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

Best session of cricket on the telly, mainly due to Anthony William Greig, Nicholas Verity Knight and Ian Terence Botham being muted and not blathering along pointlessly.

Mahela's a class act, though. Give him his due.

Should have played Finn. Don't see what else you've got to do to get in the team. I'm not particularly against Patel's selection, he's no worse a bowler or batsman than Bopara, and he's not yet in the 'tried and failed' bin like a lot of them are. But I'd have selected him purely as a batsman independent of the four-man attack, who can if necessary bowl some bonus overs, whereas England have selected him as an all-rounder in what they view as a five-man attack. I'd have dropped one of the specialist spinners, personally. Probably Panesar because I think he's one-dimensional.

Jayawardene gone, of the Prassana kind though.

Dello wrote:Mahela's a class act, though. Give him his due.

Aye, top player. Added to the excellence of the session.

taipan wrote:
Seems like no forethought. Lets see. SL plays spin well, so lets play 3 spinners. WE can always bowl KP if they get tired.

Aye, definitely a lack of forethought, but also possibly a lack of bravery. Oh, it's Sri Lanka, we'd better play two spinners because they will be. I'd put them top three, possibly top two in terms of playing spin bowling. So, yeah, I reckon we've played into their hands. Still, can't really complain, what with them being six down but I think we could've had the foot on the throat....

Even Strauss gets a run out.

TFFT... coz Swanny's getting thrashed.

Top innings by Jayawardene.
Swann's not bowled utter shite, been creating chances every now and then. I can only remember one good Monty ball, all others were happily defended.

Brass Monkey wrote:

taipan wrote:
Seems like no forethought. Lets see. SL plays spin well, so lets play 3 spinners. WE can always bowl KP if they get tired.

Aye, definitely a lack of forethought, but also possibly a lack of bravery. Oh, it's Sri Lanka, we'd better play two spinners because they will be. I'd put them top three, possibly top two in terms of playing spin bowling. So, yeah, I reckon we've played into their hands. Still, can't really complain, what with them being six down but I think we could've had the foot on the throat....

What I can't understand is that SA has been consistently the best of the "western nations" in the sub-con and we never play 2 spinners. We win matches there beacuse of our quickies.

The example has been set.....

Unfortunate for us in Pomerania that England's outstanding bowler so far dropped the key man, off his own bowling too.

It would be sorta handy if someone else from the bowlers could spare his blushes ....

taipan wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

taipan wrote:
Seems like no forethought. Lets see. SL plays spin well, so lets play 3 spinners. WE can always bowl KP if they get tired.

Aye, definitely a lack of forethought, but also possibly a lack of bravery. Oh, it's Sri Lanka, we'd better play two spinners because they will be. I'd put them top three, possibly top two in terms of playing spin bowling. So, yeah, I reckon we've played into their hands. Still, can't really complain, what with them being six down but I think we could've had the foot on the throat....

What I can't understand is that SA has been consistently the best of the "western nations" in the sub-con and we never play 2 spinners. We win matches there beacuse of our quickies.

The example has been set.....

We only copy South African batsmen. No, not copy. Steal.

Mahela on his own midden is a thorn in the side all right.

It's a pity Jim couldn't pluck him out!

Dello wrote:

taipan wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

taipan wrote:
Seems like no forethought. Lets see. SL plays spin well, so lets play 3 spinners. WE can always bowl KP if they get tired.

Aye, definitely a lack of forethought, but also possibly a lack of bravery. Oh, it's Sri Lanka, we'd better play two spinners because they will be. I'd put them top three, possibly top two in terms of playing spin bowling. So, yeah, I reckon we've played into their hands. Still, can't really complain, what with them being six down but I think we could've had the foot on the throat....

What I can't understand is that SA has been consistently the best of the "western nations" in the sub-con and we never play 2 spinners. We win matches there beacuse of our quickies.

The example has been set.....

We only copy South African batsmen. No, not copy. Steal.

Okay. Be snobbish about it. Keep on losing series. See if I care.

Commentary back on and the first word's spoken by IT Botham

tricycle wrote:Commentary back on and the first word's spoken by IT Botham

"In the beginning...?"

Almost, I don't think everyone had a cut in commentary, he just seemed to be continuing. I've heard good bowling three or four times already in an over. It's even better that Knight's partnering him in the commentary.

tricycle wrote:Almost, I don't think everyone had a cut in commentary, he just seemed to be continuing. I've heard good bowling three or four times already in an over. It's even better that Knight's partnering him in the commentary.

They have been listening to Sky-NZ when Vettori is bowling.

Or Ien Smeth watched a lot of Botham, very hard to tell them apart.

tricycle wrote:Almost, I don't think everyone had a cut in commentary, he just seemed to be continuing. I've heard good bowling three or four times already in an over. It's even better that Knight's partnering him in the commentary.

Small mercies: at least that's twice an over less than Heal's old mantra "Bowelled Shine"!

We've lost the moral victory already.

Is Swanner doing anything? His figures don't look red hot.

Brass Monkey wrote:We've lost the moral victory already.

You need to eat a phall curry, sir.

Fat Sam - who is definitely more square than fat these days - is now out-bowling the specialist spinners.

Funny awld game, Saint.

Herod finally departs.

But Mehala has carved a hole in the match.

Panesar's fielding seemed to have improved at one stage.
150 for Mahela, brilliant innings.