120 replies to this topic

[ajpoolshark]

Well after a long break away (1 week....lol) England's winter of cricket is about to start with the ICC Champions trophy, followed by The tour of South Africa (Nov-Jan, 4 tests & 5 ODI's) then off to Bangladesh (Feb-Mar, 2 tests & 3 ODI's) then culminating in the World 20/20 during April in the Carribean....Phew, thats a lot of cricket!...Please post all your cricketing news/views/rants & gossip for the winter period in this thread

I'll start you off....Do England have any chance of victory in the Champions Trophy??.....Can we usurp the South Africans in the test series and push our claim to be the best test match team??....Will Bangladesh pose a threat in their own backyard?..and will KP & Freddie be fit for an assualt on the World 20/20 in the Windies??......

[Supercell]

Mendis is producing some amazing bowling. He has completely turned this game around with South Africa in a strong position (90-1 off 14 overs) to chase down 319. His abundance of variation and level of accuracy not only stop the runs, but bamboozle the batsmen. Hampshire fans have themselves a great signing for next summer.

I dread to think how England will go on Friday against Sri Lanka if they are put in to bat. Their batting and bowling departments are far superior than what we have on offer currently.

[ajpoolshark]

Supercell, on 22 September 2009 - 18:54 , said:

Mendis is producing some amazing bowling. He has completely turned this game around with South Africa in a strong position (90-1 off 14 overs) to chase down 319. His abundance of variation and level of accuracy not only stop the runs, but bamboozle the batsmen. Hampshire fans have themselves a great signing for next summer.

I dread to think how England will go on Friday against Sri Lanka if they are put in to bat. Their batting and bowling departments are far superior than what we have on offer currently.

Yep, England tee off against Sri Lanks tomorrow...I really hope England can make a good fist of it, but after watching Ajantha Mendis bowl against the sprinkboks, I'm really worried about England...He's got the ability to make top class batsmen look stupid, so what will he do to England's batsmen?...lol...Blimey SL have malinga the slinger, then murali, and mendis, who makes murali look like a pie chucker!

[MAF]

am home tomorrow, so will enjoy seeing a bit of cricket on TV before coming back into work. wonder what the team will be?

England (from): AJ Strauss (captain), JL Denly, RS Bopara, MJ Prior (wkt), PD Collingwood, EJG Morgan, OA Shah, LJ Wright, SCJ Broad, AU Rashid, TT Bresnan, GP Swann, RJ Sidebottom, JM Anderson, G Onions.

http://news.bbc.co.u...and/8271950.stm

[Andy Bown]

I know the squad was announced a while back and probably can't be changed, but what a mockery that Trott isn't in it!

I usually like to be positive about England's chances, however I can't see anything other than a Sri Lanka win today for these reasons...

- if England bat first even a good start will be negated by Murali/Mendis=SL no more than 250 to win.
- if SL bat first most of our bowlers are likely to get 'carted' by their powerful batsmen.

Two spinners (Swann & Rashid) must play today and England must attack Murali/Mendis.

I'd love to be proven wrong though!

[Louby]

Is it my imagination or did the singer sing the wrong wrong lyrics to the Our National Anthem?
Lets hope they will play better than in the matches, couldn't bring myself to watch them!

[ajpoolshark]

blimey, Anderson & Onions cutting through the SL top order....SL 35-4 after 9 overs!

[Louby]

no doubt about it, its a good start, trouble is if we can get wickets that quickly then surely so can they!

[MAF]

Louby, on 25 September 2009 - 13:25 , said:

no doubt about it, its a good start, trouble is if we can get wickets that quickly then surely so can they!

seem to have come to a bit of a halt though Lou. not sure who is capable of breaking this current partnership
Sri Lanka currently 139-5 after 31 overs.

[ajpoolshark]

Oh dear, after having SL 17-4, Im witnessing one of the most abysmal bowling performances for years...Dreadful, mindless bowling from England...On this green top, SL should've been bowled out for under 100, instead they're 150 odd for 5....The wicket has pace, bounce, swing, and lots of seam movement, and what do our bowlers do?...bowl half trackers....utter rubbish!

[Louby]

SL 163 for 6 off of 37.4 overs. What the hell happened while I was out!

doh! just read aj's post!

[ajpoolshark]

It must be said thought, that win, lose or tie, England are the most defensive international team that I've ever seen, and that in itself is the main reason why england lose so many games...They get into winning positions whilst bowling (20-4, 50-5 etc) and then totally take their foot off the throttle by setting defensive fields trying to restrict scoring, when like every other team, they should put their foot on the gas, set attacking fields, 2, 3 or even 4 slips, and bowl sides out...Thats the modern way of playing ODI cricket.....at least as I type, Stu Broad is finally bowling full and straight et voila, 2 wickets in 2 balls, both bowled...I rest my case!

Edited by ajpoolshark, 25 September 2009 - 15:54 .

[Louby]

They are the same with batting at times. I prefer to see an attacking game than a defence game. I would rather them fling the bat about and score a few sixes and lose than the constant blocking they seem to do at times even in one day stuff, one of the reasons I like 20/20 so much. And its the same re bowling. Maybe that is because I am not the most patient spectator

[ajpoolshark]

Louby, on 25 September 2009 - 16:02 , said:

They are the same with batting at times. I prefer to see an attacking game than a defence game. I would rather them fling the bat about and score a few sixes and lose than the constant blocking they seem to do at times even in one day stuff, one of the reasons I like 20/20 so much. And its the same re bowling. Maybe that is because I am not the most patient spectator

you and me both!...lol......well, we're soon about to find out how England will tackle this target....213 should be a comfortable chase, but as shown ad nauseum over the years in ODI cricket, England can find ways of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory....For me, a measured approach is required early on, good running with the odd boundary off the seam bowlers will allow take the pressure off, because you can bet you bottom dollar that if england are something like 50-3 after 15 overs when Murali & Mendis come on to bowl, then it will quickly become a huge ask

quick edit....on a side note, the sky tv crew are suggesting that the dew will aid the Sri Lankan bowlers, my view though however, is that it might help England, as the ball will get wet, causing the spinners to suffer from a lack of grip and control whilst bowling with a damp ball....oh well, time will tell

Edited by ajpoolshark, 25 September 2009 - 16:26 .

[Louby]

Well fingers crossed for a nice balanced game, a bit of bat flinging but not too much, I don't ask for much do I
Do we not have a slight disadvantage as we are playing under lights? I know SL did too but there was mostly natural daylight.

And just out of curiousity, what do you reckon on the Mathews/onion fandango? Was it on purpose?

[ajpoolshark]

An early wicket 9-1...Denly LBW, perhaps a tad unfortunate...came down the track to the bowler...Hawkeye suggests might just have clipped the top of middle....The balls seaming around, batting not easy

ajpoolshark, on 25 September 2009 - 17:13 , said:

An early wicket 9-1...Denly LBW, perhaps a tad unfortunate...came down the track to the bowler...Hawkeye suggests might just have clipped the top of middle....The balls seaming around, batting not easy

Oops, Strauss out 19-2....Thats all she wrote me thinks...time to switch channels....

[MAF]

Shah and Collingwood going along OK, just wish they would up the over rate a bit more. current rate 3.35 req'd 4.75 would prefer it to not go up any more

[MAF]

am not going to mention the current partnership as last time it gave Collingwood the kiss of death
suffice to say
England: 145-3 (32.5 overs)
as good as 4 an over needed. but SL did get a good few runs in their final overs

[ajpoolshark]

MAF, on 25 September 2009 - 19:17 , said:

am not going to mention the current partnership as last time it gave Collingwood the kiss of death
suffice to say
England: 145-3 (32.5 overs)
as good as 4 an over needed. but SL did get a good few runs in their final overs

Haha!...Shah out, caught behind....you did it again Mick!

Edited by ajpoolshark, 25 September 2009 - 19:33 .

[MAF]

ajpoolshark, on 25 September 2009 - 19:32 , said:

Haha!...Shah out, caught behind....you did it again Mick!

i shall get my coat
i daren't say a word now
England: 169-4 (39.0 overs)
44 off 11 overs