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

[Hungry Llama]

SL bowled very well in the sun, somewhat surprising after England had run through them this morning, but I think that was the problem, ENgland expected it to be easy. Kumaras comment, you think this is T20 to Dan, summed it up, it wasnt easy, and england tried bazball, they tried sticking it out, they had no answer, they went for big shots, only Smith managed it. There wasnt any sense of lets bat out the day, give the bowlers a rest, see what lead we have tomorrow. No they were shot out in 34 overs and were still in shock when SL batted. SL were behind the game twice in this test and each time they managed to claw back the advantage and now they should go on to win.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

SL bowled very well in the sun, somewhat surprising after England had run through them this morning, but I think that was the problem, ENgland expected it to be easy. Kumaras comment, you think this is T20 to Dan, summed it up, it wasnt easy, and england tried bazball, they tried sticking it out, they had no answer, they went for big shots, only Smith managed it. There wasnt any sense of lets bat out the day, give the bowlers a rest, see what lead we have tomorrow. No they were shot out in 34 overs and were still in shock when SL batted. SL were behind the game twice in this test and each time they managed to claw back the advantage and now they should go on to win.

To be fair to Lawrence, I think putting him up the order was poor from England, Bazball at its essence is about playing with as clear a mind as possible, I’m not going to pretend he is good enough, but playing in an unfamiliar position has clearly messed with him as some of his dismissals have been tame, and very out of keeping with how his teammates have got themselves out. Think today's innings was very much a case of ‘**** it, this is my last chance, if I’m going out, I’m going out hitting’

 

[SteveNZ]

Yeah the Wellington enforced follow on was poor cricket because the third innings is the best time to bat in New Zealand. It was an unnecessary risk when England had their foot on New Zealand's neck. Kane Williamson doesn't miss out twice on flat tracks.

At 250-3 in this Test - England should have targeted batting once. They instead batted like they were looking for declaration runs. I actually defended the spin excess last night because they didn't know how many overs could be lost, but that was questionable too. And as for Dan Lawrence opening in a test match...

No patience from the bowlers tonight in amongst a stand-in captain out of his depth, but I can't attach much blame to them as defending 220 isn't easy.

A few players missing yes, but the application after day one was poor and lazy.

Absolutely, there's still the opportunity to criticise the approach. I do remember at the Basin, there was no talk of 'gee, England shouldn't be doing this' and it needed Tim ****ing Southee to finally score runs, but yeah in hindsight it was probably not the smart move.

This isn't Brendon's first rodeo in terms of this. In the 2015 game at Lord's, we were 400-3 replying to 389, Baz wiped one across the line to be out, and we went on to lose by 100 runs from a position we should have absolutely hammered the foot on the throat. Sounds similar here.

But yeah, I still think any issues need to be weighed up in terms of the bigger picture. You can't toe the line of aggressiveness and abandon, without going too far at times. Probably especially in times where you get complacent and think you are miles ahead, like the Basin and here.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

It’s SL away. Theres still a decent chance England and Wales win this by 25 runs.

Shame Imad Wasim doesn’t play Tests, because then there’d be more Welsh players in the Pakistan team than the England and Wales team lol

 

[GIMH]

I can’t remember what was announced when. But I wonder if Stokes being injured hurt Lawrence because maybe Stokes would have opened.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

I can’t remember what was announced when. But I wonder if Stokes being injured hurt Lawrence because maybe Stokes would have opened.

I personally would have liked to have seen that, he’s got a better technique for it than anyone else in the team, but I think he’d have still wanted to come in the middle order. I’ve criticised the Lawrence pick, but ultimately, I don’t think England were ever going to go back to Lees/Jennings/Burns/Sibley (with some justification too) and the next generation of top order batters seem a way away yet

 

[GIMH]

I personally would have liked to have seen that, he’s got a better technique for it than anyone else in the team, but I think he’d have still wanted to come in the middle order

There was a strong clamour for it on here going into the 2023 summer as a way to get both Brook and Bairstow into the side while still selecting Foakes

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

There was a strong clamour for it on here going into the 2023 summer as a way to get both Brook and Bairstow into the side while still selecting Foakes

I can see how that would have been a debate a year ago, but Crawley has made himself pretty undroppable now. The top three are not without their faults, but by this stage I think they’ve certainly done enough not to get their place taken by a non-specialist who we know can produce runs down the order

 

[Silver Silva]

I get time moves on, sports science is more advanced, and rotation is the way. But in the seven tests a summer era it was not unusual for multiple quicks to play the lot. I’m not sure Atkinson playing six is really asking for trouble. They rested him elsewhere.

Yeah but England players play way more than they used to in the past with more active test nations , 3 formats , ICC tournaments the schedule is packed..

Also got to remember that Atkinson is still new to test cricket, has been injury prone and has done a lot in the tests he's played , plus you guys play Bazball so bowlers won't get the rest that they normally do ..

This current test match he's basically been a passenger and had some issues with his quad, and you still have 6 more tests coming up.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Lol it feels like Baz and whoever selects the England side were testing how weak they can make the England line up and still be able to win , it's bitten them in the arse royally.

 

[grecian]

Yeah but England players play way more than they used to in the past with more active test nations , 3 formats , ICC tournaments the schedule is packed..

Also got to remember that Atkinson is still new to test cricket, has been injury prone and has done a lot in the tests he's played , plus you guys play Bazball so bowlers won't get the rest that they normally do ..

This current test match he's basically been a passenger and had some issues with his quad, and you still have 6 more tests coming up.

Yeah this is the point, I know he would have wanted to play at the Oval, but with the series won, it was time for a well-earnt rest with Potts keeping his place.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

This isn't Brendon's first rodeo in terms of this. In the 2015 game at Lord's, we were 400-3 replying to 389, Baz wiped one across the line to be out, and we went on to lose by 100 runs from a position we should have absolutely hammered the foot on the throat. Sounds similar here.

And our tail got out slogging in the 4th innings - Boult out at 3rd man trying to ramp a 6 with less than 10 overs left on day 5.

 

[SteveNZ]

And our tail got out slogging in the 4th innings - Boult out at 3rd man trying to ramp a 6 with less than 10 overs left on day 5.

Don't remind me of that shot Trent played. A man back at third man, in the first Test of the series, and you can't be F'ed batting out time. Ridiculous.

 

[grecian]

I should say I do like the Sri Lankan seam bowlers, they all feel like proper fast bowlers, particularly Asitha

 

[Himannv]

Wonder if Sri Lanka will look back on this series as something of a missed opportunity, they’ve been poor in the first innings each time, if they had just got a few more runs at Old Trafford we’d have been well under the cosh and Dhananjaya’s call at the toss at Lord’s won’t go down as one of the better ones in history!

We're making a habit of being poor in the first innings of most of our games. I'm not sure if that's down to our mindset or preparation, but it seems to happen more than expected.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I should say I do like the Sri Lankan seam bowlers, they all feel like proper fast bowlers, particularly Asitha

Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi pace bowling has improved in recent years, while Pakistan's has gone backwards.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

We're making a habit of being poor in the first innings of most of our games. I'm not sure if that's down to our mindset or preparation, but it seems to happen more than expected.

Think it’d be very easy to solely blame it on prep, but if you manage to fight back each time in the second innings I think it is more the mindset

 

[Himannv]

Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi pace bowling has improved in recent years, while Pakistan's has gone backwards.

I can't speak for Bangladesh, but in our case we've actively been trying to develop quality fast bowlers for a good while now. Our biggest challenge is keeping them all fit and getting them playing regularly overseas. Asitha looks the goods at the moment.

 

[Nintendo]

I can't speak for Bangladesh, but in our case we've actively been trying to develop quality fast bowlers for a good while now. Our biggest challenge is keeping them all fit and getting them playing regularly overseas. Asitha looks the goods at the moment.

Still remember the t20 WC in Australia where you guys where basically forced to field your 3rd choice pace attack and they still had half our batsmen batting like they where facing the 70s windies quartet. There's some serious pace bowling depth in SL ATM.

 

[the big bambino]

Still remember the t20 WC in Australia where you guys where basically forced to field your 3rd choice pace attack and they still had half our batsmen batting like they where facing the 70s windies quartet. There's some serious pace bowling depth in SL ATM.

What game was this?