England v Sri Lanka | 2nd Test | June 20-24, 2014 | Leeds

[MarkCooper]

Hehe

 

[Bilal7]

Haha. Rain stopped play.

 

[style_guru]

The Rain might actually do good to SL as their bowlers might get some swing when the game resumes.

 

[Random Aussie]

Haha. Rain stopped play.

England must have a witch doctor on staff, it's uncanny the English rain

 

[MarkCooper]

I'm taking my lunch - will they take theirs early?

I wish my bottle of coke didn't go flat one day after opening it with still a litre left inside. Proper Yorkshire cheese sandwich for lunch.

 

[trogger]

England must have a witch doctor on staff, it's uncanny the English rain

indeed, only seems to arrive when england are up against it.

 

[MarkCooper]

Haha groundstaff bringing on the huge extra covers too! Just to waste more time lol

 

[MarkCooper]

This rain might steal a series victory from England.

 

[style_guru]

This rain might steal a series victory from England.

Did you happen to meet [MENTION=55178]malakian[/MENTION] by the way?

 

[trogger]

Did you happen to meet [MENTION=55178]malakian[/MENTION] by the way?

Said that in another thread and it got deleted, it has to be him or his long lost identical twin.

 

[style_guru]

Said that in another thread and it got deleted, it has to be him or his long lost identical twin.

Ha ha so he who must not be named has his reach deep within the authorities as well?

 

[Justcrazy]

Will the rain save the poms here?

 

[Justcrazy]

5 wickets still in bank with good lower order , it will not be easy for lanka here.

 

[MarkCooper]

Will the rain save the poms here?

Yes the rain will save the Sri Lankans from certain loss

 

[shean1990]

Sri Lanka must be one of the most unluckiest team ! Its already raining and forecast is not good for the whole day..

Herath isn`t getting any turn..Match is going to end up in a draw

 

[tempus123]

Sri Lanka must be one of the most unluckiest team ! Its already raining and forecast is not good for the whole day..

Herath isn`t getting any turn..Match is going to end up in a draw

It isn't over yet, but if it's a draw, it happens to every team. Wrong to single out SL as unlucky.

 

[style_guru]

Sri Lanka must be one of the most unluckiest team ! Its already raining and forecast is not good for the whole day..

Herath isn`t getting any turn..Match is going to end up in a draw

I think the forecast says no rain at all later today.

 

[MarkCooper]

The odd thing is the forecast said 0% chance of rain when I looked this morning. The Met Office radar right now says it should not be raining.

 

[style_guru]

Just a passing by cloud I guess. SL should be happy as they might get some nip with moist air around.

 

[Robert]

Matthews should have declared, what a terrible captain. He should resign now.

 

[MarkCooper]

James Anderson is somehow averaging 21.5 with the ball in this series.

 

[tempus123]

James Anderson is somehow averaging 21.5 with the ball in this series.

The last 2 wickets were taken when SL was already past a big score. Average doesn't give right picture.

 

[Sherlock]

Funny thing is this could be a catch-22 for England. The rain could spice up the atmosphere for the SL swing bowlers. Hopefully England can resist and fight on. Still don't like Cook as captain though.

 

[Justcrazy]

Lunch taken early.

 

[style_guru]

Players back on!
If SL can't get two in next 10-12 overs, this match is done!

 

[khalil1986]

England doing well here, unless a couple of wickets fall before tea I think England will hold on for a draw.

 

[London_Lahori]

Some needle in the middle?

 

[MarkCooper]

Mathews losing his cool a bit

 

[sehban]

Riveting stuff this

 

[Bickers]

The last 2 wickets were taken when SL was already past a big score. Average doesn't give right picture.

Jimmy can't win can he, if he has a good average it's 'not the right picture', if he has a bad average it's because he's a rubbish bowler!

 

[tempus123]

Jimmy can't win can he, if he has a good average it's 'not the right picture', if he has a bad average it's because he's a rubbish bowler!

It's not about any particular bowler, but like Sanga's hundred at Lord's, Anderson's 3-90 yesterday would ideally have been 1-90.. he didn't bowl well enough to average 30 yesterday.

 

[trogger]

These two look rock solid, must be some doubts starting for SL who would still have fresh memories of that awful performance last day vs pakistan.

 

[MarkCooper]

That's it Ali. Leave those balls all day outside the off stump

 

[Adil_94]

Ali and Root showing some backbone here a battling performance by these two here


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Munna]

Resilient batting by the two youngsters, brilliant to see!

Lankans will be getting a bit nervous now, this is looking tougher for them unless they pick a couple of wickets soon.

Intriguing day of cricket one must say.

 

[Sherlock]

Oh Root.

 

[Sherlock]

124-6

 

[lameduck]

Jordan and broad can bat too. This is gonna be an exciting finish

 

[the Great Khan]

cmon Ali

 

[MarkCooper]

Stay disciplined Ali - they want you to lose your focus and go after these balls

 

[MarkCooper]

Ali's instinct is to cover drive these, or cut them hard through the gulley. He is showing remarkable restraint.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Get Moeen Ali, and the match will be over in 20 overs.

 

[CricketCartoons]

50 overs, 4 wickets, 197 runs.

 

[MarkCooper]

Come on Ali - we will love you forever if you bat all day.

 

[ads101]

England are masters of the great escape . They're still fighting there.

Predict another draw by England, with only one wicket left. Might even be easier than the last few times where the likes of Panesar was their last wicket. Anderson's a pretty solid blocker.

 

[MarkCooper]

Blockers:
Anderson 15 overs against Aus
Prior 50 overs against NZ
Broad 25 overs against NZ - almost broke record for not scoring for ever

 

[CricketCartoons]

Come SL, get Ali out...hoping he gets out in the next 5 overs.

 

[the Great Khan]

lets hope Ali can silence some of the so called critics.

 

[shehzi]

even if its a draw ... Pak still move on to #3 ??

 

[MarkCooper]

We were only critical of Ali cos he got out 3 times out of 3 to daft shots

 

[Justcrazy]

Four more wickets for lanka

 

[Justcrazy]

Ali looking good here , he is playing an important knock here.

 

[Justcrazy]

Blockers:
Anderson 15 overs against Aus
Prior 50 overs against NZ
Broad 25 overs against NZ - almost broke record for not scoring for ever

Interesting information

 

[trogger]

heck of an innings from ali in only his 2nd test, he might just be saving cooks job here.

 

[Justcrazy]

Herath will be the key here I feel , specially with lower order.

 

[mithun_minhas]

Herath unable to do anything in this series like all SC spinners who struggle in England.

 

[Justcrazy]

Ali looks to have a good technique

 

[Justcrazy]

Herath unable to do anything in this series like all SC spinners who struggle in England.

he has to , if lanka want to win

 

[Justcrazy]

One wicket can lead to another , as we have seen already in the series

 

[trogger]

Just ok imo.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Come SL, get Ali out...hoping he gets out in the next 5 overs.

Wicket falls within 5 overs. But it is Prior.

Now time to wrap up the game!

 

[Justcrazy]

Close , no ball being checkef

 

[Justcrazy]

 

[trogger]

Soft from prior, he has been bullied a fair bit by the short ball this last year.

 

[shehzi]

i repeat

even if its a draw ... Pak still move on to #3 ??

 

[Buffet]

Go SL........

 

[pak4life]

very close call. Billy Bowden should have called that a no ball not sure how he missed it in the first instance.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Jordan is clueless against Herath.

 

[trogger]

Was close but it's one instance i think the benefit should go to the bowler, should have to be clearly a no ball to take away the wicket and that wasn't.

 

[lameduck]

Brilliant Fight back from Moeen. He would well be for England what Hafeez is for Pakistan.

 

[Sakss]

Sri Lanka need to get these wickets and England are making things difficult for them

 

[Haroon786]

[MENTION=130234]lameduck[/MENTION], pretty sure England don't want their own Hafeez.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Herath proving a bit ineffective so far. The seamers have to go for the kill soon. Right after tea hopefully. England showing quite a bit of resilience.

 

[Justcrazy]

Lanka need to use the new ball

 

[lameduck]

Lanka need to use the new ball

When is it due? Around 35th overish left?

 

[Justcrazy]

This would be interesting session.

 

[Justcrazy]

When is it due? Around 35th overish left?

In 3 overs

 

[lameduck]

[MENTION=130234]lameduck[/MENTION], pretty sure England don't want their own Hafeez.

Hafeez is the better bowler and moeen is the better batsman. But Moeen's bowling is slowly getting better. Who knows he shows a lot of potential to improve.

 

[Justcrazy]

Game to start !!!

 

[HamzaSaeen]

Expected better from [MENTION=134867]Kiri[/MENTION] :/