What to do about tour matches

[Bolo]

It's not debatable that they didn't pick their strongest xi. It's pretty implausible that they didn't try to screw AUS with their picks, but it's definitely worth questioning. Do they have spinners pushing towards the main side? Their quicks are in a state of flux- it definitely makes more sense for them to play more quicks here to test the bench than if their primary goal was to win.

This article answers my question.

Samiuddin: Don't tell Bilal Asif he's not a Test cricketer - ESPNcricinfo

 

[Daemon]

The issue is that Pakistan intentionally decided not to play a spinner in the XI to deny Australia preparation against spin. I really don't think that part is debatable.

What's more interesting is whether this is a problem or not. I believe Dan and a few others don't think so.

I'm personally with Starfighter - why have tour games at all if they're not for the principle purpose of helping the away team to acclimatise? If we're going be ok with not giving the opposition a spinner to play against, when they're obviously going to play a buttload of it in the tests, on the basis that the away team should have come prepared/look for alternative ways to acclimatise, what's next? Are we then ok with crap teams, alien conditions and what SL did? Maybe even go one big step further and give them poor facilities to train in. Book nets for them that have pitches that are the complete opposite of what they'll face in a match.

I'll admit I can't think of a good solution but I'd hate for cricket as a whole to do down this path.

It is understood SLC have booked England into a hotel in Dambulla – a two-hour drive away from Pallekele – for the Test as a fall-back option. There is no stipulation by the International Cricket Council (ICC) about how close teams have to stay to a venue for any given match.

well x3

 

[TheJediBrah]

Sri Lanka taking being terrible hosts to new levels

 

[Starfighter]

Nothing like a two-hour bus ride to prepare for a day's test cricket.

 

[jimmy101]

The hotel must be literally on the other side of Sri Lanka.

 

[Daemon]

They did offer to fly the English team to Pallekelle in helicopters though which is pretty cool

No doubt the pilots would purposely perform acrobatics to make them get motion sickness though.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The hotel must be literally on the other side of Sri Lanka.

lol I was thinking this too. It's not exactly a huge place

 

[Maximas]

lol I was thinking this too. It's not exactly a huge place

One suspects the roads must be pretty crap

 

[Maximas]

Sri Lanka taking being terrible hosts to new levels

Think this is also a pretty tragic ****-up on the part of the hotel management, maybe the English team can bunk with all the tour groups that have somehow managed to overbook the hotel

 

[cnerd123]

It says there 'Backup'. I read on Cricinfo about security concerns in Colombo where the England team currently are. Maybe they've booked them in a hotel far away for safety concerns?

Any link to the full article Daemon?

 

[cnerd123]

Think this is also a pretty tragic ****-up on the part of the hotel management, maybe the English team can bunk with all the tour groups that have somehow managed to overbook the hotel

Nvm found the article - turns out hotel double booked lol.

 

[Prince EWS]

They did offer to fly the English team to Pallekelle in helicopters though which is pretty cool

Maybe they simply said "free helicopter rides for those who complain" and someone didn't get the joke.

 

[Dan]

Maybe they simply said "free helicopter rides for those who complain" and someone didn't get the joke.

I'm very much hoping that the Venn diagram of Hoppean Nazis who make helicopter jokes and the SLC logistics team does not overlap.

 

[Daemon]

Think this is also a pretty tragic ****-up on the part of the hotel management, maybe the English team can bunk with all the tour groups that have somehow managed to overbook the hotel

'hotel management'

'overbooked'

All pathetic excuses for a what is a clear and deliberate conspiracy from SLC to **** with the English. Next they'll be telling us the hotel kitchens can't accommodate the ECB's 72 recipe cookbook.