Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Galle, 26-30 March, 2012

If this continues, every batsman apart from probably Cook will be in the firing line. There's no excuses for repeated displays like this, SL's attack seems barely county standard.

Aggers makes a good point in that we need to think about picking a side capable of winning in India next winter, perhaps more than the series coming up this summer. But there's also suggestions that the selectors don't trust the next generation of batsmen yet, and that Bopara will get another go before any "outsider" is selected. But something needs to change. A Collingwood type player would have shown some fight, fair enough, but the UAE Tests showed you can't scratch around and wait for the unplayable balls to get you either. We would probably get more if the top six went gung-ho like Swann, Broad etc. do when there's nothing to lose. If we're chasing 250, pretend it's a JAMODI - we're good at those now, right?

Brass Monkey wrote:Think this sums it up pretty nicely:

"On this occasion the destroyer was Herath, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner who, not so long ago, was plying his trade in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League with only modest success."

Stunning that he could wreak havoc.

Doesn't do him justice, he's a good test match spinner. Sure he may not have Ajmal's mystery but he has had some success recently.

He's alright. He's really not anything special. Absolutely nowhere near a first innings devastator. He's essentially had two decent matches in a long time.

Definitely not a first innings team wrecker, but there are many worse spinners around. I certainly wouldn't mind him in the Indian team, though I wouldn't mind a mushroom in the Indian team either. Still, he's been better than what the commentators have given him credit for since his return to the side.

He's not the worst, but that may be damning him with faint praise. I'm trying to think the last time England got rolled by someone as normal as him. Maybe it's Rehman. Maybe we're that shit that Rehman is made to look above average against us. Alls I know is it's a real joke to get run through by him.

True, England's batting could crumble to Hrishikesh Kanitkar the way they're batting now and this definitely can't be considered as a special spell. It's almost a case of England's bowling vs England's batting now.

On a side note, I'd like to know how hawkeye measured the trajectory of the ball for Stuart Broad's dismissal when there was no clear shot of the ball for a frame.

I still haven't seen all of it. Because of the stoopid Windies/Strinos I'm having to wait another couple of hours.

It was a shit shot and he deserved to get out after sweeping a ball that could have been driven. My issue is that the hawkeye fellas admitted to an error in an incident involving Fuse, where it was clear the ball spun but wasn't picked up because it was too full. It wasn't too dissimilar to this, there wasn't a puff of dust camouflaging the ball though.

So, given that Yarpia only beat Snoozealand 1-0, what do we have to do to lose the number one ranking?

Just keep playing like that.

Thought Bell's knock was very nice indeed, he looked in really good touch and it was a shame he got out when he did. He got out to one of three balls that I thought were worthy of a wicket, Cook's and Patel's dismissals being the other two.

ROFL at the above...the bitterness of pomgolians about their team is never far from the surface...it is as if the English players and fans never felt they truly deserved the top billing

I turned on the tv last night and started to giggle

Then I remembered who has the Ashes and started to cry

Poms need to be batting by lunch to have any hope in this match, right?

Current lead of 221 is prolly already too many for Engulund, but with 5 wickets and plenty of time in hand, I don't see the Lankans calling a halt any time soon.

lankans need at least another 150 to feel safe enough to have attacking fields throughout. too much time left in this match

highest 4th innings chase at galle is 96 by lanka. the next best is 6

highest 4th innings total is 253, when lanka lost to aus last year

Finally a wicket. Stupid Chandimal slog again.

Five fer for Swann.

And now 6 for Swann.

What's teh best innings bowling figures in a losing effort?

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=wickets;result=2;template=results;type=bowling;view=innings

6 to the Duckling. Maybe a bit too late.

Looks like another 3 day test

Still, it's much better viewing than a 5 day batathon. I like seeing ball on top of bat. It makes innings like Jaya's all the more notable.