English Cricket Thread

[Arthur Crabtree]

Due for a name change to 'Andrew Strauss' ECB'.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England's bowlers should find it much, much harder to nip out SL in the second innings.

Looks like they did an ok job after the hundred for the opening stand.

[Durhamfootman]

7 wicket win

[Durhamfootman]

England's squad to play SL. Lawrence will open as Crawley is injured. Pennington isn't fit either. Jordan Cox and Olly Stone come in to help Potts warm the bench.

I guess that Lawrence may not need to open now that Stokes is out for the series. England will miss the 4th seamer in Stokes, but there are no obvious like for like replacements in the current England squad.

Is it possible that Lawrence might drop down to 6 and become a second spin all rounder? It is a late summer series and it has been a dry few weeks. Then England could select a proper opener.... Lees being the most recent discard and Jennings having the best season. Jennings has the advantage of being a good player of spin, Lees is the more aggressive player. Take your pick, but both are left handers and England might prefer a right left combo

just a thought

[Arthur Crabtree]

BBC thinks Cox might open. Though he's injured.

[Durhamfootman]

That never stopped them from picking Bairstow

[andy]

BBC thinks Cox might open. Though he's injured.

He played last night in the hundred he should be fit to play

[Durhamfootman]

we're all wrong. Lawrence opens and Potts is in for Stokes, with Smith moving up to 6 and Woakes at 7

[Arthur Crabtree]

Feels like a confident move.

[Durhamfootman]

That never stopped them from picking Bairstow

who is going to play for Yorkshire in the CC

imagine a cricketer making headline cricket news for playing for his county.... astonishing

[alfie]

Sensible enough selection for the First Test , given the absentees. Probably need the extra bowler , with Stokes missing ; and with Woakes at seven and Potts (who has made some County runs this year I believe ) at eight , the tail isn't completely useless. Could question the Lawrence as makeshift opener choice I guess ? Some would prefer Jennings no doubt ; but if you are looking both (a) to win this match and (b) plan for the next Ashes tour , then this is arguably the better compromise. All due respect to Jennings but you are never asking him to open in Australia... (Not Lawrence either ! But he is only injury spare and Crawley will be back. He's getting a reward for a lot of drink carrying ; and some chance to make a mark of his own) Probably also a good opportunity to test Smith a bit more by having to bat up one at six.

Sri Lanka don't look strong. Might be just as well as England have been messed around by these injuries and the batting line-up is consequently weaker than it might have been. Still favourites at home though.

Hope Stone gets a game or two - which I imagine he will , with a bit of rotation of the pace men.

[sussexpob]

Has Jennings been seriously mentioned? Even his name makes me judder... that technique... so, so, so poor

[alfie]

Has Jennings been seriously mentioned? Even his name makes me judder... that technique... so, so, so poor

Not on here , I think. But certainly have seen a few calls for him in Other Places. Might make some sense if they were touring Sri Lanka instead of hosting them , I suppose...

[sussexpob]

I read a stat a while back that said when pace bowlers pitch it in areas where Jennings had to play, he would get out on average within about 4 overs worth of balls, and that does not include drops, edges, false shots. When you include them, you basically force chances in any over there you got the ball in the right areas. He was really THAT poor in playing quality test bowling.

He is an incredibly strange player, because to spin he moves his feet quickly and gets into good positions, but to pace bowling its a car crash. Open stance, plants the front foot in a way that he has to play round his pad and reach for things on his legs, has a tendency to reach out and leave a canyon playing into the offside so he is vulnerable on both edges to any kind of movement in the air or off the pitch, and has a tendency to turn his hips and play from a position where he faces mid-off. He takes on the short ball recklessly as he half pivots into the shot and hits in the area in front of square. The only comfort is when the ball is full and driveable lengths, the stance he adopts is well suited to crunch stuff away.

We don't need to see anymore. 20 odd test was enough to see that to extra nip and accuracy, he really didnt have it

[sussexpob]

Sri Lanka don't look strong

Its hard to judge SL, because they have decent test records in some places, but they also play the most against the weaker sides. How much are those bat averages padded against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe performances?

More than anything, watching SL in tests in recent years, its their lack of bowling quality that sticks out most. They seem to have an endless supply of MF pace bowlers who do nothing with the ball and spray it around.

Its hard to see SL making an impact, but one thing they do have is a decent spinner, and playing at the end of summer is going to better than in previous times when they came in May...