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International cricket thread

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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,656 Mod ✭✭✭✭dfx-


    Australia seemed to go about it all wrong. They expected the pitch to do the work at the start, Lyon bowled at leg stump and then tried to blast them out with short balls tiring themselves in the process and costly sets of 4 byes. Lyon was back bowling with the new ball after two or three overs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    I hate the way Cummins is used. Not given the new ball and asked to do the enforcer roll too often. He is far too good to be that type of bowler. Warne lost his cool completely with Lyon bowling too straight with no bat pad on the off side.

    India announced squad for England. Kohli, Hardik and Ishant Sharma are back. More expected back for later games. Starts Feb 5th. Not confirmed yet where that series will be shown.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Gillespy wrote: »
    Add the Ashes to that. Headingley was awful for him.

    Very average player that had a job with Kookaburra lined before Sandpapeegate meant they needed a captain.

    He was what they needed after the Smith/Warner controversy, interesting to see what happens now. He'll go to South Africa as captain and you'd imagine they'll win that series, if they don't he won't captain for the Ashes, his wicket-keeping was relatively poor in this series.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭VillaMad


    Very good day for Sri Lanka as they only lost 4 wickets on day 1 against England, scoring 229 runs with Angelo Matthews getting a century. As we saw in the last test match, first innings runs are vital as the pitch will deteriorate and that puts Sri Lanka in a strong position. No wickets for Bess or Leach and that's a huge worry not only for this test match but the next series in India.

    Jimmy Anderson was absolutely magnificent. 3-24 from 19 overs. 38 years of age and possibly getting better with age. He will be a man in demand whenever he retires to coach the next generation.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    Looks very flat. Both Sangakkara and Mahela on commentary said this pitch can remain flat, end up with boring high scoring draw. Let's see on that.

    Both sides probably happy tonight. Sri Lanka for an excellent recovery and England haven't lost control. Both spinners disappointed again, Jimmy bowling maidens at one end and them leaking easy runs at the other.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Good day for Sri Lanka, great knock by Mathews, no chance given. It would be great if they could post 350 tomorrow, it would put it up to England and make for an interesting match.

    Ireland fell short once more against Afghanistan yesterday, they really have our measure in recent times.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,803 ✭✭✭Mysterypunter


    MFPM wrote: »
    Good day for Sri Lanka, great knock by Mathews, no chance given. It would be great if they could post 350 tomorrow, it would put it up to England and make for an interesting match.

    Ireland fell short once more against Afghanistan yesterday, they really have our measure in recent times.

    Nearing 350, but also losing wickets at 332/8, Anderson 6/38, some performance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 797 ✭✭✭SeeMoreBut


    England lack of wickets from spinners must be a concern and their 2 openers gone for nothing against spin must be worrying also


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Excellent performance by SL to get that score. Great performance by Anderson. England openers out cheaply again they and the spin bowling are concerns ahead of India clash.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Root and Bairstow hit back well after the loss of the openers. Even though three days to go, this has the feel of a draw about it unless England bat all day and more posting a big score.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    Might as well open with Bairstow and Root and bring in Pope and Stokes for Chennai. Crawley is better than he's shown here I think. Both should enjoy Australia, they will be fine everywhere outside the subcontinent really.

    Root is in amazing form. Best batsman in the world to watch when playing like this. Scores so easily and quickly.

    Last thing Bess and Leach wanted to see was Embuldeniya spin the ball never mind take wickets. They look a level below.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,694 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Considering Galle is a ground that always facilitates and favors spin bowling ... Both Leach and Bess have looked distinctly average and non threatening. Economical to a point but... neither bowlers taking a wicket in the first innings

    Bess although early days is averaging, 2.4 wickets per ‘test’.. having played 11.

    Leach 3.6 per test having played the same number of tests.

    As an opposition batsman those numbers wouldn’t exactly be striking fear into you....both played well and had an impact last test but need consistency.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,428 ✭✭✭MrKingsley


    Just got to see the final session this morning. Root really is a joy to watch when playing like this. No risks and just good sensible cricket whilst scoring at a good lick.

    Not a very good bowling performance from the off spinners though


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭VillaMad


    You do wonder whether England will feel they should have brought Keaton Jennings along. He has proven hopeless at Test level in England against seam bowling but has a century in Sri Lanka and India where spinners bowl from the off with the new ball. Sibley and Crawley both look horrible at the moment.

    As for the state of the game, Root will have to go big again for England you feel as he just looks like he is in the form of his life and is seeing the ball like a beach ball at the moment. Pitch is expected to turn from possibly tomorrow onwards and England will really have to score very heavily in the first innings.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    Jennings was in the squad for the tour there that got cancelled. Sibley and Crawley had a good summer since so he lost out this time. Jennings has the opposite problem like you say so would be targeted by Lakmal and Fernando instead. And Bumrah and Ishant Sharma would fancy him too. Be interesting to see what they do. Persisting with Sibley on the evidence so far would be foolish.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,694 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Frustrating thing about Sibley is the number of starts but the inability to score big, even a 50 or two to complement the hundred.

    This tour...

    1st... 4 & 29

    2nd... 34 & 133

    3rd... 36

    4th... 44 & 44

    In 13 test matches he’s scored 2 100’s and 2 50’s.

    So he’s rarely getting out cheaply, only failed once in 7 innings on the current tour which is great for an opening batsman but in terms of converting good solid starts into big or solid scores... work to be done.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    He's the kind of player that's never in. Batting is always hard work for him. The starts he gets eat up so many balls meaning he is still doing his job as an opener. Himself and Burns make one ugly pair of openers to watch though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,694 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Gillespy wrote: »
    He's the kind of player that's never in. Batting is always hard work for him. The starts he gets eat up so many balls meaning he is still doing his job as an opener. Himself and Burns make one ugly pair of openers to watch though.

    Yep, it’s a tough watch up the top of the order...

    I like Burns.. a serious county play again but 21 tests into his career and just turned 30.. his stats should be better Internationally...

    In tests :

    Matches 21
    Runs scored 1,233
    Batting average 32.44
    100s/50s 2/8
    Top score 133

    Not exactly shît but not brilliant. Couldn’t be calling him a world class test opening batsman yet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭VillaMad


    Root fantastic again, but it's Sri Lanka who are big favourites to level the series. A day dominated by Root and Embuldeniya and with England now having to bat last on this pitch, it's Sri Lanka who hold all the aces.

    A couple of partnerships and that lead will easily go past 200. Leach and Bess have to deliver tomorrow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    England will need the pitch to remain decent to have a chance. Deficit isn't that bad, Jimmy might get away a few reverse sweeps in the morning to bring it closer to 20 runs. Third innings can be tricky, seen that loads of times.

    Root outstanding again. Buttler was looking great too, very unlucky way to go. Saw with Bess why they like him, batting talent is there and they're hoping his bowling improves as he matures.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 24,694 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Weather is set extremely fair for the remainder of the test in Galle.

    If either Bess or Wood could have hung around you’d have given them a reasonable chance of accomplishing getting another 30-40 runs on the board...or even closer to the Sri Lanka total.

    Leach has scored 92 for both county and country so he does have ‘some’ batting ability... he’ll have to manage the strike as well as accumulate runs... keep Anderson away from the strike as best he can...

    An interesting days cricket ahead of us... with the weather set extremely fair and the scores so close... I’d say England would bite your hand off for 25 or more runs from this pair


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,803 ✭✭✭Mysterypunter


    Sri Lanka are slogging the game away, will be all over very soon, 51/5, 88 ahead, they are a very poor side


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Appalling batting performance by SL...


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    Nice to see the SL bowlers putting up some fight. England should still ease to victory but if SL get Buttler cheaply it could be interesting.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,844 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    Comfortable in the end for England. Horrible batting by Sri Lanka 2nd innings.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭Gillespy


    Fair play to Dom Sibley. I think he shocked everyone batting like that and being the one to hit the winning run. Needed a few umpire's calls to go his way and got a lot of easy runs.

    Awful day for Sri Lanka. Nightmare really. England deserve a lot of credit too thought. Fought hard to get close after first innings after losing the toss and calmly knocked off the runs then. England a few years ago don't win games like this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭MFPM


    England won easily in the end, they are not without issues and sterner tests lie ahead. Some year of cricket ahead - India home and away, New Zealand tests announced and then the Ashes....what a calendar of Test Cricket.

    Ireland well beaten by Afghanistan again...very frustrating.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭VillaMad


    Sri Lanka beat themselves again. Got into a bad position losing a few wickets and then tried to attack the spinners but only succeeded in giving away their wickets and England could only be delighted to have to chase 164. Sri Lanka was then too dependent on Embuldeniya to get their wickets as they leaked too many easy runs.

    England now move on to India and a monumental challenge. Stokes, Archer and Burns are back available, but suddenly India look like a team with huge strength in depth.

    I see that Sky Sports have signed a 3-year deal with Pakistan Cricket Board and are showing the test series against South Africa, beginning in the morning.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,936 ✭✭✭Royale with Cheese


    Is the India England series really not going to be shown on TV here?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭VillaMad


    Is the India England series really not going to be shown on TV here?

    Star Sports which is owned by Disney have the rights to international cricket played in India but as of yet they haven't sold it to any UK broadcaster. They will probably sell it to one of Amazon, BT or Sky in the days leading up to the first test match.


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