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.

dummy half: I don't think we need to push and risk.

Accelerate now, as they seem to be trying to, put the game utterly beyond reach so the Sri Lankans can ONLY save the game without the full services of their captain and best bat (at present). It's a bad psychological place and pressure could win us this game.

Bell showing intent here.

Declaration may come sooner than we expect...

Bell down the track going for the big one, but it's high rather than long, and he's dropped by Maharoof. Not great that. Cook unleashes the reverse sweep, and gets four! nice batting, a single takes him to 96.

They're trying to push it along now, by the sound of it!

Cook on 98...Bell dodges a bullet ..no-one appealed?

Just bad work from Doctrove. Should have referred the decision by the sound of it.

Clearly hammering it along for the declaration.

this is delightful batting by Ian Bell, it really is.

Judging from the way Bell is playing I reckon England want 60 overs to bowl...at the current rate they will have a lead of 350...

Great effort by England this morning, rattling along at 4 an over.

Good contribution from KP - for once - and a decent knock from Trott to steady the ship after Strauss' very early departure. Fantastic knock from Cookie too...on 97 as I write this. Surely must get the ton this time?

Bell looking very feisty too. Declaration must be coming soon. Just waiting for Cook to get his hundred maybe?

Cook gets his hundred. Well played indeed sir!

Come on Cookie ..get that 100 , then you can have a swing...here it is!!!!!

Well played...again

Very well done to Alastair Cook, excellent Sir.

18 hundreds already...

Hammond's record is on borrowed time...

Wow, i cant take my eyes off Bell right now. Really going for it . 350 will beenough i feel

How lucky was that for Cookie?!?! Suicidal attempt at a single - only reprieved by the umpire.

Sri Lankans will be mighty peeved about that.

Definitely going for it. Declaration at around 3 o clock??

Seems Cook is gone too..

Absolutely splendid job by the TMS team. Spiffing chaps!

He looked out for my money.

And is, great effort though.

Moggs to come in and have a swing now.

Congrats Cook on another great innings!

Wonder if Strauss will let Bell go on and get his 50 now?

Cook gone, hmmm, not too sure about that, if you need ten minutes to decide then surely it's benefit of the doubt to the batsman. Oh well, another fine innings from the man, Morgan to biff a few before declaration?

It's just a case of building a big lead.

Lead by 314 currently.

great knock from cook, shame kp got out.

Cook gone - just a few runs later. Will Strauss declare now?

Should do IMO. 300 ought to be defensible with only half a day left.

It was close but looked out to me. Moggs to T20 it here?

Moggsy gone, driving way too early at a ball from Fernando and hitting it straight up in the air. Wasn't a slower ball or anything, maybe just held up a touch. Still can't criticise the lad, he was doing what his team need.

Nope

Ah, looks like the plan is to go T20 for the rest of the innings. Sri Lanka ought to be in fairly soon then.

This is what happens when teams are trying to force the pace. Thats why i said earlier that England needed money in the bank before spending.

Had England tried to do this earlier then they could have been in serious trouble now.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Cook gone, hmmm, not too sure about that, if you need ten minutes to decide then surely it's benefit of the doubt to the batsman. Oh well, another fine innings from the man, Morgan to biff a few before declaration?

Tend to agree. I think he was correctly given out , but if you need a microscope to be certain perhaps that is taking things too far - and wasting a lot of time.

Not that it matters today - well played anyway Cookie.

Morgan had a biff and went quickly - won't be long now I think...perhaps 2 more overs ?

Agree with you Eirebilly, personally I think England have gone about this in exactly the right way. Bat Sri Lanka out of the game first and foremost, then stick them in with somewhere in the region of 50 overs left.

Dilshan injured, and with a few early wickets the proverbial cat will well and truly be amongst the proverbial pigeons.

I think Cook was out, but then I'm a wicket keeper, and tend to think anything close is out

We lose 2 overs for the changeover don't we? So maybe declare in 1-2 overs which leaves 60 overs to bowl Sri Lanka.

Maybe they think they'll only need 24.4 overs again...? Or playing safe and going for the draw.

What's the record score for a 3rd session at Lord's in modern times, I wonder?

I would have thought 275-300 was plenty for a declaration.

now prior gone, daft run out, are England going to be bowled out after all?

Sillyness setting in here

Poor running there from Bell...in this situation I think he should have just taken off ...poor old Prior high and dry...

Still I'm happy to see Bell still in , is batting wonderfully aggressively...but surely not for much longer ?

Always the case when a team is on the verge of a declaration, Eirebilly.

It does however provide some entertainment! Let's hope none of our batsmen are too fussed about their averages

Might not need to declare at the rate the wickets are going...

I guess they'll let Bell pass 50 before calling them in, so should be a lead of 330ish - presumably something like 57 overs to get them, so almost a run a ball.

England will want to leave Sri Lanka needing 6 an over to win i feel. They should in all fairness have enough to ot lose the match considering Dilshan is injured.

I still think there was a bit of a happy medium to be found. I wasn't expecting a T20 slog all day but just a bit more attacking intenet rather than just focusing on getting 100. Cook got 26 runs all morning, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that was a bit too cautious.

Still 63 overs left - enough for 2 Cardiffs!

If they had played like this from the start of the day theyd be staring at defeat right now.

Another 20 runs, I reckon. Looks like 350 is Strauss' target.

England have played this innings just about right, for me.

Carrot, England were not that cautious, they were scoring at 4 an over and building themselves into a position of strength before hitting out. Played the innings perfectly in my eyes.

Don't forget that if Jay and Sanga get going, they can really wallop it around.

Cowshot wrote:Another 20 runs, I reckon. Looks like 350 is Strauss' target.

England have played this innings just about right, for me.

Cowshot - you're nearby? No chance of rain in those clouds - or poor light later on?

BELL an excellent 50

Valuable player these days...call them in?

No. One more over?

I've said for a very long time that Ian Bell is the best batsman this country has produced in a very long time. It appeared the mental side of things was still to be sorted, and now that it is, it is certainly paying dividents.

Great momentum-inducing knock this has been.

Call them in now I'd say, we have enough.

eirebilly wrote:Carrot, England were not that cautious, they were scoring at 4 an over and building themselves into a position of strength before hitting out. Played the innings perfectly in my eyes.

It was good, but it could have been better. If we have them 9 down at the close of play then I personally would ask questions. We have a good chance of a win though, should be a very interesting afternoon.