England vs Sri Lanka 1st test debate

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Englands side vs Sri Lanka: 1st test

1) Andrew Strauss (c)
2) Alistair Cook
3) Jonathan Trott
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Ian Bell
6) Eoin Morgan
7) Matt Prior (w-k)
8) Stuart Broad
9) Graeme Swann
10) James Anderson
11) Chris Tremlett


Feel free to discuss the match under this thread

Spot of rain around hopefully it clears away.

just 13 to go for Cook.

And Trott isn't far behind either.

nervous ninties now for cook....

Steady stuff ..... England less than 200 behind Sri Lanka

come on cook hurry up

Cook's just doing what he's done through the whole innings steady and thoughtful batting.

yes Cook great Hundred

Well played Alistair Cook!

Just got to get his head down now, there definitely a big score here if he wants it

Trott now reaches his century aswell!

Trott and Cook doing the business for England.

Great work from both of them it's going to take a lot for the sri lankans to break this now.....

stunning shot from cook moves past 125

hi all missed today's play but Cook and Trott have done the business yet again. Fantastic batting by both of them, very very few moments of alarm. The pitch looks like it's starting to turn a bit, and if England can bat well again for most of the day tomorrow they could even give themselves a chance of an unlikely victory.The forecast looks pretty dodgy still though and I still think it will be a draw.

Sri Lanka's attack was a bit exposed today, they looked toothless really.

great day

England need to get quick runs tomorrow which KP,Prior and Morgan can do England could have a 150+ plus lead by the end of the day.

The rest would all be relying on the bowlers which Swann would have to play a big part in.

well if England bat all day tomorrow and we get a decent day's play in they could be 600-plus at the close, maybe even declare and have a crack at SL. KP, Bell, Morgan and Prior are all capable of scoring quickly (as are Broad and Swann) so no reason they can't crack on and have a go. The loss of Jimmy will hurt them on the last day, they'll be very heavily reliant on Swann to make things happen.

What Cook and Trott have ensured is basically England can't lose this match from here...

swanny to open lol lol jokes

to be honest I could see it happening CF, Swann to open with Broad and basically bowl through as the two seamers rotate for most of the day.

Swann won't be a major threat to Sri Lanka, he got Dilshan due to a very ordinary shot.

His other two wickets where tailenders having a wild swing.

Samaraweera and Prasanna played him with ease.

yep but the pitch will be doing more on day 5 than it was on day 2, heck even dilshan was ripping the odd one. and it's a different game batting first on a good pitch and trying to save the game on the last day on a trickier pitch.

Aw who am I trying to kid, it's going to be a draw, England won't bowl SL out with only 3 bowlers...

Mad for Chelsea wrote:yep but the pitch will be doing more on day 5 than it was on day 2, heck even dilshan was ripping the odd one. and it's a different game batting first on a good pitch and trying to save the game on the last day on a trickier pitch.

Aw who am I trying to kid, it's going to be a draw, England won't bowl SL out with only 3 bowlers...

SL are brought up on spinning pitches, so they would combat Swann easily.

I disagree I think Broad and Tremlett will open. Try and get something out of the pitch and if nothing happens in the first 10 overs then switch to Swann. Swann and Broad will do the majority of the bowling though I would say.

Broad has spells which can change matches and on right conditions Swann is the best spin bowler on the planet. But I can only see it being a draw though.

I don't even think with 4 bowlers England would bowl out Sri Lanka in a day.

SL would have to bat v badly to lose against a bowling attack of 3 bowlers.

Liam_Main wrote:I disagree I think Broad and Tremlett will open. Try and get something out of the pitch and if nothing happens in the first 10 overs then switch to Swann. Swann and Broad will do the majority of the bowling though I would say.

Broad has spells which can change matches and on right conditions Swann is the best spin bowler on the planet.

Against rubbish sides like Pakistan or Bangladesh.

SL are serious players of spin and they will deal with Swann

sorry sonic but you're talking rubbish. Swann is currently ranked n°2 in the bowling rankings, and has a brilliant record for a finger spinner in tests. Did well in SA, and Aus were so scared of him they prepared pitches that just wouldn't turn (look at the records of their spinners, who OK aren't great but better than that, heck even Sydney didn't turn). He will be a factor in this series, make no mistake...

Oh and I remember him having some very good success in an ODI series in SL a few years back, he's a better bowler now.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:sorry sonic but you're talking rubbish. Swann is currently ranked n°2 in the bowling rankings, and has a brilliant record for a finger spinner in tests. Did well in SA, and Aus were so scared of him they prepared pitches that just wouldn't turn (look at the records of their spinners, who OK aren't great but better than that, heck even Sydney didn't turn). He will be a factor in this series, make no mistake...

Oh and I remember him having some very good success in an ODI series in SL a few years back, he's a better bowler now.

His ranking is due to all the greats retiring in the space of 2 years.

He's ordinary. SL will feast on him.

'll put cash on it if your game

Didn't Swann take 5-wicket hauls against Australia and South Africa on spinning pitches. Right conditions against any side he'll take wickets.

Swann on non-spinning pitches is a total different matter though.

Liam_Main wrote:Didn't Swann take 5-wicket hauls against Australia and South Africa on spinning pitches. Right conditions against any side he'll take wickets.

Swann on non-spinning pitches is a total different matter though.

As I said SL are masterful vs spin, and they've destroyed far superior spinners Swann, so he's no challenge for SL

sonic_boom10 wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Didn't Swann take 5-wicket hauls against Australia and South Africa on spinning pitches. Right conditions against any side he'll take wickets.

Swann on non-spinning pitches is a total different matter though.

As I said SL are masterful vs spin, and they've destroyed far superior spinners Swann, so he's no challenge for SL

In the first innings Sri Lanka didn't have troubles with Swann but didn't batter him round the ground either so where no real clearer on the situation.

We'll just have too see in the 2nd innings.

Liam_Main wrote:

sonic_boom10 wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Didn't Swann take 5-wicket hauls against Australia and South Africa on spinning pitches. Right conditions against any side he'll take wickets.

Swann on non-spinning pitches is a total different matter though.

As I said SL are masterful vs spin, and they've destroyed far superior spinners Swann, so he's no challenge for SL

In the first innings Sri Lanka didn't have troubles with Swann but didn't batter him round the ground either so where no real clearer on the situation.

We'll just have too see in the 2nd innings.

Proved everything, Swann is used to bullying ordinary sides like Bangladesh, Windies and Pakistan.

In the 1st innings, he was clearly clueless vs Samaraweera and Prasanna.

High class players of spin will negate Swann's bowling

swann can turn the ball on any wicket, but sri lanka and most sub contient sides play spin well

Anyone betting on a Cook making another double century?

Covers are on at the moment apparently.....

the chat box is going up for the game apparently

rain again today...forecast similar to yesterday, may clear up around midday

ok

Hopefully the rain clears so the players can get out for around half 11,12 or am I being too optimistic?

lol

As long as we get the full 90 overs a will be happy.

yup

If its raining and play delayed the box wont be on lol

When it clears,will you put it up? I'll drop you a PM if needed.

ok YI no worries

Yeh, its on from 12.15 anyways for the F1

No bother

umpires outside with umbrella :/

Play due to start at 1:30.

I hate watching highlights of old test matches