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

[James]

I actually don't blame Cook and Pietersen. Fine players. Those cheap dismissals are common enough on a bad day.

Strauss, Trott, Prior and Patel were pretty abject though.

Bell, who has played beautifully, is the only real positive. We already know from the UAE that Broad and Swann play spinners better than most of our batsmen.

Like I said, get within 100 and see what happens. Otherwise you're buggered lads.

 

[Justcrazy]

Partnership 2 runs here

 

[velu]

50 for Bell

 

[JibranAnsari]

50 for bell, well played. Go for 150 dude. It is your chance to shine.

 

[greekscavenger]

It's the getting within 100 thats the big problem atm.

 

[Lethalweapon]

+ SAFFER PLAYERS WAGs UNION

You know Indian spinners prefer batsman on the frontfoot,(helps stumpings remember, Ashwin does tosses it up) They could not trouble Amla because he was so good from the backfoot.
p.s. Herath is not a big turner.

 

[talha3]

Bell relieved that the threat of Ajmal has gone and he's now made in his first innings here as many runs as he did in the whole series against Pakistan.

 

[Justcrazy]

:4

 

[Justcrazy]

Swan 5 boundaries for 20.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Good batting from swann ( strong despise from received)

 

[Justcrazy]

6 boundaries by swan !!!!!!!

 

[velu]

:4 and :4 more for swann

swann for Delhi Daredevils

 

[Justcrazy]

Great batting by Swan , he is so positive.

 

[Ruri]

:4 and :4 more for swann

swann for Delhi Daredevils

I don't understand why he was never picked? Quality slogger and decent spinner in shorter formats despite the drop in Test status.

 

[JibranAnsari]

:4 and :4 more for swann

swann for Delhi Daredevils

IPL agents everywhere

 

[Ambi]

You know Indian spinners prefer batsman on the frontfoot,(helps stumpings remember, Ashwin does tosses it up) They could not trouble Amla because he was so good from the backfoot.
p.s. Herath is not a big turner.

ash win donkey elephant is only good for that dusty pitch in chennai

 

[JibranAnsari]

and the beauty of the innings has ended :umarakmal

 

[Justcrazy]

 

[greekscavenger]

So, Swann does brainfart #8.

I'm betting on Jimmy Anderson getting bowled clean.

 

[Saurav]

Its so boring without commentary. didnt even realise it was a wicket

 

[Ruri]

Oh Jimmy. I'd be furious.

 

[Justcrazy]

England trail by 161 runs with 2 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

 

[greekscavenger]

Jimmy Anderson to do a Botham. 5fer + Century?

Yeah, I need to lay off the crack pipe.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Bells needs to hold the fort now , keep 90 % of the strike.

 

[velu]

I don't understand why he was never picked? Quality slogger and decent spinner in shorter formats despite the drop in Test status.

he will not be available for the full series and its risk to waste a foreigner slot ( every team can have a max of 10 foreign players )..

but the same reason wont apply for KP and Moran , KP is a class and morgan is one of the best T20 players

 

[Ruri]

Jimmy Anderson to do a Botham. 5fer + Century?

Yeah, I need to lay off the crack pipe.

I like how people say he can bat a bit, and he averages decently at 11-14 as a #10.


Yet his high score is 34 or something. Anderson basically plays two good shots, a few nudges, and then gets out.

 

[Namak_Halaal]

Where's Nasser Hussain? Missing him in the commentary box. Or is he commentating?

 

[ecstatic_freak]

I was hoping for a better show! but oh well, English batsmen, Asian tracks, same old story, kudos to Bell though, gutsy so far!

 

[talha3]

What a ball!

 

[Saurav]

wat a beauty

 

[Justcrazy]

 

[talha3]

That's the SLA dream ball.

 

[velu]

so far my jinx is working .. whenever i put :AAG , they r getting out

 

[greekscavenger]

Bun this.

I'm going to watch the England India series highlights.

 

[Ruri]

A terrible SL bowler picks 6. Well done England, improving the averages of piechuckers because they spin the ball.

And a few good balls doesn't make Herath good.

 

[Saurav]

Herath-angrez performance

 

[greekscavenger]

Velu, in the Sri Lanka innings, please spam that every post

Cheers.

 

[Saurav]

A terrible SL bowler picks 6. Well done England, improving the averages of piechuckers because they spin the ball.

And a few good balls doesn't make Herath good.

hes not that bad.certainly not in SL

 

[talha3]

Bun this.

I'm going to watch the England India series highlights.

 

[ecstatic_freak]

Bun this.

I'm going to watch the England India series highlights.

Call me if you need the Ashes DVDs, i got 'em all

 

[JibranAnsari]

Bun this.

I'm going to watch the England India series highlights.

Why not Pakistan England , England did better than this. Get high but slowly

 

[Lethalweapon]

ash win donkey elephant is only good for that dusty pitch in chennai

You were expecting miracles from him after just 7 tests
(many of them In Aus), It took Kumble and Harbie 2-3 years to cement their place in the team.

 

[greekscavenger]

Ffs why are the england players still tukking.

No point, your gonna get out very soon, just smash em.

 

[Ruri]

Why not Pakistan England , England did better than this. Get high but slowly

Watch Trent Bridge Pak England. Nothing more beautiful than Jimmy's swing bowling making schoolboys of the batsmen as he takes 11.

 

[leatherface58]

lol india now will prepare rank turners. spinning like mad from day 1. only two bowlers on bowling card ashwin and ojha. with 1-2 overs by umesh yadav for variety purpose.

 

[talha3]

A terrible SL bowler picks 6. Well done England, improving the averages of piechuckers because they spin the ball.

And a few good balls doesn't make Herath good.

I know you're not the most optimistic of fans, but Herath isn't terrible. He has 5fers against every top 8 team except West Indies. Not world class, but a decent bowler.

 

[Saurav]

Monty Sidhu batting well

 

[velu]

Velu, in the Sri Lanka innings, please spam that every post

Cheers.

i cant tolerate tuk tuk ..
atleast broad and swann were better

 

[Wristy_Shuffler]

Which idiot said Bell was spin specialist? The guy's useless.

 

[Saurav]

lol india now will prepare rank turners. spinning like mad from day 1. only two bowlers on bowling card ashwin and ojha. with 1-2 overs by umesh yadav for variety purpose.

home advantage.England didnt give us pattas themselves

 

[velu]

ash win donkey elephant is only good for that dusty pitch in chennai

chennai is highway , only kotla is a dustboowl :fountain

 

[greekscavenger]

))

Did Anderson just reverse sweep it for 4?!

 

[James]

 

[velu]

England

 

[JibranAnsari]

Watch Trent Bridge Pak England. Nothing more beautiful than Jimmy's swing bowling making schoolboys of the batsmen as he takes 11.

i prefer watching oval ,what would you prefer watching, dubai or abudhabi?

 

[LegendAli]

panesar and anderson havin a go.

 

[leatherface58]

home advantage.England didnt give us pattas themselves

by all means i dont disagree at all. all i am saying is be ready for some legendary crying from english media if indians actually go through with it.

all teams in the current setup seem to be home track bullies(Except vs us :-X )

 

[greekscavenger]

If we Draw 1-1 do we keep #1?

 

[Ruri]

I know you're not the most optimistic of fans, but Herath isn't terrible. He has 5fers against every top 8 team except West Indies. Not world class, but a decent bowler.

I don't like spinners unless they are very good.

Ajmal, Swann till this year, etc.

It is easier to be an average spinner than an average pacer. Pace bowling is where I am most impressed, also for the sheer effort it takes to bowl fast, or accurate at that pace.

So a spinner that averages 33 despite playing on SL wickets for half of his career is nothing more than average.

 

[Saurav]

I think its the curse of no.1

 

[leatherface58]

dude greek you might still win this. i dont know. i predicted england winning odi series vs pak. funnier **** has happened.

 

[Ruri]

))

Did Anderson just reverse sweep it for 4?!

He can play shots that look as classy as a top order bat. But he misses one after getting a few off, or prods wrongly.

 

[leatherface58]

I think its the curse of no.1

australia is voldemort. not letting anyone be #1 for more than few years at the max.

saf 4 months
india less than 2 years

england are old enemies. so no mercy.

 

[greekscavenger]

If we win this I'll start a Imran Farhat > Alastair Cook thread.

Bookmark this.

 

[Ruri]

Monta "Lara" Panesar.


This is stupid, a tailender who rivals Chris Martin for worst #11 has scored more than some of our batsmen.


And Anderson's last shot was delicious.

 

[Justcrazy]

Good hitting by the tail.

 

[Ruri]

If we win this I'll start a Imran Farhat > Alastair Cook thread.

Bookmark this.

I will be the first to agree on that thread.

 

[James]

All this shows is that the pitch is in fact completely dead and our bowlers are going to get churned on it.

 

[greekscavenger]

Right. Pace bowler on.

England all out.

 

[JibranAnsari]

lol@ greekscavenger. i hope you win then and you will get a lot of stick on PP even more than after the England Pakistan test series.

 

[Ruri]

lol@ greekscavenger. i hope you win then and you will get a lot of stick on PP even more than after the England Pakistan test series.

To be fair, if we nitpick Cook's stats for the past 4 tests, pretend it's a sign of his current form in Tests, we could make a defendable, albeit stupid, thread.

 

[talha3]

All this shows is that the pitch is in fact completely dead and our bowlers are going to get churned on it.

Not necessarily. Get Mahela (in great form) and Sanga (he won't fail this time) early and you can get into that lineup.

 

[Lethalweapon]

lol india now will prepare rank turners. spinning like mad from day 1. only two bowlers on bowling card ashwin and ojha. with 1-2 overs by umesh yadav for variety purpose.

I love it when people take Zaheer Khan for granted nowadays, he might have fitness issues but if he does play, his reverse swinging capabilities in those conditions cannot be ignored.Zaheer has not missed many home tests btw. in last 3 years.

 

[leatherface58]

monty afridi going well with jimmy warner.

 

[greekscavenger]

Nah, Samaraweera will just Misbah it out all day.

 

[James]

131 behind.

Lead down to 100, bowl them out for 180, win by one wicket with Monty hitting the final boundary.

Yesssss.

 

[greekscavenger]

131 behind.

Lead down to 100, bowl them out for 180, win by one wicket.

Yesssss.

If this happens, promise not to delete my Imran Farhat > Cook thread

 

[Ruri]

This is also why I don't value spinners as highly unless they are really good. People get out to them because it's a mindgame where they psych themselves out and think too hard about a guy slowly flicking his fingers over a ball. Spinners like Herath get wickets because the batsmen are scared, seamers actually have to bowl well.



And ffs Jimmy.

 

[James]

The Anderson-Panesar last wicket stand is reunited rdiff

 

[the Great Khan]

dissapointed with england here..thought they would have smashed the lankans but Ajmal and co have just mentally shattered them vs spin!