*Official* England in Sri Lanka

[Rik]

Ok Ok guys enough with the cussing of Asoka, just lay off him. Who do you think would be a better replacement for him on the panel?. I don't think the ICC are made up of a crew of idiots. Asoka would have been selected for a good reason (according to the ICC). Asoka may not be the best but he must stand out above umpires outside the panel otherwise he would not have been chosen.:!(

He was very impressive before he joined the panel, although lately he's definately fallen away, the pressure?

Simon Taufel was highly impressive when he was over here last summer, Bowden wasn't as confident but still made some good LBW calls. A bit hesitent giving plumb ones, but if your not totally sure you shouldn't give it.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Just get rid of the guy!

 

[Tim]

A few years back, Bowden was fairly average..he made some poor calls which didn't help when he also had an unusual style of umpiring.

But I think he's really stepped up because the ICC put some confidence in him with umpiring duties in the World Cup final & he hasn't looked back since.

I hope Billy doesn't get put off doing his variations of boundary signals, its great fun watching Billy wind up.

 

[LankanPrince]

He was very impressive before he joined the panel, although lately he's definately fallen away, the pressure?

Simon Taufel was highly impressive when he was over here last summer, Bowden wasn't as confident but still made some good LBW calls. A bit hesitent giving plumb ones, but if your not totally sure you shouldn't give it.

Can't agree with you more Rik.:P

 

[Top_Cat]

Corey, hate to correct you on another technicality, but Darrell Hair is currently standing. He stood in the 3rd (?) Test at Trent Bridge (?) this summer with Daryl Harper.

That was just poor phrasing by me. I didn't mean to infer that Darrel Hair wasn't a standing umpire anymore.

I don't think the ICC are made up of a crew of idiots.

Pah! I certainly do..............

I don't think I really need to go into the unfathomable rule changes/decisions/appointments that the ICC have made over the years. Too many to count!

 

[marc71178]

Ok Ok guys enough with the cussing of Asoka, just lay off him. Who do you think would be a better replacement for him on the panel?

David Blunkett.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Ok Ok guys enough with the cussing of Asoka, just lay off him. Who do you think would be a better replacement for him on the panel?

Stevie Wonder?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Pah! I certainly do..............

I don't think I really need to go into the unfathomable rule changes/decisions/appointments that the ICC have made over the years. Too many to count!

I second that.

 

[Top_Cat]

Stevie Wonder?

Now THAT I would endorse, particularly if he did some songs during the lunch break.

Man, 'In the City' at the MCG would be something to behold!

 

[Richard]

I've watched Brent Bowden in a few series and he seems a very good Umpire. Not in the HD Bird, Shephard, Bucknor, Venkat, Chester league (yet, at least), but not too far behind.
I don't give a damn about the antics if he gets the decisions right. They don't do any harm.
As for Asoka, he seemed a decent Umpire in that infamous 2000\01 series when that idiot Manuel and the incompetant Cooray set the tone, followed by AV Jayaprakash and to a small extent seconded by Rudi Koertzen. I've heard plenty of complaints about him since, but people here in England are just so greatful that him and Dave Orchard stopped that series blowing the top completely that maybe we overrate him over here.
All the complaints can't be without base. I'd bet Harold could do a better job even now, at 70-odd and having fought off blindness.

 

[Richard]

There have been some classic encounters between the 2 sides especially 1998 Oval test match with the awesome batting of Sanath Jayasuriya and Graeme Hick and not mention Murali's 9 wicket haul.

And not to mention Crawley's 156*, Angus Fraser's glorious last-wicket frolic and the innings by Aravinda that reconfirmed my undying love of him.

2001 series in Lanka was also exciting with Engalnd just edging out Sri Lanka. It was in the 2002 series in the UK that I was most dissappointed with our boyz. To be honest England and India annihalated us. I don't want repeat of that series just a close fought encounter with both teams giving 100%. Also do not want C**p umpiring and aggression to spoil series.

:P

I second that.

 

[LankanPrince]

Guys, enough of this talk of umpires. It is cricketers who make the game exciting and interesting and give it reputation. This forum would be pretty dull if we started speculating over old men in white coats.

Anyways some questions for you 'experts' .. Who do you think will be the supporting bowlers for Vaas and Murali in the upcoming ODI series. What are your predicted line ups for each of the sides? Lets stop arguing and stimulate som creative thinkin instead.:P

 

[Rik]

Now THAT I would endorse, particularly if he did some songs during the lunch break.

Man, 'In the City' at the MCG would be something to behold!

ANYTHING!!! ANYONE!!!

Just get rid of Atomic Kitten!!! :!( :!( :!(

Louis Armstrong

 

[Rik]

Guys, enough of this talk of umpires. It is cricketers who make the game exciting and interesting and give it reputation. This forum would be pretty dull if we started speculating over old men in white coats.

Anyways some questions for you 'experts' .. Who do you think will be the supporting bowlers for Vaas and Murali in the upcoming ODI series. What are your predicted line ups for each of the sides? Lets stop arguing and stimulate som creative thinkin instead.:P

Zoysa seems to have come back into the recconing, Buddika could make it into the squad if he's still in favour. Looks like Chandana might be spin option after that young leg-spinning all-rounder who's name I can't spell crashed his car and got into a lot of trouble. My memory's appauling at the moment. Who was that seamer who chucked through one of the Tests in England a few years ago yet took 4 wickets?

 

[Richard]

Zoysa seems to have come back into the recconing, Buddika could make it into the squad if he's still in favour. Looks like Chandana might be spin option after that young leg-spinning all-rounder who's name I can't spell crashed his car and got into a lot of trouble. My memory's appauling at the moment. Who was that seamer who chucked through one of the Tests in England a few years ago yet took 4 wickets?

Kaushal Lokourachchi (or is it Lokaurachchi?) and Ruchira Perera are the guys you're talking about. Shame, as the former actually seemed quite a good bowler...

 

[LankanPrince]

Upul Chandana is a explosive batsman but his bowling is very inconsistent and is not very threatening. I would include him as a batting all-rounder but not a bowler. The fast bowler Prabath Nissanka impressed me in the West Indies he has good pace and bounce but needs to work on his accuracy. Zoysa is in an interesting prospect but the selectors have persisted with him before and he didn't really perform. I think another possible selection is the super fast Dilhara Fernando, I love watching him he is Sri Lanka's truly pacey bowler. As far as quality spinners are concerned Sri Lanka is short on them (obviously excluding Murali). Lokuarachchi looked quite good but I believe the selectors may pick Kumar Dharmasena and Russel Arnold as a part timer.

 

[Richard]

Guys, enough of this talk of umpires. It is cricketers who make the game exciting and interesting and give it reputation. This forum would be pretty dull if we started speculating over old men in white coats.

Anyways some questions for you 'experts' .. Who do you think will be the supporting bowlers for Vaas and Murali in the upcoming ODI series. What are your predicted line ups for each of the sides? Lets stop arguing and stimulate som creative thinkin instead.:P

My prediction:
Trescothick
Solanki
Vaughan
Collingwood
Flintoff
Clarke
Read
Blackwell
Giles
Johnson
Anderson
My hope for Lanka (ie the team I'd like to see realistically):
Jayasuriya
Kaluwitharana
Atapattu (c)
Vandort
Sangakkara
Another batsman (NOT Jehan Mubarak OR Mahela Jayawardene)
Chandana
Dharmasena
Vaas
Zoysa
Muralitharan
For the Tests:
Atapattu
Jayasuriya
Jayawardene
Vandort
Sangakkara
Tillikeratne (c)
Kaluwitharana
Vaas
Zoysa
Another spinner (maybe that guy who did well against us last time, Dinuk Hettiarachchi)
Muralitharan
Love to see Zoysa making a succesful comeback, but he's still not really shown anything recently to suggest he's back to his best. At least he's fitter than he was last time we saw him.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Kaushal Lokourachchi (or is it Lokaurachchi?)

Neither. It's Lokuarachchi.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Upul Chandana is a explosive batsman but his bowling is very inconsistent and is not very threatening. I would include him as a batting all-rounder but not a bowler.

The irony of that being that his batting is inconsistent also.

 

[LankanPrince]

True. But his innovative style of batting has the potential to win matches if he is in good form.