Olly stone has been really impressive in the two tests since his return
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
That was a simple chance dropped.
Hull looks good. Control is unsurprisingly rather dodgy but there's lots of threat there.
I have no idea what I am watching right now 
Honestly just embarrassing cricket, so much slogging for no reason. That Lawrence innings was absolutely pathetic
There's definitely a reason. It's because he's not an international class batsman but wants to make his mark. He did play one or two wonderful slogs though ill give him that.
Well England are going to lose this test match which is well deserved because the batters showed zero application across two innings.
Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today mate.
I find it weird how some people are always in this thread trying to protect the team. This team is a good team but they keep making the same mistakes again & again with no ability to learn at all.
Heading for defeat unless Smith and the tail can wag.
We've won every test this summer mate. This one in the balance, it's hardly panic stations.
Definitely been a last day of school feel to this test match, very very sloppy with the bat.
Always preferable to have a collapse in a series you've already won though. If we do lose this it's still 5 out 6 won and both series won, pretty good i'd say.
Always preferable to have a collapse in a series you've already won though. If we do lose this it's still 5 out 6 won and both series won, pretty good i'd say.
England getting what they deserve for choosing this level of batting line up/general tactics this match. Totally taking SL for granted.
Yeah hard not to feel that way. It's a completely unbalanced line up.
Apart from Lawrence opening this is a balanced team. Sri Lanka have bowled well, the ball is doing loads so we may already have enough runs
Woakes at 7 is a balanced team?
Brilliant 50 by Smith.
He's looked really good all summer.
He's looked really good all summer.
Smith has been a gem of a find, that extra bit of intensity batting with the tail that we wasn't getting with Foakes.
With Stokes injured they have decided to go with 5 bowlers which has been the right choice with Wood injured previously in the game, and Atkinson possibly not bowling again this match
Smith looks like a keeper!
Great innings by Smith. Given England a chance
I understand why mate just wouldn't call it balanced myself.
Was starting to think about Jessop and he got out ….
Sri Lanka..
They should win now. Can’t imagine anyone will turn up tomorrow at the OvalSri Lanka..
Sri Lanka..
Will be a very odd day tomorrow.
England have been sloppy for a lot of this test but Sri Lanka also bowled very well yesterday and got far more movement. Lovely innings from Nissanka as well which has likely secured them the win.
They do have a decent batting line-up also. Some of the talk around this series has been a little disrespectful to them, they're a stronger side than the West Indies.
They do have a decent batting line-up also. Some of the talk around this series has been a little disrespectful to them, they're a stronger side than the West Indies.
They should have played a better batting all rounder at 7 and Woakes at 8. The team is not balanced, Woakes is not a number 7.
England needed this wake up call, been getting bailed out by individual performances when players have been making sloppy decisions. You do this against India or Australia, you will get hammered.
Really bad day for
But who though, Sam Curran who is not a good enough test bowler? The reason Stokes balances the team is that there isn’t a like for like replacement. Woakes at 7 wasn’t so bad when there was 3 number 9s behind him in Atkinson, Potts and Stone but in dropping Potts for Hull they have now got 2 number 11s.
The big disappointment is the lack of care by the batsmen. Duckett is the 2nd most senior batsman after Root and his 2 dismissals were horrific. For all the talk about the bowling attributes needed to succeed in Australia, they are ignoring what is needed from the batsmen, big runs. We won in 2010/11 more because ofStrauss, Cook and Trott than our bowlers. Root is the only one in this line-up capable and yet he is yet to score a ton (or even win a game) in Australia
But who though, Sam Curran who is not a good enough test bowler? The reason Stokes balances the team is that there isn’t a like for like replacement. Woakes at 7 wasn’t so bad when there was 3 number 9s behind him in Atkinson, Potts and Stone but in dropping Potts for Hull they have now got 2 number 11s.
The big disappointment is the lack of care by the batsmen. Duckett is the 2nd most senior batsman after Root and his 2 dismissals were horrific. For all the talk about the bowling attributes needed to succeed in Australia, they are ignoring what is needed from the batsmen, big runs. We won in 2010/11 more because ofStrauss, Cook and Trott than our bowlers. Root is the only one in this line-up capable and yet he is yet to score a ton (or even win a game) in Australia
Fully agree about the batting.
I mentioned people like Lammonby or Abell but someone mentioned they aren't bowling as much at the moment. I would have gone for Paul Walter who has been great in the short form game but doing well in County Cricket this season. The other option would have been Craig Overton. The point being that if Stokes is injured against Australia, they won't be playing this lineup so best to get other options tested now.
Frankly, this is piss poor from England.
I suspect the thinking is that if Stokes is injured against Australia our chances are non-existent so it is better just to plan for him being fit.
Great win for Sri Lanka. We should never have let them back in the game after the way they bowled day one but in both of the second innings they were brilliant.
Well played Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka deserve a lot of credit for how well they played. They really deserved that win and it injects a bit of interest back into test cricket.
We, however, need to seriously look at our selection policy and those in charge. Ollie Robinson averages something like 20 in tests, why isn't he involved in a home test match? Why the absolute feck is Dan Lawrence playing three consecutive tests as an opening bat? What is Chris Woakes doing there as a test match number seven? He is a bowler who bats a bit, not Ben Stokes. There should be competition for places and the best players should be picked, no matter what.
This test match series smacked a lot of complacency and it was actually poetic justice in the end that Sri Lanka got a win, but a lot of it stems from Key's arrogance and bewildering selection policy.
We, however, need to seriously look at our selection policy and those in charge. Ollie Robinson averages something like 20 in tests, why isn't he involved in a home test match? Why the absolute feck is Dan Lawrence playing three consecutive tests as an opening bat? What is Chris Woakes doing there as a test match number seven? He is a bowler who bats a bit, not Ben Stokes. There should be competition for places and the best players should be picked, no matter what.
This test match series smacked a lot of complacency and it was actually poetic justice in the end that Sri Lanka got a win, but a lot of it stems from Key's arrogance and bewildering selection policy.
'Cos he's a stupid fat bastard IMO