***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

[open365]

Agreed Barney, Sri Lanka looked awfull.

Mamhood did well, but he doesn't look capable of bowling more than 4 overs in a row with out going downhill.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Agreed Barney, Sri Lanka looked awfull.

Mamhood did well, but he doesn't look capable of bowling more than 4 overs in a row with out going downhill.

Nasser commented on that. His stamina seems pretty poor - but I'm sure a few weeks with England will have Fletch working him hard in the gym, so I'm not too worried.

 

[albo97056]

Sri Lanka were never goin to get anywhare near 550, plus theres rain scheduled for the weekend, making the decleration excellent timing imo.
You will never lose a match with 550 on the board and with these sides. The worst is a draw and the early decleration is bound to ensure that doesnt happen.

 

[Scaly piscine]

How would the declaration have ensured that doesn't happen? There were 3 days and 40 overs left, with England's bowlers and attacking fields it is inevitable that if SL bat for 2 days (regardless of following on or whatever) they'll get as many runs as England, that makes it pointless to declare early unless you're sure that over a whole day in total is going to wiped out (even then you've still got the follow-on target as a factor) or that you're sure SL will score particularly slowly. If SL get skittled twice it obviously doesnt matter in the end, but it doesn't make an early declaration right - just like if England declare at 400 and SL get bowled out for 150 twice it doesn't make the declaration right, you play so the percentage are as much in your favour as possible.

 

[Blaze]

Sri Lanka were woeful. No heart. When will they turn up for a Test match outside of the sub continent?

 

[marc71178]

Looks like a great decision now from Fred, all the bowlers can come back fresh tomorrow, and then the showers will ensure they don't get tired.

Odds that Monty does a Batty?

 

[Barney Rubble]

How would the declaration have ensured that doesn't happen? There were 3 days and 40 overs left, with England's bowlers and attacking fields it is inevitable that if SL bat for 2 days (regardless of following on or whatever) they'll get as many runs as England, that makes it pointless to declare early unless you're sure that over a whole day in total is going to wiped out (even then you've still got the follow-on target as a factor) or that you're sure SL will score particularly slowly. If SL get skittled twice it obviously doesnt matter in the end, but it doesn't make an early declaration right - just like if England declare at 400 and SL get bowled out for 150 twice it doesn't make the declaration right, you play so the percentage are as much in your favour as possible.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no right or wrong time to make a declaration, just times that suit your game plan and times that don't. England's game plan is to play the most aggressive cricket possible, not take the cautious route and "play the percentages".

Therefore the declaration at 550 sent out the appropriate message - i.e. "we know we can dismiss you quickly, for not many runs". If their intention was, for example, to send out the message that " we are determined not to lose this game", then they could have declared at 700, which they probably would have made in the end.

A declaration isn't always about working out the numbers of "if we bat for this long at this run rate...." etc etc - it's a psychological tool. An extremely brave captain could have declared at 450 or even 400 and told the Sri Lankans flat-out "we are going to bowl you out cheaply", but realistically no-one would quite be that brave. As it is, clearly whatever message Fred was sending out was the right one.

Oh, and may I add - complaining about a 460-run lead after two days? Cheer up, mate....

 

[Barney Rubble]

Odds that Monty does a Batty?

Gets repeatedly battered and disappears from the international scene completely?

 

[marc71178]

If we're being honest, he's got one part sewn up...

 

[JASON]

Mubharak should never play cricket!!i have never seem him score anything decent, he might have but i have never seen it...

Seconded !!

 

[JASON]

You need Sanath.

Seems like it, although unsure what sort of form he is in ATM. May not make much of a difference overall , if he is in poor form as well.

 

[JASON]

Mahmood looks good. And he's got his second wicket now! Plumb in front.

The Umpires who lost their finger during England innings pretty quickly discovered it during the SL innings , particularly for LBW's ... and they didn't need to be asked twice on any occasion when SL batted .... Change of their criteria perhaps or the fingers got warmer during the change of innings ...

 

[adharcric]

Seems like it, although unsure what sort of form he is in ATM. May not make much of a difference overall , if he is in poor form as well.

The way Mubarak is batting, it really doesn't matter what kind of form Jayasuriya is in. He could come in and kick his stumps down first ball and still be a welcome addition to the team simply because he is who he is.

 

[JASON]

Terrible runout.

If there was Justice in Cricket, England would have been all out for under 400 (or even 350)
with Tresco out at 28 and KP out in his 20s. SL would have started in a more positive frame .

But unfortunately this game of ours is now controlled by Clown like puppets in the middle, who move as their master ( ICC ) wants them to .

And when the luck is out even run outs go against you and appear clumsy and comical even like that one.

 

[JASON]

The way Mubarak is batting, it really doesn't matter what kind of form Jayasuriya is in. He could come in and kick his stumps down first ball and still be a welcome addition to the team simply because he is who he is.

Have to agree with you .

 

[JASON]

Deary me. First ball in Test cricket and you get out. Poor guy.

Dar didn't want to give him a break, in case he developed to be a Tendulkar or a Lara, you know.

If it was an Englishman he would have pretended not to have seen it, and the game would have gone on with the debutant making a hundred on debut even.

 

[JASON]

well this sounds like a bit of a mess. Im not in store for a great days cricket tomorow. Just hope that Sri Lanka can put up a bit of a fight or ill be on my way home by about 2.

Well you would see England's rising star Saj Mahmood , bowl Sri Lanka out twice in the same day tomorrow. So what are you complaining about .

 

[JASON]

it was an attacking declaration, it was Flintoff showing faith in a bowling attack that most of us knew would make Sri lanka struggle

It certainly was a very smart decision .

 

[JASON]

Sri Lanka were woeful. No heart. When will they turn up for a Test match outside of the sub continent?

You didn't see some of the poor decisions during the England innings then.

BTW I could say the same about NZ in SA , but I won't ok.

 

[JASON]

Well played England, Strauss, Cook, Collingwood, Freddie (including the brilliant declaration) (I won't commend the centurions, because they were aided in their centuries).

I will now be able to go to sleep early without staying up till 5 AM (NZ time) watching my team lose painfully . (or watch movies instead )