Don't agree. Flintoff has done nothing in Tests since India 2006 (especiakly his batting) and we did win the ODI series without him. As for SL. any team in the world would miss him, but SL's batsmen did not get enough runs in the games they lost (especially the 3rd and the 4th). A thought on the warm up matches : why are we so obssesed with appeasing families? With SL in Australia we could have spent the time in SL playing meaningful four day FC eleven a side warm ups but no we're going home to see the families instead. Have we learnt nothing from Australia last year? Bear in mind this year they have a break between the SL and NZ tours. Instead we have the farce today of four batsmen "retiring out" so that their mates can get batting practice instead of going on and trying to get the hundreds that you need in Test cricket. PS -does anyone kniow if the next match is an 11 a side game or is it another farce like the match just finished?
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***Official*** England in Sri Lanka
- Thread starter JASON
- Start date
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Hmm, I feel SL could quite possibly have won the Second game had Murali been playing TBH, because instead of part-time bowlers with the field inexplicably dropped back it'd have been him with 6 or even 7 men inside the circle, and they'd probably not have been chasing much more than 150 or 160, which they could probably, just, have managed.
Don't think SL's batting was poor in the Second game either, nor really England's in the First. It was just some excellent bowling taking advantage of some very helpful conditions.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
I think I read that the next game is FC
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Might be a proper game, might not, no way of knowing until it starts I don't think.
I wasn't hopeful of anything being learned from Australia TBH, the exact same had been being done for several years before last winter.
Either way, don't underestimate the importance of going home to see the families. Far more to blame than the desire to see the families the insane scheduling is to blame. It's difficult enough for a cricketer to maintain a "normal" family life, the matter needs all the help it can get. There's no way I'd want them playing cricket in Sri Lanka all the time SL were in Australia, that'd be pointless. Three games, proper games, rather than two, would have been ideal though, as, obviously, would the entire series not being back-to-back.
FBU
International Debutant
From the ECB site -
Asked whether the side to play the three-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in the Sri Lankan capital would be the preferred first Test line-up, Vaughan said: “Not necessarily. It is about trying to balance it right.
“There are still a couple of places up for grabs and we have to make sure that, come Kandy on December 1, we get our XI right.
“So there might be a couple of spaces where we can give players a chance and rest a couple of players who have played a lot of cricket recently.
“But ideally you want to play as many players as possible in this three-day game who are going to be playing in the Test match.”
Its a XI a side game. I think the team will be -
Cook, Vaughan, Shah, Pietersen, Bopara, Prior, Swann, Broad, Harmison, Hoggard and Panesar to see whether it's Bopara or Shah and Broad or Harmison.
Asked whether the side to play the three-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in the Sri Lankan capital would be the preferred first Test line-up, Vaughan said: “Not necessarily. It is about trying to balance it right.
“There are still a couple of places up for grabs and we have to make sure that, come Kandy on December 1, we get our XI right.
“So there might be a couple of spaces where we can give players a chance and rest a couple of players who have played a lot of cricket recently.
“But ideally you want to play as many players as possible in this three-day game who are going to be playing in the Test match.”
Its a XI a side game. I think the team will be -
Cook, Vaughan, Shah, Pietersen, Bopara, Prior, Swann, Broad, Harmison, Hoggard and Panesar to see whether it's Bopara or Shah and Broad or Harmison.
I think Sangakkara keeping in Tests has now become a lost cause since he has spoilt it himself by scoring heavily when playing as a batsman alone...
I really hope JK Silva gets another go in the next practice match and then the selectors show some initiative and pick him for the First Test...
If not I would rather go back to Sangakkara resuming keeping than include Prasanna..
The absence of the second highest wicket taker in ODI cricket history particularly in his home conditions with one of the lowest economy rates in ODI history would not have made a difference.... as it did not even in 20/20 World Cup...
pasag
RTDAS
Not a difference to the result, no. Please read the post properly before replying next time.The absence of the second highest wicket taker in ODI cricket history particularly in his home conditions with one of the lowest economy rates in ODI history would not have made a difference.... as it did not even in 20/20 World Cup...
Me saying 'Murali not being there had very little to do with SL losing that series' does not equal your translation of Murali 'would not have made a difference'.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Last time someone dared to pull a Rolleyes on Gelman, well, let's just say things got messy, very quickly.The absence of the second highest wicket taker in ODI cricket history particularly in his home conditions with one of the lowest economy rates in ODI history would not have made a difference.... as it did not even in 20/20 World Cup...
(It was me
)
chaminda_00
Hall of Fame Member
Tharanga recalled (Y)
Disappointed that Kapu and JK Silva missed out though.
Disappointed that Kapu and JK Silva missed out though.
Magrat Garlick
Global Moderator
Mubarak is in the squad too. Wouldn't get my hopes up.
Neil Pickup
Cricket Web Moderator
You try forming a coherent sentence after a day's teaching and a depressing England defeat.
Neil Pickup
Cricket Web Moderator
However at present the sole aim of this tour is to win the Test series. No one in the squad will care if we have another utterly statistically banal warm up match next week if we win the series.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
The main point is that worthless tour-games increase the likelihood of the Test series going badly.
The other point is that cricket tours are better if the Test series is not the only thing of any relevance. Of course, it's always going to be the main event, but it's a narrow-minded view that Tests = 100%, proper tour-games = 0%.
The other point is that cricket tours are better if the Test series is not the only thing of any relevance. Of course, it's always going to be the main event, but it's a narrow-minded view that Tests = 100%, proper tour-games = 0%.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
For me, the only purpose for the warm up games is just that - to give the visiting players good exposure to the conditions. Obviously, the home board can also evaluate its own players on how they play against international teams.
I would love a mandate of minimum of three 3-day games before a Test series, so we can get more exciting series with players more used to conditions - but I doubt it will happen.
I would love a mandate of minimum of three 3-day games before a Test series, so we can get more exciting series with players more used to conditions - but I doubt it will happen.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
It's not the only point of tour-games, though, otherwise no-one would ever have made them First-Class games ITFP. The idea is also to reward those who perform against international sides. A bit like the fact that "A" team tour-games have First-Class status.
If you're going to play 16 vs 12 you might as well not even bother score-keeping, you might as well just let players bat and bowl for as long as they want to, that'd be the best option for the players. Heck, if you could afford to fly 22 players out you might as well just play "England XI vs England XI" on some Sri Lankan ground.
If you play a game, you play it properly IMO. Otherwise, just do a practice session in the middle.
If you're going to play 16 vs 12 you might as well not even bother score-keeping, you might as well just let players bat and bowl for as long as they want to, that'd be the best option for the players. Heck, if you could afford to fly 22 players out you might as well just play "England XI vs England XI" on some Sri Lankan ground.
If you play a game, you play it properly IMO. Otherwise, just do a practice session in the middle.
Annoyed re Mubarak's inclusion-If this is not for the sake of pandering to various sections of interests in Sri Lanka I really can't figure this out....
I hope and pray he is dropped from the final XI. Otherwise the selectors and the Politicians who keep bringing this guy back will pay a heavy price if SL lose the first Test..
My selection for First Test-
Jayasuriya
Vandort
Tharanga
Sangakkara
Mahela
Chamara Silva
Prasanna J prefer Bandara instead
Vaas
Malinga
Dilhara
Murali
Dam this Dimwit Mubarak never gets injured always pays his way to the squad, i wonder they could just give him the job of drinks carrier for the rest of his life. Because looks like people get rich because of him.
They may as well include Dilshan or Kapu because its clear the Muba wont be strapping his pads on