Compton is toast if he doesn't make a huge score in the second innings.
Not sure who they'll bring in though.
Not sure who they'll bring in though.
England Cricket 2016 - Sri Lanka & Pakistan
- Thread starter ChrisNelson
- Start date
If bring in Robson for Compton
Or look at Vince up and Buttler in
Or look at Vince up and Buttler in
He'll get the next test surely?
Ewwww, don't get me started.
Ah. I thought it was a two test series. Although the selectors may want to try someone else before the Pakistan series.
I feel that he's never been a favorite of the selection committee but they felt compelled to pick him due to his county scores and the fact that there doesn't seem to be anyone else at this point. Wouldn't be surprised if they take the first oppurtunity they get to bin him.
Pity Bumble isn't on commentary for this delay. He would have annihilated Chandimal.
Hundred for Moeen. Good for him to make an impact with the bat, given he's not overly likely to be doing all that much bowling in this series.
Played Mooen 
No player in this England team I like to see shut his critics up more than Mooen.
No player in this England team I like to see shut his critics up more than Mooen.
Bravo!
30 average with the bat isn't bad for a spinning all-rounder.
30 average with the bat isn't bad for a spinning all-rounder.
Probably already far too many runs for this SL side
Well done Herath. Not been his game so far but his 300 wickets have been important over the years for what's never been a strong attack.
Time for some patented Jimmy Anderson reverse sweeping
Edit: Boom. Reverse Sweep to get off the mark.
Edit: Boom. Reverse Sweep to get off the mark.
This needs to be stopped.Time for some patented Jimmy Anderson reverse sweeping
Edit: Boom. Reverse Sweep to get off the mark.
Declare, now!
The Burnley Lara in full flow 
Jimmy Anderson's batting has some striking similarities to mine. I can play two shots, a forward defence and, inexplicably, the reverse sweep.
He's probably a bit better with the ball than I am mind.
150 with a 6
Declare now.
Declare now.
I'm not sure I massively understand what I'm watching right now.
The push to 500 sure, but neither player is particularly fussed with getting on with it and the Sri Lankans aren't at all bothered with trying to get wickets.
Surely we're in hit out or get out territory?
Edit: So after all that we didn't even bother getting to 500
The push to 500 sure, but neither player is particularly fussed with getting on with it and the Sri Lankans aren't at all bothered with trying to get wickets.
Surely we're in hit out or get out territory?
Edit: So after all that we didn't even bother getting to 500
Cook agreed with you, it would seem.
Think we've already got enough for an innings win, sadly.
Imagine Woakes will nip in with some cheap wickets here. Might be just what he needs. He's not in the same league as Stokes but could be a useful backup in the years ahead.
Would love to see Ian Bell back for the next test. Watching him bat is basically cricket porn.
Imagine Woakes will nip in with some cheap wickets here. Might be just what he needs. He's not in the same league as Stokes but could be a useful backup in the years ahead.
Would love to see Ian Bell back for the next test. Watching him bat is basically cricket porn.
Oh dear What was he hanging around for, don't think they were checking front foot?
What was he hanging around for, don't think they were checking front foot?I hope for Woakes sake that he had a better England career than that.
He might not have shown it in an England shirt yet but he is a better bowler than Stokes and very much a bowler who can bat rather than a genuine allrounder like Stokes.
Woakes badly needs a run in the side but I genuinely think hes got Jimmy Anderson's successor written all over him.
Give it out already you clown.
Here we go again?
Ideal scenario. We enforce the follow on, Sri Lanka avoid an innings defeat by 5 runs, Cook brings up 10k test runs with a six of the first ball.
Matthews?
Matthews?
Sri Lanka suck. Crap series.
I think the Pakistan one will be similar. The sub-continent batsmen can't handle the slightest movement.
I think the Pakistan one will be similar. The sub-continent batsmen can't handle the slightest movement.
Mathews is just baffling in his DRS decisions.
Not sure we need a bowler who can bat though. We already have three high-class specialist bowlers in Broad, Finn and Anderson so the fourth seamer isn't required to bowl that much. Stokes' batting is worth more to us than Woakes' bowling.
Think Woakes will have a good career, just can't see him ever being a guaranteed starter for England.
I think he's arguing Woakes will make it as a bowler, if he makes it, rather than as back up to Stokes as an allrounder.
Moeen bars at no.8 when everyone is fit and has two test hundreds and averages 30+. Quite amazing.
I think his batting is underrated in the clamour to convert him into a spinner.
I think his batting is underrated in the clamour to convert him into a spinner.
The problem (well, not a problem really) is that our bowling attack is lethal on all but the flattest pitches. In the last year we've knocked over the oppo for under a hundred three times, which is pretty incredible. It's not England's fault the competition (bar Aus, SA and NZ) is pretty weak at the moment
Yeah but the comparison was between Stokes and Woakes though. Anyway, hopefully we're both making valid points.
Btw when did redcafe morph into a cricket forum? Not complaining as I love cricket, but seems a bit strange
What DOTA said; It's just a bonus is what I mean. He's a genuinely high class swing bowler who knows how to hold a bat. But he's not a like for like replacement for Stokes (hence why he's come in at 8 and everyones moved up).
I think he's more than capable of having a successful England career but if he does its going to be as a bowler, his batting, whilst good, isn't good enough to make him a genuine all rounder.
Could get them all out tonight
He's improved massively but I wouldn't call him high-class at the moment tbh. In fact is rate Stokes' bowling ahead of his - Stokes I'd more likely to get a high-class international player out than Woakes IMHO. Hopefully Woakes will keep developing though.
This is laughable. Every major English county could field a B team that'd do better than this.
SL should force Sanga to come out of retirement for the final test. They might just about make it to day 4 then.
Awful Sri Lankan team. Doubt the Pakistani batsman will do much better. Although their bowlers will be more of a challenge.
Think they might but more because it'll be later in the season than because they're better.
Early season, at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, is a very tough ask for visiting batting line ups.
Depends on your definition I guess. I'd probably agree that Stokes at his very best is better than Woakes at his very best, and he's certainly shown more in an England shirt, (he has that ability to produce moments of insane magic) and his bowling is still improving of course, but in terms of base level I think theres very little in the way of argument that Woakes is the consistently better bowler right now.
There's a reason that Woakes has taken close to double the amount of first class wickets than Stokes has, at a considerably better average, in about 20 odd more games.
Am I the only one who feels like Compton's been badly treated?
He looked a solid player when playing defensively. I remember he made 80 odd against someone and Bayliss said "we need our #3 to be more attacking" and since then he's been trying to change his game and played like shit. Very unfortunate imo -- seems like a good technician.
After every match, there's some journalist or the other questioning his place -- something I notice happens more for Compton than a lot of other players going through a rut.
He looked a solid player when playing defensively. I remember he made 80 odd against someone and Bayliss said "we need our #3 to be more attacking" and since then he's been trying to change his game and played like shit. Very unfortunate imo -- seems like a good technician.
After every match, there's some journalist or the other questioning his place -- something I notice happens more for Compton than a lot of other players going through a rut.