Srilanka tour of England 2024 (3 Tests) - Discussion Thread

[Tillu]

What to expect: A spell of rain early in the morning ahead of Day 1 is in the offing but the day's play should remain unaffected. On Day 2 and 3, however, showers are expected to make their presence felt during the game. The conditions at this venue usually side with the batters but overheads could add a different dimension.

Team News:

England:

The hosts announced their XI two days out from match start, bringing in Durham quick Matthew Potts for the first time since June 2023. Dan Lawrence will open the innings in place of the injured Zak Crawley.

The mercurial middle-order batter Harry Brook will deputise for skipper Ollie Pope, who takes the reins in the absence of Ben Stokes.

Confirmed XI: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir

Sri Lanka

The need to bring in an additional batter in tough conditions will push Sri Lanka to sacrifice Kamindu Mendis, despite his exceptional performances in the previous Test series that Sri Lanka played. The visitors have brought a pace-heavy squad and will have lots to choose from for their attack.

Probable XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama/Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara/Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando

 

Cricbuzz

Edited August 21 by Austin 3:!6

[Gollum]

More cheap statpadding for Poms.

[Frustrated]

Would be intetesting to see how the lankan batters respond to the sweet chin music (to be offered by poms) on these bouncy Eng pitches.  (Especially after having batted a lot on the half baked doctored home pitches recently) 

[Tillu]

Srilanka opted to bat.

[rageaddict]

Karunaratne gone..Atkinson the new Anderson in English conditions.

 

K Mendis at crease now.

Edited August 21 by rageaddict

[Frustrated]

Lankan batters are jumping like fox against short pitched stuff.  This is what happens if u keep playing on sluggish turners.   

[Frustrated]

Lunkans 6/3 

[rageaddict]

Sri Lanka 3 down, Chandi and Mendis batting now..

[Lone Wolf]

Terrible call to Remove Rana and Bring Mehedy... Nvm he is back now

[cpct]

Sl 48 for 4

[nitinbwj]

187-8 ...good innings from Dasilva especially after 6/3. Bashir picked up a lucky wicket.

[Lone Wolf]

This Rathnayake is a fast bowling All rounder

Lankans produce a lot of multi skilled players have to say

[Sgattick10]

A Fernando and V Fernando are batting 

[Sgattick10]

3 wickets for Bashir 

[Sgattick10]

From 125/7 to 236 a.o. SL recovered well. 

[vvvslaxman]

Pope got out to a trundling delivery. Just a shade of movement. Nasser and other commies are hyping that delivery.

[Sgattick10]

Another 100 coming up for Root 

[Strangering]

Joe Root has looked sublime today. What a joy it is to watch truly a great of the era. Glad that good test cricket is back, finally. All the T20 circus is dirty business. 

[Number]

2 minutes ago, Strangering said:

Joe Root has looked sublime today. What a joy it is to watch truly a great of the era. Glad that good test cricket is back, finally. All the T20 circus is dirty business. 

England beating pulp out of hapless unpaid Lankans. How is that quality test cricket ?

[putrevus]

How did SL think they could compete with this bowling attack in England.