Sri Lanka v England 2nd Test Match Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Not too early for this is it? After their 'heroic' defeat last Thursday, England will need a win to tie the series and preserve their no.1 ranking while Sri Lanka need a win or tie to win the series.

England's preparations haven't been helped by the fact that Broad will miss out due to injury while Sri Lanka's have been boosted by the news that Mathews will return from injury. Cricinfo predicts the following line-ups with two changes for each team:

Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Lahiru Thirimanne, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jaywardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dhammila Prasad, 11 Suranga Lakmal.

England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steve Finn.

The pressure is really on Andrew Strauss, for his batting (justified) and his captaincy (unjustified). England's batsmen will also be feeling the heat as well - they haven't made over 400 so far this winter!

Keep an eye out for the rain, some is predicted on the first day. Game starts at 5:30 BST. Come on England!

[eirebilly]

Prior gone

[eirebilly]

You know, i would have sent Swann in here...

[trebellbobaggins]

don't be sad Billy, they at least have an advantage now.

if they can get the Jaya dude then the rest will crumble like dust.

[eirebilly]

Tis to be seen trebbs but England are already in a very good position.

[trebellbobaggins]

yup for sure. SL haven't had pressure in this series before. should be fun.

[alfie]

Prior gone ... Pity , but now Patel has a chance to show what he can do.

All the signs are they want as many as possible , and as quick as they can get 'em...

Reckon Patel will do well to look for singles for now & leave the fireworks to KP.

[mystiroakey]

Trebbs whats with the opptimisim!

[eirebilly]

I kind of hope that Patel gets a score here but i have my doubts about that.

[trebellbobaggins]

must be all the lovely rainy weather Alfie.

[eirebilly]

Trebbs is positive and the runs dry up for England...

Trebbs, be negative FFS

[trebellbobaggins]

This is a pile or rubbish to be honest, my gran can bat better than this and she died in 1986!

[eirebilly]

Good man

[trebellbobaggins]

[mystiroakey]

This is a pile or rubbish to be honest, my gran can bat better than this and she died in 1986!

lol keep it up dude

[eirebilly]

Trebbs, immediate response from KP

[alfie]

Good to see the old trebs back and in his usual form

(I was browsing the rugby board a while back - just before the St Patricks Day Massacre - sorry billy - and I noticed you are even more pessimistic in that sport than the cricket !!! )

We have probably needed more trebell reversing in recent Tests ...

[eirebilly]

Quick trebbs, say something bad about Patel

No dont, that may be pushing it a bit

[trebellbobaggins]

alfie rugby is my other sport and as a kid was my main one. i'm am worse there especially when Ireland are coming up, didn't see us ending the jinx in quite such style.

[alfie]

400 up ... A lot earlier than we had a right to expect...

Matter of time and how hard it is to take wickets in the second innings now , I think ... I would be both surprised and disappointed if England don't close out this game now

Just about every player has contributed in this match - what a difference a week makes...

[trebellbobaggins]

they have made it look quite flat but it has to crack up at some point.

[eirebilly]

alfie rugby is my other sport and as a kid was my main one. i'm am worse there especially when Ireland are coming up, didn't see us ending the jinx in quite such style.

I was so peeved at you for being negative towards England, it was then i knew Ireland would lose

[trebellbobaggins]

sorry Billy, the "Ireland problem" took a lot of energy to solve lol.

[eirebilly]

Jeebus you were close to being hunted down trebbs

[eirebilly]

Dont keep the strike Patel...

[mystiroakey]

So trebbs are you an england fan or a wlesh fan- or abit of both?

[eirebilly]

Patel is capable of keeping the scoring to a minimum when batting as well

[Guest]

Good to see that the openers have showed some form and also KP seems to be playing the innings of his life!

[mystiroakey]

Yeah patel is going like a man possesed(sadly by boycott)

[eirebilly]

Patel really is not the kind of batting partner that suits KP. Swann would have been a much better option to bring in i feel.

[eirebilly]

Well thats KP gone

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Wow at today. Great stuff from KP, rest of England...workmanlike.

[mystiroakey]

might as well just whack it- really dont wanna see bres and patel slow this down!

come on BRESNAN!!! woop woop

[eirebilly]

Lash out for the next 10 overs, get a 200 run lead and have a quick 10 overs at the Sri Lankan openers

[Guest]

What happened to Bell? Is he good enough for these conditions?

[alfie]

alfie rugby is my other sport and as a kid was my main one. i'm am worse there especially when Ireland are coming up, didn't see us ending the jinx in quite such style.

Actually I assumed you caused the surprise result - Lancaster's secret weapon , as it were

[eirebilly]

What happened to Bell? Is he good enough for these conditions?

Yes he is.

[alfie]

All good things must come to an end ... And that was a remarkable innings from a remarkable player

I wonder if those who like to question KP's place whenever he has a dry patch will have thought to record that innings for future reference ? Always one the first names on the team sheet in my books...

Time for some Bresnan fun now ?

[eirebilly]

Swann would have enjoyed seeing the turn that Randiv just got

[mystiroakey]

Time for brenan fun- i hope - otherwise concerned as to why we havent played swanny earlier! one player who just whacks it

[eirebilly]

God, i wish that was Patel that got out. Come on Swanny, have a swing

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Wow at today. Great stuff from KP, rest of England...workmanlike.

poor

[eirebilly]

England may yet get a crack at the Sri Lankan openers today.

[trebellbobaggins]

timbeeeer.

without kp it looks tough. collapse on.

SL chap is crowing but i wouldn't be so proud, it looks harder now. lose Jaya they'll all go quickly.

[Guest]

Sri Lanka's tail (8 to 11) made 26, I wonder if England's tail can do better.

[eirebilly]

This is a little out there but should England get bowled out and have 10 or so overs at Sri Lanka this evening, i would bowl Jimmy from one end and Swann from the other with the new ball...

[alfie]

Well I jinxed Bresnan ...

Never mind ... I did say we would be bowled out , and the lead is already significant. Enough spin to suggest it isn't going to be easy batting tomorrow against Swann ...

Few handy pace bowlers too , and for once they have had a decent rest between innings. Pressure will be all on Sri Lanka.

[mystiroakey]

Its all working perfectly from my pov

[dummy_half]

Great innings from KP - has bought us the best part of another session to try to force the win. I said yesterday that 400 by the close today would be reasonable and realistic, and that we'd only be seriously above that if KP went mad for a session - the good thing was that he was at his best for just about 2 sessions.

Good thing too, because other that Trott, the other batsmen have been a bit disappointing today - Cook didn't add all that many and both Bell and Prior just about got in and then out to aggressive shots.

[eirebilly]

Please declare or please Sri Lanka get Patel out, he is painfull to watch.

[Guest]

I think Patel needs to demonstrate he can bat, by at least getting past Bell's score and maybe getting a 40.

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