is he? Neither is Tom Abell, who wouldn't have been picked anyway. I guess it'll be Sam Curran, but I'd like them to go left-field with Gregory, Walter, Barnard or my choice Higgins.

Nope. I don't think he's turned his arm all season.

 

[Silver Silva]

seems like i had a steve smith brainfade.
i meant the young seamer, matheesha pathirana

Would make little sense , Pathirana is way too raw for Test Cricket ..

Hasn't played a FC game since 2022 and with that action he would need to be able to withstand the demands of Test Cricket, he's had some injury problems even at his young age of 21 ..

The main seamers have decent Test records by subcontinent standards ..

Asitha Fernando: 45 Test wickets @26.60
Kasun Rajitha : 55 Test wickets @29.58
Vishwa Fernando: 64 Test wickets @33.09
Lahiru Kumara: 85 Test wickets @36.87

3 of the 4 will start ..

Asitha is great at reverse swing, Vishwa is great at conventional swing and Rajitha is a good line and Length bowler ..Kumara is the quickest but can be expensive a bit like Alzarri Joseph.

 

[Nicky]

Hi!

Here's an option for England's XI : Lawrence, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Cox, Smith, Woakes, Atkinson, Wood, Stone

With Root & Lawrence being the spinners if needed. A bit harsh on Bashir as he did well against West Indies, but that way England have a 4 seamers attack, which, in England, is pretty useful. And they still have a solid batting line-up, having Woakes at #8.

 

[Hungry Llama]

Hi!

Here's an option for England's XI : Lawrence, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Cox, Smith, Woakes, Atkinson, Wood, Stone

With Root & Lawrence being the spinners if needed. A bit harsh on Bashir as he did well against West Indies, but that way England have a 4 seamers attack, which, in England, is pretty useful. And they still have a solid batting line-up, having Woakes at #8.

I'd be surprised if they go into a test at Old Trafford in august without a spinner.
i think this shows the problem when Stokes isnt available, we have to play 3 seamers and a spinner, or
have a long tail.

 

[Hungry Llama]

Jove isn't bowling at the moment is he? Neither is Tom Abell, who wouldn't have been picked anyway. I guess it'll be Sam Curran, but I'd like them to go left-field with Gregory, Walter, Barnard or my choice Higgins.

I think its likely to be another recall for Curran. Higgins is very consistant in the CC but i dont think hes
their sort of player. I suspect hes in the same pile as dawson.

 

[Howe_zat]

They are already playing the backup bat in Lawrence that they like so they'll probably go a straight swap for Stokes->Woakes. It looks like a long-ish tail with Woakes batting behind the keeper, but batting him at #7 at home against Sri Lanka should be well in his wheelhouse, and it lets them tryout more bowlers.

Last time Stokes got injured mid-summer was 2020 where they played Woakes at #7 in a five man attack.

 

[CartyDurham]

No way Stokes should have been playing in the 100. He should have played for Durham instead

Approximately 8 years ago Durham got the T20 final and the ECB decided that Stokes could only play as a batsman

we had north hants 9 for 3 but they recovered to win. I have little doubt if Stokes had been allowed to bowl, he would have made another breakthrough and Durham would have won that game

Graves was the head of the ECB and he went on try to ruin Durham completely with points deductions and fines

then yorkshire racism case arises and Graves is involved in that , with the old, he couldn’t remember anything and Yorkshire got fined and point deductions but that was retrospective compared to Durhams for the following season

its took a few seasons to get Durham back to where they were but of course we no longer have a right to host tests matches .

that helps yorkshire and graves which he knew when issuing the initial fine to Durham

his beloved Yorkshire languish in Div 2 and are rarely involved in the white ball finals and nothing is more deserved for Graves

 

[Molehill]

I see Woakes was pulled from the Hundred to manage his workload. Either RIS is in charge or the ECB is learning how to close stable doors after a horse has bolted....

 

[ImpatientLime]

if england want like for like to replace stokes then higgins is your man. probably doesn't play enough golf

 

[Nintendo]

They probably just bat woakes at #7, no?

 

[Chin Music]

The much discussed Ian Bell has been appointed batting coach for Sri Lanka's tour of England.

 

[CartyDurham]

Stokes confirmed as out of this series . Hoping to be back for the Pakistan tour

 

[sledger]

Stokes being ruled out of this due to participating in the crappest and most pointless competition imaginable is so annoying.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Not a surprise, but now that it’s confirmed that it’s for all three Tests rather than just one, does it change the thinking?

 

[Hungry Llama]

If its a torn hamstring i'd be surprised if stokes is fit for the mini ashes in september or the pakistan tour.
is atkinson playing in the 100 circus?