England Lions in Sri Lanka, 2017.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Busy first day. I guess most of us are looking to see what the spinners will do. But it was the pace bowlers who took most of the wickets.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/m ... 80253.html

Feb 12 - Tue Feb 14 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
Sri Lanka Board President's XI v England Lions
Fri Feb 17 - Mon Feb 20 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
1st unofficial Test - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Fri Feb 24 - Mon Feb 27 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
2nd unofficial Test - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Thu Mar 2 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
1st unofficial ODI - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Sat Mar 4 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
2nd unofficial ODI - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Mon Mar 6 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
3rd unofficial ODI - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Thu Mar 9 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
4th unofficial ODI - Sri Lanka A v England Lions
Sat Mar 11 10:00 local (04:30 GMT)
5th unofficial ODI - Sri Lanka A v England Lions

[Arthur Crabtree]

Looks like a squad game.

[Making_Splinters]

Both of our new top order Test players failed, good to see...

Good to see LL getting some runs, can see him cracking the limited overs squads in the next 18 months.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not a lot of room to squeeze into there.

[Making_Splinters]

There's likely to be continued rotation for the players who play all three formats, especially if Root picks up the Test captaincy, so there's going to be the odd place popping up now and again.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wicket for Livingstone now. Decent scores for him and Westley. Lions well on top.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England chasing nearly 200 after Rayner took three wickets. A good test.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Jennings retires out and Hasseb goes with about 80 to get.

[Making_Splinters]

Rain ends any chance of a result. Good to see most of the side putting in a shift somewhere or other in the game. Let's face it though, the only real interest here is in Jennings and Hameed.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Dunno, the spinners have a lot to play for.

[Making_Splinters]

Don't see why. If Rashid's performances in India can't merit him taking the spinner's berth off Ali then I very much doubt an A tour to Sri Lanka is going to do it.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think if another spinner can bowl without giving 3.8 an over away like Rashid, then they might come in if they have a good county season. If Moeen stays at five that is. And after the Asian tours this winter, England need to find some spinners to take to Asia next (must be a tour of SL not too far ahead). Even if it's to augment Mo and Rashid. Rashid was bowled rather reluctantly by Cook at the end of the India tour and even though he took wickets, it didn't feel like he was making himself more integral to the side.

Just an A tour, but it has to have some value, otherwise, why go at all?

[Making_Splinters]

Surely England need spinners that can actually take wickets rather than just tie up and end, and that's exactly what Rashid did. It seems awfully easy to forget he just had one of the best tours by a visiting spinner in the modern age.

Cook wasn't exactly known for his ability to manage or set fields to spinners, not to mention that Rashid now has a team mate as England Captain.

[Dr Cricket]

well Arthur the A tour is a bit pointless was stupid to place the series at feb/march when they could have easily done it before india or during india series.

Apart from the openers not sure what england can read from this series.

next tour to sri lanka will be in the winter of 2018/19.
although realistically england should always look for a world class spinner considering every 1.5 winters they will need one.
WI, India, Pak, Sri lanka all helpful for spin and world class spinner can also be useful in england/SA with a good pace attack.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Maybe Root will manage the spinners better- and be a better attacking captain for the younger pace bowlers too. I don't want to downplay the merit of Rashid taking all those wickets, and if he stays on, then that would be a fair choice. But I didn't get the impression that England came back from India all that satisfied with their spin options, or the door closed to alternatives. The performances certainly didn't stop quite a few supporters from wondering if Rayner and Leach might have been useful tourists, given they were the best spinners in the CC last season. A good tour with the Lions will give more credibility to that view.