England vs Sri Lanka 3rd test debate

First topic message reminder :

As i'm going on holiday tonight I decided to do the 3rd test debate thread a little bit sooner.

Anyways the squads:

England

Andrew Strauss (C)
Alistair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior (WK)
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
James Anderson
Steve Finn

Sri Lanka

Tharanga Paranavithana
Lahiru Thirimanne
Kumar Sangakkara (C)
Mahela Jayawardene
Thilan Samaraweera
Dinesh Chandimal
Prasanna Jaywardene (W-K)
Thissara Perera
Suraj Randiv
Ajantha Mendis
Rangana Herath
Dilhara Fernanado
Chanka Welegedara
Suranga Lakmal
Farveez Maharoof

C'mon England!

Spot on , carrotdude

Daft to take a "break" (from what? they have been sat watching the rain come down) when they have a bit of fine weather.

Management might be keener to get on with it if they had to refund tickets for less than 2 hours play or something like that , maybe?

Thats a good idea with the covering. By my rekoning we have lost nearly 1 hours play today alone waiting for the players to return, lunch break and tea break. Really pathetic.

Now, lets see how long this lasts.....

Whoa! KP not hanging around.

Making hay while the sun shines (or the rain holds off, at least)?

Nice to see some play here.

These two have done very well considering all the interuptions.

I am very impressed here. KP and Cook have done superbly.

Cook Gone, kiss of death from me

Well, he got 55. Decent knock and England are looking good for a 1st innings lead.

Shame that with all the time lost, the match is almost certain to end in a draw now.

doh. still, a lot better than it might have been.

Unless we get 2 solid full days of play (which we won't) it will be a draw. Probably.

yep a draw and a won series.

Awful summer sadly. Not looking good for another month so India will be in for some soggy days too.

Its a draw barring a Sri Lankan 2nd innings collapse.

Well we can still win this game. We just need to declare at lunchtime tomorrow with a lead of about 100 and see what happens and how Sri Lanka deal with Tremlett, Anderson and Swann. According to the forecast there's a very good chance of no rain tomorrow so we could get a full's day play. Monday is not so good however. Remember, England win and we go tied 2nd with the Saffers on the Test Rankings!

A series win is pretty much what England have deserved, they are the better team.

i'm sure the mighty India will have something to say about that.

That's cool let them come and say it and we'll see who's best in our conditions.

I really am looking forward to the Indian series. It has to be Englands best chance to beat them for some while.

Two good teams. I think a lot of Indians expect to walk the series but i think it'll be a real fight myself.

I am not sure about that trebs, i think that the majority of Indian fans feel that this will be a very close series.

Agreed trebell.

2 strong batting lineups (India's arguably slightly better) and 2 good bowling attacks (England's should have the edge at home). Expecting victories by the narrowest of margins and draws.

Think KP must've been visited by the ghost of W G Grace betwen the 1st and 2nd Tests. Seems like a different player.

to be fair Billy, i was reading too many from posts from the more bonkers members on 606.

I think most pundits suspect it'll be close. Two good teams.

150 up for England. KP and Bell largely cruising - almost scoring at will.

Weather permitting, if England can bat til lunch tomorrow and score quickly, we could declare and put SL in again, to give us a chance of forcing a result.

KP really is a confidence player Wolfie.

There are always fools trebs but they dont represent the majority. The true Indian cricket fan will expect a close series.

Yeah fair point Billy.

England are really going along at a decent run rate as well. Big chance of a first innings lead today.

Well, England looking set to take the lead by close of play. Ought to be able to build a decent lead tomorrow (again, weather permitting).

Reckon SL will find themselves batting again not long after lunch, if play is not too badly affected.

I think that would be the aim dyre, i would'nt be suprised if there were some fireworks tomorrow.

That's the lead.

Pretty good to get there without too much trouble.

If they can get another 150-200 then i think it'd put some horrible pressure on the SL batsmen to have to save it.

Excellent stuff from KP today, it has to be said.

darn it... KP short of a ton.

Great innings. Took this game away from the Lankans I suspect.


and Billy.. you did it to Cook and KP.. shush it son or i'll have to start the reserve curses again!!

Crist on a bike, i am not going to post positive things again. I am killing England.....

lol.. t'was a bad day for you Billy.

Once again after only 50 ish overs all day play has to stop at 7.30 despite bright sunshine...

It wasnt great trebs

Can the authorities not see how ridiculus the game is made to look. First they decide to take the tea break when there is a break in the rain, and then in the evening when there is the best weather of the whole day they finish according to a pre-defined time. The paying fans are the losers, and they won't keep putting up with it as you could see by their reaction to the tea break debacle.

Come on use some common sense!

I don't think you'll find many people who disagree with you, unfortunately the only ones who seem to are those who are in charge.

LivinginItaly wrote:Can the authorities not see how ridiculous the game is made to look. First they decide to take the tea break when there is a break in the rain, and then in the evening when there is the best weather of the whole day they finish according to a pre-defined time. The paying fans are the losers, and they won't keep putting up with it as you could see by their reaction to the tea break debacle.

Come on use some common sense!

Whichever boards are responsible don't seem to have much of that anymore. Nor do those who have set the current regulations seem too bothered about Test Cricket's reputation.

We pay the highest prices in the UK for test cricket and maximising playing time and over rates should be a priority so that paying customers get value for money.

Prospects for Sunday ?
The forecast is good (!) I understand so a full 90 overs ... so:

England after a difficult start were motoring along at over 4 rpo. Granted a lot of this was down to KP (and it is wonderful to see him looking like his old self again is it not? Let us pray he continues like this against India) but Bell is also striking the ball well and with Morgan, Prior and (dare I say it?) Broad to come there is no reason this scoring rate should not be exceeded and a lead of something like 200 be achieved halfway through the day.

IF the above ideal plan works out I think Sri Lanka will be under a lot of pressure when they come out to bat again , albeit in more comfortable batting conditions than they faced in the first innings. Monday's forecast may be dire, but we should not assume the day will be a total washout , so they will not want to find themselves still behind with several top bats out at close of play, especially given their long tail.

Tremlett will be on a high after his first innings success , and the other England bowlers will all be eager to join in the action: Anderson probably better for the first match bowling he's done for some time; Broad knowing he needs to impress to keep the critics at bay and Swann feeling rather left out in the first innings...all nicely rested and keen for the kill. Sri Lanka will need a solid start or the wheels might come off dramatically as at Cardiff.

All speculation of course but I just have a feeling we may be in for a very interesting day ... unless the weather boys are wrong and it pours again

Good Morning or Good Evening alfie.

Yep, think we've a chance to win this. Many a slip etc, but the chance is there. Think you are right and it will depend on Sri Lnka's batsmen who have shown they can hang on in the second Test. But I agree they seem fragile and very vulnerable to the "one wicket leads to another" thing.

Rightly or wrongly, I also have the impression that their lower order are actually scared of Tremlett. (I know I would be!)

It's all set up most interestingly.

I am not so sure about going on full attack this morning but i do think that if the conditions are good England will take a very decent lead. There is still every chance of a result in this match but only in Englands favour.

Oh yeah, Good morning people

Jimmy Anderson hitting a quick 50?

Yeah that woukd be nice lol

Morning eirebilly.

Think England's batsmen have to be sensible. We only have a lead of 11 with 6 wickets in hand and not many recognised batsmen left. Plenty of scope for disaster there...

Looking to declare around tea time? Maybe leave them a tricky hour at the end of the day? Something like that, I expect.

Morning legendkillar.

chuckle. I would very much like to see a 50 from Anderson.

The forecast for Monday is dire.

I can't see England batting until tea today. Assuming we're not dismissed anyway going for quick runs I would expect England to bat no longer than about an hour or so after lunch.

It all depends on if Strauss thinks that he can force a victory. England still have a second innings to fall back on.

A couple of boundary's from Jimmy this morning.

Gotta go. Will catch up at lunchtime. Come on England! 8)

If England can get a decent run rate going, maybe just maybe they could get Sri Lanka in day 5 and maybe force a result. Morgan and Prior coming into bat.

Bell looking in top nick.