I would guess Vaughan doesn't bowl himself because of his knee problems,if you had such a dodgy knee and were captain would you risk your career for the sake of a couple of overs?

And you cant blame him really. The top and bottom of it is that the Sri Lankans have better batters than us, and better bowlers, and rather than being slightly weaker in the batting dept (especially with flintoff in the side) and a quality bowling attack (even with giles in the side) due to form, luck or whatever we just arent at the races in this series. Alot of it is due to murali, where you have to slow down the run rate, but I'm not sure who can score a century - a few nearlys but no three figures when you only scoring at around 3 an over. "but its hot out there RBLC" and indeed it is, but Icant remember when we had a batsman bat for more than a day anywhere - home or away - and besides, last summer aside it can get warm enough over here. Are our chaps just not fit enough or are we back to the age old problem/excuse of too much cricket ?

Top and bottom of it we are about 2 players short and SL, who look pretty good at home, are head and shoulders above.

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Nothing says "Obey Me" like a bloody head on a fence post!

Thats our problem at the minute a few bats are getting in but not going on to convert their starts.

It was a crime that Bell got two good starts in the first test and never went on to get a big ton, which more than likely would have saved us the match. Again here both Vaughan and Cook got in and didnt go on, although to be fair they were both unlucky and Vaughan does have a tendancy to get a big score once he's in.

We also havent got a clue how to play spin, our batters sit back and wait to be dismissed. The Sri Lankans, especially Jaywardene never let Monty settle and was always looking to work him away for a single. This visibly rattled Panesar and his bowling got more ragged as a result.

If Sri Lanka get 150 infront its goodbye series

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Mark.

That's right greg - also Vaughan is a batsman not a bowler, commentators are always advocation Vaughan should bat, they did the same when Atherton used to bowl occasional leg spin.

Fact is he had a dodgy back, and like Vaughan did not bowl, and who could blame them, in any case the spinners job is Panesars - and if he could not get wickets, then neither should Vaughan.

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Ern

It was always going to be hard for England to knock over Sri Lanka on there home soil because of the conditions not suiting there bowling. Unfortunately for England the flat sub-continent pitches are the hardest for there side to play on with there attack. With Sidebottom and Broad bowling 125 k/ph to 130 k/ph and with nothing in the pitch to work with and facing a strong batting line up.

Harmison - main weapon is his bounce which the pitches in Sri Lanka give no assistance
Broad - inexperienced - didn’t bowl with the youthful heat that you would expect
Sidebottom - best of the quick’s in this test but his lack of pace stopped him from being deadly
Panesar - the pitch suited him but the Sri Lankan batsman play spin as well or better than anyone

Part timers - Collingwood, Pietersen & Bopara are not expected to do much but fill in overs in the hot and humid conditions.

On the Flintoff topic, he is concidered an allrounder. His bowling would get him into this side because he is the second best bowler in England (Hoggard being No 1) But he is definatly not in the top batsman in England. He plainly wouldnt have ever played test cricket if he couldnt bowl. There are a lot of good English batsman going around ahead of Flintoff.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Good day for England so far picking up 4 wickets and Monty could do a Murali and mop up the tail to end with respectable figures that his bowling didn't deserve.

Good to see Broad and Harmison still giving their all and not getting down by the situation.Obviously all we can do is try and save the game now but the Sri Lankan score is about par for this pitch and we may have got that many had we not been stitched up when we batted.

Me and my big gob

Superb session by Sri Lanka and a great knock by the other Jayawardene.531-8 with England looking unlikely to breakthrough,just a case of when the declaration comes now and whether Murali has enough time to wrap up the series tomorrow.

England are being totally outplayed in this series and are getting what they deserve.

Actually Greg, I disagree with you there. This is being well fought and is far closer than that. Marginal decisions are going against us at present. Were it not for them we would be well in this. I'm not getting too worried yet, I do believe we'll bat out this Test and go to Galle still able to tie the series.

I agree. Sri Lanka had two centurions. I think Cook would have battled to one (like Vandort) and Vaughan would have probably got a big one if he hadn't hit the ball at the short leg.

This pitch offers very little for the bowlers, certainly on the first four days. England could very easily have got 500. I'm watching at the moment, and only if Murali takes 7 wickets will England lose or even come close.

Well if you guys are happy with this then you have extremely low expectations.Our bowling looks powderpuff and is not going to take 20 wickets in Galle to win that match.Yes we will probably draw this game but we do not look like we are capable of levelling the series from what i have seen so far,though i wouldn't be surprised if we lost at Galle.