England vs Sri Lanka 2nd test debate

First topic message reminder :

So the 2nd test is upon us,Will England make another tremendous win or will Sri Lanka fight back to win the 2nd test? All will be known in 5 days time.

The 12 man teams are as follow:

England
Andrew Strauss (C)
Alistair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior (W-K)
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
Steve Finn
Jade Dernbach

Sri Lanka (Can't find the 12 man squad anywhere)

Tillakaratne Dilshan (C)
Tharanga Paranavithana (Spell check!)
Lahiru Thirimanne
Kumar Sangakkara
Mahela Jayawardene
Thilan Samaraweera
Dinesh Chandimal
Prasanna Jaywardene (W-K)
Thissara Perera
Suraj Randiv
Ajantha Mendis
Rangana Herath
Dilhara Fernanado
Chanka Welegedara
Suranga Lakmal
Farveez Maharoof

Once again like the 1st feel free to discuss the action

And updates of the match will be up on the thread.

Rain getting heavier. Thats probably it for today. Should guarantee this match ends in a draw.

I actually feel bad for Sri Lanka as, despite their slow scoring rate, they deserved to get a result - or at least have a chance at getting a win.

dyrewolfe wrote:In trebell's absence, I'll repeat my earlier prediction:

SL to declare on 600 and England to collapse spectacularly on the last day (basically a reverse of Cardiff).

:run2:

Thanks for the backup whilst I was away

eirebilly wrote:I go away for a bit again and another wicket falls. Maybe i should just not watch the cricket.

Well played Dilshan, i was actually willing you on to a double ton.

That often works for me too.

so annoying when I pay for it

Its too late even for one of your gems trebs. Its all looking like a draw with the weather preventing any more play today i feel.

eirebilly wrote:Its too late even for one of your gems trebs. Its all looking like a draw with the weather preventing any more play today i feel.

I think you might be right.

I don't think this pitch was going to produce a result. It's flattened out lovely.

It's going to take a collapse from England for Sri Lanka to get a result here. Which I can't see happening to be honest.

Well i hope we get some cricket in today and also alot of wickets. Eng;and really need an early break through.

Looking set to rain all day here. Doubt there'll be much play at Lords today.

Really..... Thats terrible. I am at home with a bung ankle so the cricket was something that i needed to keep me busy

Sorry to hear that eirebilly.

It's not actually raining at this second, but looks as though it might again at any mo.

Still, I didn't expect it to stop at all looking at it first thing this morning, so maybe there's some hope of play. After lunch perhaps, if it doesn't start again...

Cheers cowshot, done my ligaments falling off the horse.

I really do hope to see some sort of play. England dont want to end it like this as their confidence is clearly shaken.

done my ligaments falling off the horse.

ouch ouch ouch. That's a heck of a coincidence - I'm still recovering from ripping the ligaments in my right ankle and spraining my left, (after falling out the pub. )

They told me ligaments often take longer than bones. Certainly seems that way to me.

IF we get some play, all this moisture might have freshened up the pitch a bit.

Still not actually raining here in SW London. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I think the sky is a touch less grey...

I don't think England will be too badly hurt. It's a couple of bad days and a reminder that even if you are going for the no 1 spot - especially if you are going for the no 1 spot - you must get the basics right. It might even be that having the rest of the Test washed out would allow England to say, ok, we got away with it. Put it behind us and let's NOT do it again.

Raining again here...

Falling out of the pub is a much better reason than mine cowshot .

It certainly isnt looking good but there might still be some play this afternoon. I hope so anyway.

We have play

however we need to bowl some actually on the stumps or just outside to actually make the batters play, at this rate they will just watch for a while and get used to the pace/movement.

Just as i'm typing Tremlett moves one a long way, just if he could start that on middle/off

England spraying it all over the place so far...

Hostility is the key in my opinion. Like Hodge said, make the batsman play and the mistakes will come.

plenty of help for the bowlers, they just need to find their lines

Again Englands bowlers dont have the accuracy. This must be a real concern for them here. England desperately need a wicket to force something here.

thats better from finn, not straight but batter Jayawardene felt he had to play and he missed

Jimmy would be cleaning up here i feel.

I agree billy, these are Jimmy's conditions, a shame he's not there, would like to see Broad on sooner rather than later if these two don't get it right soon

again pitched up on(ish) the stumps and you find an edge

Over 50 extras now. This is just not good enough.

Dernbach would have also filled his boots here and yes, i would like to see Broad brought back in sooner rather than later.

this is better from Tremmers, get Broad on at the other end...

There were questions asked about Strauss' field positionings but how can you set a field to such wayward bowling?

you can't really set a field to it, set the standard field you would have and hope that your bowlers start bowling to it.

I'd give Finn 1 more over after this to see if he improves again now he's started putting it on the stumps.....ish

Point incase there, not one ball on the stumps this morning......

Finn gets a wicket

Got him.......... Finally

Now give us Broad from the other end to see if he can get a few. Feeling a bit more optimistic now

thing is, in these conditions against SL, England should really be looking at getting them out cheaply and getting a first innings lead, which is still possible IMO, but they need to start bowling well. Don't blame the captain for his field placings, these are fairly sandard for these conditions, but your bowlers need to be bowling to them. With this field, off-stump to fifth stump on a good length is what's needed...

A first innings lead is still a possibility. An early wicket was crucial today.

and another, who needs Jimmy

one brings two, Tremlett with a full ball outside off stump, Samaraweera drives with no foot movement and nicks to Prior behind the stumps.

Exactly Mad_for_Chelsea, you cant blame Strauss for the fielding positions if his bowlers dont bowl the correct line for the fielding.

An another one

frustrating thing is, I'm watching on my computer, and both wickets fell as I turned away from the cricket for a moment, does that mean I should keep doing this?

Stay away from you computer Mad, its working

Considering Sri Lankas lack of strength in depth in their batting, this could almost be seen as their tail enders.... Get Broad on, he knows how to remove tail enders

Prasanna Jayawardene is pretty much the last recognised batsman so there is still hope of a first innings lead.

Prior struggling with the gloves a little, but then he always struggles at Lords

Prior has his moments with the gloves but he more than makes up for that with his batting.

yeah not too fussed about it really billy, Flower always said Lords was where he found wicket keeping the hardest, something about th ball being difficult to pick up, and swinging after the bat I think.

as I write that he makes a tremendous stop to save four down the leg side...

One thing with Priors keeping, when he is good he is good but when he is bad he is horrible. Well that was a great stop though

I honestly would throw the ball to Broad now.

Well fancy that one wicket brings two...

Helps that they have bowled a few near the stumps today.

England for a first innings lead?

They havent bowled that well alfie but got the results needed. Need a bowling change soon though.

Tremmers follows up a wild leg side delivery which Prior can't gather cleanly with a beauty that beats Maharoof all ends up, really mixed bag from England today...