*Official* England in Sri Lanka

[Tom Halsey]

They're playing the game very positively here - Hussain in particular is going after the spinners (except Murali)

From what I saw Hussain was going after Murali aswell. From what I've seen, that is the way to play him, to get rid of the fielders under your nose. By the end, Sri Lanka had 2 or 3 in the deep, and they were supposed to be the side trying to win the match!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

From what I saw Hussain was going after Murali aswell. From what I've seen, that is the way to play him, to get rid of the fielders under your nose. By the end, Sri Lanka had 2 or 3 in the deep, and they were supposed to be the side trying to win the match!

Playing positively is the way to go against Murali but you'd do well to play him wisely too.

Memories of Powell in the WC...

First ball... big off break... big drive... missed... just missed off stump.
Second ball... big off break... bigger drive...missed... bowled... au revoir Windies, I hope you enjoyed your stay in South Africa... do come again.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Apart from the off drive.

Do you remember that you always get taught not to play big booming off drives against off spinners?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Do you remember that you always get taught not to play big booming off drives against off spinners?

Powell got taught at the school of Hard shots.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah, I have noticed he is almost as bad a slogger as me:P

 

[Neil Pickup]

All 3 spinners will play the last test. Croft and Giles will do the lion's share of the bowling and Batty will bowl if needed. Batty will bat at 7 replacing Flintoff, who is out of his depth at this level. Jones will replace Kirtley to bolster the threadbare batting and the new ball will be taken by Collingwood and 'The Family' Butcher.
The hosts will prepare a turner for the Murali (3rd only in the world to Croft and Vettori) but this will backfire as the English will start with the best spin partnership in any form of cricket in the last 32 years.
England have soaked the punches up and will strike in the last test in a similar way to when they beat Pakistan away a few years ago.

So you're saying:

Trescothick
Vaughan
Hussain
Butcher
Thorpe
Collingwood
Batty
Jones
Croft
Giles
Read

Well, it's intriguing.

Are you Robert Croft's dad?

 

[luckyeddie]

So you're saying:

Trescothick
Vaughan
Hussain
Butcher
Thorpe
Collingwood
Batty
Jones
Croft
Giles
Read

Well, it's intriguing.

Are you Robert Croft's dad?

It's as logical a line-up as the one for the second test. In fact, as an extension to the logic shown in the current selection thinking, it cannot be faulted.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yeah, I have noticed he is almost as bad a slogger as me:P

Don't be fooled, Powell is an excellent slogger, but he's not very much else (can field though).

 

[marc71178]

This is a strange Test.

Neither side seems to want to win - England going at 2 an over all day, but SL putting people out on the boundary.

Thorpe missed the one that got him by about 6 inches, but hit one that wasn't given.

Hope we don't lose a wicket in the first over after tea as well, or there's a major problem coming.

And Sangakkarra is in trouble with the match ref / umpires

 

[Craig]

Yeah there seams to be some pretty slow scoring.

Naturally fasyt scoring batsmen are batting way too slow and scoring runs like 43 off 192b. Either the bowling tight or they cant hit theb all off the square.

 

[luckyeddie]

Flintoff to throw it away in 5....4....3....

Oh, there you go.

Bloke's a donkey if you ask me.

 

[raju]

So what you're trying to say is that Batty is a better batsman than Flintoff? Blimey, you're a genius!

For the purposes of the deciding test I believe that Batty is a better option with the bat than the big fella. It is probably the only circumstance where I would offer this opinion as I do rate Flintoff but he struggles on the sub-continent. And Batty has displayed superb tenacity with the bat (idiotic swing at Galle excepted).

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

For the purposes of the deciding test I believe that Batty is a better option with the bat than the big fella. It is probably the only circumstance where I would offer this opinion as I do rate Flintoff but he struggles on the sub-continent. And Batty has displayed superb tenacity with the bat (idiotic swing at Galle excepted).

Fair enough. Still I'd shudder to see that scenario which you mentioned.

 

[luckyeddie]

Another draw.

Well, how is that going to affect Sri Lanka for the final game next week - after being in the ascendancy for so long twice in succession?

Murali must be absolutely exhausted - almost 100 overs in the game, about 45 on the final day.

I'm taking England to win the final game now - provided the team selection is right. Flintoff is definitely not a new ball option - and I'm half inclined to think that he isn't much of a batting option either against Murali.

 

[marc71178]

For me, unfortunately, Collingwood won't play, and Read and Batty are in danger: A possible XI?

Vaughan
Trescothick
Butcher
Hussain
Thorpe
Jones
Flintoff
Giles
Croft
Anderson
Kirtley

 

[V Reddy]

Another great knock by Vaughan . Hmmm... the umpiring problems are starting to flare up again

 

[marc71178]

Another great knock by Vaughan . Hmmm... the umpiring problems are starting to flare up again

I think they have tended to even themselves up today, although 2 wrongs don't make a right!

Glad to see the umpire talking to Sangakkara - will there be more action?

 

[Neil Pickup]

The more I think about it, the more the no-seamers option is appealing to me. I can't see any of our front line seamers being effective.

 

[Craig]

Isnt Read keeping very well?

 

[hourn]

just wondering what the english supporters opinion of the English batsmen tactics to play for a draw. (and similarly from a few reports, Sri Lanka were very negative as well).

admittedly, 368 is a massive total to chase in the fourth innings, but given the fact there was a minimum of 126 overs (ended up being 140), you would at least think you would go after the victory until at least 3 wickets had fallen.

It's only 2.8 or so an over, it's not a quick scoring rate. To continue along at 2 an over the entire innings, is pretty poor form for mine.