roydo
in memoriam - 1965-2024
Its a lucrative occupation being a twirler these days. Bang down 5/10 overs for a few in 20 20/50 overs, and £££££ come your way. Wickets are a nice bonus.
Cricket
- Thread starter summerisle
- Start date
Its a lucrative occupation being a twirler these days. Bang down 5/10 overs for a few in 20 20/50 overs, and £££££ come your way. Wickets are a nice bonus.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
He's going to Australia this winter for the 'Big Bash'. If he does well could be an option for the IPL, then kerching.
roydo
in memoriam - 1965-2024
The top fee paid in this years IPL was for an injured spinner in England, who cant manage more than a few overs in an innings, but will bowl 5 for zip.
Cant remember his name, but Andy Jacobs was talking about him a few weeks back. Fair play to him.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Joe Denly what a star, his leggys now have to feature in the tests, England should go heavy on spin with Rashid, Alli, Denly and Root all getting plenty of overs (well maybe not Rooty).
This match wasn't dead and the series all done with and so Sri Lanka found winning by a landslide impossible and reverted to their more usual role of coming off second best.
The test series always looked Sri Lanka's to lose, with a huge advantage in the spin of Herath and home conditions. However Ranga (Herath) calling it a day after the first test is so huge, I can see us winning the second and third tests if we go heavy with spinners, pace even reverse is usually not as successful here, but England could easily have both.
I even give us some chance in the first, although here Herath could prove the difference.
This match wasn't dead and the series all done with and so Sri Lanka found winning by a landslide impossible and reverted to their more usual role of coming off second best.
The test series always looked Sri Lanka's to lose, with a huge advantage in the spin of Herath and home conditions. However Ranga (Herath) calling it a day after the first test is so huge, I can see us winning the second and third tests if we go heavy with spinners, pace even reverse is usually not as successful here, but England could easily have both.
I even give us some chance in the first, although here Herath could prove the difference.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Wasn't our fault, mate.
https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/cr...-damning-review-findings-20181029-p50cnw.html
Darren Lehmann joins calls for CA to lift bans after damning review findings
Former national coach Darren Lehmann has joined the call for Cricket Australia to reduce ball tampering bans handed to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft after an extensive review found failures in the organisation had contributed to the scandal in South Africa.
The governing body is under renewed pressure to reconsider the sanctions, described as "harsh" by former captain Steve Waugh, after the release of a damning report that found the banned trio were not solely responsible for the "appalling" episode at Newlands.
On the sidelines: Banned Australian cricketers Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.CREDIT:FAIRFAX MEDIA, AAP
CA chairman David Peever is adamant there will be no reduction in the hefty bans to the three players, who remain the only figures who have been held accountable by cricket authorities.
It's understood CA directors are worried how a change to the sentences will be interpreted given the little cricket the national men's team played during the winter.
Smith and Warner have both been suspended from representing the country and playing in the Sheffield Shield and Big Bash League for 12 months, while Bancroft was rubbed out for nine months. He is free to return in December.
In a damning 145-page report by Sydney firm the Ethics Centre on the culture of the Australian game, senior staff at CA were criticised for creating a "win without counting the costs culture" without taking into the spirit of cricket.
While not critical of the Argus review, commissioned in 2011 to arrest the decline of the side, it scolded CA for its implementation of the recommendations, which were led by team performance boss Pat Howard.
"The leadership of CA should also accept responsibility for its inadvertent (but foreseeable) failure to create and support a culture in which the will-to-win was balanced by an equal commitment to moral courage and ethical restraint," the review said.
"While good intentions might reduce culpability – they do not lessen responsibility … especially not for those who voluntarily take on the mantle of leadership."
It said the "web of influences - including of good intentions gone awry" - had meant the events in Cape Town were "more likely than not" to occur.
Participants in the report slammed the top brass at CA for their "inability to take responsibility when things go wrong", which they blamed on an "emotional immaturity and a lack of strong moral character".
"Respondents suggest CA has a tendency to leave difficult issues for someone else to solve; turning to consultants, leaving problems unaddressed or allowing the blame to fall on a group who may not bear full responsibility," the review said.
"The severe punishments handed out to Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner, in the wake of Newlands, is cited as an example of this – where CA is seen to have failed to accept its share of the blame for what transpired."
Stood down as coach: Darren Lehmann put pressure on the board to reconsider their position on the players.CREDIT:AP
Peever acknowledged penalties handed in the days after the Cape Town debacle were formed from the view there were no other contributing factors, but said there would be no revisiting of the bans.
"The sanctions were carried out by the board, imposed by the board after the very full and thoughtful process so the sanctions stand, as I said several weeks ago," Peever said.
Lehmann, who stood down as coach in the days after the controversy, put pressure on the board to reconsider their position on the players.
"I think they should be back but it’s up to the board to make that decision, not me. I think the general feeling around Australia, certainly the people I talk to, is they want them playing again, at worst domestic cricket," Lehmann said.
The players union, the Australian Cricketers' Association, which was due to meet on Monday night, endorsed the findings by Simon Longstaff's team that CA must take some responsibility for the events in South Africa.
"This is extremely significant, as there is now independent verification that the system and culture were contributing factors," ACA president Greg Dyer said.
"Given this, there must be a reconsideration of the harshness of the penalties handed down to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
"Basic fairness demands these independently verified contributing factors must now be taken into consideration and the penalties reduced."
Just got hammered in the final T20 match in Pakistan. Bowled out for 117, lost by 33 runs, and the series 3-0.
https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/cr...-damning-review-findings-20181029-p50cnw.html
Darren Lehmann joins calls for CA to lift bans after damning review findings
Former national coach Darren Lehmann has joined the call for Cricket Australia to reduce ball tampering bans handed to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft after an extensive review found failures in the organisation had contributed to the scandal in South Africa.
The governing body is under renewed pressure to reconsider the sanctions, described as "harsh" by former captain Steve Waugh, after the release of a damning report that found the banned trio were not solely responsible for the "appalling" episode at Newlands.
On the sidelines: Banned Australian cricketers Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.CREDIT:FAIRFAX MEDIA, AAP
CA chairman David Peever is adamant there will be no reduction in the hefty bans to the three players, who remain the only figures who have been held accountable by cricket authorities.
It's understood CA directors are worried how a change to the sentences will be interpreted given the little cricket the national men's team played during the winter.
Smith and Warner have both been suspended from representing the country and playing in the Sheffield Shield and Big Bash League for 12 months, while Bancroft was rubbed out for nine months. He is free to return in December.
In a damning 145-page report by Sydney firm the Ethics Centre on the culture of the Australian game, senior staff at CA were criticised for creating a "win without counting the costs culture" without taking into the spirit of cricket.
While not critical of the Argus review, commissioned in 2011 to arrest the decline of the side, it scolded CA for its implementation of the recommendations, which were led by team performance boss Pat Howard.
"The leadership of CA should also accept responsibility for its inadvertent (but foreseeable) failure to create and support a culture in which the will-to-win was balanced by an equal commitment to moral courage and ethical restraint," the review said.
"While good intentions might reduce culpability – they do not lessen responsibility … especially not for those who voluntarily take on the mantle of leadership."
It said the "web of influences - including of good intentions gone awry" - had meant the events in Cape Town were "more likely than not" to occur.
While good intentions might reduce culpability – they do not lessen responsibility … especially not for those who voluntarily take on the mantle of leadership.
The Ethics Centre review on the culture of the Australian game
"Responsibility for that larger picture lies with CA and not just the players held directly responsible for the appalling incident at Newlands," the review found.The Ethics Centre review on the culture of the Australian game
Participants in the report slammed the top brass at CA for their "inability to take responsibility when things go wrong", which they blamed on an "emotional immaturity and a lack of strong moral character".
"Respondents suggest CA has a tendency to leave difficult issues for someone else to solve; turning to consultants, leaving problems unaddressed or allowing the blame to fall on a group who may not bear full responsibility," the review said.
"The severe punishments handed out to Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner, in the wake of Newlands, is cited as an example of this – where CA is seen to have failed to accept its share of the blame for what transpired."
Stood down as coach: Darren Lehmann put pressure on the board to reconsider their position on the players.CREDIT:AP
Peever acknowledged penalties handed in the days after the Cape Town debacle were formed from the view there were no other contributing factors, but said there would be no revisiting of the bans.
"The sanctions were carried out by the board, imposed by the board after the very full and thoughtful process so the sanctions stand, as I said several weeks ago," Peever said.
Lehmann, who stood down as coach in the days after the controversy, put pressure on the board to reconsider their position on the players.
"I think they should be back but it’s up to the board to make that decision, not me. I think the general feeling around Australia, certainly the people I talk to, is they want them playing again, at worst domestic cricket," Lehmann said.
I think the general feeling around Australia, certainly the people I talk to, is they want them playing again, at worst domestic cricket.
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann
"Now the findings have come down they should be reviewing the sanctions on the three players."Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann
The players union, the Australian Cricketers' Association, which was due to meet on Monday night, endorsed the findings by Simon Longstaff's team that CA must take some responsibility for the events in South Africa.
"This is extremely significant, as there is now independent verification that the system and culture were contributing factors," ACA president Greg Dyer said.
"Given this, there must be a reconsideration of the harshness of the penalties handed down to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
"Basic fairness demands these independently verified contributing factors must now be taken into consideration and the penalties reduced."
Just got hammered in the final T20 match in Pakistan. Bowled out for 117, lost by 33 runs, and the series 3-0.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
The ball tampering report is damming and massively critical of Cricket Australia and the bullying and unpleasant culture that has been allowed to gain a hold over there.
Cricket Australia has been described as arrogant and bent on winning at all costs in a review of its culture and governance commissioned after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
The review by Simon Longstaff of The Ethics Center, released Monday, said administrators should bear as much blame as captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft, who were suspended for their roles in the incident at Cape Town in March.
The attempt by Bancroft to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the Test match, with the knowledge of Smith and Warner, caused "grief" among the Australian public, Longstaff said.
The 147-page report, based on interviews with players, sponsors and other stakeholders, said Cricket Australia had consistently failed to live up to its values and principles and a culture of disrespect and bullying ran through the organisation.
"The most common description of CA is as 'arrogant' and 'controlling'," the report said. "The core complaint is that the organisation does not respect anyone other than its own.
Smith and Warner have "the highest number of Code of Conduct breaches for international matches" over recent years.
"Players feel that they are treated as commodities. There is a feeling among some state and territory associations that they are patronised while sponsors believe their value is defined solely in transactional terms."
Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said some good would come from the 42 recommendations in the report.
"We didn't put sufficient emphasis on the spirit of the game in our pursuit of wanting to be the very best we could on the field," he said. "That's been recognised and we're using the report now as an opportunity to do better."
Longstaff's findings are couched in unusually powerful terms. He says the grief felt by the Australian public in the wake of the ball tampering affair "was linked to a sense of shame not felt since the days of the perfectly legal, but what some may consider unsporting, under-arm bowling incident." That was a reference to the infamous under-arm delivery by Trevor Chappell in a one-day international against New Zealand in 1981.
"Responsibility for that larger picture lies with CA and not just the players held directly responsible for the appalling incidents," in the match at Cape Town.
Smith, Warner and Bancroft are the only players named in the report. Others, who gave feedback to the author, are anonymous.
"Over recent years, David Warner and Steve Smith have attracted the highest number of Code of Conduct breaches for international matches," the review said. "However, in the last two years, both men have been honored, suggesting that poor behavior is not considered to be linked to the concept of poor performance."
Longstaff said stakeholders "expressed deep regret over CA's tolerance of poor behavior among elite male cricketers and the organisation's consistent failure to hold players accountable."
"A lack of appropriate sanctions, including the absence of 'call out culture', has allowed behavior by players and coaches to diverge from community standards," the review said. "A culture of disrespect for the opposition, as seen in the common practice of abusive sledging, runs through Australian domestic and international cricket, to a degree not practiced by other nations. There is nothing enjoyable or fraternal about abuse. It is simply crude and brutal."
The review finds that Australian cricket "has lots its balance...and has stumbled badly.
"The reputation of the game of cricket, as played by men, has been tainted. Women's cricket remains unaffected."
The review said the Cricket Australia leadership should accept responsibility "for its inadvertent (but foreseeable) failure to create and support a culture in which the will-to-win was balanced by an equal commitment to moral courage and ethical restraint."
CA has begun to address some of its perceived shortcomings ahead of the review. Chief executive James Sutherland has left after 17 years and Pat Howard, the high-performance manager, has said he won't seek to extend his contract beyond mid-2019.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... riticised/
The players union (The Australian Cricket Association) will reportedly demand the bans handed down be softened or overturned because no official, executive or director has been punished in anyway for Australian cricket’s cultural failings.
If the union gets its way Smith, Warner and Bancroft will all be beck far sooner and well in time for preparing for the Ashes, there will be no chance of a Ben Stokes ban (or now non-ban so he can legally be punished all over again) for the Aussies.
Cricket Australia has been described as arrogant and bent on winning at all costs in a review of its culture and governance commissioned after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
The review by Simon Longstaff of The Ethics Center, released Monday, said administrators should bear as much blame as captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft, who were suspended for their roles in the incident at Cape Town in March.
The attempt by Bancroft to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the Test match, with the knowledge of Smith and Warner, caused "grief" among the Australian public, Longstaff said.
The 147-page report, based on interviews with players, sponsors and other stakeholders, said Cricket Australia had consistently failed to live up to its values and principles and a culture of disrespect and bullying ran through the organisation.
"The most common description of CA is as 'arrogant' and 'controlling'," the report said. "The core complaint is that the organisation does not respect anyone other than its own.
Smith and Warner have "the highest number of Code of Conduct breaches for international matches" over recent years.
"Players feel that they are treated as commodities. There is a feeling among some state and territory associations that they are patronised while sponsors believe their value is defined solely in transactional terms."
Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said some good would come from the 42 recommendations in the report.
"We didn't put sufficient emphasis on the spirit of the game in our pursuit of wanting to be the very best we could on the field," he said. "That's been recognised and we're using the report now as an opportunity to do better."
Longstaff's findings are couched in unusually powerful terms. He says the grief felt by the Australian public in the wake of the ball tampering affair "was linked to a sense of shame not felt since the days of the perfectly legal, but what some may consider unsporting, under-arm bowling incident." That was a reference to the infamous under-arm delivery by Trevor Chappell in a one-day international against New Zealand in 1981.
"Responsibility for that larger picture lies with CA and not just the players held directly responsible for the appalling incidents," in the match at Cape Town.
Smith, Warner and Bancroft are the only players named in the report. Others, who gave feedback to the author, are anonymous.
"Over recent years, David Warner and Steve Smith have attracted the highest number of Code of Conduct breaches for international matches," the review said. "However, in the last two years, both men have been honored, suggesting that poor behavior is not considered to be linked to the concept of poor performance."
Longstaff said stakeholders "expressed deep regret over CA's tolerance of poor behavior among elite male cricketers and the organisation's consistent failure to hold players accountable."
"A lack of appropriate sanctions, including the absence of 'call out culture', has allowed behavior by players and coaches to diverge from community standards," the review said. "A culture of disrespect for the opposition, as seen in the common practice of abusive sledging, runs through Australian domestic and international cricket, to a degree not practiced by other nations. There is nothing enjoyable or fraternal about abuse. It is simply crude and brutal."
The review finds that Australian cricket "has lots its balance...and has stumbled badly.
"The reputation of the game of cricket, as played by men, has been tainted. Women's cricket remains unaffected."
The review said the Cricket Australia leadership should accept responsibility "for its inadvertent (but foreseeable) failure to create and support a culture in which the will-to-win was balanced by an equal commitment to moral courage and ethical restraint."
CA has begun to address some of its perceived shortcomings ahead of the review. Chief executive James Sutherland has left after 17 years and Pat Howard, the high-performance manager, has said he won't seek to extend his contract beyond mid-2019.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... riticised/
The players union (The Australian Cricket Association) will reportedly demand the bans handed down be softened or overturned because no official, executive or director has been punished in anyway for Australian cricket’s cultural failings.
If the union gets its way Smith, Warner and Bancroft will all be beck far sooner and well in time for preparing for the Ashes, there will be no chance of a Ben Stokes ban (or now non-ban so he can legally be punished all over again) for the Aussies.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
The political unrest in Sri Lanka is getting pretty serious and it is expected that 1000s will turn up today for England's warm up game. To be honest I think the series might get called off. This has been posted on another (cricket) site by one of the regular posters there who is in Cambodia at the moment flying to Sri Lanka on 5th, but the news looks bleak.
There is also a cricket fan in India who posts on this particular site (in a region close to Sri Lanka, who gets plenty on his local news about their neighbouring country) he also says things looking dicey now.
In our own press, says 15,000 expected at the warm up game
(there is normally only one man and his dog)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cr...ng-protests-warm-up-match-sri/
There is also a cricket fan in India who posts on this particular site (in a region close to Sri Lanka, who gets plenty on his local news about their neighbouring country) he also says things looking dicey now.
In our own press, says 15,000 expected at the warm up game
(there is normally only one man and his dog)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cr...ng-protests-warm-up-match-sri/
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
England looking to consider playing all three front line spinners in the first test with Jack Leach playing in the next warm-up game.
Stuart Broad looks likely to miss out with Anderson and Ben Stokes (not bowling in this current warm up) to be the seaming options and either Woakes or Curran, who both offer substantially more with the bat than Broad, likely to be the third.
This warm up (without the bowling of Stokes and the absent Leach) has had plenty of overs from their part time spinners Denly and Root, these have been easily dealt with and expensive, so perhaps a lesson learnt that only specialist spinners can really be used.
From all reports the day one pitch in this warm-up offered little help to the two front line spinners Rashid and Ali, although both bowled tidily enough, and hence Joe Root's decision to bowl first.
Root apparently wanted England to bat in far more testing conditions with more wear, giving their spinners a pitch far more akin to anything likely in the first test, even on day one.
The first test wicket is highly unlikely to be a batting one like today but one that will turn from the off, with all the spinners in the game. Tomorrow should offer more testing batting conditions and possibly far more useful for the batsmen than today's largely irrelevant fare
Stuart Broad looks likely to miss out with Anderson and Ben Stokes (not bowling in this current warm up) to be the seaming options and either Woakes or Curran, who both offer substantially more with the bat than Broad, likely to be the third.
This warm up (without the bowling of Stokes and the absent Leach) has had plenty of overs from their part time spinners Denly and Root, these have been easily dealt with and expensive, so perhaps a lesson learnt that only specialist spinners can really be used.
From all reports the day one pitch in this warm-up offered little help to the two front line spinners Rashid and Ali, although both bowled tidily enough, and hence Joe Root's decision to bowl first.
Root apparently wanted England to bat in far more testing conditions with more wear, giving their spinners a pitch far more akin to anything likely in the first test, even on day one.
The first test wicket is highly unlikely to be a batting one like today but one that will turn from the off, with all the spinners in the game. Tomorrow should offer more testing batting conditions and possibly far more useful for the batsmen than today's largely irrelevant fare
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Ben Stokes retires hurt after being struck on the left elbow during England's warm-up game.
Ben Stokes had joined Root at the crease but lasted just 15 balls before retiring hurt. He had been hit on the left elbow moments earlier by a Lahiru Kumara short ball, having attempted a pull but failed to connect.
Other than that a composed and encouraging outing for Ricky Burns who made 47 before a mix up with another opening option Denly, resulted in a direct hit and being run out. His opening partner here Keaton Jennings didnt go on to face any spin playing a hesitant shot outside off and playing on for 13.
Denly another possible opener made an unimpressive 25 without looking anything like the assured and composed Burns.
Stokes injury, though hopefully his retirement is only precautionary and not more serious, the big news.
Root has made an unbeaten half century and Buttler has started in confident fashion but it's only a two day warm up so the score is pretty much irrelevant, (165-3) in reply to 392/9 d.
Ben Stokes had joined Root at the crease but lasted just 15 balls before retiring hurt. He had been hit on the left elbow moments earlier by a Lahiru Kumara short ball, having attempted a pull but failed to connect.
Other than that a composed and encouraging outing for Ricky Burns who made 47 before a mix up with another opening option Denly, resulted in a direct hit and being run out. His opening partner here Keaton Jennings didnt go on to face any spin playing a hesitant shot outside off and playing on for 13.
Denly another possible opener made an unimpressive 25 without looking anything like the assured and composed Burns.
Stokes injury, though hopefully his retirement is only precautionary and not more serious, the big news.
Root has made an unbeaten half century and Buttler has started in confident fashion but it's only a two day warm up so the score is pretty much irrelevant, (165-3) in reply to 392/9 d.
Last edited:
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Stokes injury has since been determined as only bruising and a minor injury and wants to resume his innings later.
204/3 Root 70*
204/3 Root 70*
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
That's bad news, he's only 22. Presume he'll miss going to Australia for the Big Bash this winter.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Jennings looks certain to fight another day largely thanks to the unhappy start Denly has made to his England red ball career.
Joe Denly looked less than convincing. After surviving a leg before appeal first ball to the seamer Kasun Rajitha, he almost played on to his second, appearing hurried on both occasions despite the sedate pace of the wicket. He then edged one within an ace of leg slip before he missed a full, straight ball. He was also involved in the run-out of Burns as he called him through for an optimistic single. Suffice to say that, having had a tough day with the ball on Tuesday, he didn't especially strengthen his claims for a Test debut next week.
Denly was more assertive than Jennings but less sure in defence, whereas Burns was never uncertain in deciding what to play, giving the impression that England need look no further for a successor to Alastair Cook as a phlegmatic left-handed Test opener.
Burns, having seen off the seamers without fuss or trouble, then took to the spinners with encouraging success. Whether skipping down the pitch to drive or rocking back to cut, he looked both solid and fluent, while he also played the reverse-sweep effectively. He didn't really rotate tge strike much though dealing primarily in boundaries.
England still have problems in finding one more opener though, even if the happiest feature of the second day of this first warm up - even more than a typically untroubled century by Joe Root, was Burns' first knock for England which was only ended for 47 by a run-out - one that was more the responsibility of Joe Denly, another candidate to open the batting in the first Test at Galle on Tuesday.
In today's play, there was a very nasty accident resulting in a Sri Lankan short leg fielder getting hit on the helmet, it looked very serious indeed at one stage but thankfully he's recovering in hospital.
England’s vice-captain Jos Buttler said he “feared the worst” when one of his typically powerful pull-shots hit Sri Lankan fielder Pathun Nissanka on his helmeted head from almost point-blank range.
Nissanka, aged 20 and fielding at short-leg only a couple of yards away from Buttler’s bat, ducked and took the almost 6lb ball flush in the middle of his helmet. Had he been a more experienced fielder, he might have reacted to the short length of the ball by leaping in the air and turning round to protect his head, as England’s Rory Burns had demonstrated on the opening day of this two-day warm-up when taking a ball in his back.
“You always fear the worst,” Buttler said. “I hit him (Nissanka) very hard and straight in the middle of the helmet but luckily the doctor and physio rushed straight on and treated him, and it’s good to know he’s doing better.
“It’s always a thankless position to field (short-leg) and unfortunately these things can happen and hopefully he’s not badly hurt. You’re just worried, that’s the nature of it. Of course you don’t mean to cause injury, it’s just a real unfortunate accident but he’s doing a lot better.”
Nissanka, who Buttler said was never unconscious while lying on the ground, was strapped to a stretcher and taken to hospital. “He’s stable and conscious - there’s nothing alarming,” said the Sri Lankan Board XI coach Avishka Gunawardene. But he added that Nissanka was going to have an MRI scan “to make sure there’s no bleeding and that everything’s ok”.
Meanwhile despite Root's best efforts to try and get England batting in more spin friendly conditions than on day one, the evidence was limited because it was still a good batting pitch and the bowling was initially pace: the opposite of what is expected in Galle, ie a raging turner on which Sri Lanka start their bowling with spinners.
Ben Stokes, who had his left arm bruised by a bouncer, returned here to make useful runs, while Moeen Ali hit the spinners freely in his 60, but neither Sam Curran nor Chris Woakes got a bat, and one or the other will have to play in Galle if England are not to have a long tail.
England start another two-day warm-up game on Thursday at the Cricket Club of Colombo's ground just across the road from Nondescripts' where this match has been played. While no team has yet been named, both Jack Leach and Olly Stone will play while it is possible Bairstow could be included at some stage. The match is again likely to see 13 or 14 players involved on the England side.
My likely England test team Burns, Jennings (or Denly), Ali, Root, Pope (or Bairstow), Stokes, Buttler, Sam Curran or Woakes, Rashid, Leach, Anderson.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... a-fielder/
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1860 ... sl-2018-19
Joe Denly looked less than convincing. After surviving a leg before appeal first ball to the seamer Kasun Rajitha, he almost played on to his second, appearing hurried on both occasions despite the sedate pace of the wicket. He then edged one within an ace of leg slip before he missed a full, straight ball. He was also involved in the run-out of Burns as he called him through for an optimistic single. Suffice to say that, having had a tough day with the ball on Tuesday, he didn't especially strengthen his claims for a Test debut next week.
Denly was more assertive than Jennings but less sure in defence, whereas Burns was never uncertain in deciding what to play, giving the impression that England need look no further for a successor to Alastair Cook as a phlegmatic left-handed Test opener.
Burns, having seen off the seamers without fuss or trouble, then took to the spinners with encouraging success. Whether skipping down the pitch to drive or rocking back to cut, he looked both solid and fluent, while he also played the reverse-sweep effectively. He didn't really rotate tge strike much though dealing primarily in boundaries.
England still have problems in finding one more opener though, even if the happiest feature of the second day of this first warm up - even more than a typically untroubled century by Joe Root, was Burns' first knock for England which was only ended for 47 by a run-out - one that was more the responsibility of Joe Denly, another candidate to open the batting in the first Test at Galle on Tuesday.
In today's play, there was a very nasty accident resulting in a Sri Lankan short leg fielder getting hit on the helmet, it looked very serious indeed at one stage but thankfully he's recovering in hospital.
England’s vice-captain Jos Buttler said he “feared the worst” when one of his typically powerful pull-shots hit Sri Lankan fielder Pathun Nissanka on his helmeted head from almost point-blank range.
Nissanka, aged 20 and fielding at short-leg only a couple of yards away from Buttler’s bat, ducked and took the almost 6lb ball flush in the middle of his helmet. Had he been a more experienced fielder, he might have reacted to the short length of the ball by leaping in the air and turning round to protect his head, as England’s Rory Burns had demonstrated on the opening day of this two-day warm-up when taking a ball in his back.
“You always fear the worst,” Buttler said. “I hit him (Nissanka) very hard and straight in the middle of the helmet but luckily the doctor and physio rushed straight on and treated him, and it’s good to know he’s doing better.
“It’s always a thankless position to field (short-leg) and unfortunately these things can happen and hopefully he’s not badly hurt. You’re just worried, that’s the nature of it. Of course you don’t mean to cause injury, it’s just a real unfortunate accident but he’s doing a lot better.”
Nissanka, who Buttler said was never unconscious while lying on the ground, was strapped to a stretcher and taken to hospital. “He’s stable and conscious - there’s nothing alarming,” said the Sri Lankan Board XI coach Avishka Gunawardene. But he added that Nissanka was going to have an MRI scan “to make sure there’s no bleeding and that everything’s ok”.
Meanwhile despite Root's best efforts to try and get England batting in more spin friendly conditions than on day one, the evidence was limited because it was still a good batting pitch and the bowling was initially pace: the opposite of what is expected in Galle, ie a raging turner on which Sri Lanka start their bowling with spinners.
Ben Stokes, who had his left arm bruised by a bouncer, returned here to make useful runs, while Moeen Ali hit the spinners freely in his 60, but neither Sam Curran nor Chris Woakes got a bat, and one or the other will have to play in Galle if England are not to have a long tail.
England start another two-day warm-up game on Thursday at the Cricket Club of Colombo's ground just across the road from Nondescripts' where this match has been played. While no team has yet been named, both Jack Leach and Olly Stone will play while it is possible Bairstow could be included at some stage. The match is again likely to see 13 or 14 players involved on the England side.
My likely England test team Burns, Jennings (or Denly), Ali, Root, Pope (or Bairstow), Stokes, Buttler, Sam Curran or Woakes, Rashid, Leach, Anderson.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... a-fielder/
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1860 ... sl-2018-19
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Sensitive snowflake David Warner walks off the cricket field after being sledged in an Australian grade cricket match.
What next for David Warner as Aussie cricketer walks off field after being sledged?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cr...eapp_androidshare_ArgTZTFsgyyj
What next for David Warner as Aussie cricketer walks off field after being sledged?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cr...eapp_androidshare_ArgTZTFsgyyj
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Feeling of deja vu - we've been here before
The first day of England's final two day warm up game in Colombo was completely washed out, and the forecast is for more rain tomorrow. Should it go ahead however, it will now be a 50 overs a side match.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46054865
The timing of this tour just looks more ridiculous by the day.
The first day of England's final two day warm up game in Colombo was completely washed out, and the forecast is for more rain tomorrow. Should it go ahead however, it will now be a 50 overs a side match.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46054865
The timing of this tour just looks more ridiculous by the day.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Heard the latest ? The hotel that England were due to stay for the second Test has been overbooked.
https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/england-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-test-series-pallekele-hotel/
Also, the Australian cricket chairman has resigned.