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.

[Carrotdude]

Avoided already, 161 behind currently.

[Carrotdude]

Bell gone now, good ball but he pretty much just missed it.

[eirebilly]

You knew that this was going to happen

[Mike Selig]

Nice piece of bowling to be fair, did Swann in the flight then turned enough to get the inside-edge. Can't blame Swann, no one would have said anything had he hit it for 4.

I will blame Bell for being too crease-stuck against Herath. If you keep prodding from the crease eventually that will happen. Nice 50, but nowhere near enough.

[eirebilly]

Really carrot, what was the score to avoid the follow on?

[Luke]

And now Bells gone to a good delivery, how long till tea?

[liverbnz]

I know it's almost cliche in these situations but Bell should just go for it now. Knock the bowlers around the park a bit, push the fielders back a little and gain a little momentum for England before they have a bowl.

Edit: :faceplam

[Carrotdude]

Think you only need to get less than 200 behind so it was like 118 or something.

[liverbnz]

Really carrot, what was the score to avoid the follow on?

119.

[eirebilly]

Ok cheers carrot, i was thinking that it was always slightly over half the runs that the opposition scored.

All is not lost then...

[Mike Selig]

To be honest you feel England would rather follow on here anyway (if they could). As it is the bowlers will be tired, the pitch still flat, and Sri Lanka only really need 100 to put the game out of their reach.

[Luke]

Go Monty, we need you and Jimmy to try and do what none of our batsmen other than Bell could do & STAY IN FOR A WHILE.

[eirebilly]

What a rear guard effort here from England

[eirebilly]

Thats a fair call Mike, batting last here would be very tricky

[Mike Selig]

You do have to wonder when your 10 and 11 look quite so comfortable what was going on in the top order?

[eirebilly]

Jimmy and Monty doing brilliantly here

[eirebilly]

At 92/6 England were in deep trouble. Tremendous efforts from Broad, Swann, Jimmy and Monty to see England to a much better than expected score

[Luke]

Broad, Swann Monty & Jimmy showing how good a pitch this is to bat on.

Every other batsmen should be holding there heads apart from Bell & Jayawardene.

[Mike Selig]

At 92/6 England were in deep trouble. Tremendous efforts from Broad, Swann, Jimmy and Monty to see England to a much better than expected score

Pretty much. It has given England a very slim glimmer of hope: bowl Sri Lanka out for under 200 and then find some batting boots...

[alfie]

just shows what I've said all along

Nothing in the pitch

nothing in the bowling (not to be rude about it , the bowling is perfectly tidy, but surely not really dangerous in flat conditions)

just really rotten batting from the top order

[Biltong]

One positive from this innings for england is the fact that they scored at 4 runs per over.

Well I'm outta here, have to go work a bit.

[alfie]

need to roll Sri Lanka for 150 tops

Oh for a third fast bowler...

[eirebilly]

Have a good day alfie

[eirebilly]

I would have been amazed if England got over the 150 but they look like they may even pass the 200.

[Mike Selig]

That looked high...

[Luke]

Terrible, bowled out in under 50 overs, with Sri Lanka having 125 lead at the end of the first innings batting. And if it wasn't for our bowlers batting, then it could have been alot worse.

[Fists of Fury]

Truly horrific from England. 1-0, and on that evidence I expect it will soon be 2.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

When Pannessar Anderson is only 3 runs short of being your highest partnership you know somethings gone wriong with the innings.

Well done the tail, but seriously thats just poor from the team as a whole.

[eirebilly]

Broady

[eirebilly]

Come on lads, a few quick wickets and its game on again

[Luke]

Sri Lanka looking slighly nervous here, just wonder how long our fast bowlers can keep going, seeing as they had to be on the pitch for pretty much the whole 2 days.

[eirebilly]

That run out chance would have been great if it had worked

[eirebilly]

Swann finally gets some luck. A wicket in his first over

[eirebilly]

I say again, those runs that Broad, Swann, Jimmy and Monty made may yet prove crucial

[eirebilly]

Now if England can only remove Mahela cheaply

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Looks like Lanka are playing for a draw here

[Luke]

Not really sure what to make of this game, thats 14 wickets today on a goodish batting pitch, with only Jayawardene and Bell getting over 30. Need to get Jayawardene out today i feel, and that would mean him being out 2 times in a day. Don't understand why England are not attacking more with there field placings.

[eirebilly]

Swann gets Mahela

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Are Sri Lanka mentaly inacapable.....


Seems both teams arent switched on for this. Theres clealry runs in the pitch if someone can apply themsleves properly.

Good on England for not folding and making a game of this. Lanka only have 2 proper (very good) batsmen left then two keepers and 4 tail enders.

[Luke]

Jayawardene out for 5, Sri Lanka 14 - 3, 26 overs including this one. Reckon we could be batting again today, tomorrow lunch at the latest.

[Carrotdude]

If we can get them all out for under 75 we have a chance...

[alfie]

Back again (wife stole the iPad) and a bit happier with the situation now

Mind you , on that first innings form Sri Lanka only need another 50 odd...

Come on England , keep the pressure on

[eirebilly]

I told you lads, have a bit of faith

[Guest]

So Swann is suddenly the danger man when the ball is still new:
Swann 2.0 0 5 2
Broad 4.1 2 2 1

[eirebilly]

Just two more wickets and its really game on again

[alfie]

Had them 3 down in the first innings too... Have to get two more quite quickly I think, else they will get away again...

...don't fancy chasing more than 250 in the last innings, and even that will be a stretch . but at least a chance

[eirebilly]

Yes but they have gotton Mahela out this time alfie

[Carrotdude]

Monty's bowling really fast here, probably too quick for the pitch.

[eirebilly]

If England can keep Sri Lanka under a 250 lead then its a big chance for them

[alfie]

true, billy but not Sangakkara


Not sure I like this spin from both ends thing...would prefer Jimmy back for a few while the ball isn't completely ancient

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