England vs Sri Lanka 3rd test debate

First topic message reminder :

As i'm going on holiday tonight I decided to do the 3rd test debate thread a little bit sooner.

Anyways the squads:

England

Andrew Strauss (C)
Alistair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior (WK)
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
James Anderson
Steve Finn

Sri Lanka

Tharanga Paranavithana
Lahiru Thirimanne
Kumar Sangakkara (C)
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

C'mon England!

Has to open with Tremlett , surely?

England hitting out now, must be going for a declaration fairly soon...

Moggsy gone, nicking a wide ball through to the keeper, nice little knock

This is great to see, the pressure is mounting on Sri Lanka. a draw is most likely but i'd say only Eng can win this.

Great knock indeed. Did what we needed him for. Getting is out is fine if you get out because you've pulled the rug out from under your opposition.

Oh well. Good innings from Morgan, who sacrifices his wicket going for a big shot. Well played!

If Strauss has given orders to put the pedal to the metal, things could get very frenetic.

I'd like a 250 lead myself BTW.. even 400 from SL would risk not being enough. Nice pressure on a fairly fragile batting order with a looong tail.

Mogs goes chasing a wide one ... well played

Declaration must be imminent ? I think they have to declare before ten past or Tea will be taken early and they won't get two goes at the openers...

200 is more that enough to put Sri Lanka under tremendous pressure, considering the forcast for tomorrow i see an England win here.

oh dear, Prior slashes his second ball straight to gully, England seven down, and may not need to declare after all

Bother! Didn't need that from Prior.

Lets hope the dressing room windows stay intact this time.

Also lets hope Broad and Swanny can grab a few runs.

And Prior goes ... they aren't batting like a team that intends to continue much longer : I think the weather forecast for tomorrow has caused some extra urgency about the tactics.

Let us see how Broad plays...

I would be declaring very soon to be honest. No need in dragging it out.

doh .. bad one from Prior.

Will we get the 250 lead now?

does it matter? can SL bat well enough to pressure us? with the time left i say no.

A lead of 200 should be enough.

Just need Bell and Broad to add another 20-30 runs then Strauss can declare. They need to get on with it though.

England are the only team who can win from here, so I think the idea to get a few more quickly and then get them back in is a good one...

Broad top edges to deep square leg, and England declare!

Blimey! Brave call from Strauss.

Broad also goes for a duck and he declares with the lead of 193.

Gower talking about batting after tea

But we all knew better and Strauss declares at Broad's wicket ..


Exactly the time I predicted

dear god, way to make awful bowlers look good england

Too early unless we take early wickets. If the forecast is wrong (often is) and we get a lovely day tomorrow they could have a 150-200 lead by tea and be putting us in for a nasty final session.

If it's poor weather it's no issue but i think we've just given them a sniff.

To be fair trebell, they were under orders to get a move on and just hit anything they could get a bat on.

If England want to win this, they can't risk losing a big chunk of play tomorrow if the rain returns.

Brave from Strauss, but I think he got it right time-wise. Just a shame Prior and Broad went at it like headless chickens. Would've liked a few more runs on the board myself. A 200 lead would be a psychological milestone.

Yeah probably true. The approach of Prior and Broad was clueless but maybe the coach needs to realise that and tell then to take a couple of overs to settle first, though they've been around long enough to know this.

Think the pressure of having to bat though the rest of today and whatever play we get tomorrow could be Sri Lanka's undoing. Expect them to be very defensive, so it'll be up to the England bowlers to apply the pressure.

Tremmers with the new ball

hope the weather stays heavy and nasty, they can't cope with it.

Oh come on trebs

Can you really see Sri Lanka bowling England out in under a day with this lot of bowlers , even if they could get 380 odd in their second innings?

Absolutely no risk to England - only two results possible and the earlier England are bowling the better I reckon.

Would prefer to see them bowling a bit straighter , mind : a few wasted deliveries in these first couple of overs.

Come on Tremmers . just like the first innings please ...

Good declaration imo. I thought they'd go on longer but we must have scored fast this morning.

I think its a mark of how confident everyone is that trebell hasn't even attempted a reverse-jinx yet.

Cue the Sri Lankan openers each making 50 and the entire SL top order making solid contributions.

:run1:

alfie: Sounds like Tremletts radar is a bit off.

Tea. SL will be happy to have survived a testy little session there

good start from Tremmers after tea, SL looking a little uncomfortable out there

These two openers showing some real application by the sound of it. Well done them.

Boycott agrees with you, MfC.

Yep. Tremlett's got the openers pinned down, but not offering any chances yet.

Though that waft from Thirimanne should give our bowlers cause for optimism.

Maybe I should stop watching, to help them get the breakthrough.

thing is, England only need one or two and the wobble could set in. What we call the domino effect

Hmm. I'd like to see Swann bowl soon. Get him holding one end and rotate the other three in short stints at the other. Maybe I'm a bit ahead of things, though.

Argh! Half chance there - not easy though.

If England can keep making those sort of chances, one or two will stick.

One just did!

Bell drops a tough catch at short leg, but Jimmy strikes in the next over, ball slanting across the left hander and nicked straight to Swann at second slip!

Just as I said!

Piranha Vit out, caught Swann, bowled Anderson.

SL 25-1. Another wicket soon and the nerves will set in.

First ball leg stump half volley. Oh Jimmy.

Any news on how the pitch is wearing, anyone?

Could do with taking up at the hem slightly.


Sorry...

:run1:

A Laura Ashley pitch? That's a new one on me.

Just wondering if Tremlett might go through the top, or if there's some good rough for Swann.

The lankies are looking very comfortable now.

Can't see anything but a draw now unless they get a big lead and can rattle us tomorrow evening.

that's right trebs, get that reverse-jinxing going

decent start by Broad

i felt it was time. but lets it face it, they're a cast iron batting line-up with no weaknesses. it's men against boys out there and they can never get out.

seriously

Aha! Swann!

Now this will be interesting. Tuffers says there are some footmarks for him to bowl into.

Oh, according to TMS, the laterst forecast for tomorrow is much better and we should get a fair bit of play.

Shame we've no chance.

Swann into the attack, and that's a good start, a probing maiden to Sangakkara, but no real turn yet.