***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

[superkingdave]

Mahmood wouldn't get in a first choice Lancashire OD side. And even without Flintoff and Anderson I wouldn't pick him in Lancs OD side. Chapple, Cork, Hogg, Smith should all play ahead of him.

 

[marc71178]

True, but do you really think Fletcher is getting the best from the players available? Are they really *that* bad?

Erm yes, I think they are.

 

[tooextracool]

Mahmood wouldn't get in a first choice Lancashire OD side. And even without Flintoff and Anderson I wouldn't pick him in Lancs OD side. Chapple, Cork, Hogg, Smith should all play ahead of him.

one would think that Liam Plunkett has one of the worst records amongst all the bowlers for Durham in both FC and List A cricket, considering that Davies, Harmison and Breeze all have better bowling records. Makes even more sense that the England selectors would pick him....

 

[TT Boy]

Well tomorrow’s game is a dead rubber so not point flogging a dead donkey, rest KP and anyone else who is needed (dearly) for Pakistan. Does not matter if we lose 3-2 or 5-0 we still lost.

 

[superkingdave]

Well tomorrow’s game is a dead rubber so not point flogging a dead donkey, rest KP and anyone else who is needed (dearly) for Pakistan. Does not matter if we lose 3-2 or 5-0 we still lost.

Since im going to watch i'd rather they didn't rest Kp thanks, don't want to be home for half 2

 

[TT Boy]

Since im going to watch i'd rather they didn't rest Kp thanks, don't want to be home for half 2

LOL. Sadly I think you might be watching Vikram Solanki instead.

 

[tooextracool]

Well tomorrow’s game is a dead rubber so not point flogging a dead donkey, rest KP and anyone else who is needed (dearly) for Pakistan. Does not matter if we lose 3-2 or 5-0 we still lost.

Perhaps we might do better if we picked the entire Somerset side for the game tomorrow. It really says alot about the selection policy when you consider that Somerset and Essex comfortably beat SL, while the national side is being walked all over in the Natwest series.

 

[Legglancer]

Yes, and if you care to look at his record since that comment, it's far from world beating isn't it.

Depends how you look at things ..... Not many have thrashed Australia with Lee and all in australia like Sanath has in the year ..... Actually he scored 2 centurys against them ... once for somerset in england and in aussie at the VB series. Won 3 MOM awards in addition to treating the English bowling attack with his customary servings.

 

[marc71178]

One of those games is a warm-up and thus means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

As for the current series, 156 runs, 122 of them in one innings.

The ton against Australia was mainly against the great bowlers that are Hopes and Dorey...

 

[Legglancer]

One of those games is a warm-up and thus means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Rubbish ! That innings With Smith was what shocked Australia who finally ended losing the ashers.

As for the current series, 156 runs, 122 of them in one innings.

156 runs is a lot more than Trescothic, colloingwood or peterson managed

The ton against Australia was mainly against the great bowlers that are Hopes and Dorey...

again .... Who were the other bowlers who bowled for aussie ?

There is no hope for you marc#### ....

 

[Neil Pickup]

ST Jayasuriya             0s   1s   2s   3s   4s   5s   6s   Runs  Balls    RP6B
v B Lee                    9    2    0    1    1    0    1     15     14    6.43
v NW Bracken              10    5    2    0    1    0    0     13     18    4.33
v BR Dorey                 5    2    2    0    3    0    0     18     12    9.00
v JR Hopes                 9    4    2    0    4    0    3     42     22   11.45
v A Symonds                6   10    0    0    1    0    0     14     17    4.94
v GB Hogg                  5    7    0    0    0    1    0     12     13    5.54
Total                     44   30    6    1   10    1    4    114     96    7.12

 

[Legglancer]

ST Jayasuriya             0s   1s   2s   3s   4s   5s   6s   Runs  Balls    RP6B
v B Lee                    9    2    0    1    1    0    1     15     14    6.43
v NW Bracken              10    5    2    0    1    0    0     13     18    4.33
v BR Dorey                 5    2    2    0    3    0    0     18     12    9.00
v JR Hopes                 9    4    2    0    4    0    3     42     22   11.45
v A Symonds                6   10    0    0    1    0    0     14     17    4.94
v GB Hogg                  5    7    0    0    0    1    0     12     13    5.54
Total                     44   30    6    1   10    1    4    114     96    7.12

Neil, You never cease to amaze me with your wizadry ..... Didnt he score an 85 off 65 balls against SA in the same series ? Also do you have the stats for the game against Somerset?

 

[Neil Pickup]

ST Jayasuriya             0s   1s   2s   3s   4s   6s   Runs  Balls    RP6B
v SM Pollock               7    3    0    0    1    0      7     11    3.82
v CK Langeveldt            7    2    2    0    2    1     20     14    8.57
v AJ Hall                 10    4    2    1    1    0     15     18    5.00
v JJ van der Wath          3    5    1    0    5    2     39     16   14.62
v GC Smith                 3    2    0    1    0    0      5      6    5.00
Total                     30   16    5    2    9    3     86     65    7.94

Van der Wath bowled short and wide, and Jayasuriya was absolutely savage - it was stunning to watch, even at 8.20am. No stats for Somerset easily to hand.

 

[Legglancer]

ST Jayasuriya             0s   1s   2s   3s   4s   6s   Runs  Balls    RP6B
v SM Pollock               7    3    0    0    1    0      7     11    3.82
v CK Langeveldt            7    2    2    0    2    1     20     14    8.57
v AJ Hall                 10    4    2    1    1    0     15     18    5.00
v JJ van der Wath          3    5    1    0    5    2     39     16   14.62
v GC Smith                 3    2    0    1    0    0      5      6    5.00
Total                     30   16    5    2    9    3     86     65    7.94

Van der Wath bowled short and wide, and Jayasuriya was absolutely savage - it was stunning to watch, even at 8.20am. No stats for Somerset easily to hand.

Neil ..... Man you are just too good to be true ..... Thanks

 

[marc71178]

Yes and also they show something clear...

 

[Top_Cat]

I think picking guys like like Bresnan, Darymple, etc. was a good idea in principle; in a full series with your best players out it certainly gives an indication of who you should persevere with when the front-line eventually goes. Plus, one should always take the opportunity to give younger players a go. Picking seasoned county professionals in a meaningless ODI series like this might marginally improve the performance of the team but in the long-run, shows nothing.

Some would say they're on a hiding to nothing but players who ARE the best who've been thrown into similar situations don't say "Crap, we're going to get thrashed; oh well, it's okay if I do badly"; they say "My time to shine because no-one else is going to stand up so I'll look even better compared to the others". It's about ya ticker, people! Also, it's not as if the entire front-line is gone; Harmi is still there. They should be learning all they can from him, particularly one like Mahmood (who I think is the one mostly likely to survive any culling).

 

[tooextracool]

I think picking guys like like Bresnan, Darymple, etc. was a good idea in principle; in a full series with your best players out it certainly gives an indication of who you should persevere with when the front-line eventually goes. Plus, one should always take the opportunity to give younger players a go. Picking seasoned county professionals in a meaningless ODI series like this might marginally improve the performance of the team but in the long-run, shows nothing.

Some would say they're on a hiding to nothing but players who ARE the best who've been thrown into similar situations don't say "Crap, we're going to get thrashed; oh well, it's okay if I do badly"; they say "My time to shine because no-one else is going to stand up so I'll look even better compared to the others". It's about ya ticker, people! Also, it's not as if the entire front-line is gone; Harmi is still there. They should be learning all they can from him, particularly one like Mahmood (who I think is the one mostly likely to survive any culling).

im all for picking young players who have potential and cannot argue with the likes of Mahmood, Dalrymple, even Bresnan being given a chance to play for England. What i do not like is the fact that some players like Mahmood and Plunkett unfairly get extended runs, when it is incredibly obvious from the very first game that they have played that neither deserve to be anywhere near the side. Its the same story with Geraint Jones who has performed poorly for longer than Read has and is still playing in both forms of the game. This sort of selection policy where the selectors are basically saying " Hey these guys are completely useless right now but hey i like his attitude and personality" is completely illogical and is most certainly the case for Geraint and Plunkett in particular.
and if someone can please explain to me why Jon Lewis doesnt deserve a place in the ODI side ahead of Bresnan, Plunkett and Mahmood despite a significantly better list A record, i'd like to hear it. No he may not be ODI standard, but if the terrible twosome can get as many as 22 ODI games between them( Mahmood with an atrocious ODI record standing at 44@6.78) i would like to hear the explanation as to why Jon Lewis only got 1 (against international standard sides)

 

[Top_Cat]

This sort of selection policy where the selectors are basically saying " Hey these guys are completely useless right now but hey i like his attitude and personality" is completely illogical and is most certainly the case for Geraint and Plunkett in particular.
and if someone can please explain to me why Jon Lewis doesnt deserve a place in the ODI side ahead of Bresnan, Plunkett and Mahmood despite a significantly better list A record, i'd like to hear it. No he may not be ODI standard, but if the terrible twosome can get as many as 22 ODI games between them( Mahmood with an atrocious ODI record standing at 44@6.78) i would like to hear the explanation as to why Jon Lewis only got 1 (against international standard sides)

I would guess with Mahmood that it's because everyone wants to see more of what we saw in his first 5 overs of Test cricket. That 3-wicket burst has maybe made people overlook the fact he still needs a fair bit of work. He's got pace, no doubt, but he's not in the express bracket like Lee, Tait, etc. So I guess a decision has to be made; do you use him a shock bowler only or do you try to correct the inaccuracy? Brett Lee had a similar problem a little while ago and he's found some way to combine both in the last year and has seen some results (without being world-beating as yet; personally, that's coming soon...). Mahmood, however, probably doesn't possess the accuracy that even Lee had in the early days so I think 'shock bowler' is the way to go.

As for Bresnan and Plunkett, either groom them to be medium-fast swing bowlers or dump them. As Jack tha Mack has said many times, bowlers these days are being conditioned to bowl fast first and figure out the rest later, completely forgetting that which made them good enough in the first place. It seems as if there's no place for anyone below 90+ which is rubbish. I've said for a while that batsmen's techniques the world over are ripe for the plucking if some team discovers someone who can bowl swing and 'stop' the ball on the batsmen, drawing the edge with movement rather than pace and bounce. Just about the entire Aussie top-order would be in real trouble (especially Haydos, Ponting, Clarke but ESPECIALLY that Gillespie fella).

 

[tooextracool]

I would guess with Mahmood that it's because everyone wants to see more of what we saw in his first 5 overs of Test cricket. That 3-wicket burst has maybe made people overlook the fact he still needs a fair bit of work. He's got pace, no doubt, but he's not in the express bracket like Lee, Tait, etc. So I guess a decision has to be made; do you use him a shock bowler only or do you try to correct the inaccuracy? Brett Lee had a similar problem a little while ago and he's found some way to combine both in the last year and has seen some results (without being world-beating as yet; personally, that's coming soon...). Mahmood, however, probably doesn't possess the accuracy that even Lee had in the early days so I think 'shock bowler' is the way to go.

Mahmood isnt an ODI class bowler period. No ifs and buts about it, the man offers absolutely nothing to the ODI side- no accuracy, no fitness, no batting, ordinary fielding, no variety. Hes got plenty of talent to work(pace,height, reverse swing) with when it comes to tests, and i have no problems with his selection in the recent test match series against SL and would go as far as saying that it was the right move. However his radar is downright disgraceful, as are his fitness levels, and i think these issues need to be worked on in domestic cricket, not at the international level.

 

[wpdavid]

Here's England's latest lineup, in case anyone can bear to watch.

Tres, Strauss, Cook, Bell, Solanki, Dalrymple, Jones, Bresnan, Plunkett, Kabir Ali, Harmison.

SL are batting. Anyone fancy forecasting their total against that lot?