This winters Cricket thread (3 Viewers)

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Good to see the Warwickshire duo opening the bowling SL 51-4 chasing 279 you’d hope England’s spinners can wrap this one up now!

Woakes is definitely the cricket equivalent of James Milner so reliable!

 

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[chiefdave]

Looks like that will be the end of it. Absolutely hammering it down.

 

[Covstu]

We win thanks to Ducky again! Stone pops his cherry too!

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

3-0 up 1 to play, 2020 Saturday before the 3 match test series.

Herath retiring after the first Test so he’ll only take 1 10fer in the series then!

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Record defeat to end the ODI series.

No sure why Morgan rested himself with only 1 2020 to come plus chance for the captain to see the back up players that came in.

Woakes not playing shows the control he has at the top of the order as SL got off to a flier & Mark Wood again proving he’s not international standard!

 

[chiefdave]

Tour has been a shambles really with the weather. Why on earth is it scheduled for the rain season.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Oh the irony, additionally the player who’s sledge caused him to walk off was Phil Hughes’ (the Australian that died after being struck by a bouncer 3 years ago) brother.

Ashes next year will be interesting if (when) him and Smith return.....

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

If only Warner had removed himself from the game permanently he is stain on the game and should just play pyjama cricket now

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Just looked at what was said if he reacts like that in the ashes they will have to go back to timeless tests as he will be on and off all day

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Bizarre first 90 mins.

Turned on to see Jennings be bowled

98-4, rain looks likely to win this test but if the run rate remains this high and regularity of wickets who knows!

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Now Stokes gone playing an end of innings one day shot!

 

[tisza]

Bizarre first 90 mins.

Turned on to see Jennings be bowled

98-4, rain looks likely to win this test but if the run rate remains this high and regularity of wickets who knows!

only need 100 odd overs for Sri Lanka to win this one so rain shouldn't be a factor
Seriously though every man and his dog could see what was needed for this series except for the England team.
Some embarrassing dismissals as usual. Run rate chasing completely inappropriate for this venue.
South Africa got hammered doing the same and only got close to respectability when a couple of their batsmen woke up and realised old fashioned dogged batting the way to go.
Going to be a long Tour from which likely to be too arrogant to learn anything.
Rant over (hoping this can be held up to ridicule when England turn it round).
And when are they going to learn and get at least a couple of proper 4 day games in on overseas tours before the Tests. These ridiculous 50 man a side one innings 2 day things are a joke.

 

[tisza]

Tail bail out top order again.
lucky Bairstow was injured.
Lucky Sri Lanka didn't field well
2 batsmen realizing a scoring rate of under 50% is not a bad thing.
proper Test innings from Foakes - very nicely done.
321-8 a good score.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Tail bail out top order again.
lucky Bairstow was injured.
Lucky Sri Lanka didn't field well
2 batsmen realizing a scoring rate of under 50% is not a bad thing.
proper Test innings from Foakes - very nicely done.
321-8 a good score.

Fair play Foakes showing the top order how to bat in SL!

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

On a footballing note Foakes’ dad was Premier league referee Peter Foakes!

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Great start with the ball, need to make sure they don’t allow SL back into this like they did with England!
A lead of 100 would be excellent here!

 

[Otis]

42/4 now.

 

[tisza]

203 ao. Nicely done.
Now top order set a platform so we can bat them out of this Test.
Gotta think 300 (160 innings) lead would be enough but should be aiming for 380-400 (240-300 innings) target

 

[Covstu]

Yeah would have taken that one but they dug in at the end. Thought when the 4th went this morning we would have taken them for less but its still a top result and shows how important Foakes's ton was!

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Well on top

 

[tisza]

Terrific win. Any away win a good result these days particularly in Asian conditions.
Our spinners are better than I thought.
Sri Lanka didn't look a good side when we last played them but South Africa series did cast doubts that they may have improved.
Still stand by what I wrote (often) in the summer that top order doesn't play spin that well. Credit to Jennings - maybe he could open in series that focus on spin but still hopeless against pace & swing attacks.
Foakes innings the game changer.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

England definitely have to accept a horses for courses approach, ie Jennings suited to slow, low pitches v spinners but his technique will struggle v pace on quicker wickets. No harm playing certain players in certain conditions / parts of the world.

Rashid still a concern all over the shop!

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

only need 100 odd overs for Sri Lanka to win this one so rain shouldn't be a factor
Seriously though every man and his dog could see what was needed for this series except for the England team.
Some embarrassing dismissals as usual. Run rate chasing completely inappropriate for this venue.
South Africa got hammered doing the same and only got close to respectability when a couple of their batsmen woke up and realised old fashioned dogged batting the way to go.
Going to be a long Tour from which likely to be too arrogant to learn anything.
Rant over (hoping this can be held up to ridicule when England turn it round).
And when are they going to learn and get at least a couple of proper 4 day games in on overseas tours before the Tests. These ridiculous 50 man a side one innings 2 day things are a joke.

Mwah mwah

 

[tisza]

Mwah mwah

Yep.
Luckily 2 batsmen learnt and changed the game - foakes & Curran. Tbh if Bairstow had been fit this game could easily have gone another way. Jennings would also have had to bat with scoreboard pressure.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

What’s wrong with this?

Batsmen move around the crease etc

 

[Covstu]

What’s wrong with this?

Batsmen move around the crease etc

It’s bizarre but looks legal to me! Okay there is obviously a fine line between making bowlers try every bit of trickery but at the moment most games are sided with the batsman rather that bowling so why not mix it up?

 

[oucho]

Wouldn't pick Bairstow tomorrow; he hasn't been in great form and shouldn't be considered an automatic pick as a batsman, let alone as a keeper. Pick the same XI unless it's really going to help the seamers in which case one of Leach or Rash can make way for Broad or Woakes.

 

[tisza]

Unchanged side with Stokes to bat at 3.
Good calls. Keeping Foakes and moving Ali. Wait and see on Stokes at 3

 

[oucho]

Unchanged side with Stokes to bat at 3.
Good calls. Keeping Foakes and moving Ali. Wait and see on Stokes at 3

I agree but I would change the batting order as follows: Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson.

Foakes is a good solid batsman who can bat properly and thus go at 5. Moeen and Buttler are dashers who can come in after him. Moeen fine at 6, whereas Buttler can do his Gilchrist-style "play with freedom" role at 7 as was originally intended last summer.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Time for the middle order to dig England out of trouble again!

 

[tisza]

Time for the middle order to dig England out of trouble again!

still a mindset of certain batsmen that they have to try and hit their way out of trouble rather than grind it out. Just not appropriate on these turning wickets.
Game unlikely to go more than 3-4 days when you see them spitting of the wicket as early as the 2nd over.
240-250 possibly a decent score on a wicket like this but we'll see when Sri Lanka bat.

 

[Covstu]

solid innings in the end, middle order carrying us again. We would be some force if we can get 1 & 2 solid.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Curran really is looking something special with the bat, 20 years old, comes in under pressure time and time again and performs, today dug in and then tees off when required!

 

[tisza]

solid innings in the end, middle order carrying us again. We would be some force if we can get 1 & 2 solid.

Think there's something about Burns that could develop.
Gotta wonder how a player that can't handle pace or swing gets into a Test side as an opener - Jennings

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

Think there's something about Burns that could develop.
Gotta wonder how a player that can't handle pace or swing gets into a Test side as an opener - Jennings

Jennings won’t get into double figures in the Ashes!