Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Galle, 6-10 November, 2018

Thought I might as well start a first Test thread in advance than a tour squad one...

England squad: Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Largely as expected then... Burns gets a deserved chance to replace Cook, Jennings retained due to lack of options (and decent showing in India a couple of years ago?), Denly the late bloomer/county journeyman picked on Div 2 runs. He will compete with Moeen for the number 3 slot presumably, or if Jennings craps out completely he could open. I thought Vince would be picked after hovering around the squad for most of the summer, but he misses out along with “away specialist” Malan, as they stick with man for the future/new Ian Bell, Pope.

No rest for Anderson or Broad, but Stone with a chance to stake his claim as a successor, along with Leach in the spin department. Could they go three slow bowlers if conditions dictate?

Should be an interesting contest in Lanka.

Jennings is lucky to be there. I might have been tempted to have had another look at Lyth or Robson. And I don't think Rashid is a shoo-in for the first test. S/L wickets are normally slow and low, and not at all condusive to wrist spin.

Basil wrote:Jennings is lucky to be there. I might have been tempted to have had another look at Lyth or Robson.

Both average 28 this season... in Div 2, in Robson’s case.

Other than Burns, nobody has really made a case for themself at all. If Jennings continues to fail then it might be time to look at the leftfield options. Put the all-rounders in a hat and draw out a name.

Basil wrote:Jennings is lucky to be there. I might have been tempted to have had another look at Lyth or Robson. And I don't think Rashid is a shoo-in for the first test. S/L wickets are normally slow and low, and not at all condusive to wrist spin.

Aye Bas. In our last tour the deadliest ball was Herath's straight one. He picked up numerous lbws with it.

Well, we’ve got all bases covered in the slow bowling department - off-spin, left arm finger spin, and leg-spin, plus a couple of part-timers among the batsmen. They can mix and match depending on how pitches play out, and the numerous all-rounders could allow us to select three spinners and three or even four seamers.

This one had slid to page 2.

Bumpity.

Only 2 more sleeps.

C'mon Lankans. Crucial series. Can the Pomgolians win away? Can Stokes stay sober? Who will he take out?

Bairstow ruled out, still to be determined whether Buttler or Foakes will take the gloves.

Will Herath tie the Poms in knots with his straight break?

All these questions will remain unanswered as it pisses down with rain for three weeks......

Dickwella is annoying, and an awful reviewer.

Broad has been dropped for debutant spinner Jack Leach. Batsman Rory Burns will also debut.

Big Dog wrote:Broad has been dropped for debutant spinner Jack Leach. Batsman Rory Burns will also debut.

Leach already has a test.

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:Broad has been dropped for debutant spinner Jack Leach. Batsman Rory Burns will also debut.

Leach already has a test.

End of the road?

Herath is a chance to go past Hadlee, Kapil and Broad in this Test.

England struggling at 5-162.

Moeen is clearly (not) the answer at no. 3 for the Poms.

Ali at 3 is the single most stupid thing the selectors have done in ten years and that really is saying something with their record.

Sam Curran continues to impress with the bat, and Ben Foakes is going well in his maiden Test knock to get England out of a spot of bother.

103-5 looked dire, real recovery going on with another 160-2.

Aye, fantastic rear guard stuff lead by Foakes.

Took an untarnished debutant to show England how to bat at test level.

Classic keeper's knock.