***Official*** England in Sri Lanka

[wpdavid]

"Only when Vaughan's side has retrieved the Ashes can we describe them as world-beaters, etc, etc. There is just one problem with that line of thought. It's complete tosh."

You were completely off there David

I'm very sorry and it won't happen again.

tbf to the author, the bit you quoted came at the end of a paragraph when I'd been addressing the idea that Brearley's England side in the late 1970's was a great side. That was what I was trying to describe as 'tosh'. Beyond that. I'm too astonished that one of my old pieces has been exhumed to add anything more.

 

[GIMH]

good win, always felt these tour games are of utmost importance in terms of results

 

[gettingbetter]

Anyone think that Bopara pushed himself ahead of Shah?

 

[Perm]

Anyone think that Bopara pushed himself ahead of Shah?

Nah, don't think so. Shah is a better batsmen by far, and they'll go with him IMO.

 

[chalky]

Sky are reporting Rudi Koertzen has ben dropped for the series and is to be replaced by Aleem Dar

[http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12341_2923994,00.html

The article implies it is as a result of the shocker against Sangakkara in the last test against thev Aussies.

Sangakkara's dismissal effectively ended any hope the tourists had of levelling the series and Koertzen appears to have paid the price for his costly error.

If umpires are going to replaced on the strengh of 1 poor decision I dare say we will not have many left to stand soon.

 

[JASON]

Sky are reporting Rudi Koertzen has ben dropped for the series and is to be replaced by Aleem Dar

[http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12341_2923994,00.html

The article implies it is as a result of the shocker against Sangakkara in the last test against thev Aussies.



If umpires are going to replaced on the strengh of 1 poor decision I dare say we will not have many left to stand soon.

I think ICC atleast deserves Credit for making some correct decisions at last...its not about one decision is it ? Rudi has been found wanting for a fair while now...and has got by...its time Umpires are accountable for the howlers they make if it shows a recurring pattern as it is in this case....

There are some damn good Umpires at the Next level (Such as South African Ump Howell, West Indian Lloyd Barker and the young English Umpire whose name I really can't remember) and I really would love some of them get the promotion like Rauf, Doctrove and Dar while some of these strugglers are bid good bye like Rudi and possibly even Bucknor...

 

[Richard]

TBF, Koertzen > Howell. By quite a bit, at that.

There are a few young English Umpires, Nigel Llong has been the one I've been most impressed by. There's also Jeremy Lloyds, but sadly he decided he didn't want the job of an international Umpire.

I really hope Bucknor retires soon. I thought he was gone in 2004, but he actually pulled himself off the canvas and has been damn good again the last couple of years. I hope he goes before things start to go wrong again, as I always want an Umpire, like a player, to leave with memories of how great they are, not were.

Added to that, there's little that frustrates the player and the fan more than bad decisions from an Umpire who is perceived (often rightly) to be past his should-have-retired date. It's even worse than having them from one who has simply never been that good.

As regards Rudi, I've never had a great problem with him TBH but there have been plenty who think he gets too much wrong. If he's been stood down from originally having been pencilled-in for this series I'm not too outraged.

 

[TheLad]

Rudis is out of this series because Bowden as had to pull out of the India V Pakistan series. The only other available was Dar who cant umpire Pakistan so its the umpire shuffle.

Bowden stays in NZ
Rudi goes From the Sri Lank Series to Pakistan
Dar goes to Sri Lanka.

The ICC should be looking to find an exit stratergy for Rudi though, I think he has been a great umpire but I think his hearing is showing signs of slowing up.

 

[Richard]

Yeah if this stuff about Rudi's hearing is true, he needs to be looking at departure ASAP IMO, as I said above - nothing worse than an Umpire who has once been a fine one being made to look a fool in his later days.

 

[JASON]

Pleased that the Tests are going ahead unaffected....Wonder if the Tests would get reshuffled -so that England go to Galle from Kandy instead of Colombo for the second Test...I guess it all depends on whether Galle is ready.. It may be better for the Test series to be played in that order - Kandy , Galle then Colombo...

 

[Richard]

Always used to be Galle, Kandy, SSC (or almost always, at least) - wonder why it's different this first time since Galle's reconstruction?

Surely the ground's been fully rebuilt by now hasn't it? If it hasn't I can't see that another week would make much difference.

 

[JASON]

Always used to be Galle, Kandy, SSC (or almost always, at least) - wonder why it's different this first time since Galle's reconstruction?

Surely the ground's been fully rebuilt by now hasn't it? If it hasn't I can't see that another week would make much difference.

It used to be like that, because Galle is the most spinning tracks of all in Sri Lanka...and SL Cricket made it the first venue so the tourists get a real taste of the spinning demolition even before they get started...also Galle and Southern SL has great tourism potential with beaches and always a popular start for tourists...

I think at Kandy, English seamers will get some help from the pitch on the first 2 days if they bowl well...

 

[Poker Boy]

I've got one wish -selectors - DON'T PICK HARMISON! His bowling in the first match was crap before he got injured - and my worry is they treat Harmison like "if he's fit enough he's good enough". I can't remember the last time he was dropped for reasons of form, rather than fitness. I reckon getting dropped for this series - even if he is fit - will send the message that no one has a right to be picked - as it should be. My other hope isd that Bopara "nerveless" according to D Pringle - is picked rather than the "nervous" again according to Pringle - Shah.

 

[Richard]

I've got one wish -selectors - DON'T PICK HARMISON! His bowling in the first match was crap before he got injured - and my worry is they treat Harmison like "if he's fit enough he's good enough". I can't remember the last time he was dropped for reasons of form, rather than fitness. I reckon getting dropped for this series - even if he is fit - will send the message that no one has a right to be picked - as it should be.

I've long since accepted the Sixth Commandment TBH - so should you.

My other hope isd that Bopara "nerveless" according to D Pringle - is picked rather than the "nervous" again according to Pringle - Shah.

Shah always looks nervous - even if he actually is, I don't terribly mind. Shah is a class above Bopara as a batsman.

 

[JASON]

England selectors have some tough decisions..I personally would pick Swan but that would be only if England were assured of bowling last ...as all pitches in SL give assistance to spinners and more so after 3rd 4th days -you need 2 spinners in SL pitches bowling at Tandem if you want to force a win ...But if KP and Vaughan can bowl well (and given Swan has not picked too many wickets prtor to this Test) then England should go with Anderson, Hoggard,Sidebottom and Panesar.

Otherwise a consideration of Bopara at 6 (over Shah to fill the 3rd seamer's spot) with Hoggard, Sidebottom, Swan and Panesar should be an option...Even if not for this Test at least for certainty at Galle..

 

[Pup Clarke]

I'd play Hoggard - Sidebottom - Swann - Panesar with Bopara (if selected) and Collingwood to bowl at least 15 overs in the day between them.

I'm pretty sure the selectors though will go for Anderson instead of Swann.

 

[JASON]

As far as SL goes, I really am surprised that Bandara has been pencilled in along side Dilhara...I think SL XI has too many spinning options to need Bandara at Kandy...He should be a dead cert for Galle and may be a consideration for SSC but for Kandy I am certain Sanath and Chamara Silva can do an adequate job.(Besides I want Sanath to pick the three more wickets he needs to get to 100 Test wickets...in his last Test, so he can go along side others in the All rounder category of records with 100 Test Wickets to his name... )

 

[chaminda_00]

Chamara Silva a bowling option? Have you seen him bowl? Sangakkara would be a spin bowling option before him.

 

[Prince EWS]

Chamara Silva a bowling option? Have you seen him bowl? Sangakkara would be a spin bowling option before him.

I've seen him bowl and he really isn't that bad.

 

[chaminda_00]

He started his career as batsmen that can bowl, but he hardly gets a bowl for his domestic sides and its not like they have the best spin or bowling attack in general. I can't see how he would be realistic option in Tests. Jayawardene would at least bowl ahead of him. If they wanted to play a batsmen that bowls spin they would have selected Muburak.