Jungle Jumbo
International Vice-Captain
Sri Lankan seamers (Maharoof, Kulasekera) looked very ordinary. Regardless of the time of year, I'd have had Bandara playing - you play your best three bowlers in all conditions.
Willow & Stumpy have been advertised as helping to make test match cricket simple for children and new comers.steds said:Wtf's this Willow & Stumpy *****?
tell them to go watch some twenty20, and come back when they are out of nappiesPhoenix said:Willow & Stumpy have been advertised as helping to make test match cricket simple for children and new comers.
Hmmmm......chris.chris said:Why do u think that Jayasuria has come out of retirment. He is going to play in the next test you know
So is the bowling...Barney Rubble said:Hmmmm......
Anyway, I'll answer your question - he's come out of requirement because his country's batting resources are hopelessly weak.
I'd have thought Lewis was battling Mahmood though?Neil Pickup said:Freddie agrees with me. Plunkett is playing because he can bat at 8 - I think that's the difference over Lewis.
Except we're talking about 2 of the best spinners of all time who can turn it on anything.Scaly piscine said:Yea but this frequently happens when there shouldn't be that much in the pitch for the spinner - compared to the seam bowlers.
Pretty good, only problem I had was 2 advert breaks in that time.Langeveldt said:What were the channel five highlights like? Surely they couldn't be worse than Channel 4's old Highlights
This is why Moody needs to go. Because the 2 bowlers who most smart Srilankans would have picked Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Zoysa are not playing while the 2 least expected are playing. I guess Moody is reciprocating the England selectors in their decision to pick Plunkett over the Unlucky Jon Lewis.Samuel_Vimes said:Sri Lanka:
Tharanga
Mubarak
+Sangakkara
*Jayawardene
Dilshan
Samaraweera
Kapugedera
Maharoof
Vaas
Kulasekara
Muralitharan
Doesn't really matter IMO whether Vandort or Mubarak was picked. Intrigued by Kulasekara, tho.
I will top that by saying it will be Innings and 250 +Neil Pickup said:I'm going 250+
Murali missed out getting Trescothick out 3 times with 3 plumb LBWs . And Rudi kept turning them down despite them being absolutely Plumb .TT Boy said:Now that looked pretty much a regulation LBW, Murali should feel aggrieved.
Not likely given the belligerance of ICC appointed Umpires to turn down most LBW shouts from this guy, even if they are plumb .andyc said:According to Cricinfo, the batsmen are having a hard time picking the doosra, which makes me reckon that Murali'll take a few this game.
Precisely !!superkingdave said:well whoever takes them will have to be bowled caught or runout because the umpires aren't giving any lbw's today!
I would say worse than County standard , to be honest.BoyBrumby said:Well we've certainly had the rub of the green: good toss to win, about half-a-dozen very reasonable LBW shouts turned down & then KP caught off a no-ball. I guess when your luck's in you ride the wave.
Sri Lanka don't look too flash tho just now, do they? Take Murali out & the bowling is county standard.
Exactly . The stupidity of Moody and Sri Lanka's tour selectors is ....unbelievable .Pedro Delgado said:Where's Malinga?
I am happy when the team performs miserably so that I can lash out at our Team and everyone else .Sir Redman said:Such a happy supporter, aren't you Jason?
Anyway, its good to see that we've got live coverage of this series. A few points:
1) It is such a relief to watch and listen to good coverage after putting up with the awful NZ and South African coverage in the last few months
2) The English batsmen's techniques are so much better than our guys (with the possible exception of Fleming). The pitch was doing a fair bit early on, but Trescothick and Strauss just played the line of the balls rather than pushing their hands at it like our lot do.
3) You are far better off playing 3 openers and batting one at three than selecting 3 middle order players and making two open. Yes, I'm talking to you John Bracewell.
4) The umpires need to look at the rules. You know, leg-before-wicket and all that.