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

[kp4captain]

It seems a very English thing to criticize the weaknesses of the best player, as opposed to those around. Cook's tempo might not have been great but surely the guys at the other end are the problem this time, Kieswetter, Trott, Morgan, Pietersen, Bell?

 

[Spark]

In the past couple of years, he's averaged over 30 at a sr of over 100. He's got his confidence as a hitter now and so his average has gone up steadily.

This might be a defendable total. I can't believe even if it's Lords that the track is this easy. Well done Swanny.

Yeah I remember him cashing in at the end quite a number of times since his Test ton, really.

---

And yeah I've seen 250 defended on pitches like these.

 

[GIMH]

Reckon we'll win by 120 runs

 

[vcs]

Another start wasted by KP after getting off to a pretty start. Surely must hold the world record for making pretty 30-40s and not capitalizing on it.

Pretty crappy shot to get dismissed to as well.

 

[Howe_zat]

KP is the new Ian Bell?

Noooooooooo

 

[Howe_zat]

Anyway, I'm on the verge of throwing in the towel on the hunt for a one-day keeper who can open. I've said it's worth sticking with CK because if it works it'll solve our no.1 problem, but it's really looking like slim odds right now.

If he doesn't come off at some point this series, just pick the best gloveman and play him lower down.

 

[BoyBrumby]

That'll do for starters. Huge gate for him to bring it back through, but nice nut from the (formerly) fat lad.

EDIT: Nah, played inside it. My eyes are going.

 

[Howe_zat]

Wonder if Jimmy can get through 10 overs with the new ball. just a vastly better bowler.

 

[Lostman]

Really like this batting order with Mahela opening and Chandimal at 3.
Always thought Sangakkara is too slow in the PP.

 

[GIMH]

My 120 run victory prediction might be a little bit too optimistic

 

[vcs]

Mahela deserves a much better ODI average than 33. Or rather I should say, he's a much better player than that average suggests. Many worse ODI batsmen going around averaging 35+.

 

[Spark]

LOL Kieswetter, was about a foot from that

 

[keeper]

Shouldn't Chandimal just be dropping his hands and swaying out the way of this short stuff? He's making it look better than it is.

 

[Spark]

Shouldn't Chandimal just be dropping his hands and swaying out the way of this short stuff? He's making it look better than it is.

I don't think that it's quite as simple as it sounds

Anyway, as much as Broad needs a break, there is no way the borderline pies of Dernbach are in any way shape or form preferable

 

[Uppercut]

Didn't watch it TBH... but if England win, his innings will have been the difference right? He's given his team a chance even if it wasn't the prettiest of knocks. Can't ask for more. Seems a bit churlish to criticize him when there are so many others who deserve it before him..

It would be churlish, it was an important knock. It's just that only someone who didn't watch the innings would have said that it demonstrated his current form and temperament .

 

[keeper]

hahaha, shot

 

[GIMH]

The worrying thing about Broad atm is he's always been a gun in ODIs even when Uppercut had him as a certified prank bowler in Tests. In fact on ability he's our best ODI seamer by some distance. So yeah.

 

[Spark]

The worrying thing about Broad atm is he's always been a gun in ODIs even when Uppercut had him as a certified prank bowler in Tests. In fact on ability he's our best ODI seamer by some distance. So yeah.

Quite so which shows how badly he is out of rhythm.

E: At least now he does seem to have reasonable control. Said the same after his inital overs last match though.

 

[vcs]

Doesn't Broad usually take the new ball in ODIs? Seems to be relatively economical today, at least.

 

[GIMH]

I know we've taken a wicket but this feels like the WC QF all over again