***Official*** Sri Lanka in England and Ireland 2014

[Maximas]

Karunaratne has always looked like he could be a good player for me. He's had the misfortune to come up against some really good bowling attacks early in his career.

Failed to capitalise against Bangladesh early in the piece as well though

 

[grecian]

This hasn't really been good from England, struggling to adjust to the left-right combo and bowling well too short on a lifeless pitch that is swinging.

 

[Maximas]

Kulasakara to move up the order

 

[91Jmay]

That's so well played from Sanga. Brute of a delivery.

If they keep wickets in hand, the scoring rate is fine at the moment...

 

[Spark]

That's so well played from Sanga. Brute of a delivery.

If they keep wickets in hand, the scoring rate is fine at the moment...

344 off 77 overs? Not quite going quick enough for that.

 

[91Jmay]

344 off 77 overs? Not quite going quick enough for that.

Yeah it is a pretty daunting run rate. Would need some mayhem off the last 10, and England being able to load up with boundary riders would hurt them.

 

[Maximas]

1/120 at lunch and we might have a chance, I suspect we'll have a bit of a go but will pull out of the chase somewhere around tea if we continue this decent start

 

[wpdavid]

This hasn't really been good from England, struggling to adjust to the left-right combo and bowling well too short on a lifeless pitch that is swinging.

Sounds like the SL attack outbowled us yesterday.

 

[Maximas]

Even if we don't make the runs if we look like we might get close that puts pressure on England to stop being so aggressive, so that helps us survive, good positive cricket from both teams atm

 

[ImpatientLime]

Bang it in.
Energy.
Pace.

 

[91Jmay]

Seems like we've decided that the short ball is going to win us the game. Not sure I agree.

 

[Spark]

Yeah it is a pretty daunting run rate. Would need some mayhem off the last 10, and England being able to load up with boundary riders would hurt them.

Just not gonna happen tbh. There's fast scoring and then there's 400 in a day (which is what this is, more or less)

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah it is a pretty daunting run rate. Would need some mayhem off the last 10, and England being able to load up with boundary riders would hurt them.

If SL look like getting close, England will slow the over rate right down. SL probably need to do this in 80 out of the scheduled 90 if they don't lose many wickets.

 

[King Pietersen]

Jeez. Not sure how quick it registered at, but that first bouncer to Silva in this over looked seriously quick.

Has Moeen bowled the doosra at all in this Test? How's he bowled overall?

 

[King Pietersen]

This is good from Plunkett. Seriously quick stuff.

 

[YorksLanka]

well played lads, two more sesions to go...

 

[Maximas]

Well this looks pretty safe, Sri Lanka just giving themselves the slightest chance, but the run-rate needed with the over-rate in mind is nearing 6 so I think we'll be seeing a dreary draw here, but a good session nonetheless, England bowled rather well in the latter part of the session I think.

 

[King Pietersen]

This pitch is dead. We either need some reverse to happen quickly for Jimmeh, or hit them with more pace from Plunkett. Broad's getting nothing out of it.

 

[YorksLanka]

Well batted Kaushal, good gutsy knock showing a lot of his character..hoping for both these guys to go big in this innings and get on the board(again for Sanga?not sure if you get named twice if you do it in both innings)..

 

[Maximas]

Chase given up and this game pretty much looks saved, can't imagine the bowlers are gonna get through our middle order on this pitch, especially given how solid these two look, bed-time I think, hopefully a more sporting wicket is produced at Leeds and we can see who deserves to take the series.