Loots
School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Thanks for reading guys 
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Sri Lanka in England - May 2006
With the victory in the Third Test fresh in my memory, I was reluctant to change a winning team. However, Panesar had suffered a fracture after being struck in the Second Innings - So I was forced to make one change to the squad. I had a choice between Ian Blackwell, who had batted well in the First Test and bowled economically - and Ashley Giles, whom my top scouts (
) informed me had been in terrific form with Warwickshire. In the end, I chose to go with Ashley, hoping that his experience would give us an edge.
VAUGHAN, Michael (Capt)
TRESCOTHICK, Marcus
STRAUSS, Andrew
PIETERSEN, Kevin
COOK, Alistair
PRIOR, Matthew (W.K)
FLINTOFF, Andrew
MURTAGH, Timothy
JONES, Simon
HARMISON, Steve
HOGGARD, Matthew
GILES, Ashley
I again needed to make a choice over whether to include Timothy Murtagh ahead of Harmison for the game. Murtagh had a very poor spell on Day Two of the last test, but came back to take three wickets and be our most economical bowler in the Fourth Innings. If the conditions are cloudy at Trent Bridge, I may be tempted to continue his run in the side. If it is a bouncy, fast wicket however - Harmison's chances of a recall will be increased.
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THIRD TEST, Day One
I chose the following team for the Third and final Test Match of the Series.
1. TRESCOTHICK, Marcus
2. STRAUSS, Andrew
3. PIETERSEN, Kevin
4. VAUGHAN, Michael (Capt)
5. COOK, Alistair
6. FLINTOFF, Andrew
7. PRIOR, Matt (W.K)
8. MURTAGH, Timothy
9. GILES, Ashley
10. JONES, Simon
11. HOGGARD, Matthew
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12th Man: HARMISON, Steven
The wicket is not a "Harmison Wicket" - It looks so flat that I'd imagine it had has been prepared on an ironing board. So I have decided to leave him out, as it is a very similar wicket to the one at Lord's - Where he bowled without any real menace. However, there will be a lot of cloud about - And the pitch will start to spin as the days progress, so it may not be a total batting paradise.
Sri Lanka made one change to their side, with Nuwan Zoysa being dropped to accomodate the return of Tillakeratne Dilshan from injury. The extra name on the Sri Lankan batting line-up and the fact that they now only have four bowlers says to me that they are playing to guarantee a draw. We shall need to attack them from the off to try and force a result.
Sri Lanka: Sangakkara, Tharanga, M. Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Vandort, Mubarak, Kapugedera, Vaas, Kulasekara, Muralitharan.
Michael Vaughan has won the toss, and for the third time in the series we will bat first. I'm pleased, as this is probably going to be the sunniest day of the game, and the pitch will not be offering too much for the two spinners - Samaraweera and Muralitharan. It will also bring Ashley Giles into the game when Sri Lanka are batting fourth. Here we go...
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End of Day One
England - 282/3 (Vaughan 53*, Cook 37*; 101 Overs)
Boycott's Analysis
"Well England have been in total control of this day from start to finish. Trescothick and Strauss made a century partnership before Strauss fell just short of his fifty. Pietersen joined Trescothick, and they had total control of the afternoon session. The fact that Mahela Jayawardene chose to bowl his two spinners for most of that session on a first day pitch with only a minimal amount of spin on offer highlights a lack of confidence in his pace attack to me. Trescothick eventually edged one from Kulasekara to slip for 86, whilst Pietersen edged Muralitharan for 53. But a sturdy yet slow partnership of 71* from the overnight batsmen, Cook and Vaughan damaged any Sri Lankan hopes of sparking a collapse. England may need to pick up the pace a bit tomorrow, but it will be difficult with heavy cloud forecast. They are certainly in a strong position at this stage however.
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Sri Lanka in England - May 2006
With the victory in the Third Test fresh in my memory, I was reluctant to change a winning team. However, Panesar had suffered a fracture after being struck in the Second Innings - So I was forced to make one change to the squad. I had a choice between Ian Blackwell, who had batted well in the First Test and bowled economically - and Ashley Giles, whom my top scouts (
) informed me had been in terrific form with Warwickshire. In the end, I chose to go with Ashley, hoping that his experience would give us an edge.VAUGHAN, Michael (Capt)
TRESCOTHICK, Marcus
STRAUSS, Andrew
PIETERSEN, Kevin
COOK, Alistair
PRIOR, Matthew (W.K)
FLINTOFF, Andrew
MURTAGH, Timothy
JONES, Simon
HARMISON, Steve
HOGGARD, Matthew
GILES, Ashley
I again needed to make a choice over whether to include Timothy Murtagh ahead of Harmison for the game. Murtagh had a very poor spell on Day Two of the last test, but came back to take three wickets and be our most economical bowler in the Fourth Innings. If the conditions are cloudy at Trent Bridge, I may be tempted to continue his run in the side. If it is a bouncy, fast wicket however - Harmison's chances of a recall will be increased.
---
---
THIRD TEST, Day One
I chose the following team for the Third and final Test Match of the Series.
1. TRESCOTHICK, Marcus
2. STRAUSS, Andrew
3. PIETERSEN, Kevin
4. VAUGHAN, Michael (Capt)
5. COOK, Alistair
6. FLINTOFF, Andrew
7. PRIOR, Matt (W.K)
8. MURTAGH, Timothy
9. GILES, Ashley
10. JONES, Simon
11. HOGGARD, Matthew
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12th Man: HARMISON, Steven
The wicket is not a "Harmison Wicket" - It looks so flat that I'd imagine it had has been prepared on an ironing board. So I have decided to leave him out, as it is a very similar wicket to the one at Lord's - Where he bowled without any real menace. However, there will be a lot of cloud about - And the pitch will start to spin as the days progress, so it may not be a total batting paradise.
Sri Lanka made one change to their side, with Nuwan Zoysa being dropped to accomodate the return of Tillakeratne Dilshan from injury. The extra name on the Sri Lankan batting line-up and the fact that they now only have four bowlers says to me that they are playing to guarantee a draw. We shall need to attack them from the off to try and force a result.
Sri Lanka: Sangakkara, Tharanga, M. Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Vandort, Mubarak, Kapugedera, Vaas, Kulasekara, Muralitharan.
Michael Vaughan has won the toss, and for the third time in the series we will bat first. I'm pleased, as this is probably going to be the sunniest day of the game, and the pitch will not be offering too much for the two spinners - Samaraweera and Muralitharan. It will also bring Ashley Giles into the game when Sri Lanka are batting fourth. Here we go...
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End of Day One
England - 282/3 (Vaughan 53*, Cook 37*; 101 Overs)
Boycott's Analysis
"Well England have been in total control of this day from start to finish. Trescothick and Strauss made a century partnership before Strauss fell just short of his fifty. Pietersen joined Trescothick, and they had total control of the afternoon session. The fact that Mahela Jayawardene chose to bowl his two spinners for most of that session on a first day pitch with only a minimal amount of spin on offer highlights a lack of confidence in his pace attack to me. Trescothick eventually edged one from Kulasekara to slip for 86, whilst Pietersen edged Muralitharan for 53. But a sturdy yet slow partnership of 71* from the overnight batsmen, Cook and Vaughan damaged any Sri Lankan hopes of sparking a collapse. England may need to pick up the pace a bit tomorrow, but it will be difficult with heavy cloud forecast. They are certainly in a strong position at this stage however.
