***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[chaminda_00]

Sri Lanka to produce to low seamer friendly pitches with little turn. Especially with no Murali in the side. You don't really need a spinner just for sake of having one, considering the pitches they are likely to produce at this time of the year. Wouldn't surprise me if we don't play a front line spinner in a lot of these matches.

 

[Nishan]

Sri Lanka to produce to low seamer friendly pitches with little turn. Especially with no Murali in the side. You don't really need a spinner just for sake of having one, considering the pitches they are likely to produce at this time of the year. Wouldn't surprise me if we don't play a front line spinner in a lot of these matches.

Certainly at Dumbulla it will be that kind of pitches, Murali wont play but still Sri Lanka will have Dilruwan or Kaushal they would have learned from 20/20 specialist spinner is key.

I would like to see Dilruwan Perera open with SJ and Thranga demoted(even though he may enjoy the english offerings)

 

[chaminda_00]

The thing is Dilruwan not really a specialist, so if he plays it will be as batting all rounder like Santh and Dilshan. Only specialist likely to be in the squad is Lokuarachchi and he will be in and out of the side, sharing the 4th bowler spot with Maharoof and Weijkoon.

 

[JASON]

I hope Dilruwan Perera, Warnapura, Kapugedera and the likes of Amerasinghe get some opportunities , along with Lokuaraachchi.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

In SL? Beg to differ.

You never play a spinner for the sake of it. Regardless of where you're playing IMO. Udal is an exception.

 

[Prince EWS]

You never play a spinner for the sake of it. Regardless of where you're playing IMO. Udal is an exception.

 

[Richard]

You never play a spinner for the sake of it. Regardless of where you're playing IMO. Udal is an exception.

Well there was certainly no use in a fingerspinner in those 3 Tests.

 

[aussie]

Well with Master Fred out of the ODI side, England chances of continuing their ODI revival will have to wait. But hopefully he can make it for the test series where the selectors need to make some important decisions no doubt especially with the keeper which just has to be Pothas given that Flintoff the batsman is not #6 test match material ATM. So i'm looking at something like:

Cook
Vaughan
Bell
KP
Collingwood
Pothas
Flintoff
Swann
Sidebottom/Anderson/Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

Would open back with Vaughan temporarily, was hoping Strauss would get some solid runs for Middlesex in the last few county matches but he hasn't & it would be rough IMO if he failed in another series & gets messed up. A break could do him good since he is definately still suffering from the physical & mental carnage of the Ashes series.

Harmison/Anderson/Sidebottom - hmmm well of the three Anderson i reckon would do best in SRI given his ability to reverse swing it. Blokes like Harmo & Tremelett won't ever do much in sub-continent conditions & Sidebottom i find it hard to think he would have any effect in SRI although i sense he may be able to reverse it & maybe his ability to swing it & a be a solid stock bowler could make him very useful though so i won't count him out.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I'd go with...

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Pothas
Flintoff
Tremlett
Hoggard
Sidebottom/Anderson
Panesar

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Could be last chance for Strauss. Another bad series and we'd surely have to look at bringing in someone else.

 

[Perm]

Could be last chance for Strauss. Another bad series and we'd surely have to look at bringing in someone else.

I think Trescothick would probably make himself available for England if Strauss were to fail. Who else is there though, I'm having a bit of a mental block. Denly would be the closest, wouldn't he?

 

[Prince EWS]

I think Trescothick would probably make himself available for England if Strauss were to fail. Who else is there though, I'm having a bit of a mental block. Denly would be the closest, wouldn't he?

There's Robert Key. There's also the option of Michael Vaughan opening and Bopara/Shah coming into the middle order which, although unpopular on CW, is an option that I'm sure would be explored by the selectors.

 

[Perm]

There's Robert Key. There's also the option of Michael Vaughan opening and Bopara/Shah coming into the middle order which, although unpopular on CW, is an option that I'm sure would be explored by the selectors.

Forgot about Key, and Vaughan opening. I suppose both of those options would be looked at more fondly than bringing in a very young Joe Denly.

 

[NUFAN]

There's Robert Key. There's also the option of Michael Vaughan opening and Bopara/Shah coming into the middle order which, although unpopular on CW, is an option that I'm sure would be explored by the selectors.

I'm not a fan of Key and would not be confident having him opening the innings if I was an Englishman. Would love to see Trescothick back and in the right frame of mind.

 

[Richard]

I never, ever want to see Vaughan opening again. Give me Key ahead of a changearound in the middle-order anyday.

TBH I'd not be sorry had Key replaced Strauss in the Test squad (which, you never know, he might yet do, but I'd still rate it unlikely).

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Key has constantly done well in domestic cricket. Denly did well early on but seemed to just drift away at the end of this season judging by his scores.

Trescothick wont play any form of cricket again for England imo. He's just too unreliable now and its not like we have no other options.

It will be interesting to see who England pick in their Academy / 'A' squad this winter. May give us an idea of who England have in mind for future replacements.
Anyone know when this is announced?

 

[Richard]

Denly's was such a classic first-full-season. Clearly a capable player, but not yet got the strength - possibly both of mind and body - to keep it up throughout a season. From what I read the same happened to Godleman.

Hopefully next year they'll keep the form up for longer. Hope to see both in the Academy squad, but equally, doesn't mean I want to see them playing for England for at least a year. Look what happened with Ian Bell.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Denly's was such a classic first-full-season. Clearly a capable player, but not yet got the strength - possibly both of mind and body - to keep it up throughout a season. From what I read the same happened to Godleman.

Hopefully next year they'll keep the form up for longer. Hope to see both in the Academy squad, but equally, doesn't mean I want to see them playing for England for at least a year. Look what happened with Ian Bell.

It all depends on who England have. If we are short on players they will get called up early.

Its one of the reasons im happy we have Monty. Without him Rashid would almost certainly be fast tracked into the team a la Schofield (especially with Giles retirement). But with Monty at least holding his own (whatever your views on him). It will at least mean Rashid will be given more time to settle in County cricket before we call him up.

 

[aussie]

I never, ever want to see Vaughan opening again. Give me Key ahead of a changearound in the middle-order anyday.

Its just temporary anyway. As i said earlier give Strauss a rest now, rather than letting him play another series & fail & possibly be out of the side for a while.

 

[Richard]

It doesn't matter whether it's temporary. Vaughan has finally - for the first time since 2001 (that's nearly 6 years now) settled into and looked really, really, irrefutably good in, the role of middle-order batsman. The last thing we need to do is disturb things again, even if just for 1 or 2 Tests. If Strauss is dropped he should be replaced by an opener IMO, especially when there's a very clear option in Key.