England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Lords, June 3-7, 2011

Dello wrote:

vilkrang wrote:(Strauss) Good review....

Swanny's was still better, out in the field. LBW shout against Herath. All bat, not a clip, not a flick, not a thin tickle - straight off the face.

Didn't even touch the pad after that.

Doctrove, being blind as f*ck, gave it leg-byes, mind...

There's always a case for reviewing if you lose an opener straight away I suppose (to something questionable like an LBW) as it can have such an impact on the direction of the game. Without the benefit of a replay you can never be sure, and is it the non-striker's responsibility to concentrate enough to "umpire" it in terms of deciding whether or not to review?

Dello wrote:But either no-one cottoned on to it or he's been able to bluff his way through regardless. Certainly doesn't look secure against left arm over or right armers coming around.

Meh - he's done all right for himself in spite of himself, I suppose.

Not to my mind. He's lost it again. Head is falling over. Looking only to score square of the wicket. How long? Probably since the Pakistanis. They f*cked him and he's still got semen dripping out of his ginch. It's funny, because in the ODIs where he's just looking to stand and deliver he's more upright and is creaming those cover drives.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Gary 111 wrote:I agree that Broad should be dropped, but I can't see it happening.

Aye. He's just nailed in. Gashley was undroppable, same rings true with Broad. He can do nothing to get dropped... like, say, get taken for over 100 for two Tests in a row.

Last four games:

Code:

p:4 i:7 o:142.3 m:27 r:420 w:7 bb:2/21 av:60.00 econ:2.94 s/r:122.1

Ooh, good economy!

Brass Monkey wrote:

Dello wrote:But either no-one cottoned on to it or he's been able to bluff his way through regardless. Certainly doesn't look secure against left arm over or right armers coming around.

Meh - he's done all right for himself in spite of himself, I suppose.

Not to my mind. He's lost it again. Head is falling over. Looking only to score square of the wicket. How long? Probably since the Pakistanis. They f*cked him and he's still got semen dripping out of his ginch. It's funny, because in the ODIs where he's just looking to stand and deliver he's more upright and is creaming those cover drives.

Well I'm not surprised - it sounds like he's got plenty of excess cream to go around.

Brass Monkey wrote:Ooh, good economy!

... have the T20 captaincy, sweet meat.

And he's not playing ODI cricket any more, even though that's the only place he's shown any form recently!

Anyway, we know England captains don't score runs. Strauss just bucked the trend for a year or so. We might as well minimise the damage by giving it to a number 11...

Blimey, KP's first couple of defensive shots to Herath were a bit hit or miss weren't they? Not exactly middle of the bat stout defence.

Are we being spoiled a bit here, highlighting all of our sides failings given the last year they've had in tests?

We'll always be doing that, until we're West Indies of 1985 or Australia of 2000...

There's no particularly great sides at the moment. We're one of the better ones, all things considered. But there's still plenty of room for improvement. And of course things change very quickly, a year or so ago Cook would have been on most people's hitlist for players who deserve to be dropped, now he's made 1000 Test runs in 10 months or so. Where's doctorspin these days by the way?

I don't think England will set anything less than 350, which means scoring 200 runs tomorrow. In that case they are going to end up bowling 40-50 overs at S/L. Could be interesting as Herath got some bounce and turn - and he is bog ordinary.

Assuming they don't stuff up themselves that is!

I think they'll look for about 50 overs at the Lankans. If they chase down 300 they'll deserve the win.

We are a good side with problems, but not major ones. Unless this series takes a completely unexpected turn I'm going to stick my neck out and say that there is quite a gap between 3 and 4 on the test rankings. Australia could and probably will close that gap though.

Hats off to, Ali Cook.

Whether it's the flatness of the pitch, the mediocrity of the bowling or the fact he has Welsh in him is completely irrelevant now.

He's been class for a while, and has overcome that problem patch a few years ago. He could overtake KP and Strauss.

A potential GREAT England batter. Wouldn't like to woof it though.

SACK - COOK - NOW

(say the Lankans)

Will the Lankans capitulate again?

Couple of quick wickets and it might be England wobbling.

Yeah, that's true Straussy.

Always look on the bright side...

Kapes and Cooker to bravely hold on for the draw then.

Big knock due for KP?

Sri Lanka being generous with the no-balls again, Botham blaming their rather casual warm-up bowling. Is that fact quoted really true, that Botham only bowled one no-ball in his Test career?

Brett Lee on the other hand apparently lost 10 potential Test wickets to them...

So thoughts on the declaration?

taipan wrote:Big knock due for KP?

Why not? - flat track and innocuous attack. Just what the doctor ordered!

It's a f*cking cakewalk! Try hitting out now, you selfish qunts. No doubt Cap'n Negs has had his vanillia input into the sitch.

Wot odds a pair of 96s for Chef. Never been done, you know.