***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[Richard]

Not at all, would be happy seeing 220 being a good score. In these types of innings bowlers are not looking to take wickets and batsmen are not looking to take risks and the innings becomes one of no team trying to take the initiative.

When no team tries to take the initiative it = boring cricket and a drift, IMO.

It seems to be the assumption that not taking wickets = drift, not taking initiative, etc. I don't agree. The whole point of ODIs is that you can succeed as a bowler or a bowling team without needing to take wickets. England haven't actually bowled especially well here IMO. I think a top-class attack would probably have kept pretty much any batting side well below 4-an-over on this surface (and that'd probably be considered boring as well ) but England haven't, and now if Lanka break loose in the last 7 it could be an impossible target.

 

[Matt79]

Jayawardena gone as I typed the previous post - good innings, he's really come on as a ODI batsman IMO.

 

[Perm]

Anybody would be better than Ranjit Fernando. Contender for the worst commentator in the game IMO. Jayawardene and Silva definately upping the ante, let's see how England's bowlers can responsd.

 

[Richard]

End of a good ten overs from Swann.

This is what's so frustrating though - he bowled OK, but 10-47-1 is a decidedly average spell ITE. Had he been bowled-out earlier he'd probably have done a better job. Poor captaincy to bowl a spinner in the last 10 IMO.

Good shot by Silva off Sidebottom, and a great shot by Jayawardena off Swann - really smart and lovely shot.

Jayawardene gone.

 

[Perm]

Jayawardena gone as I typed the previous post - good innings, he's really come on as a ODI batsman IMO.

Indeed, starting to play better than I thought he was capable of. May have to re-assess how I rate him TBH.

 

[pasag]

Bloody hell, can't quite believe that the away season has started already. Been on-stop Cricket now for....18 months?

Sounds like SL teeing up...I think they'll leave us a big target here

Yeah insane schedule for England, don't think they've had more than a 2 week break since before the CT. Nuts imo.

 

[Richard]

Love ya sig (quote section) Zac mate.

Zac G, that is of course.

 

[The_Bunny]

Good knock by Jarwardene., but bad time for him to fall.

 

[Perm]

Love ya sig (quote section) Zac mate.

Zac G, that is of course.

Do you not like Aunt Brenda?

 

[Matt79]

Really good over by Broad. The well directed short ball is a vastly underrated delivery in limited overs cricket, especially at the end - often much better than an attempted yorker or low full toss.

 

[Matt79]

This is what's so frustrating though - he bowled OK, but 10-47-1 is a decidedly average spell ITE. Had he been bowled-out earlier he'd probably have done a better job. Poor captaincy to bowl a spinner in the last 10 IMO.

Jayawardene gone.

Run rate < 5 for a spinner is good IMO.

 

[Perm]

The well directed short ball is a vastly underrated delivery in limited overs cricket, especially at the end - often much better than an attempted yorker or low full toss.

Agree with this, strongly.

 

[Richard]

Do you not like Aunt Brenda?

That quote made me feel mildly sick when I first read it TBH.

I've also never got how you managed to be so quick off the mark in getting it - I presume it was deleted as spam.

 

[Richard]

Run rate < 5 for a spinner is good IMO.

In which case spinners just shouldn't be picked.

If someone cannot bowl spells of <4-an-over they shouldn't be playing really.

 

[Richard]

Really good over by Broad. The well directed short ball is a vastly underrated delivery in limited overs cricket, especially at the end - often much better than an attempted yorker or low full toss.

Possibly against certain types of batsmen - I know plenty of batsmen who'd murder such bowling. Not these Lankans, though, perhaps.

 

[Richard]

FFS, Mubarak is crap.

 

[Matt79]

Getting a bit of a crush on Broad tbh - gets another wicket with another good short ball!

 

[Richard]

The Tharanga one wasn't a good short-ball IMO - sat up and begged to be hit, but didn't get.

Bad balls do get wickets y'know.

 

[Perm]

That quote made me feel mildly sick when I first read it TBH.

I've also never got how you managed to be so quick off the mark in getting it - I presume it was deleted as spam.

Haha, you've got such a weak stomach. It was deleted as spam, after I reported the post. It was a gem though, so I sigged it.

 

[Matt79]

Possibly against certain types of batsmen - I know plenty of batsmen who'd murder such bowling. Not these Lankans, though, perhaps.

You obviously wouldn't bowl them to a set Ponting, but as a bit of variety, used judiciously, or on pitches where the bounce/pace is uncertain, its a wicked delivery.