***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[chaminda_00]

He started his career as batsmen that can bowl, but he hardly gets a bowl for his domestic sides and its not like they have the best spin or bowling attack in general. I can't see how he would be realistic option in Tests. Jayawardene would at least bowl ahead of him. If they wanted to play a batsmen that bowls spin they would have selected Muburak.

Muburak in the side batting at six and Tharanga not in XI, FFS. Dilhara got the last spot over Bandara.

1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Michael Vandort, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

Longest tail in the history of Test Cricket. Only five batsmen in the side.

 

[Richard]

Don't worry, with Prior at seven and four non-batsmen at eight, nine, ten, eleven we're not a hell of a lot better.

Bopara ahead of Shah - FFS, first Joyce now Bopara, what does the poor guy have to do to get a decent bit of selectorial favour.

A bit unexpectedly to me, though, Anderson picked ahead of Harmison, though. Don't see Anderson making much difference, though, TBH.

And Sri Lanka bat first.

4:30AM.

 

[TheLad]

Sri Lanka have made an error IMO as Fernando in Australia bowled pretty crappy.

I am aware he is hampred by injury and is tsalking about an operation early next year. The way he bowled in Aus he should have the operation straight away and Sri Lanka should have looked at other options, likea second spinner or Sujeewar De Silver whose domestic record suggests he warrents a chance to show his stuff at the next level.

 

[TheLad]

Don't worry, with Prior at seven and four non-batsmen at eight, nine, ten, eleven we're not a hell of a lot better.

Bopara ahead of Shah - FFS, first Joyce now Bopara, what does the poor guy have to do to get a decent bit of selectorial favour.

A bit unexpectedly to me, though, Anderson picked ahead of Harmison, though. Don't see Anderson making much difference, though, TBH.

And Sri Lanka bat first.

4:30AM.

A sports radio station here in Aus is saying Harmison's fitness did not pull up and thats why he was not picked for the match.

 

[Richard]

Sidebottom given the opening over. ITSTL. And starts with a Yorker that doesn't swing that's easily squeezed out for a single by Vandort to get off-the-mark. Full-Toss second ball.

Why on Earth has Hoggard lost the first over?

 

[Richard]

Jayasuriya gets a boundary third ball. Good start for him.

And then plays-and-misses as we see a proper outswinger for the first time.

Why the hell are they wasting a fielder at short-leg to Sidebottom?

 

[JBH001]

Greetings all.

....errrr what is Mubarak doing in the side?

Surely rather Tharanga or Kapu would have been better, probably the latter given the position that Mubarak will bat.

 

[Richard]

Yeah, surely Tharanga should have been in at three, or opening with Jayasuriya at six if Sangakkara absolutely has to bat three.

As Vandort inside-edges one from Hoggard just over Cook's head at short-leg. Both bowlers getting some nice swing now, Sidebottom away, Hoggard in. Perfect combination.

How on Earth has such a good poster as yourself managed less than 900 in 3-and-a-half years?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Doesn't seem that this series is on SKY in New Zealand disappointingly. I'd just sat down with a beer and ice cream to watch it. NOT HAPPY

 

[Richard]

Well there's Pietersen taking a close-in catch. Never thought I'd see the day.

Damn superb one too. Jayasuriya gone for 10.

EDIT: aww, poor Heath. But beer and ice-cream? Is this a fruit beer or bitter ice-cream?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

How on Earth has such a good poster as yourself managed less than 900 in 3-and-a-half years?

Nah.. The question is how such a **** poster as yourself....

Nah - I'll stop there... Too easy

 

[haroon510]

Sangakara walks in.. now i will enjoy every minutes of this match..

 

[haroon510]

Muburak in the side batting at six and Tharanga not in XI, FFS. Dilhara got the last spot over Bandara.

1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Michael Vandort, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

Longest tail in the history of Test Cricket. Only five batsmen in the side.

why doesn't Sangakara keep in test matches? he is better than Jayawardene with both cloves and bat..

 

[chaminda_00]

why doesn't Sangakara keep in test matches? he is better than Jayawardene with both cloves and bat..

Cus he averages like 100 as a specialist batsmen. Prassana is also a better keeper now his worked out how to keep to Murali.

 

[JBH001]

Because Sanga bats really, really, really well when he can concentrate on his batting duties and forget about keeping and (usually) coming in early when it is his turn to bat.

Besides PJ is a good keeper from what I saw of him in Aus, though some of the clued Lankans on the domestic scene claim there is a better in someone called Silva (iirc)

Doesn't seem that this series is on SKY in New Zealand disappointingly. I'd just sat down with a beer and ice cream to watch it. NOT HAPPY

Beer and ice cream?!!! Strange combination, imo. And yes, its a pity we cant watch it here in NZ. Sky fails again >_<

 

[Athlai]

Doesn't seem that this series is on SKY in New Zealand disappointingly. I'd just sat down with a beer and ice cream to watch it. NOT HAPPY

Unbelievable eh?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Beer and ice cream?!!! Strange combination, imo. And yes, its a pity we cant watch it here in NZ. Sky fails again >_<

I was drinking a beer when the missus went out to get ice creams. Suited me just fine - though the beer did taste a bit odd afterwards!

 

[Richard]

Vandort caught at mid-on.

 

[JBH001]

Yeah, surely Tharanga should have been in at three, or opening with Jayasuriya at six if Sangakkara absolutely has to bat three.

As Vandort inside-edges one from Hoggard just over Cook's head at short-leg. Both bowlers getting some nice swing now, Sidebottom away, Hoggard in. Perfect combination.

How on Earth has such a good poster as yourself managed less than 900 in 3-and-a-half years?

Best of all would have been to put Jaya out to pasture and let Tharanga and Vandort open at the top of the order, which would have opened up a lot for Kapu (or another young bat, not Mubarak) to come in at 6. Its high time Jaya stopped playing tests, and after the ODI series in Australia he should stop playing odi's too. Its simply time.

Thanks Richard.

I dont spend too much time online, most of the time I do spend online is spent gaming, and CW is a second forum for me. Most of my forum time is spent on another (more general) forum which I have been a part of since 2001 - so you could say that has a prior claim on me!

The other reason, I think, is the high thread and post turnover on CW. Its crazy sometimes, a good thread comes up, and within a few hours you have pages of posts to read. It takes up time. It also means that usually if there was something I wanted to say, it has usually already been said - in which case I see little reason to repeat it (especially if it means resurrecting a dying thread).

I will try to increase my post count though. Been thinking something along those lines for a while now, too (tbph).

 

[Prince EWS]

Wow, that was a really soft dismissal. Uncharacteritic from Vandort.