Sri Lanka vs England 1st test - Match thread.

[Biltong]

First topic message reminder :

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara


England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior (wk), Samit Patel, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.

[alfie]

This is hopeless, billy

as fast as I try to do trebell's job , you keep posting hopeful comments...

And look what happens.

[eirebilly]

Other than Cook's dismissal. All the wickets have pretty much been the batters fault i feel.

[eirebilly]

Sorry alfie, you know that i am the eternal optimist

Trebbs, come back man!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Biltong]

tiger I am sure, England will be a different animal at home.

[eirebilly]

I hope you're right biltong but to be considered the best you have to win home and away. England are not doing that.

[eirebilly]

Broady

[Biltong]

Bell is doing the right thing here, trying to score as fast as he can and braod seems to be in the same mind, if you are going to lose wickets quickly you might as well score while you are there.

[Luke]

Just to throw a question out that they're discussing on TMS.

Do people think that there is to much support staff with England, and that we really 2 much on these.

Broad's gets a 4 & 6, draws back on, and he gets another 4.

[eirebilly]

Its no win situations like this that Broady excells

[Biltong]

I hope you're right biltong but to be considered the best you have to win home and away. England are not doing that.

Billy, all this means is that england aren't yet dominating world cricket. They are good enough to be number one but not good enough to dominate like the Ozzies did for a decade.

[eirebilly]

There is a case of too much support tiger, i like to keep things basic myself.

[eirebilly]

I hope you're right biltong but to be considered the best you have to win home and away. England are not doing that.

Billy, all this means is that england aren't yet dominating world cricket. They are good enough to be number one but not good enough to dominate like the Ozzies did for a decade.

Domination is something that happens over a very long periode. I consider a true #1 to win away from home, not get whitewashed.

[Luke]

Agree Eire, but i think some of the problem is that there's an over analyse thats stopping batsmen from playing there natural game, look at Broad here, just simple batting hitting the bad balls, defending the good ones.

[alfie]

Well that is step one - follow on saved

[Biltong]

Well then you won't have to worry about that for too long, as it will then be inevitable that at some stage they will lose the number one spot.


Just a though from my side. If being number one is important, and your team achieves it for a short term, it is better than not having achieved it at all.

The reality is currently there are a number of sides who can be number one, as nobody is currently dominating. Due to tha you can expect the number one ranking to do the rounds for the next few years.

That is why the number one ranking doesn't mean squat.

I focus on series wins, the ranking means little in comparison to that.

SA hasn't lost a test series since March 2009, that to me is more important and if we can go to england and Oz this year and win one seires and draw the other, I'll be a happy chappie, irrespective of the ranking.

[eirebilly]

Follow on saved alfie?

In 12 balls Broad has become Englands second highest scorer

[eirebilly]

Agree Eire, but i think some of the problem is that there's an over analyse thats stopping batsmen from playing there natural game, look at Broad here, just simple batting hitting the bad balls, defending the good ones.

In a way i agree, far too much focus has been put on batting tactics in these conditions. Far too many pre-meditated shots for my liking.

[eirebilly]

The #1 ranking means alot and i am happy that England have it. It simply would have been nice to see them consolidate it with a couple of away series victories.

[eirebilly]

Bell starting to really defend. I am not sure if thats a good thing here right now.

[Luke]

Strauss's dismissal shows that Eire, he wasn't concentrating on the ball but he already seemed to have made his mind up what shot he was playing regardless.

Bell almost out to another weird effot. We need these 2 to stay till tea.

Bilton totally agree, never really been bothered about world rankings, just the next series.

[eirebilly]

Oh no, Broady gone

[Luke]

Oh god, Broad out. Yet again to a pre meditated sweep shot when it was not a ball to sweep.

[eirebilly]

At least he took the attack to the bowlers and gave England some very valuable runs. I hope that Swann can do the same now.

[Carrotdude]

This has been absolutely dire today, poor shots all round. The sweep shot is really irritating me as well, it is such a low percentage shot that never really seems to come off. Trott, Strauss, Kp, Prior and Patel all played terrible shots. Only Cook has a leg to stand on. It's incredible that against mediocre bowling on a good pitch we find ourselves 122/7.

[eirebilly]

Oh god, Broad out. Yet again to a pre meditated sweep shot when it was not a ball to sweep.

In fairness to Broad here, he is not a recognised batsman and he was having a go. I can forgive him of this more than i can Straussn and co.

[Biltong]

language please carrot.

[eirebilly]

Come on Swanny, did'nt have any luck with the ball so lets hope you have more with the bat

[eirebilly]

language please carrot.

Oh irritate off Saffer

[Biltong]

language please carrot.

Oh irritate off Saffer

[Mike Selig]

Morning all,

same old then? Tuned in with 6 wickets already down, then watched Broad attempt to sweep a ball far too full.

The issue is not so much the sweep but the way the England batsmen play it: usually to a ball too full and without getting down enough on these pitches with less bounce than at home. P. Jayawardene swept Swann very effectively, England should study him somewhat.

Pitch still looks flat although Randiv is getting some turn.

[eirebilly]

language please carrot.

Oh irritate off Saffer

You know i love you really mate

[eirebilly]

Bell has switched off entirely here

[Biltong]

language please carrot.

Oh irritate off Saffer

You know i love you really mate

there has been the occasional doubt in my mind.

[eirebilly]

G'wan Swanny

[eirebilly]

there has been the occasional doubt in my mind.

Never in mine

[alfie]

one slim possibility of escape I can see is that with things happening so quickly

IF England can get another 100 (unlikely now as Broad goes - stop sweeping for heavens sake!)
IF they can then roll Sri Lanka cheaply (doubtful with only two seamers and spinners who are unlikely to worry Sri Lankan batsmen

...then the pitch may still be playable

But that is clutching at straws.

[Luke]

Oh god, Broad out. Yet again to a pre meditated sweep shot when it was not a ball to sweep.

In fairness to Broad here, he is not a recognised batsman and he was having a go. I can forgive him of this more than i can Straussn and co.

Agree, but at first he seemed to just hit the bad balls, there was no need to sweep, Also why does he nearly always review his dismissals.But he showed what the batsmen should have been doing and it was a good effort.
Also agree with your earlier point, Bell going defenseive is not required. We're proably not going to get a first innings lead, so migjt as well go for it with Swann.

[Biltong]

there has been the occasional doubt in my mind.

Never in mine

I'm loved. I'm loved. I'm loved.























You sure?

[eirebilly]

I honestly feel that Broad and Bell made a consious decision that Broad went for it and that Bell would anchor until Jimmy and Monty were in and then he would go for it again. Not a great ploy as Bell looks in touch.

Great 50 from Bell in these circumstances

[eirebilly]

biltong you sexy devil, of course you're loved

[Mike Selig]

Bell shows how to play the sweep, big stride out, hands reaching a long way in front of you, and hits it for 4.

I suppose if England restrict the lead to 100 or so they still have a slim chance, but how do you turn around this kind of form? It is surely a mental thing...

[Biltong]

biltong you sexy devil, of course you're loved

Billy, you are derailing the thread, get back on topic.

[eirebilly]

How valuable are Swann and Broads contributions going to be? Absolutely fantastic from them

[eirebilly]

You asked me an off topic question biltong, it would have been rude not to respond

[Luke]

Good 50 for Bell, good to see him getting some form. Swan following Broad in showing our batsmen how to play on this pitch.

[Biltong]

True.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaanyyyyyyyyyyhow.

Is that not Bell's first 50 of the season?

[Carrotdude]

Great catch from Dilshan to get rid of Swann, perhaps didn't need to keep bashing it but it's the only way he can play really. The bowlers must be SO annoyed at this debacle. We're going to lose heavily unless something ridiculous happens.

[eirebilly]

Swann is gone but that was still some contribution

[Luke]

And now Swanns gone, to a brilliant catch by Dilshan.

[eirebilly]

What is it, another 40 runs to avoid the follow on?

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