Sri Lanka v England

Just read that Stokes has an abdominal problem and was replaced by Parkinson. Makes sense in this game but wonder who'd be most likely for the first test. Reckon Parkinson would be the best shout to be honest.

comment by Phendombele (U20037)
posted 1 hour, 21 minutes ago
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 18 hours, 29 minutes ago
354/3 at stumps on day 1. That's seriously good going.
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Added 100 odd now all out
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Disappointing that the lower middle order and tail didn't add more. It was a great start from Woakes with the ball. Just need the spinners, especially Leach to get few a lot of overs to find his rhythm.

comment by TCM (U8959)
posted 53 minutes ago
comment by Phendombele (U20037)
posted 1 hour, 21 minutes ago
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 18 hours, 29 minutes ago
354/3 at stumps on day 1. That's seriously good going.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Added 100 odd now all out
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Disappointing that the lower middle order and tail didn't add more. It was a great start from Woakes with the ball. Just need the spinners, especially Leach to get few a lot of overs to find his rhythm.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the issue with the whole "lay a platform and Buttler can devastate" approach, isn't it. In order for that plan to be worthwhile, then even on the basis that we DO lay a good platform with our first 6 wickets (which is no guarantee), that means Buttler HAS to go big and fast, or the whole approach is a waste of time. That places a lot of unrealistic pressure on Buttler, since even in ODI cricket his approach doesn't work every time. Not even close to every time.

I just think it's a fundamentally flawed tactic in Test cricket.

Looking increasingly likely the tour will be called off, of course

Oop, there it is, not 2 minutes after I posted

Yeah, with the IPL being cancelled, seemed only a matter of time before they'd call this series off. Especially as they were already doing things like banning selfies

Premier league games will most certainly be postponed next. In fact I'm literally just reading that they have been suspended. Europa and Champions League games all suspended too.

Disappointing that the Tests are off but I suppose I can't really complain. The world doesn't revolve around what I want to watch on the telly!

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 1 hour, 29 minutes ago
comment by TCM (U8959)
posted 53 minutes ago
comment by Phendombele (U20037)
posted 1 hour, 21 minutes ago
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 18 hours, 29 minutes ago
354/3 at stumps on day 1. That's seriously good going.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Added 100 odd now all out
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Disappointing that the lower middle order and tail didn't add more. It was a great start from Woakes with the ball. Just need the spinners, especially Leach to get few a lot of overs to find his rhythm.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the issue with the whole "lay a platform and Buttler can devastate" approach, isn't it. In order for that plan to be worthwhile, then even on the basis that we DO lay a good platform with our first 6 wickets (which is no guarantee), that means Buttler HAS to go big and fast, or the whole approach is a waste of time. That places a lot of unrealistic pressure on Buttler, since even in ODI cricket his approach doesn't work every time. Not even close to every time.

I just think it's a fundamentally flawed tactic in Test cricket.
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You sound a bit like Bayliss

I hear your point but I think our tactic is more geared around the top 3 laying the platform and in Burns and Sibley, we have two openers who are capable of going big. From Root down, they'll all score at a decent strike rate.

Buttler is the obvious one to blitz some runs but the whole lower order are capable which should really put even less pressure on Buttler. So that really means that he's a bit of a luxury player and there isn't as much importance on him performing. On that basis, there's no reason not to go for the best keeper. Mr Foakes.

Yeah - my point, though, is that keeping Buttler in the team on the off chance he goes on a quick blitz isn't as good, or reliable, an approach as simply picking a better/more reliable test keeper/run scorer.

I don't think the potential benefit of a Buttler blitz every 10th or 20th attempt is greater than the overall benefit of having someone like Foakes instead, precisely because the overall impact of a lower-order Buttler blitz is so much lower in the long-term than having a soild keeper at 7 who will (a) save runs/take wickets in the field, and (b) average 40 when batting.

We're vociferously agreeing here

Yep, both part of the bring back Ben Foakes fan club even though we're probably Buttler's biggest fans here. I do feel it's only a matter of time and hopefully he can display some form on the county scene to earn his place. I presume first class games will be fine to start as only about 50-100 people go to each game so they could spread the spectators out enough to be safe