***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

[Steulen]

6/49...not bad for a medium-pace trundler.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Fair play to the big-nosed Alan Davies-alike, he's certainly held his hand up for selection.

Shame to see Cook get a blob tho.

 

[TT Boy]

I’m in favour of Lewis getting selected for this test match as a one off, a horses for courses selection but that’s all he should remain regardless.

 

[wpdavid]

I’m in favour of Lewis getting selected for this test match as a one off, a horses for courses selection but that’s all he should remain regardless.

And I'm sure he would once Harmison, Jones & Anderson are available. In the meantime, it's a nice little reminder to the Plunketts & Mahmoods of this world that potential doesn't count for a lot if it isn't supported by performance from tiem to time.

 

[superkingdave]

And I'm sure he would once Harmison, Jones & Anderson are available. In the meantime, it's a nice little reminder to the Plunketts & Mahmoods of this world that potential doesn't count for a lot if it isn't supported by performance from tiem to time.

i think you are being a tad harsh on Mahmood there with the 'if it isn't supported by performance from time to time.' comment. His recent first class form is pretty decent, he took 12 wickets in the A test series in the WI at an average of about 12, and has taken 7@25 so far this year.

Though i'd have Lewis in the side personally.

 

[tooextracool]

And I'm sure he would once Harmison, Jones & Anderson are available. In the meantime, it's a nice little reminder to the Plunketts & Mahmoods of this world that potential doesn't count for a lot if it isn't supported by performance from tiem to time.

AFAIC the only potential that the selectors(or anyone else for that matter) could have possibly seen in plunkett is the fact that he can hurl the cricket ball at speeds greater than 85 mph at an age of 21. This is a very shallow philosophy and its about equivalent to the aussie selectors dreaming about how shane watson could be a bowling all rounder.
That isnt to say that i expect the other 2 to be test class bowlers, but i think the 2 of them are far more likely to at the respective stages of their career than plunkett does.

 

[adharcric]

What do you guys expect as the Sri Lankan XI at the Lords?

Vandort, Tharanga, Sangakarra+, Jayawardene*, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Kapugedera, C Vaas, F Maharoof / N Zoysa, M Muralitharan, L Malinga

 

[dinu23]

What do you guys expect as the Sri Lankan XI at the Lords?

Vandort, Tharanga, Sangakarra+, Jayawardene*, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Kapugedera, C Vaas, F Maharoof / N Zoysa, M Muralitharan, L Malinga

Zoysa probably would make it infront of Maharoof.

 

[JASON]

Zoysa probably would make it infront of Maharoof.

I have to agree with that.

Maharoof just showing again how crap he is outside the sub continent .

*now who was it that said of another fellow cricketer -can't bat, can't bowl .... was it Warnie *

 

[JASON]

England A V Sri Lankans

Lankans are 25/2 after 6.2 overs

Lewis takes both wickets.

SL showing their stupidity or naivety . They win the toss and bat first . How dumb was that !!

 

[JASON]

6/49...not bad for a medium-pace trundler.

Any medium paced trundler will do against this lacklustre SL batting line up.

If England win the toss and put SL in , expect the First Test to finish on Day 2 .

* SL innings over by early to Mid second session, then England get 200 Plus lead by Day 2 lunch and declare . SL second innings over by Mid Post Tea session .
England win by an innings !! *

 

[adharcric]

Doesn't look like you guys think very highly of your team.

 

[wpdavid]

i think you are being a tad harsh on Mahmood there with the 'if it isn't supported by performance from time to time.' comment. His recent first class form is pretty decent, he took 12 wickets in the A test series in the WI at an average of about 12, and has taken 7@25 so far this year.

Though i'd have Lewis in the side personally.

Yes, I overstated it a bit. I know he did well in the WI, but from what I'd read he hasn't bowled well so far this season, even if his figures look respectable. Point taken though.

 

[JBH001]

Well, one of the greatest batsmen ever was a big overachiever it seems:

Ken Barrington

Test: 131 innings, 15 not outs, 6806 runs @ 58.67, 20 hundreds, 35 fifties.
Non-Test FC: 700 innings, 121 not outs, 24908 runs @ 43.01, 56 hundreds, 130 fifties

A very respectable county cricketer, but an absolutely superb Test batsman. Not only scoring 15 runs more per dismissal, but geting hundreds at twice the rate too (6.5 innings per hundred in Tests vs 12.5 in FC). He also retired from Tests and FC cricket at the same time and only played 2 seasons of county cricket before making his debut, so poor scores when very young or very old don't skew the figures. I can only imagine that playing against the best and representing his country motivated him and pushed him harder just as it seems to for Trescothick I suppose

I remember reading a quote - I cant remember who, maybe an Aussie player - that everytime Barrington went　out to bat you could almost see the Union Jack waving behind him. He was that kind of player.

I have sometimes wondered (in 'fruitless thinking' moments) what effect he may have had on Ian Botham had he not passed away from a heart attack in 1981.

 

[wpdavid]

I remember reading a quote - I cant remember who, maybe an Aussie player - that everytime Barrington went　out to bat you could almost see the Union Jack waving behind him. He was that kind of player.

I have sometimes wondered (in 'fruitless thinking' moments) what effect he may have had on Ian Botham had he not passed away from a heart attack in 1981.

Good thought. Other possible reasons for Beefy's decline, in no particular order:
- soured attitude as a result of his experience of the captaincy
- far too much leeway being given to him under Willis' captaincy
- inherent rebellious/indulgent streak which was was always going to surface after the initial buzz of international cricket had passed

 

[marc71178]

I remember reading a quote - I cant remember who, maybe an Aussie player - that everytime Barrington went　out to bat you could almost see the Union Jack waving behind him. He was that kind of player.

Rodney Marsh IIRC.

 

[Lostman]

SL showing their stupidity or naivety . They win the toss and bat first . How dumb was that !!

practice... they really need it.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Mmmm.... 225/4 to 226/8. Rikki and Read both get blobs.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Mmmm.... 225/4 to 226/8. Rikki and Read both get blobs.

All out 259...then Sri Lanka 0/1. Vandort lasted four balls against Lewis this time.

I guess Read's duck means he won't play, especially as Jones has 51 at OT (with no one else passing 15...Mahmood 8-2-20-2, including *drum roll* David Fulton)

 

[superkingdave]

SL 52-4 in their second dig, still trailing.