Bit harsh on Jennings.
Cricket
- Thread starter summerisle
- Start date
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
Glad to see jennings get some runs. Could it be that we just pick him to your Asia and not anywhere else. Yesterday, the commentators were saying it'd be nailed on he'd be the men to be dropped for bairstow, but he can't be now.
If root won't go 3, I think stokes is the only other option for me. Moeen is a waste up there.
If root won't go 3, I think stokes is the only other option for me. Moeen is a waste up there.
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
Discussed it about 20 mins ago on the social, saying it can't be done. But I totally disagree, I understand the need to build a solid operating partnership, but we go to three spinners to suit the conditions, so why not pick batters based on conditions too?
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Keaton Jennings and the top order have swept England into an impregnable position and they are now in complete control.
Another good decision from the selectors, knowing how well Jennings plays spin, to persevere with him for this series, he's now 98* and closing in on a century to add to his much needed 40 plus top order runs first time round.
A mention too for Ben Stokes, another top order batsman who came to the party, some really fine and selective hitting after a very cautious and circumspect start.
The pitch is beginning to wear under the hot sun and some have turned sharply, but the defensive fields Sri Lanka are now setting mean there's noone there to catch or put pressure on anyway.
All looking nice and rosy in England's garden except for that thorny number three problem. Ali showed once again that he's not the answer. Perhaps Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow or even Root himself maybe.
Another good decision from the selectors, knowing how well Jennings plays spin, to persevere with him for this series, he's now 98* and closing in on a century to add to his much needed 40 plus top order runs first time round.
A mention too for Ben Stokes, another top order batsman who came to the party, some really fine and selective hitting after a very cautious and circumspect start.
The pitch is beginning to wear under the hot sun and some have turned sharply, but the defensive fields Sri Lanka are now setting mean there's noone there to catch or put pressure on anyway.
All looking nice and rosy in England's garden except for that thorny number three problem. Ali showed once again that he's not the answer. Perhaps Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow or even Root himself maybe.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Well done Keaton Jennings, a quality test innings, he showed lot of patience and now has his second test century.
Has he used the sweep more than any other centurion? Certainly his go to shot, but has shown character and grit out there when under intense pressure too.
Has he used the sweep more than any other centurion? Certainly his go to shot, but has shown character and grit out there when under intense pressure too.
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
well played jennings, england lead by 400+ now ... the highest 4th innings chase in galle is 99 
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
declared setting sri lanka 450 which is the right call given the possible weather interuptions. Records smashed AOTS as well, good to finally see the top half contributing as well as the bottom.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
England have a great chance of winning this but that declaration already looks too hasty to me. It has given Sri Lanka the incentive to bat out the final two days and still have enough time to gain a remarkable victory if they do. It's extremely unlikely of course but a totally unnecessary and undeserved chance, and they should win now if they just survive.
Another hour of batting tomorrow morning and another hour of sun could have only been better for England and batting on was surely the better option.
Root has been caught out on more than one occasion before with declarations, everyone said then the opposition had no chance too but England have a habit of setting unwanted records after declarations.
Another hour of batting tomorrow morning and another hour of sun could have only been better for England and batting on was surely the better option.
Root has been caught out on more than one occasion before with declarations, everyone said then the opposition had no chance too but England have a habit of setting unwanted records after declarations.
pleased for jennings, the lad can play spin that's for sure, I actually like the declaration, with the weather forecast Root has set his stall out to win the game
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
I just don't get the declaration at all, even if we lost time for rain we would probably need the fifth day, when the forecast is actually at it's best.
So by not batting Sri Lanka completely out of the game, in all circumstances even with a dead pitch and wickets extremely hard to come by, he has left just a tiny chance of them winning.
It's hugely unlikely of course but totally unnecessary when batting on, and possibly one hour into tomorrow, with hopefully the hot sun baking down, would possibly have meant giving Sri Lanka the worst possible batting conditions on hopefully a pitch starting to break up. Such a delay could only have been of benefit to England.
As it is, it should only really take less than a day to bowl them out, but with the fifth day forecast being the best and in reserve, it made sense to bat on.
Even if it rained all day tomorrow you could declare before the fifth day with nothing lost.
Joe has unfortunately declared and lost a few times before and one with an extremely unlikely target set too. It really shouldn't be even the remotest of possibilities when there really was no need for it.
So by not batting Sri Lanka completely out of the game, in all circumstances even with a dead pitch and wickets extremely hard to come by, he has left just a tiny chance of them winning.
It's hugely unlikely of course but totally unnecessary when batting on, and possibly one hour into tomorrow, with hopefully the hot sun baking down, would possibly have meant giving Sri Lanka the worst possible batting conditions on hopefully a pitch starting to break up. Such a delay could only have been of benefit to England.
As it is, it should only really take less than a day to bowl them out, but with the fifth day forecast being the best and in reserve, it made sense to bat on.
Even if it rained all day tomorrow you could declare before the fifth day with nothing lost.
Joe has unfortunately declared and lost a few times before and one with an extremely unlikely target set too. It really shouldn't be even the remotest of possibilities when there really was no need for it.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Sri Lanka 74-2, wicket for Moeen and Leach.
Australia struggling again against South Africa : 180-7, 39 overs.
Australia struggling again against South Africa : 180-7, 39 overs.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Lunch, Sri Lanka 98-3, wicket for Stokes.
Australia 224-9.
Australia 224-9.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
England win the test, Sri Lanka all out for 250 - 8 wickets for the three spinners with Moeen again taking four, Stokes and a run out the other two
212 the winning margin
Magnificent performance, almost completely dominant throughout the entire game.
Sri Lanka started favourites but were absolutely outplayed in all departments
212 the winning margin
Magnificent performance, almost completely dominant throughout the entire game.
Sri Lanka started favourites but were absolutely outplayed in all departments
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
A word on Rangana Herath,
It wasn't the perfect way to leave the scene but he was truly one of Sri Lanka's all time top cricketers and perhaps the last of a special generation. Sangakkara, Murali, Malinga, Jayawardene and Chaminda Vaas have all gone and now Rangana too, these are tough times for Sri Lanka with only Angelo Matthews left to soldier on.
As a spinner he was always a first class performer but was perhaps eclipsed by the great Murali for much of his career, almost playing second fiddle hence the relatively low number of tests.
Even so the man has been a phenomenon and has almost single handedly carried their spin department for many years and highly successfully too, not least in Galle which is his spiritual home. At forty the body is creaking and he's having to call it a day.
Another great leaves the stage but will be remembered by many grateful cricket followers.
It wasn't the perfect way to leave the scene but he was truly one of Sri Lanka's all time top cricketers and perhaps the last of a special generation. Sangakkara, Murali, Malinga, Jayawardene and Chaminda Vaas have all gone and now Rangana too, these are tough times for Sri Lanka with only Angelo Matthews left to soldier on.
As a spinner he was always a first class performer but was perhaps eclipsed by the great Murali for much of his career, almost playing second fiddle hence the relatively low number of tests.
Even so the man has been a phenomenon and has almost single handedly carried their spin department for many years and highly successfully too, not least in Galle which is his spiritual home. At forty the body is creaking and he's having to call it a day.
Another great leaves the stage but will be remembered by many grateful cricket followers.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
England review
Save for the first session of the match, that was an excellent performance from England.
Two or Three players will grab the headlines, but I thought everybody gave a positive performance...
Keaton Jennings made an excellent hundred.
Rory Burns looked good, despite not going on and finding 'strange-ish' ways to get out (a strangle and a run out).
Moeen Ali, bowled fantastically, taking 40% of the wickets - I would move him from 3 though (Stokes would be my next cab off the rank - unless they insist on recalling Bairstow, in which case he could be an answer)
Joe Root, hardly made a run, but captained very well, in my opinion.
Ben Stokes, made handy contributions with both bat and ball as well as run outs and catches, fields in that crucial first slip position to the spinners too.
Jos Buttler, helped rebuild in the first innings and took a couple of decent catches.
Ben Foakes, fantastic hundred that changed the game and kept wicket very well, conceding 0 byes (no mean feat in the subcontinent)
Sam Curran, batted really well first innings and took a new ball wicket.
Adil Rashid, chipped in with some wickets and played a nice cameo with the bat.
Jack Leach, bowled very nicely in both innings, clogged up an end, kept things tight and took a few wickets.
James Anderson, took a new ball wicket with the first and bowled accurately in the second innings.
It might not have been the Galle we've come to expect over the years, but England adapted to the conditions and outplayed Sri Lanka in every facet of the game.
Selection will be interesting for the next test, as it's going to be harsh on whoever makes way, however England have shown in the recent past they're not afraid to make the tough calls (eg leaving out Sam Curran at Trent Bridge in the summer).
(review posted on TEF - 'bluerinse')
I see the Aussies succesfully defended 231 in an ODI v SA.
Good effort from their bowling unit.
Save for the first session of the match, that was an excellent performance from England.
Two or Three players will grab the headlines, but I thought everybody gave a positive performance...
Keaton Jennings made an excellent hundred.
Rory Burns looked good, despite not going on and finding 'strange-ish' ways to get out (a strangle and a run out).
Moeen Ali, bowled fantastically, taking 40% of the wickets - I would move him from 3 though (Stokes would be my next cab off the rank - unless they insist on recalling Bairstow, in which case he could be an answer)
Joe Root, hardly made a run, but captained very well, in my opinion.
Ben Stokes, made handy contributions with both bat and ball as well as run outs and catches, fields in that crucial first slip position to the spinners too.
Jos Buttler, helped rebuild in the first innings and took a couple of decent catches.
Ben Foakes, fantastic hundred that changed the game and kept wicket very well, conceding 0 byes (no mean feat in the subcontinent)
Sam Curran, batted really well first innings and took a new ball wicket.
Adil Rashid, chipped in with some wickets and played a nice cameo with the bat.
Jack Leach, bowled very nicely in both innings, clogged up an end, kept things tight and took a few wickets.
James Anderson, took a new ball wicket with the first and bowled accurately in the second innings.
It might not have been the Galle we've come to expect over the years, but England adapted to the conditions and outplayed Sri Lanka in every facet of the game.
Selection will be interesting for the next test, as it's going to be harsh on whoever makes way, however England have shown in the recent past they're not afraid to make the tough calls (eg leaving out Sam Curran at Trent Bridge in the summer).
(review posted on TEF - 'bluerinse')
I see the Aussies succesfully defended 231 in an ODI v SA.
Good effort from their bowling unit.