Cricket fred

[Stom]

Seems likely. But thus far he's spent time in isolation and gout out just in time to watch both potential slots in the team locked down for at least the next game.

I'm still not sold on him as a spinner, really as anything but a late order counter attack batsman, but it's got to be hard

I think there’s always a chance of an Indian summer but he’s been misused and underdeveloped as a test match cricketer, for me.

I'm more in the camp that says he's just not very good, not at test level. Which I don't say just because I'd rather he was playing for Wuss.

Half of me says he's a very good player who has been mismanaged.

Half of me says he's a technically proficient player without the mental aptitude to be top class.

Either way, we might see some more of him.

[Digby]

I think there’s always a chance of an Indian summer but he’s been misused and underdeveloped as a test match cricketer, for me.

I'm more in the camp that says he's just not very good, not at test level. Which I don't say just because I'd rather he was playing for Wuss.

Half of me says he's a very good player who has been mismanaged.

Half of me says he's a technically proficient player without the mental aptitude to be top class.

Either way, we might see some more of him.

He hasn't got much in the way of defence on the batting side, and whilst he sometimes gets a nice loop and some drift as a bowler that's not always the case, and he struggles to spin it much, and he can struggle for length, and he tends to get wickets when batsman assume he's worse than he is and over attack, he's tended not to pick up wickets when batsman are more circumspect, even if the pitch is spinning and he should be the match winner.

Though there is a problem he often doesn't seem to think he belongs there himself, he's perhaps too much a pleasant individual (and he is a nice lad) and doesn't have that abrasive ego which allows some to push past their ability levels.

[Galfon]

Another 5-day corker, could have gone either way.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/55716268

first Oz. defeat at the Gabba for 32 years..good comeback by India.

[Digby]

A very sensible innings from Sri Lanka after losing two early wickets, and wtf Perera thought he was doing I've no idea, that's a shot to play when you need 11 to win off 3 balls in a limited overs match. Pitch is slow, but if it breaks up England might have some pressure to come

[Puja]

A very sensible innings from Sri Lanka after losing two early wickets, and wtf Perera thought he was doing I've no idea, that's a shot to play when you need 11 to win off 3 balls in a limited overs match. Pitch is slow, but if it breaks up England might have some pressure to come

We need 500+ to stand a chance, IMO. Anything less and we'll be adrift in the final innings.

Puja

[Galfon]

Sibley's having a mare of a tour.
The vagaries and challenges of Test series with different pitches makes it what it is...another half-dozen bagged by Mr Evergreen, but nowt for 200-ish for the spin-twins.
Need a few big innings now to keep things steady.

[Galfon]

Oh dear - Crawley goes too, 5-2.
Sri L must feel embuldeniya'd by their performance so far..
a spinner who spins is a good thing.

[Digby]

A very sensible innings from Sri Lanka after losing two early wickets, and wtf Perera thought he was doing I've no idea, that's a shot to play when you need 11 to win off 3 balls in a limited overs match. Pitch is slow, but if it breaks up England might have some pressure to come

We need 500+ to stand a chance, IMO. Anything less and we'll be adrift in the final innings.

Puja

350+ takes a lot of time out of the game, 400+ for the draw, 500+ I assume you're talking about the chance of forcing a win?

[Galfon]

Even-stevens now - a good full day with the bat will nudge Eng level / in front going into D4, which would suggest a draw.

[Digby]

I fancy Sri Lanka from here, England's bottom 3 give a long look to the tail. That said Root looks very balanced and organised

[Stom]

I fancy Sri Lanka from here, England's bottom 3 give a long look to the tail. That said Root looks very balanced and organised

Unless we badly collapse, this game has draw written all over it.

Or if the spinners get their act together and bowl out SL in their 2nd innings.

So probably a draw.

Another root double would be nice

[Digby]

I fancy Sri Lanka from here, England's bottom 3 give a long look to the tail. That said Root looks very balanced and organised

Unless we badly collapse, this game has draw written all over it.

Or if the spinners get their act together and bowl out SL in their 2nd innings.

So probably a draw.

Another root double would be nice

Ali will be pleased, nothing from Leach or Bess in the first two games that suggests their performing well, only that they picked up wickets in spite of how they bowled locked out their spots in this game. Which does leave the problem we could end up with 3 off spinners if it's not Bess for the chop, and they like Bess

[Puja]

Once again, our entire batting performance is relying on Root plus one of Bairstow or Buttler to save it from utter embarrassment. So far, he is delivering, altough I'm not sure that this is a viable tactic for India.

The newer players ars really struggling with the sub-continent spin - I don't think Sibley, Crawley, and Lawrence have made 40 runs between them this series. Hopefully the coaches are working with them extremely hard. There's a big case to have Ali back - he'd stiffen the tail and he's a decent player of spin. And his bowling can't be any worse than Bess's was.

Puja

[Stom]

Once again, our entire batting performance is relying on Root plus one of Bairstow or Buttler to save it from utter embarrassment. So far, he is delivering, altough I'm not sure that this is a viable tactic for India.

The newer players ars really struggling with the sub-continent spin - I don't think Sibley, Crawley, and Lawrence have made 40 runs between them this series. Hopefully the coaches are working with them extremely hard. There's a big case to have Ali back - he'd stiffen the tail and he's a decent player of spin. And his bowling can't be any worse than Bess's was.

Puja

Are you forgetting Lawrence scored 73 in the first test?

[Puja]

Once again, our entire batting performance is relying on Root plus one of Bairstow or Buttler to save it from utter embarrassment. So far, he is delivering, altough I'm not sure that this is a viable tactic for India.

The newer players ars really struggling with the sub-continent spin - I don't think Sibley, Crawley, and Lawrence have made 40 runs between them this series. Hopefully the coaches are working with them extremely hard. There's a big case to have Ali back - he'd stiffen the tail and he's a decent player of spin. And his bowling can't be any worse than Bess's was.

Puja

Are you forgetting Lawrence scored 73 in the first test?

I am entirely! Sorry!

Puja

[Stom]

So far, Root has almost 4 times more runs than England's 2nd highest scorer this series...

He's approaching 400, Bairstow has 110.

Masterclass from Root, back to back daddy tons, but terrible from the rest of the batsmen. It is a very inexperienced batting lineup, though... Only really Bairstow and Buttler there and Buttler did give some support today before an unlucky dismissal.

[Digby]

Buttler played well today. And some of the others do need time to figure this all out.

Do India have any left arm spinners, orthodox ones that is, to pick just for our openers? It's like watching KP just have no idea how to line the ball up, which seems very odd for the level but clearly there's an issue

[Stom]

Root is really channeling his inner Cook here. Superb batting

[Galfon]

His technique and application continue to be top-drawer and bountiful in these conditions - the unfortunate late dismissal will get Sri L's tails up for sure.

> next Test will be his 100th..will equal Strauss & Thorpe, 2 short of Beefy, 4 of KP, 8 of Boycs.
> just overtaken Gower's run total (8231) and is 4th in Eng. all time list.
> avge. of 49.62 is the highest of the modern era (Eng., 70's+).

Only just turned 30 , so his final stats. could be huge - the relentless Test schedules and improved pitch qualities means comparisons with by-gones are maybe a bit tenuous.

[Digby]

Back to back monster partnerships at the top for England, almost nose bleed territory

[Puja]

Sibley on 39 not out, which is a massive innings given the situation. Very impressive.

Puja

[Digby]

Got to love the field set for the Sibley onslaught

[Puja]

Got to love the field set for the Sibley onslaught

It does help Sibley's efforts that Sri Lanka are sportingly only using about 7-8 of their fielders at any time while the others are having a rest where they'll never be used.

Still, it shows enormous grit to have worked on a massive weakness in his game and turn in a crucial innings under pressure. Hopefully he can see out the runchase and then go on to back it up against India (without falling to the temptation to go slogging that he's clearly repressing )

Puja

[Digby]

And it's weirder it was being done with spin when you can attack with one slip and one close catcher. Which is just very different to wanting 3-4 slips for the seamers. Simply no idea what was inspiring those fields. That said whilst Sri Lanka faded badly, so much so you could justify just a two test series, it was a very impressive showing from England.

And, it would seem, the first time ever a side had picked up all 1st innings wickets with seamers and all 2nd innings wickets with the spinners.

[Galfon]

Excellent fighting performance after losing the toss, and pleased for Sibley. The resplendant series trophy well worth the effort!.