Can the VB Series be England's saviour?

[jf2001]

I guess what I'm asking is can Australia be challenged by England's one-day squad in any way.

The obvious thing to note is that it is a young, keen squad who havent played the Tests so won't be psychologically scarred!

Is there reason to be a little hopeful?

 

[Anil]

Originally posted by jf2001
I guess what I'm asking is can Australia be challenged by England's one-day squad in any way.

The obvious thing to note is that it is a young, keen squad who havent played the Tests so won't be psychologically scarred!

Is there reason to be a little hopeful?

Psychological scarring can also come from watching your countrymen get mercilessly thrashed. Also, it is a young squad, how keen remains to be seen.

A big reason for Aus to want to do well is the fact that they did not even reach the finals in the last series. So, they would want to erase that blot in their copybook at the earliest.

England might sneak a win or two, probably against SL, but Australia look very likely to continue their total domination.

 

[Rik]

Remember how England canned Sri Lanka in the summer in both the Tests and the ODIs (and guess who is the other team in the VB Series?) and lost to a good performance by India on a flat track. I think England can easily reach the final and from there its how well each team plays...

 

[Anil]

Originally posted by Rik
Remember how England canned Sri Lanka in the summer in both the Tests and the ODIs (and guess who is the other team in the VB Series?) and lost to a good performance by India on a flat track. I think England can easily reach the final and from there its how well each team plays...

SL has regrouped after that especially in one dayers. If you just go by that series and write off SL against Eng, you might be proved horribly wrong.

 

[Blewy]

I don't see how it can be anything but an Australia v England Final...

Sril Lanka will be in tatters without Jayasuria and Muralitharan...
Murali is the only Sri Lankan bowler to ever dominate Australian batsman, and even on Aussie soil he never really went that great, and without him and Sanath i think England will be to good as well...
Although in saying this the pressure will be off SL without these 2 and they could spring a surprise, but i doubt it...

Australia vs England Final for me...

 

[age_master]

nah, Sri lanka will still dominate England, they do have a couple of other good players, they have not announced their squad yet but i imagine they will pick the usualls + a few younger guys, Maybe The Star of ICC will finally make his international mark - Samaraweera - Attapattu will also score well vs England hes been in pretty good touch recently

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by age_master
nah, Sri lanka will still dominate England, they do have a couple of other good players, they have not announced their squad yet but i imagine they will pick the usualls + a few younger guys, Maybe The Star of ICC will finally make his international mark - Samaraweera - Attapattu will also score well vs England hes been in pretty good touch recently

What basis have you got? Sri Lanka were crushed by England, will be missing 2 of their best players and are still loosing to SA...and Samaraweera has done nothing of note in ODIs. I can't see how Sri Lanka will dominate England. Also when Murali comes back, England have been playing him way better than most teams seem to.

 

[age_master]

lets see umm.. Attapattu - just made a hundred and has always been a class player


also, The english bowling attack is far more depleted than the Sri Lankan One, at least teh sri lankans still have vaas, The english are without Jones and Gough and Caddick is in really bad form and isn't that great to start with

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by age_master
lets see umm.. Attapattu - just made a hundred and has always been a class player


also, The english bowling attack is far more depleted than the Sri Lankan One, at least teh sri lankans still have vaas, The english are without Jones and Gough and Caddick is in really bad form and isn't that great to start with

Yes but they still beat Sri Lanka with the same problems earlier this year...poor bowling and good batting...I don't see many of Sri Lanka's other players in form either...

 

[age_master]

also, sri lanka have beaten Aus alot more recently than england if i remember correctly

England last beat Aud in 98/99 and have only beaten a dside with ricky ponting in it twice out of 9 times that he has played against them


Vs Sri Lanka however the resuts have been much more even for australia infact SRL have won the last 2 encounters by reasonably big margins

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by age_master
also, sri lanka have beaten Aus alot more recently than england if i remember correctly

England last beat Aud in 98/99 and have only beaten a dside with ricky ponting in it twice out of 9 times that he has played against them


Vs Sri Lanka however the resuts have been much more even for australia infact SRL have won the last 2 encounters by reasonably big margins

Yup but also if you look in England's squad then you will see Ian Blackwell who belted 77 against India, Kirtley who hasn't showed much yet but has the potential to be a superb bowler and if Adam Hollioke is brought in then you have a very useful bowler and a guy who scored at least half of his runs in 6s and was amazing this season. Also there is Owais Shah who is a very good young batsman. With these players and Trescothick and Knight as the opening pair, both of who average 40odd...England have a strong side, and they can do well.

 

[marc71178]

Originally posted by Rik
Remember how England canned Sri Lanka in the summer in both the Tests and the ODIs (and guess who is the other team in the VB Series?) and lost to a good performance by India on a flat track. I think England can easily reach the final and from there its how well each team plays...

Don't go overboard, we've a demoralised team, lacking several key players - I expect about 2 wins from 8.

 

[marc71178]

also, The english bowling attack is far more depleted than the Sri Lankan One

How so? The SL attack is Murali and 4 others to fill in.

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by marc71178

Originally posted by Rik
Remember how England canned Sri Lanka in the summer in both the Tests and the ODIs (and guess who is the other team in the VB Series?) and lost to a good performance by India on a flat track. I think England can easily reach the final and from there its how well each team plays...

Don't go overboard, we've a demoralised team, lacking several key players - I expect about 2 wins from 8.

I'm not going overboard. England thrashed Sri Lanka earlier this year and Sri Lanka have not really shown anything of late that they will provide more of a challange...

 

[Simon]

Even though i voted yes, it will still be an Australian v Sri Lanka final, but i expect the comp will be one of the closest in years.

 

[Tim]

So you reckon it will be even more closer than the one earlier in the year..when it came down to the very last match?

I think England & Sri Lanka could split 2-2, so its whether either side can beat Australia as to who will make the final.

 

[masterblaster]

Interesting to see how Ali bowls. Wanna watch him play.

 

[age_master]

this years will not be anywhere near as close as last years, i think that Aus will streak away maybe only losing one match and England SRL will either b 3-1 to SRL or 2-2

 

[marc71178]

I'm not going overboard. England thrashed Sri Lanka earlier this year and Sri Lanka have not really shown anything of late that they will provide more of a challange...

Since the Natwest, SL have played the following Nations:

Bangladesh (3 - 0)
Pakistan (2 - 1)
South Africa (4 - 2)
Australia (1 - 0)
The Netherlands (1 - 0)

They've also had 2 matches against India washed out, which they would probably have lost (but only one of them for obvious reasons)

So, including 1 loss to India, it's a record of 11 wins and 4 defeats.

No Rik, you're right, they've not shown anything of late have they?

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by marc71178
So, including 1 loss to India, it's a record of 11 wins and 4 defeats.

No Rik, you're right, they've not shown anything of late have they?

I'm not talking about the results, they really have not showed much form In South Africa and from South Africa they will move on to Australia...only Attapattu looks in any form. They are missing Murali for most of the series and Jayasuria too, and Sangakarra just looks less and less like a ODI Keeper-Batsman. Can you name any in-form players other than Attapattu? Even the best batsman in the side, Jayawardne hasn't done much of late. England have Flintoff, Irani, Blackwell and Collingwood who can all change a game in a few overs, Sri Lanka have just lost 2 of theirs...