**Official** Sri Lanka in England / Scotland - 2011

[Woodster]

Yes it's good to have Jimmy back to hopefully wrap up the series, so who does he replace ? While Broad has not looked at his best and not cemented his place in this bowling attack for me, he is the one that stays in the side as I see him ahead of Finn at this stage.

Broad has shown in the past he can be a matchwinner, can often get the breakthrough when we need one, but needs to be doing this more consistently. I do forget he is still only 24 years old and should hopefully continue to improve, he needs to as a bowling average of just under 36 is not good enough considering the quality of spells he is capable of.

Steven Finn is even more a case of a work in progress. The youngest Englishman to 50 wickets proves he has plenty of potential, he has that knack of taking wickets, is still learning the game and wickets will be harder to come by once batsmen around the world have seen how he operates. Tough call to drop him in the Ashes when he was the leading wicket-taker, but it was the right one, both in hindsight and at the time. He did bowl far too short at times and didn't allow England to build the pressure. I think leaving him out of this third Test against Sri Lanka is again the right call to make.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yes it's good to have Jimmy back to hopefully wrap up the series, so who does he replace ? While Broad has not looked at his best and not cemented his place in this bowling attack for me, he is the one that stays in the side as I see him ahead of Finn at this stage.

Broad has shown in the past he can be a matchwinner, can often get the breakthrough when we need one, but needs to be doing this more consistently. I do forget he is still only 24 years old and should hopefully continue to improve, he needs to as a bowling average of just under 36 is not good enough considering the quality of spells he is capable of.

Steven Finn is even more a case of a work in progress. The youngest Englishman to 50 wickets proves he has plenty of potential, he has that knack of taking wickets, is still learning the game and wickets will be harder to come by once batsmen around the world have seen how he operates. Tough call to drop him in the Ashes when he was the leading wicket-taker, but it was the right one, both in hindsight and at the time. He did bowl far too short at times and didn't allow England to build the pressure. I think leaving him out of this third Test against Sri Lanka is again the right call to make.

Good post, and I agree with all of it, but as for the bolded part, Broad has been doing that over his last few Tests as well. Like I said he's earned the chance to stick around for a few more matches, but if he doesn't get his length right soon he may have to make way.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I think Broad has bowled dross in the first 2 matches and should go. If he couldn't bat it wouldn't be up for discussion as he has been so woefully short of rhythm.

 

[Woodster]

Good post, and I agree with all of it, but as for the bolded part, Broad has been doing that over his last few Tests as well. Like I said he's earned the chance to stick around for a few more matches, but if he doesn't get his length right soon he may have to make way.

Yes I wouldn't disagree mate, although Finn was doing it consistently to Mike Hussey who was consistently hitting it to the boundary. Maybe he was working to a particular plan, ie Hussey will be out pulling/hooking eventually, and he was, although he was generally well into three figures by then.

Broad needs to get his areas right, he has earned a stay of execution, but there's not only Finn pushing him for a place in the Test side now.

 

[Woodster]

I think Broad has bowled dross in the first 2 matches and should go. If he couldn't bat it wouldn't be up for discussion as he has been so woefully short of rhythm.

His batting is an obvious bonus, but I have looked at the Broad/Finn debate purely in terms of their bowling, as you'll see in my post there is no reference to Broad's ability to score important runs at number eight. On bowling alone I think he is still ahead of Finn at this stage, imo.

 

[centurymaker]

His batting is an obvious bonus, but I have looked at the Broad/Finn debate purely in terms of their bowling, as you'll see in my post there is no reference to Broad's ability to score important runs at number eight. On bowling alone I think he is still ahead of Finn at this stage, imo.

Definitely, finn's just been getting lucky with the wickets.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Definitely, finn's just been getting lucky with the wickets.

Where as Broad has bowled equal dross and not got wickets yet people still want him in the side.

I am not writing Broad off i just think he needs a couple of months back in county cricket getting some form back, he has had a couple of injuries and been rushed back into the international side without getting any form back. Not his fault but international sport is no place to try and find form, we should have learnt from KP in SA.

 

[The_roc]

His batting is an obvious bonus, but I have looked at the Broad/Finn debate purely in terms of their bowling, as you'll see in my post there is no reference to Broad's ability to score important runs at number eight. On bowling alone I think he is still ahead of Finn at this stage, imo.

Thought Finn was the youngest English bowlerr to take 50 test wickets. Tough call to drop him (50 wickets at 27) in favour of Broad (105 wickets at 36).

Is there an issue with Anderson's fitness? Hasn't played since his injury.

 

[Jacknife]

Definitely, finn's just been getting lucky with the wickets.

I don't think that's true at all, he can bowl some poor deliveries but most of the wickets he gets are from very good deliveries.

 

[Jacknife]

Where as Broad has bowled equal dross and not got wickets yet people still want him in the side.

I am not writing Broad off i just think he needs a couple of months back in county cricket getting some form back, he has had a couple of injuries and been rushed back into the international side without getting any form back. Not his fault but international sport is no place to try and find form, we should have learnt from KP in SA.

Yes, I think Broad because of the injuries, he should have started the County season as early as possible and got as many game as he could, instead of just the couple of games, to find form and get back to full fitness.

 

[Howe_zat]

Game's been rained off for the day in Chelmsford, SL closing on 38/3. They'll be a touch rattled by the scorecard, but they'll take it if it means Sangakkara's got some form back.

 

[superkingdave]

Jimmy was supposed to play a T20 today but that was rained off as well

 

[BoyBrumby]

90% sure it'll be Finn for the arse if Jimmy's fit, but would go the other way myself. Finn has the happy knack of picking up wickets even when he's not bowling well but Broad seems to be one of those bowlers who beats the edge more often than he finds it, aside from the odd random spell when it all clicks and he's a world beater.

We have probably our strongest top 7 in two decades and Swann is a capable test #8, so not sure Broad's batting should be that much of a factor. But it obviously will.

 

[Goughy]

90% sure it'll be Finn for the arse if Jimmy's fit, but would go the other way myself. Finn has the happy knack of picking up wickets even when he's not bowling well but Broad seems to be one of those bowlers who beats the edge more often than he finds it, aside from the odd random spell when it all clicks and he's a world beater.

We have probably our strongest top 7 in two decades and Swann is a capable test #8, so not sure Broad's batting should be that much of a factor. But it obviously will.

Yeah. You will seldom find anyone who preaches from the sermon of batting depth as fervently as I do but by 9 in the order it should all be about bowling and nothing else.

 

[Uppercut]

Mmm I think I'd still go with Broad in spite of my previously-stated reservations about him. Finn completely went to pieces against Sri Lanka and I'm not yet fully convinced that his knack of taking wickets despite bowling trash is a feature of his bowling rather than just an anomaly of his short career. I think Broad's done enough in his career to justify sticking with him through a dry spell this short, especially when he doesn't seem to be bowling all that badly.

I'd say it's a lot closer for me than it'll be for the selectors, though.

 

[Jacknife]

Mmm I think I'd still go with Broad in spite of my previously-stated reservations about him. Finn completely went to pieces against Sri Lanka and I'm not yet fully convinced that his knack of taking wickets despite bowling trash is a feature of his bowling rather than just an anomaly of his short career. I think Broad's done enough in his career to justify sticking with him through a dry spell this short, especially when he doesn't seem to be bowling all that badly.

I'd say it's a lot closer for me than it'll be for the selectors, though.

I don't agree with that at all, he started off at Lords poorly, but by the end, I thought he bowled the best, out of the 3 bowers.His last 2 spells were impressive and it was good to see him work through his difficulties and bowl well by the end.
I don't think he bowls trash or anything like it either, what he does do, is send down a poor ball, ever now and again, which takes the focus off his good deliveries, which seems to happen when he looses his action but most of the wickets he gets, are from good deliveries. People who say, he gets wickets from poor deliveries, well, doesn't everyone but you only have to look, at the highlights of his wickets, to see that most come by good bowling.
I agree with you about Broad and most people, forget he's coming back after 2 serious injuries and will take time to hit top form. He really would have been better, getting as much bowling done as he could, before the 1st test, for Notts instead of just the 2 games.

 

[Howe_zat]

Weather is set ****house.

 

[Nate]

gaaaaaaaaaaaaah

 

[Howe_zat]

Wonder if Sri Lanka will have the nuggets to drop Maharoof given they need to go for the win. Maybe play Perera as a straight swap.

Just looked up some figures for the Rose Bowl, and Morgan seems to love it here.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Stating the obvious as it is, the British summer does suck arse sometimes. Really jizzed about with this series.