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

[SamSawnoff]

Especially with botham's continous hyperbole.And before that anderson,gough,swann all giving the impression they just have to show up and whitewash us.

But Swann is taking the piss half the time, though I know it's not to everyone's taste and I'm not sure that Anderson has said anything out of line that I can recall. He hardly speaks.

Botham is a jerk, I'm with you there.

 

[Himannv]

When I leave office we're just starting to bat. I come back home and its the presentation ceremony. What the **** happened? Those blockheaded bunglers couldn't even bat out a couple of sessions?

 

[TopCat]

When I leave office we're just starting to bat. I come back home and its the presentation ceremony. What the **** happened? Those blockheaded bunglers couldn't even bat out a couple of sessions?

They only just barely lasted two hours of play.

 

[Himannv]

Sanga showing some lack of interest IMO. ****er would rather keep his big fat IPL paycheck than play for the country. Time to give Chandimal and a few other promising youngsters a few more chances.

 

[Goughy]

Anyone commented how Cook, when fielding at silly mid off to Swann, jumps and tenses to ready himself while the ball is in flight?

With him fielding so close, it is possibly a distraction to the batsman as it is quite a distinctive movement in the eyeline of the batsman.

 

[indiaholic]

And to think that nobody believed me when i said a result was possible. But watay match.

 

[Xuhaib]

get the feeling that Indian fans (not necessceraily CW) want India to be seen as underdog. You have the 2nd best batsman off all time four guyz averaging near about 50 with oneof them argubly the most deatructive opener of all time a keeper who not only is an inspirational skipper but a rare wk who averages 40+ with the bat. Bowling is the weaker area but still 2 of your bowler combine 700 wickets. If the series was anywhere but England Indja would be favourites comfortably.

 

[silentstriker]

Nah bowling is at least as important and India really only have one bowler (and he's often injured) who you can 'bank' on, especially overseas.

 

[Goughy]

Just finished watching the highlights and it was very impressive by England. Especially how they were celebrating the early wickets. It showed that this wasnt just a short day to finish the Test in a draw but a team that was hungry and came hard and believed in themselves even when the chances of victory were slim. There was a positive energy and great aggression from the start.

Highlight of the day for me? The catch by Bell at short leg off Broad. Amazing to watch him wait and not flinch when 99 out of 100 would have been on their heels.

 

[GIMH]

Bell is pretty special as a close catcher

 

[Furball]

Damn Cook and Trott for playing for a draw.

Oh wait...

 

[TopCat]

England's bowling attack has to be one of the most potent in world cricket at the moment, and the strength in depth is considerable too. Anderson, Onions, Bresnan all injured or just recovered from injury. Shahzad, Woakes and Dernbach also of an excellent standard and Finn almost certain to play in the next Test.

Amazing really.

 

[Howe_zat]

..Dernbach also of an excellent standard...

Pushing it there, tbh.

 

[Jono]

get the feeling that Indian fans (not necessceraily CW) want India to be seen as underdog. You have the 2nd best batsman off all time four guyz averaging near about 50 with oneof them argubly the most deatructive opener of all time a keeper who not only is an inspirational skipper but a rare wk who averages 40+ with the bat. Bowling is the weaker area but still 2 of your bowler combine 700 wickets. If the series was anywhere but England Indja would be favourites comfortably.

Nah as I've always said, England's series to lose.

 

[Furball]

England's victories under Flower and Strauss:

v West Indies at Chester-le-Street - won by an innings and 83 runs
v West Indies at Lord's - won by 10 wickets
v Australia at Lord's - won by 115 runs
v Australia at the Oval - won by 197 runs
v South Africa at Durban - won by an innings and 98 runs
v Bangladesh at Chittagong - won by 181 runs
v Bangladesh at Dhaka - won by 9 wickets
v Bangladesh at Lord's - won by 8 wickets
v Bangladesh at Manchester - won by an innings and 80 runs
v Pakistan at Nottingham - won by 354 runs
v Pakistan at Birmingham - won by 9 wickets
v Pakistan at Lord's - won by an innings and 225 runs
v Australia at Adelaide - won by an innings and 71 runs
v Australia at Melbourne - won by an innings and 157 runs
v Australia at Sydney - won by an innings and 83 runs
v Sri Lanka at Cardiff - won by an innings and 14 runs

8 of our 16 Test wins have been by an innings, including all of our last 5, and 6 of our last 8. There's not one victory in that lot that's been a really close run thing.

Sure, we've suffered a few heavy defeats as well - Jamaica, Headingly, Johannesburg, Perth - but when we beat teams, we beat teams pretty heavily.

 

[Howe_zat]

England's victories under Flower and Strauss:

v West Indies at Chester-le-Street - won by an innings and 83 runs
v West Indies at Lord's - won by 10 wickets
v Australia at Lord's - won by 115 runs
v Australia at the Oval - won by 197 runs
v South Africa at Durban - won by an innings and 98 runs
v Bangladesh at Chittagong - won by 181 runs
v Bangladesh at Dhaka - won by 9 wickets
v Bangladesh at Lord's - won by 8 wickets
v Bangladesh at Manchester - won by an innings and 80 runs
v Pakistan at Nottingham - won by 354 runs
v Pakistan at Birmingham - won by 9 wickets
v Pakistan at Lord's - won by an innings and 225 runs
v Australia at Adelaide - won by an innings and 71 runs
v Australia at Melbourne - won by an innings and 157 runs
v Australia at Sydney - won by an innings and 83 runs
v Sri Lanka at Cardiff - won by an innings and 14 runs

8 of our 16 Test wins have been by an innings, including all of our last 5, and 6 of our last 8. There's not one victory in that lot that's been a really close run thing.

Sure, we've suffered a few heavy defeats as well - Jamaica, Headingly, Johannesburg, Perth - but when we beat teams, we beat teams pretty heavily.

And the only other loss in that time was against Pakistan at the Oval, and that wasn't close either.

In fact, the only tight matches I can think of for England have been draws - Cardiff '09, Centurion and Cape Town.

Still, 16 wins to 5 losses, that'll do.

 

[Burgey]

Hang on. SL lost?

How the **** did they manage that?

 

[Furball]

Hang on. SL lost?

How the **** did they manage that?

Because we're ****ing awesome.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Hang on. SL lost?

How the **** did they manage that?

Good bowling and **** batting. Much the same as the ashes was.

 

[Prince EWS]

England's victories under Flower and Strauss:

v West Indies at Chester-le-Street - won by an innings and 83 runs
v West Indies at Lord's - won by 10 wickets
v Australia at Lord's - won by 115 runs
v Australia at the Oval - won by 197 runs
v South Africa at Durban - won by an innings and 98 runs
v Bangladesh at Chittagong - won by 181 runs
v Bangladesh at Dhaka - won by 9 wickets
v Bangladesh at Lord's - won by 8 wickets
v Bangladesh at Manchester - won by an innings and 80 runs
v Pakistan at Nottingham - won by 354 runs
v Pakistan at Birmingham - won by 9 wickets
v Pakistan at Lord's - won by an innings and 225 runs
v Australia at Adelaide - won by an innings and 71 runs
v Australia at Melbourne - won by an innings and 157 runs
v Australia at Sydney - won by an innings and 83 runs
v Sri Lanka at Cardiff - won by an innings and 14 runs

8 of our 16 Test wins have been by an innings, including all of our last 5, and 6 of our last 8. There's not one victory in that lot that's been a really close run thing.

Sure, we've suffered a few heavy defeats as well - Jamaica, Headingly, Johannesburg, Perth - but when we beat teams, we beat teams pretty heavily.

And the only other loss in that time was against Pakistan at the Oval, and that wasn't close either.

In fact, the only tight matches I can think of for England have been draws - Cardiff '09, Centurion and Cape Town.

Still, 16 wins to 5 losses, that'll do.

You could well argue that this isn't great preparation for India though, given their propensity to manufacture close contests and their proficiency in doing just enough to win (or draw if they're behind) by standing up in pressure situations. England don't have a lot of experience in those sort of situations.