***Official*** Sri Lanka in England

wpdavid said:

You're probably right about Solanki. Not sure about Clarke though. He's rarely been a great oneday player for Surrey and it's not as if he's done a lot this year apart from filling his boots against the might of Leicestershire. His bowling seems more wayward than ever, tbh.
I'm a bit biased about Carberry because he was brilliant in the one game I've got to this summer. But I see he's at it again againt Sussex in the C&G today. I know his overall ListA record isn't at all special, but in the circumstances we might as well go for someone who's in the form of his life.

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Ravinder Bopara.

(ok, Chelmsford is flat, but the fourth-most runs for the OD league winners has to count for summat. Plus he smacked the Aussies last summer.)

I'm a little worried about this England bowling attack we are going to see tomorrow. The pace attack, while hostile and dangerous, could disappear to all parts if they get the line wrong, and there is no real reliability. Dalrymple looks like cannon fodder, the likes of Dilshan and Sangakkara should demolish him. Jayasuriya might cash in a bit as well, can see Bresnan getting mauled again. Plenty of (needless) pressure heaped on Collingwood to shore the innings up, with both bat and ball.

Having said that, England will probably blast out the Sri Lankan top order as in the Tests.

Also cannot see why Bell would open when Cook can open, or bat three with Strauss opening. He looks such a solid player, especially vs. Muralitharan.

Jungle Jumbo said:

Also cannot see why Bell would open when Cook can open, or bat three with Strauss opening. He looks such a solid player, especially vs. Muralitharan.

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Seeing as Strauss in one dayers hasn't been an opening success, I'd say that's part of it.

Also I think Bell is ahead in the ranking of Cook (and hasn't done bad there so far to be fair)

You know, if Sri Lanka take the one day series this tour will have been a triumph for them. And a most unexpected one too.

marc71178 said:

On Solanki, been there, tried that and not done enough though has he really?

Rikki must be ahead of him in the order.

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As much as he isn't really up to international standard on a consistant basis, I'd still pick Solanki. He has performed well at certain times and can be a good ODI batsman when he is in form.

Barney Rubble said:

If Joyce is missing some or all of the ODIs, this has to be the return of Rikki, surely?! Potential England side for the 1st ODI:

Trescothick
Bell
Strauss
Pietersen
Collingwood
Dalrymple
G Jones+
Bresnan
Plunkett
Harmison
Mahmood

Bloody hell.

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May be England should pick Goughy after all , in place of Bresnan . (Forgetting what he said , in an interview no doubt given at a time when he was obviously frustrated at not being picked.)

England win the toss and have interestingly chosen to field. (I suspect expecting their seamers to dismiss SL top order cheaply and then chase a modest score ! )

Bresnan ODI debutant for England.

SL have chosen to drop Maharoof and play Malinga and Dilhara along with Vaas and Murali as the bowlers for SL. (with Jayasuriya /Dilshan and possibly Arnold filling the 5th bowling requirements)

could be a struggle today, Harmison to bowl 10+ wides

Poor old Jayasuriya - right in the Sanaths.

seems like there's an inter-Durham wide bowling contest going on at the moment.

we're wasting the conditions

superkingdave said:

seems like there's an inter-Durham wide bowling contest going on at the moment.

we're wasting the conditions

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I can see why they're having problems.

Neither opener dare give Jayasuriya any width outside off stick, so they are trying to bowl wicket to wicket. No margin for error.

luckyeddie said:

I can see why they're having problems.

Neither opener dare give Jayasuriya any width outside off stick, so they are trying to bowl wicket to wicket. No margin for error.

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And Harmy promptly bowls a wide outside off...



(then gets a wicket...)

Samuel_Vimes said:

And Harmy promptly bowls a wide outside off...



(then gets a wicket...)

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If they start calling a foot outside off a wide, then that's utterly stupid (no quibble about the other ones though).

Sri Lanka making a bit of a pig's ear of things here. England certainly not bowling much better than they were at the beginning - although Colly bowled a handy spell.

Right, I'm off to work. Predict a four-wicket England win, with runs from Pietersen. Au revoir, people.

Seems like Sri Lanka having those same problems of hitting at the death. They really need someone who can have a slog in the final overs.

Dasa said:

Seems like Sri Lanka having those same problems of hitting at the death. They really need someone who can have a slog in the final overs.

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Thats why Kapu in the side, but its going to be a couple seasons until he regularly performs at international level. Maharoof can also play a similar role and i can't understand why Malinga and Fernando are in the side infront of him.

chaminda_00 said:

Maharoof can also play a similar role and i can't understand why Malinga and Fernando are in the side infront of him.

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Maybe because they can bowl?

a massive zebra said:

Maybe because they can bowl?

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Have a look at Malinga's ODI record and Dilhara record over the last 12 months and get back to me...

Malinga has hardly played and Fernando has been troubled by injury but still averages around 40 over the last year which is far superior to Maharoof who is up at an abysmal 56. Even ignoring the stats, it is blindingly obvious to anyone with two working eyes that Malinga and Fernando are far more penetrative prospects who (unlike Maharoof) have the ability to take wickets at the international level.