England v Sri Lanka - Official Second Test Match Thread

[Vrock]

The second test of the three match series takes place at Edgbaston, a ground which England have some very happy memories of.

After managing to save the first Test Match at Lord's thanks to a superb century from stand in captain Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka will be looking to carry their momentum from the last test and a very good batting performance against Sussex into this Test; especially Chamara Kapudegara who, after a poor first Test, pulled out a fine century to claim his highest first class score. (all be it pratically a second XI, but runs are runs, you can only face the opposition put in front of you)

The exclusion of Sanath Jayasuriya could prove costly for the selectors, but if the opening pair for Sri Lanka (definitely one change with Jehan Mubarak replaced by Michael Vandort in the squad) can make runs then their decision of leaving out the only Sri Lankan batsman to score a double hundred in England will be justified, but there is no replacement for experience, especially of a player who has the ability to shred any attack to pieces.

England will be hoping to hold onto some catches this game! And hoping that the batsmen will again be in the runs on what is likely to become a pretty good batting wicket once the first day/early morning conditions wear off. Every one of the batsmen made runs in the first test, and on conditions which could be even better for batting the English batsmen will be expected to cash in.

The Edgbaston pitch is normally pretty spin productive and Muttiah Muralitharan will surely be the main man to take wickets for Sri Lanka, and if Lasith Malinga and Chaminda Vaas can cause some pressure early on and extract some movement from the wicket then we could see England's batsmen struggle early on in their innnings.

England's bowlers had a very unlucky first test, the pace bowlers had chance after chance and it was the fielders who let them down. Matthew Hoggard will once again be relied upon to swing the ball and take early wickets to give England the advantage at the start of the innings, whether Andrew Flintoff will be back to full pace, it will be up to the speed-guns to decide that, but he will no doubt continue to bowl his metronomic line and length. The two youngsters will most likely be retained and will be giving their all to impress the selectors, a decent haul of wickets from either of them could be the foundation for moving them up the pecking order. Monty Panesar, if conditions suit, could be used in a more aggressive role. If he is utilized correctly then he could certainly be in the wickets later on in the game.

Both sides will be giving their all in a Test series which is still wide open, but the fun could be spoiled by the famous English weather, the forecast is sadly not for sunny spells throughout but for light showers for all five days of play. This could result in many short stoppages, thus teams never truly getting into any sort of rhythm and gaining momentum over the opposition. We may not see one team dominate for more than a session like we saw at Lord's where England dominated for two and a half days and then Sri Lanka came back fighting. If one side begins to dominate for a period of play then a rain break will be the perfect way for the other side to refresh themselves, clear their heads and try and get back their lost momentum.

Whether this test goes the through the full five days, or we see a low scoring affair in which the ball dominates. We can be assured of one thing, each side will have one eye on the weather and some tactial declarations may be brought into play, hopefully resulting in a tense end to what should be an exciting game.

[Ernest]

Well England sqeezed through on this ground last year, the ball did a bit all though.

I agree England will have to field better than at Lords (best forgotten) but I feel this ground will favour Englands bowlers, they just need more luck than at Lords.

We just don't know how much momentum Sri Lanka will have gained after the escape act at Lords, England for sure will have to bowl well.

[Vrock]

Originally Posted by Ernest

We just don't know how much momentum Sri Lanka will have gained after the escape act at Lords, England for sure will have to bowl well.

If either side had the other on the back foot, the final innings of the match and they needed 10 wickets for victory (we'll say that runs are irrelevant for the purpose of this) then I would back Sri Lanka to take the 10 wickets, mainly through Murali getting the ball to spin and deceiving the English batsmen.

However, I am in more doubt as to whether England could take 10 wickets. Even if they hold onto their catches when the chances arise you would have to feel that one a flat wicket on the fifth day England's quicks would not have any answers when the ball is not doing much. Monty I am sure would take wickets, but he would have to be given a field to work with, and I just don't feel that the England management are giving him that.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Vrock

but he would have to be given a field to work with, and I just don't feel that the England management are giving him that.

I think his lack of experience is why he is being used so little, he is still learning his trade.

[Collyisamackem]

Credit to SL for backing their youngsters and not selecting Jayasuria. He's a great, great player and I hope he plays a test for them again to sign off in better fashion that he did, but not this game.

[Vrock]

Originally Posted by Ernest

I think his lack of experience is why he is being used so little, he is still learning his trade.

If he still learning his trade and the selectors worry about his lack of experience then why aren't England playing Shaun Udal?

Udal is in the form of his life for Hampshire, he is taking wickets and is a more recongised bat than Panesar is.

Everything stacks in his favour, Panesar is against a side where spin bowling is their stronger preference, he is bowling on wickets which do not give him much assistance at all.

If the selectors didn't feel he could do the job he wouldn't be in the side, you don't play someone and only use them to half of their potential just so they can have a few games, they need to be bowling the way they know how. And that is lots of overs with attacking fields and hopefully getting wickets, we saw him do it in India against arguably the best players of spin in the world and yet he is too inexperienced?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Vrock

If he still learning his trade and the selectors worry about his lack of experience then why aren't England playing Shaun Udal?

Because udal is an off spinner, and every batsman worth his salt has worked out how to play off spin, also at 37 I think he needs to make way.

Panesar should IMO be bowled in short spells, let him get the feel of Test cricket, he has hardly played that much cricket for his county, but he has the makings.

[Vrock]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Because udal is an off spinner, and every batsman worth his salt has worked out how to play off spin, also at 37 I think he needs to make way.

I don't think anyone disagrees with you there, but I feel it is more the standard off spinners that are read, not unorthodox off spinner such as Harbhajan Singh.

Originally Posted by Ernest

Panesar should IMO be bowled in short spells, let him get the feel of Test cricket, he has hardly played that much cricket for his county, but he has the makings.

He certainly has the makings, and he bowled well in India on wickets which did give him some assistance. He got some high quality scalps in that series and got the ball to spin. So far in his career he has bowled to batsmen who are brought up with spin as their main rival, these are Monty's test victims so far: Dravid, Jaffer, Kaif, Sangakkara, Tendulkar, Kumble and Tharanga. Not a bad list of victims for someone so inexperienced.

As a SLA short spells don't work for him, he's not Andrew Flintoff who can come in and take wickets, Monty has to make his wickets by using variation and tempting batsmen in one shape or form. In short spells he simply cannot do this.

[Collyisamackem]

I agree. He bowled a couple of excellent, long spells in India. He should bowl a long spell and let the quicks operate in short, 4/5-over bursts at the other end to maintain the threat but keep themselves from tiring too much and bowling poor spells. Monty is used to long spells in county cricket and has shown ability against Sri Lanka and India already, so I'd back him to bowl good, long spells in this game and have considerable success.

[Quagmire]

I cant believe that Sri Lanka did not pick Jayasuria, he is really the only batsman in there team that has the ability to destory a side just off his own bat. He is also a handy part time bowler