***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

[Goughy]

I thinnk, I'll get slaughtered for this, that if he wasn't wicketkeeper he would be good test standard batsman.

No. That is all

 

[Goughy]

Strauss out cheaply again. He has looked quite good in this series but has failed to make a score. Im a real supporter of his but i guess his place really has to be under threat now.

I think he is safe. I don't think he has done enough wrong to even be close to losing his place. There is no real natural replacement and he still averages a 100 every 3 tests which is an incredible return (8 from 26) even if he does only average 35.5 in his last 10 tests.

 

[superkingdave]

I think he is safe. I don't think he has done enough wrong to even be close to losing his place. There is no real natural replacement and he still averages a 100 every 3 tests which is an incredible return (8 from 26) even if he does only average 35.5 in his last 10 tests.

Surely Cook is as natural replacement as you could ask for?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just watched the highlights. A few random thoughts:

-Sangakarra got an absolute smeller. Didn't get near it.
-Fred seemed to be bowling with more pace than of late. Good to see. Better as first change.
-We have a real issue bowling to tailenders. Captaincy & bowlers didn't help. Hoggy is a proven failure in ODI situations so why bowl him to Murali, who you know with absolute certainty is going to have a swipe at everything. Fred should've bowled himself & Plunkers to bully them out.
-Tres was maybe a bit unlucky. The angles I saw weren't conclusive, so I think the benefit of the doubt goes to batters. Always. Shouldn't have hesitated tho.
-Going by his interview Jon Lewis really rates Jon Lewis. Bit of self belief is admirable, but my, how does he tear himself away from the mirror in the mornings?!

 

[Goughy]

Surely Cook is as natural replacement as you could ask for?

ahem, could I have my last post back?
Cook would fit the bill. I guess I had a mental block when posting. However, I would still not drop Strauss.

 

[Armadillo]

If you didn't drop Strauss you would have to drop someone. When Vaughan gets back there won't be enough room for Strauss/Cook.

 

[Lostman]

-Going by his interview Jon Lewis really rates Jon Lewis. Bit of self belief is admirable, but my, how does he tear himself away from the mirror in the mornings?!

i dindnt c the interview what did he say?

 

[wpdavid]

If you didn't drop Strauss you would have to drop someone. When Vaughan gets back there won't be enough room for Strauss/Cook.

Vaughan batted at 4 during 2004 & 2004/5, so the other option is for him to replace Collingwood with KP batting at 5. Whoever drops out can consider himself unlucky though.

 

[superkingdave]

Well cook or collingwood will go, it's just that if they keep scoring runs, then Strauss will be under pressure

 

[BoyBrumby]

i dindnt c the interview what did he say?

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on him, but almost every England cricketer seems to talk of the "Team England" ethos in interviews nowadays, Lewis was all "I never doubted I'd play" & "I think I can take wickets whatever the conditions".

TBF he did give credit to Fred for bowling quick, but he seemed to give the impression of a man who couldn't quite believe it's taken til now for the selectors to recognise his undoubted abilities. Ironically enough, today's conditions have probably been the least conducive to his style of bowling & yet he was given a go over Saj, who we'd all assumed was being looked at with an eye on The Ashes. Lewis did take three wickets tho, so maybe he's got a point. I dunno!

 

[superkingdave]

Seems that the Ireland vs England ODI is going to be live on BBC 2, but only in Northern Ireland, hopefully that means we can get it on channel992 on Sky.

 

[Goughy]

Regarding Lewis.

I did not see the comments but I do like a bit of swagger in an athlete.
If you do not believe in yourself no-one else will.

Also guys like Lewis and KP did not fit the stereotype of what a test cricketer should be and without extra self-belief they never would have got where they are.

 

[Goughy]

Just watching the highlights now.

Great to see Flintoff bowling rapid (90+). Where has that been the last 2 games?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Regarding Lewis.

I did not see the comments but I do like a bit of swagger in an athlete.
If you do not believe in yourself no-one else will.

Also guys like Lewis and KP did not fit the stereotype of what a test cricketer should be and without extra self-belief they never would have got where they are.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a healthy respect of one's own abilities; as a kid three of my fav sportsmen were John McEnroe, Marvin Hagler & Daley Thompson who all had self-belief in spades.

That said, whilst KP knows he's good, he's always careful to give credit to the rest of the team for their contributions. Lewis seemed to me to be a bit chippy. Maybe that's what comes from having to wait til your thirties for your debut. Whilst he's a very good seamer in English conditions, I can't see him being much of a factor in The Ashes. Which makes his elevation in the third test (with Harmy nearing fitness) a somewhat perplexing decision. If he wasn't required for Lords why pick him now?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a healthy respect of one's own abilities; as a kid three of my fav sportsmen were John McEnroe, Marvin Hagler & Daley Thompson who all had self-belief in spades.

That said, whilst KP knows he's good, he's always careful to give credit to the rest of the team for their contributions. Lewis seemed to me to be a bit chippy. Maybe that's what comes from having to wait til your thirties for your debut. Whilst he's a very good seamer in English conditions, I can't see him being much of a factor in The Ashes. Which makes his elevation in the third test (with Harmy nearing fitness) a somewhat perplexing decision. If he wasn't required for Lords why pick him now?

Because he's going to prove himself for the Ashes on a pitch most similar to the one we might encounter in that series?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Why the hell can't we get tailenders out?

 

[marc71178]

Harsh on Saj.

I think it shows that he's not considered a viable option just yet - which considering him and Lewis are in effect 7th and 8th in line, that's fair enough.

 

[marc71178]

It's quite the myth that Jones is a bad keeper, he has taken an awaful lot of catches lately

I think the problem is that when he has a mistake it tends to be a big one.

 

[marc71178]

Same old, same old. SL produce a crap first innings score and England fanny about getting the tailenders out.

How typical, the bowlers leave it to the batsmen yet again...

 

[marc71178]

Hoggard & Lewis with the old ball is exactly what Murali & Vaas would have requested

That sums up why I don't think Lewis is worth the selection.