Cricket

Chris O'Connor said:
i suspect the same team is likely from what I've heard/read, with Buttler at three and Ali at six as it's possibly asking too much for Stokes to double up as one of the main seamers and bat at three.

Stokes is certainly more than capable of doing both but it will more likely be on the West Indies leg, if he's not banned, when there will definitely be an extra seam option.

Burns, Jennings, Buttler, Root, Stokes, Ali, Foakes, Curran, Rashid, Leach, Anderson

Source cricinfo - pretty much hints this is now more than likely
Click to expand...
Stokes bats at three, Foakes keeps his place, Bairstow not playing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46191494
 
summerisle said:
Stokes bats at three, Foakes keeps his place, Bairstow not playing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46191494
Click to expand...

Yes just read that seems sensible if his technique is deemed far better. I'm not sure leaving the ball outside off is one of Jos' strengths, something he may not have to do if an all spin attack, but number three may be in early and with Lakmal bowling with the new ball.

Posted this but largely just what's in the link below, save opening it.

Ben Stokes will bat at No 3 in the second Test in Kandy as England pick an unchanged team.


In a complete about face from only yesterday it's now the all rounder who has been deemed to have the better technique with Buttler moving up one to Ben's number five position

Jonny Bairstow is fit for the match but will have to wait for a return to the side with Ben Foakes keeping wicket and Moeen Ali, who batted three in Galle, dropping down to No 6.


There was every indication that Jos Buttler would bat at three on Monday with captain Joe Root backing him to do the job. Buttler worked in the nets with openers Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings and was pencilled in to bat at three in the first Test in Galle if England had bowled first and Moeen got through a lot of overs.

But Stokes has a better technique and England are obviously confident he can handle the twin burden of batting high up the order and bowling in the Sri Lankan heat.

The pitch in Kandy is expected to turn early after Sri Lanka were disappointed with the slow surface produced in Galle. They have to gamble on the pitch to fight their way back in the series after finding themselves in the unusual position of going 1-0 down at home.

Jonny Bairstow will have to wait for a return to the England side off the back of Ben Foakes' heroics

Root has promised England will continue to take the attack to Sri Lanka as they look to win the series this week.

England slumped to 103 for five in the first Test before Foakes and Buttler repaired the innings.

The bold approach drew criticism and would have been punished by a better team than Sri Lanka.

“I want us to look to take the positive option if we’re unsure at any stage. I want us to keep taking the game to the opposition. It will come down to when we have a clear understanding of the surface, how quickly we can adapt,” said Root today.

The pitch in Kandy is renowned as the quickest in Sri Lanka and England had originally expected to pick an extra seamer this week. But the surface has been prepared to order for the home side and it means England will stick with the three spinners who took 16 wickets in Galle last week. Adil Rashid, Jack Leach and Moeen provide Root with a balanced spin attack.

Finalised team is

Burns, Jennings, BEN STOKES, Root, JOS BUTTLER, Ali, Foakes(WK), Curran, Rashid, Leach, Anderson

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... de-second/
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Yes just read that seems sensible if his technique is deemed far better. I'm not sure leaving the ball outside off is one of Jos' strengths, something he may not have to do if an all spin attack, but number three may be in early and with Lakmal bowling with the new ball.

Posted this but largely just what's in the link below, save opening it.

Ben Stokes will bat at No 3 in the second Test in Kandy as England pick an unchanged team.


In a complete about face from only yesterday it's now the all rounder who has been deemed to have the better technique with Buttler moving up one to Ben's number five position

Jonny Bairstow is fit for the match but will have to wait for a return to the side with Ben Foakes keeping wicket and Moeen Ali, who batted three in Galle, dropping down to No 6.


There was every indication that Jos Buttler would bat at three on Monday with captain Joe Root backing him to do the job. Buttler worked in the nets with openers Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings and was pencilled in to bat at three in the first Test in Galle if England had bowled first and Moeen got through a lot of overs.

But Stokes has a better technique and England are obviously confident he can handle the twin burden of batting high up the order and bowling in the Sri Lankan heat.

The pitch in Kandy is expected to turn early after Sri Lanka were disappointed with the slow surface produced in Galle. They have to gamble on the pitch to fight their way back in the series after finding themselves in the unusual position of going 1-0 down at home.

Jonny Bairstow will have to wait for a return to the England side off the back of Ben Foakes' heroics

Root has promised England will continue to take the attack to Sri Lanka as they look to win the series this week.

England slumped to 103 for five in the first Test before Foakes and Buttler repaired the innings.

The bold approach drew criticism and would have been punished by a better team than Sri Lanka.

“I want us to look to take the positive option if we’re unsure at any stage. I want us to keep taking the game to the opposition. It will come down to when we have a clear understanding of the surface, how quickly we can adapt,” said Root today.

The pitch in Kandy is renowned as the quickest in Sri Lanka and England had originally expected to pick an extra seamer this week. But the surface has been prepared to order for the home side and it means England will stick with the three spinners who took 16 wickets in Galle last week. Adil Rashid, Jack Leach and Moeen provide Root with a balanced spin attack.

Finalised team is

Burns, Jennings, BEN STOKES, Root, JOS BUTTLER, Ali, Foakes(WK), Curran, Rashid, Leach, Anderson

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... de-second/
Click to expand...
Any news on the weather forecast ?
 
Chris O'Connor said:
I will copy a post from someone who has just contacted me - he's out with his family in Kandy now having just made it

I'll post it on here in the next hour
Click to expand...


Hmmm well just glad to get here more on that in a minute. So fair enough they come up with team, we were close, and it should be good enough. I think they go with the extra bowler because of the heat. Most are pretty fair with the bat as well. A bowler should not be at number 3, but an allrounder I think is alright. Stokes was bloody useless with the bat at Cheltenham, but he has improved, we shall see.

So the weather here has been good, sun for 3 days, but the forecast isn't quite as good. So we can but hope, it is high up, the road from Columbo to here, never really stops slowly climbing, its never very steep just relentless going up, its goes on forever. So it will be cooler in the morning, possible dew. And as for rain, well we hope for the best. It was hot this afternoon though. Not easy batting first on the first day, so Stokes could be in pretty quick if we bat.

I have got front row seats in the big stand, there is only one big stand, and its big! I will have my Gloucestershire cap on, you never know.

But driving up, blimey never again, my driver who was supposed to be good, got a bit erratic and luckily he pulled his sunglasses up, and I could see why, he was falling asleep!!! "Oi mate, pull over now" I gave him a right rocket, and he took 5 minutes, washed his face, and came back and apologised. No tip for him, he was useless anyway, must have worn out a pair of brake pads. He really did look very drowsy indeed. So anyway we got here, it was 4 hours and 30 minutes. The last bit takes ages.

Hotel is great, brand new only been opened 2 or 3 months, staff were excellent, I got a tuk tuk to the old stadium here in Kandy and picked up my tickets in 2 minutes, no-one else there! Probably because we got an email to pick up the tickets from the Pallekelle stadium which is 35 to 40 minutes away. So I got away with that one.

Lots of moans from tour companies (not sure if its barmy army or another one) they got kicked out their hotel for the two teams, they have taken it has high as they can, but will have to bus in from 2 hours away. I thought they already knew about all this, but some guy on twitter was saying they only got it confirmed today (might be more than one tour company, so can't really be sure of anything) But a 4 hour commute isn't good.

Not so many bars around here, probably a good thing, going to take it easy in the evenings. Have a bottle of Vodka anyway will drink that over 5 nights.

Looking forward to tomorrow now, now that scary trip is out the way. One thing is for sure, would never
live here, the roads are just terrible, well the drivers anyway.
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Hmmm well just glad to get here more on that in a minute. So fair enough they come up with team, we were close, and it should be good enough. I think they go with the extra bowler because of the heat. Most are pretty fair with the bat as well. A bowler should not be at number 3, but an allrounder I think is alright. Stokes was bloody useless with the bat at Cheltenham, but he has improved, we shall see.

So the weather here has been good, sun for 3 days, but the forecast isn't quite as good. So we can but hope, it is high up, the road from Columbo to here, never really stops slowly climbing, its never very steep just relentless going up, its goes on forever. So it will be cooler in the morning, possible dew. And as for rain, well we hope for the best. It was hot this afternoon though. Not easy batting first on the first day, so Stokes could be in pretty quick if we bat.

I have got front row seats in the big stand, there is only one big stand, and its big! I will have my Gloucestershire cap on, you never know.

But driving up, blimey never again, my driver who was supposed to be good, got a bit erratic and luckily he pulled his sunglasses up, and I could see why, he was falling asleep!!! "Oi mate, pull over now" I gave him a right rocket, and he took 5 minutes, washed his face, and came back and apologised. No tip for him, he was useless anyway, must have worn out a pair of brake pads. He really did look very drowsy indeed. So anyway we got here, it was 4 hours and 30 minutes. The last bit takes ages.

Hotel is great, brand new only been opened 2 or 3 months, staff were excellent, I got a tuk tuk to the old stadium here in Kandy and picked up my tickets in 2 minutes, no-one else there! Probably because we got an email to pick up the tickets from the Pallekelle stadium which is 35 to 40 minutes away. So I got away with that one.

Lots of moans from tour companies (not sure if its barmy army or another one) they got kicked out their hotel for the two teams, they have taken it has high as they can, but will have to bus in from 2 hours away. I thought they already knew about all this, but some guy on twitter was saying they only got it confirmed today (might be more than one tour company, so can't really be sure of anything) But a 4 hour commute isn't good.

Not so many bars around here, probably a good thing, going to take it easy in the evenings. Have a bottle of Vodka anyway will drink that over 5 nights.

Looking forward to tomorrow now, now that scary trip is out the way. One thing is for sure, would never
live here, the roads are just terrible, well the drivers anyway.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that ; the perils of supporting England.lol
 

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