best side from the series england vs sri lanka

If you were to make a side from the players that played in the test series, using players from both sides what your side look like, mine would be:

1)Alistair Cook
2)Tharanga Paranitivana
3)Tillkaratne Dilshan (C)
4)Kevin Piertsen
5)Ian Bell
6)Eoin Morgan
7)Prassana Jayawardene (WK)
8)Graeme Swann
9)Chanaka Welegedra
10)Chris Tremlett
11)James Anderson

How come John Trott misses out he still made more runs than Paranivitava over the series.....

cos i needed another opener and parantivana was more consistent then strauss, i also needed a captain so dilshan slotted in at 3 after big hundred and was in better form than strauss..

Why not Dilshan opening then, he can still captain then, Trott would then slot in at three..... Apart from that agree with the rest of the side.

Dilshan
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Morgan
Prior
Swann
Anderson
Tremlett
Lakmal

1) A. Cook
2) T. Dilshan (c)
3) J. Trott
4) K. Sangakkara
5) Ian Bell
6) E. Morgan
7) P. Jayawadena (wk)
8.) G. Swann
9) S. Broad
10) Chanaka Welegedra
11) C. Tremlett

How Pieterson is in your side I'll never know mate. Sanga was so much better

sanga only had one good score kp had at least 2

Depends what a good score is. Sanga got a hundred KP didnt YET again

Gregers I know you don't like KP much and you could certainly argue that Sangakkara had a better series (I don't think so personally, in six trips to the crease he only made one decent score, KP made two in four innings), but I don't get you picking Broad ahead of Anderson, that's a very odd call IMO. My team:

Cook
Dilshan (capt. by default because Strauss isn't in, wasn't impressed with his captaincy)
Trott
KP
Bell
Morgan
P. Jayawardene (wk)
Swann
Tremlett
Anderson
Welegedera

8 English, 3 Sri Lankans, I think that's about right. Actually tempted to make Cook captain.

Gregers wrote:1) A. Cook
2) T. Dilshan (c)
3) J. Trott
4) K. Sangakkara
5) Ian Bell
6) E. Morgan
7) P. Jayawadena (wk)
8.) G. Swann
9) S. Broad
10) Chanaka Welegedra
11) C. Tremlett

How Pieterson is in your side I'll never know mate. Sanga was so much better

Not quite sure how you work that one out, Sanga had a dreadful series, barring a ton at the end of a game that was destined for a draw. KP looked in imperious form in those last two innings.

Alastair Cook
Tillakaratne Dilshan(*)
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Eoin Morgan
Prasanna Jayawardene(WK)
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
James Anderson
Chanaka Welegedara

msp83 wrote:Alastair Cook
Tillakaratne Dilshan(*)
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Eoin Morgan
Prasanna Jayawardene(WK)
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
James Anderson
Chanaka Welegedara

we nearly have the same side lol, just one change i think

I have exactly the same side as msp, right down to the batting order of the three genuine tail-enders. This simply won't do at all!!! As a result I'm making a minor tactical change to my side and making Cook captain.

Can't disagree with most peoples sides

Don't understand how KP was bashed considering he got 2 good scores and made a start in another.

Broad was a bizarre pick. His bowling was dreadful.

KP looked like his old self during that last innings of 85. I have no concerns over him if he keeps that up, imperious.

I think KP will do well in the upcoming series against India. I think now that pressure is slightly off him. Strauss needs a good score. Cook and Trott are playing well and the lower order of Bell, Morgan and Prior are looking good. I think KP is a good place right now. For me certainly bats better with Cook.

Gregers wrote:Depends what a good score is. Sanga got a hundred KP didnt YET again

Yeah hes failed to get a century since his double hundred against australia a whole 9 innings ago , what a loser. He averaged about 40 in this series, and over 60 in the last. His form is hardly a worry.
What is a good score? Id say anything over 50. A good test batsmans average is 45, which will include some not outs. Hitting over 50 is hitting well above the median score. I guess really you should look beyond averages to conditions and what those around them are scoring. So perhaps his scores in Austrlia werent too great since he was hardly alone of the England batsmen in making a ludicrous number of runs, but hes stacked up well against them all except Bell in this series.
His lack of centuries is certainly a lot less worrying than Collingwood scoring his first for his county since 2005!

Its easy to bash Strauss's form too...he played what 4 innings since Australia? Didnt he bat really well there and was a run machine at the world cup?

Honestly England have never had a batting line up that looks as secure as this lot in time Ive been following cricket, and I suspect for some time previously. Morgans played two important innings in this series and proven himslef a worthy test batsman and excusably after a shakey start, the only question mark would be the lack of support bowling. Priors wouldve come out of this series with a good batting average if he wasnt twice asked to throw his wicket away. Broad hit a vital fifty, and again suffered from being asked to bat T20 style twice.

Bells series average was up over 300 at one point. Cook and Trott ended the Ashes series as run machines and have both done fine in this series.

+ 1 for msp and mfC's sides. TBH apart from possibly Weledegera I think the other 10 are obvious picks. Sangakara had a terrible series bar 1 knock.

SL's seam attack was pants, wasn't it? what happened to Kulasekara (sp?)?

I didn't think any of the Sri Lankan bowlers were very good. However, the inclusion of Welegedara or Lakmal in some of your teams perfectly illustrates how poorly our third seamer Broad bowled in the series.

welegedra bowled a lot better than broad, hence why he is in my side

Not disagreeing with your assessment Cricketfan90, just saying it puts into perspective how badly Broad bowled.

i no mate