Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Let's assume 5 specialist batsman are in playing 11. Even then not all of them are going to click on same day/innings. With just 3 specialists batsman and factoring the same, it's going to be incredibly tough. So not many runs for 3 or 5 wickets is not a unlikely sxenario for certain team combinations. And if such batting lineup with less specialist batsmen face swing or turner with bowlers to exploit those conditions then the effect would be more severe.

Joe Root's first away win as captain.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Joe Root's first away win as captain.

And a good one to achieve in a place that has not exactly been friendly to England in the past. I thought Root handled his bowlers - and field - a good deal better in this game than in one or two previous matches where the opposition didn't just collapse to the seamers...does look as if he's learning on the job.

Fair to say not too many people - certainly on here - were expecting this result ? I reckon I was more optimistic than most but even I thought Galle would be a stiff task...which I suppose means I should be very confident of a series win now. The one trouble being England's tendency to follow a good win with a careless disaster...

Not calling game two yet. But quietly optimistic.

meninblue wrote:Let's assume 5 specialist batsman are in playing 11. Even then not all of them are going to click on same day/innings. With just 3 specialists batsman and factoring the same, it's going to be incredibly tough. So not many runs for 3 or 5 wickets is not a unlikely sxenario for certain team combinations. And if such batting lineup with less specialist batsmen face swing or turner with bowlers to exploit those conditions then the effect would be more severe.

but that is countered by the depth of the batting line-up. Bairstow, Buttler, or Foakes - all are basically ffront line batters. Stokes, Woakes, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Rashid - that's a lot of batting depth

SL now losing herath and Chandimal is likely to miss the second test as well - things starting to look bad for SL

Red Devil wrote:

meninblue wrote:Let's assume 5 specialist batsman are in playing 11. Even then not all of them are going to click on same day/innings. With just 3 specialists batsman and factoring the same, it's going to be incredibly tough. So not many runs for 3 or 5 wickets is not a unlikely sxenario for certain team combinations. And if such batting lineup with less specialist batsmen face swing or turner with bowlers to exploit those conditions then the effect would be more severe.

but that is countered by the depth of the batting line-up. Bairstow, Buttler, or Foakes - all are basically ffront line batters. Stokes, Woakes, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Rashid - that's a lot of batting depth

Both Jonny and Jos are not averaging like specialist batsman. Both of them average below 38 which is not what batsmen occupying specialist batsmen are expected to score. What they are doing is they are averaging more than flop specialist batsmen. That does not resolves how England are going to put up good totals. But they are occupying spots of specialist batsmen. They are front line batters on paper /batting lineup but not by the runs they have scored till now. They are scoring more than specialist batsmen now but even that is not upto mark. I do agree that something is better than nothing for time being, but specialist batsman and specialist bowlers need to be there in enough numbers. It's like a man keeps drinking only cola daily because there is no pure water at all. To survive without water cola is the only option and its correct one for few days or months. But he cannot survive like that on cola forever, he needs to find pure water for sustainable health. That's how specialist skilled players need to be more than all-rounders.

As for Ben 1, Woakes, Sam, Moeen and Rashid are they really picking wickets like specialist batsmen. I haven't checked there bowling averages or strike rate, however i doubt they are near to specialist bowlers bowling averages or strike rate.

I suppose the really encouraging thing is that Moeen has taken plenty of wickets in an overseas test match, which hasn't always happened in the past. He's generally done well at home, but been lousy away

Akila Dananjaya has been reported for throwing and will be tested within a fortnight. He can carry on bowling, though is likely to be dropped.

Chandimal is out for the series.

Pope will leave before the Kandy Test and join the Lions in UAE.