First Test: Sri Lanka v England in Galle, 6/11/18.

[GGAS]

I feel a 0-0 series coming up

[bigfluffylemon]

I am finding it very difficult to muster any enthusiasm for this series, and the weather forecast just adds to that.

Seriously, how can the two boards have agreed to play a series in Sri Lanka in the middle of the monsoon season? It's just crazy. And surely it's not going to make them much money if most of the series is rained off. Yet more evidence (if we needed it) that cricket is government by complete morons.

[Arthur Crabtree]

After press saying Foakes isn't going to play, now it seems he is. This is the side cricinfo predicts.

1 Rory Burns, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Joe Root (capt.), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Sam Curran, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jack Leach, 11 James Anderson

Very curious that Buttler isn't reserve wk/Foakes has overtaken Pope and Denly in the original squad. Might as well forget about Buttler's keeping, but if he's a specialist bat, he has to be in the top six.

This is the predicted home side.

1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.) 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Rangana Herath

[Arthur Crabtree]

Seriously, how can the two boards have agreed to play a series in Sri Lanka in the middle of the monsoon season? It's just crazy.

Heavy storms predicted later on each day.

[bigfluffylemon]

Those are the sides.

England win the toss and bat. Almost certainly the right decision, but they need a total on the board. This is not a batting line-up that inspires confidence.

Still, we've got six bowlers, so it'll all be fine, right?

As an aside:
Caps
Anderson 143
Root 74
Moeen 52
Stokes 46
Buttler 25
Everyone else 33 between them

Yikes.

[alfie]

Looks a bit overcast but not raining at least...

Toss : and Root chooses to bat. Logical.

No Broad. But a lot of bowling options. First job for the new opening pair though...you'd think this will be the best time to bat .

[alfie]

As you say , BFL , a bit inexperienced - so at least they won't have too many memories of losing matches in Asia

Team is as I expected. Think it makes sense for this ground. Whether it will be good enough...

[meninblue]

England doing the correct thing by opting to bowl last.

Two wickets down in 3 overs for just 10 runs. Rory looked good in first over he faced but he wasn't tested with proper off stump line. Scored boundary in second over bowled by spinner Dilruwan courtesy to very sloppy fielding by Hearth. Middled most but one ball off the spinner. Ended up with throwing a wicket while trying to flick a bad leg stump ball. Can't get out to balls bowled at that line, rather should be punishing those for 4's.

Mooen played the wrong line incorrectly playing for the angle. Good ball though first up for new batsman. Durango has managed to open up the middle order for the spinners who will feel he is reducing their five fees on this wicket.

Pretty poor by England so far. If you give 2 early wickets to pacers in Asia then the recovery of innings is going to be incredibly tough. Not much for 3 Lankan spinners to take 8 English wickets. Unless the spinners flop, England should struggle to score even 225.

[bigfluffylemon]

Poor but not unexpected start.

England will be praying for that rain already.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Must be a huge advantage to win the toss and bat.

Doubt they need a big score to be in the game, going by recent games in SL. Disappointing for Burns though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Everyone undercooked of course. A reference to the lack of practice rather than the absence of Captain Steely.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Lakmal has an ok recent record. He was quite tempting for the FL.

[mikesiva]

England 113-5 at lunch.

Dilruwan and Lakmal have two wickets each so far.

[meninblue]

114/5. Lankan spinners have managed to make good use of the early wickets given by Suranga. 4 of the 5 wickets are bowled. Dismissals of Rory and Ben were very poor. Joe yorked himself against spin.

Foakes and Jos need to sort out the mess. SL would be expecting to wind this innings under 225. Foakes would have to work upon his batting against spin. He looks unconvincing in the aspect of judging the length. With spinners varying the speed at different lengths it could be serious trouble if he stays on backfoot even to deliveries which need to be played on front foot. Also hard hands isn't making the batting look good. Still it's just the debut match and hopefully he will work on few aspects. Seems more like a power player in this short unbeaten stay so far in debut innings.

[sussexpob]

Seems Foakes and Buttler are fighting back now. Anyone watching it? What is a par score?