England vs Sri Lanka | 1st Test | Cardiff | 26-30 May 2011

[spoiled]

England are favourites

Sri Lanka can not be underestimated at all but their bowling is bit of a concern specially after the injury to the much talked about bowler Nuwan Pradeep

 

[spoiled]

forgot to add 'preview'


Will it be close and thrilling series?

 

[saeed-sohail]

It will be 2-0 to Eng.

 

[spoiled]

Have you stolen that prediction from cricinfo's switch hit

 

[Random Aussie]

England to smash the great overrated ones 3 nil unless it rains.

SL will be looking for one of their thrice a decade overseas wins. Will be hard now they have to rely on bowlers only.

 

[Shaheerthe2nd]

When is the match starting????

 

[saeed-sohail]

It's suppose to rain in cardiff over next few days.

 

[spoiled]

England were absolute favorites but Sri Lanka won the two practice matches, specially the way they came back in the second one was just stunning

albeit a second string team

 

[Fawad2010]

Batting - Tough to call, but England holds the edge because they are used to conditions where the ball moves around.

Bowling - Again tough, lack of experience in both sides is a factor, England's edge in fast bowling cancels the slight edge of SL Spin attack.

Fielding - Even though SL are the best in Sub-continent, they are no match for England.


I am completely neutral in this series, looking forward to some exciting cricket.


Just hope English media doesn't start again...

 

[CoolSERAZ]

Batting - Tough to call, but England holds the edge because they are used to conditions where the ball moves around.

Bowling - Again tough, lack of experience in both sides is a factor, England's edge in fast bowling cancels the slight edge of SL Spin attack.

Fielding - Even though SL are the best in Sub-continent, they are no match for England.


I am completely neutral in this series, looking forward to some exciting cricket.


Just hope English media doesn't start again...

the fielding went awol during world cup though. so english are not as great a fielding side as one would think especially under pressure. although i do think, england will win else series will be draw.

 

[kingusama92]

England will win this series.

Should be good one, though.

 

[James]

Probably going to be minimal/no play until mid-afternoon time given the rain. Really disappointing.

 

[Poison]

Bloody rubbish weather all the time in the UK

 

[James]

April was amazing, but May has been mostly rubbish. June and July are supposed to be baking.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

2-1 England in this series IMO.

Looking forward to cricket on 5 later today.

 

[malakian]

So i presume it's raining in Cardiff?

3-0 to us by the way.

 

[James]

The Met Office has it pretty clear all day and indeed across the five days, but the BBC is less optimistic.

This is why we need Oxy back on the forum, the unofficial Welsh reporter

 

[cricket_coach]

Why Cardiff. Doesnt it rains every day there? Can it be considered semi nutral venue, After all Welsh arent English? Is ECB filled with arrogant thinkers like Darren Gough and Beefy?.. "Yeah we can beat everyone, we are actualy number one"

 

[James]

Why Cardiff. Doesnt it rains every day there? Can it be considered semi nutral venue, After all Welsh arent English? Is ECB filled with arrogant thinkers like Darren Gough and Beefy?.. "Yeah we can beat everyone, we are actualy number one"

Ah, the first day of the international summer in England and the idiotic posts have already begun.

 

[cricketindiafan]

So i presume it's raining in Cardiff?

3-0 to us by the way.

It was going to be 3-0 and 5-0 during the last Lankan tour to England tour as well. Guess what was the end result

 

[malakian]

Why Cardiff. Doesnt it rains every day there? Can it be considered semi nutral venue, After all Welsh arent English? Is ECB filled with arrogant thinkers like Darren Gough and Beefy?.. "Yeah we can beat everyone, we are actualy number one"

The ECB are the English & Wales cricket board. The first test has been switched to Cardiff because generally we've been rubbish at lords & were fed up of going 1 nil down at the start of a series. Unfortunately it rains everywhere in Britain, not just Wales.

And we can beat everyone.

 

[malakian]

It was going to be 3-0 and 5-0 during the last Lankan tour to England tour as well. Guess what was the end result

I didn't predict that, the only reason they didn't get thrashed last time was Murali.

 

[spoiled]

Man its raining

reminds me of last summer amir and asif ripping through batting lineups..my first proper viewing of what an english summer is

 

[cricket_coach]

Ah, the first day of the international summer in England and the idiotic posts have already begun.

Just trying to point out obvious overconfidence of ECB. TAnd everyone knows where overconfidence leads to ))

 

[cricket_coach]

The ECB are the English & Wales cricket board. The first test has been switched to Cardiff because generally we've been rubbish at lords & were fed up of going 1 nil down at the start of a series. Unfortunately it rains everywhere in Britain, not just Wales.

And we can beat everyone.

Common board doesnt makes common team. Team is still called English?

 

[James]

I didn't predict that, the only reason they didn't get thrashed last time was Murali.

Going to have to pull you up on this. England were uninspired and mediocre in that series, and Flintoff's captaincy was appalling as always. England had Pietersen and his two big centuries to thank for not losing the series.

 

[malakian]

Any chance you can sod off & leave this thread to people who actually want to discuss the match cricket_coach? If you want to make ridiculous points about the ECB then create a separate thread pls.

 

[James]

cricket_coach, you clearly don't know anything about English cricket, so please stop commenting on it.

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

Well g'mawnin' folks...nothing better then some test cricket on a thursday morning ! morrison

 

[AZ]

an hour to go, gents?

 

[MAJID-SHAH]

I think the game starts at 10:30 uk time?

 

[James]

It's eleven these days, which I've never liked. We used to see 90-over days more often when the game started at 10.30.

 

[cricket_coach]

I was just being a tease. Cant watch the match, brain works in whatever mode

 

[malakian]

I've got Sky Sports news on. It's definitely raining, gutted.

 

[Sanchez]

Booya was waiting for the team to give the English a thrash, seems as if the weathers on host's side

 

[AZ]

have never liked Cardiff as a Test venue

 

[Uzi]

There has been a drought in many parts of the UK, especially the south and I think it was predictable that as soon as the cricket starts, it rains.

 

[cricketindiafan]

Is it going be like this for the rest of the summer? Could be a dampener.

 

[ash 68]

typical -no rain for nearly a month and as soon as someone holds a cricket bat....

maybe England should play all its matches in UAE?

 

[Poison]

Is it going to be delayed?

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

2011 International cricket season from England commences today.Sub continental style.England will have the better of both India and Lankans.

 

[AZ]

Has it started?

Is CricOne not showing it in the Middle East?!

 

[AZ]

oh wait yes they are, whew!

but it has been delayed due to rain.

 

[cricketindiafan]

Looks like a long wait. Looking at the forecast, post lunch sessions should be fine with some sunshine.

 

[Random Aussie]

What's the weather looking like, Saffer supporters?

Any chance of play before lunch?

 

[James]

Is it going be like this for the rest of the summer?.

no.

 

[AZ]

11.20am A break in the rain! And all four umpires immediately march out to the middle to have a gander. As soon as we hear what's going on, we'll let you know. By the way, to answer a question that a few of you have asked: yes, the DRS will be in use in this series.

 

[James]

Since the start of Murali's career, they have only won one away test match without him. oh dear.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Sri Lanka will be skittled out under 200 if England make them bat.

 

[DW44]

What's the weather looking like, Saffer supporters?

Any chance of play before lunch?

Probably. The weather's a bit better now. The rain has stopped but there's still a pretty heavy cloud cover.

 

[Poison]

Since the start of Murali's career, they have only won one away test match without him. oh dear.

How many Tests has he been unavailable for? And unless I'm mistaken I think SL play the least amount of away Tests for all top flight Test sides.

 

[AZ]

gonna enjoy Mendis getting smashed by the Pommy batsmen.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Heavy rain again. Doubt we will see play today.

 

[AZ]

early lunch

 

[DW44]

Heavy rain again. Doubt we will see play today.

There's no rain. Hasn't been any for an hour.

 

[AZ]

Cricinfo saying its 'bucketing' down again.

 

[James]

How many Tests has he been unavailable for? And unless I'm mistaken I think SL play the least amount of away Tests for all top flight Test sides.

unavailable for 28 tests, they won 5 (home and away). one man team? no wayyy.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

There's no rain. Hasn't been any for an hour.

Ian ward was at the ground on sky.Grey skies and the rain was pouring down.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

 

[DW44]

Ian ward was at the ground on sky.Grey skies and the rain was pouring down.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

Can't see any through my window. Must be the Islamabad phenomenon in action(Heavy rain in one part of the city, none in another. I kid you not, it happens).

 

[Random Aussie]

Disappointing.

 

[KFC_Zinger]

Can't see any through my window. Must be the Islamabad phenomenon in action(Heavy rain in one part of the city, none in another. I kid you not, it happens).

It happens a lot of times in Bombay during moonsoons

 

[James]

Toss at 12.45 just after the early lunch, and play at 1.15. If the weather holds...

Win the toss and bowl I suppose.

 

[Theo_14]

Weather Update :-

Still glimpses of light showers, strong wind out there and sun keeps on shining now and again.

 

[malakian]

Here we go, Sri Lanka win the toss & bat. England the usual side, Finn 12th man.

 

[malakian]

It's raining again

 

[KingKhanWC]

Interesting decision by Dishan to bat first. Rain in Wales nothing new.

 

[Shayan]

"They did not show the toss live here in India," writes Sundar. "Did the toss guy (Paul Allott or Nasser Hussain??) scream "Are you readyyyy!! Its toss time Cardifffff" a la Surround sound Shastri?" The horror, the horror. No.

 

[Poison]

Doesn't this consistently dreary weather in the UK make you Britons want to commit heinous crimes and be transported to a much sunnier convict land?

 

[Shayan]

Doesn't this consistently dreary weather in the UK make you Britons want to commit heinous crimes and be transported to a much sunnier convict land?

Not at all. It just makes us appreciate it so much more when the sun does shine. And nothing beats a proper British Summer (as short as it may be).

 

[BaaliSoda]

Update on Rain status plz @Cricfan2008/Whippy/Theo_14

TIA

 

[Poison]

Perhaps, I hear the maximum heat is something like mid 30s ... whereas here during summer there can be stretches of a week or so when it's consistently touching 40 every day. Depends on whether you're a summer or a winter person really. And I think on a cricket website, most of you should be summer people

 

[cricketindiafan]

Hasn't started yet? Any updates? Will we have some play today or day one washed out?

 

[Poison]

And I normally wouldn't praise Dilshan but good strong move choosing to bat first on a greenish track under heavy clouds. Possibly a stupid decision, but he would've been tempted to take the safe option and bowl first, courageous.

 

[IAJ]

-James: "@George Binoy, surely 3 allrounders? Dilshan is no mean bowler himself." True. And could we see him Hafeezing it up with the new ball if this wicket does take spin?-

A new cricketing term?

 

[IAJ]

More of this:

Vipin: "To Hafeezing, wicket does not need to take turn." Touche

A slightly reactionary response from Bharathram: "Dilshan Hafeezing in England to open the bowling would mean I can turn the TV off and declare that cricket is no more beautiful to watch."

 

[malakian]

Just started raining again, doubt we'll see any play today.

 

[malakian]

It's now stopped, play should start any time now.

 

[SOSami]

Doctrove the umpire. SL in trouble before the game even starts.

 

[Mohsin]

Welcome to the UK folks...sunny/high temps for the last 3/4odd months and as usual the cricketing 'summer' starts...as does the rain. Always happens

 

[IAJ]

Doctrove the umpire. SL in trouble before the game even starts.

Why only SL?

And are there no UDRS in this series?