***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

[grecian]

Seconded.

Thirded, the guys the first attacking spinner we've had since Deadly

Also as a frustrated sportsman who always screams at the screen erroneously "I could do better then that", with the Pythons fielding, I feel its true for once

Cool sig Pedro, can I steal it for other sites?

 

[aussie]

Let's not get carried away here.

no i'm serious based on his start to date he shows all the signs that he can be i don't thats over-rating in any way i'm judging him based on his performances which has been superb, many young batsmen start of well & are quickly found out he really hasn't & doesn't really have real weakness other than probably his tendancy to play one big shot too many.

KP has had a superb start in both his test & ODI career & the aggressive but unorthodox way in which he has played all the top bowlers he has faced with in a year of test cricket in McGrath, Lee, Warne, Murali, Akhtar, Kumble, Harbhajan has been thrilling viewing & young cant doubt that. I'm pretty certain in the next few years when the likes of Lara, Tendulkar & Inzi go off the scene, Pietersen will join Ponting, Dravid & Kallis has one of the best batsmen going around.

 

[social]

Kp has had a great start but let's not forget that he was absolutely plumb at Lords for 4 and given not out.

Had that been given out, as it should have been, his place would probably have been in jeopardy as he was largely ordinary in the sub-continent.

Because of the way that he plays, he's always likely to have his ups and downs

Also, with the exception of Murali, Jayawardene and Sanga, this SL team is truly abysmal and hardly a true test. Vaas, unfortunately, is on a steep decline and the other bowlers are generally hopeless.

 

[JASON]

Shocking decision.

And Hawkeye's view on that delivery is rubbish too.

That was clearly out. In normal motion, in slow motion, in everything.

And that was absolute Plumb and all except Hair could see that. But this is something SL and Murali have got accustomed to from Hair, Harper etc. So that's not surprising.

The surprising ones were the declined decisions from Rudi and Dar in the Lords Test.

Had Pietersen been given out then England's lead may have been half (or less) than what it is.

 

[JASON]

Seeing as no-one else has bothered yet; well bowled Monty lad.

Monty really is a treat to watch and I hope he improves his fielding and gets picked for the Ashes. I really think he will do well down under and may even do better than Giles.

I really hope SL bat well against him today because he seems a constant threat , considering the turn he is generating.

 

[JASON]

Nope, he's gone too.
Actually, if our last 3 go quickly and SL manage 300 second time around, this isn't going to be as easy as we've all been thinking.

SL will be lucky to make 200 considering their position at the moment.

For Murali to have an effect on the 4th innings he needs England to chase at least a 150 runs plus and from where they are at the moment and the difficulty in scoring runs of this pitch (experienced by all batters bar Pietersen) I would doubt SL will get any more than 200.

BTW I thought Day 3 (today) was expected to have showers and interruptions , can any local shed more light on the weather over there ?

 

[JASON]

KP is off the mat, he is just superb what a knock today, his duel with Murali was as good as his battles with Warne last summer. He is well on the way to become the next truly great batsman of the next decade.

He was absolutely on top of the bowling and even Murali got smashed around. That reverse sweep six was a sign of his absolute disregard for even Murali and a sign of arrogance (in a positive way ).

He really is a true entertainer and a crowd pleaser . I hope he can keep this form going through to the Ashes later this year.

 

[JASON]

Bit of a Michael Vaughan there from Freddie missed a straight one.

This is not directed at you BTW.

Anyone who is stupid enough to say Malinga is only capable of getting tailender wickets need to have their head examined or they rate Fred a tailender.

Either way they are stupid.

 

[alternative]

Sri Lanka have to atleast have 150-200 runs lead, so Murali can spin his magic..

 

[JBH001]

Also, with the exception of Murali, Jayawardene and Sanga, this SL team is truly abysmal and hardly a true test. Vaas, unfortunately, is on a steep decline and the other bowlers are generally hopeless.

I would also add Dilshan to that list.
I believe him to be one of the most under-rated batsmen around.

As to this test, unless weather intervenes my pick is an England win by a healthy margin of wickets - probably 10.

Murali, to even have half a show will need 200 runs to bowl at which means the last 6 wickets need to conjure up about 268 runs at least between them. Very unlikely.

(Meanwhile there is an intersting article on cricinfo by Charlie Austin detailing - again - administrative failures in Sri Lanka cricket. A good read)

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Thirded, the guys the first attacking spinner we've had since Deadly

Also as a frustrated sportsman who always screams at the screen erroneously "I could do better then that", with the Pythons fielding, I feel its true for once

Cool sig Pedro, can I steal it for other sites?

Yeah, I don't hold Roy Harper's copywrite. Not sure it's "cool" though, more old fuddy-duddy hippy, like wot I am

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Monty really is a treat to watch and I hope he improves his fielding and gets picked for the Ashes. I really think he will do well down under and may even do better than Giles.

I really hope SL bat well against him today because he seems a constant threat , considering the turn he is generating.

Yes I adore watching him bowl, as pretty much everyone does. I should have added, well bowled Murali too, but you sort of get blase about another Michelle from him, shouldn't do really. Malinga is an interesting one, most of the batsmen looked pretty comfortable against him, you know it's going to be a yorker or a bouncer and adjust accordingly, apart from Fred who never really got the hang of him. That's the way it'll be with Malinga I think, he'll get punished by some and have the sign over others. Needs a good slower ball too. Fascinating action but.

 

[Laurrz]

Kp has had a great start but let's not forget that he was absolutely plumb at Lords for 4 and given not out.

Had that been given out, as it should have been, his place would probably have been in jeopardy as he was largely ordinary in the sub-continent.

Because of the way that he plays, he's always likely to have his ups and downs

Also, with the exception of Murali, Jayawardene and Sanga, this SL team is truly abysmal and hardly a true test. Vaas, unfortunately, is on a steep decline and the other bowlers are generally hopeless.

yea its sad to see vaas not taking wickets... hes not getting the openers out...its what hes normaly good at..

Pakistan in England will be a much bigger test and it will tell us aussies where England are at coming to the Ashes

Still...remember... SL had nothing to lost coming into this test series... atleast they got the draw lol...and they got 10 wickets... so the bowling will have confidence for the next test... i think they shoudl pick Zoysa ahead of KUlasekara who is more of a witty ODI bowler than a wicket-taking test bowler

SL will prolly be slight favorites going into the ODI series... in my view anyway...whens Atta coming back ?

 

[dinu23]

well, it looks like we might just save this test as well. It's raining.

 

[marc71178]

BTW I thought Day 3 (today) was expected to have showers and interruptions , can any local shed more light on the weather over there ?

Throwing it down here (25 miles away)

 

[Xuhaib]

I would also add Dilshan to that list.
I believe him to be one of the most under-rated batsmen around.

As to this test, unless weather intervenes my pick is an England win by a healthy margin of wickets - probably 10.

Murali, to even have half a show will need 200 runs to bowl at which means the last 6 wickets need to conjure up about 268 runs at least between them. Very unlikely.

(Meanwhile there is an intersting article on cricinfo by Charlie Austin detailing - again - administrative failures in Sri Lanka cricket. A good read)

Cricinfo's statisticians were left confused about the identity of a new player: he turned out to be the team's bus driver who was filling in for an absentee

 

[steds]

Not sure it's "cool" though, more old fuddy-duddy hippy, like wot I am

An old fuddy-duddy hippy "wot" can't spell, too.

 

[Laurrz]

well, it looks like we might just save this test as well. It's raining.

hmmm don't keep y our hopes up

still 8 sessions to go ... (not including this session here before lunch in which there will be no play)

thats heaps of tme for England tog et these 6 wickets and get the runs

comeon lanka tho!!

 

[Pothas]

come on RAIN RAIN RAIN RAIN

 

[Laurrz]

Cricinfo says that the forecast is good for the afternoon