Sri Lanka really benefited from the final Test vs England, as it's given them some real confidence with the bat.
Back home they won the 1st Test vs NZ, and have declared on 602-5 with yet another century for Kamindu Mendis (182no), his 5th century in 13 innings, and the first player to ever get 50+ scores in his first 8 matches.
Inspection at 11.55. Light rain forecast in next half hour and match won't start on time but will be clearer later on.
Sat in The Metropolitan @ Baker St (classy I know) awaiting some good news. We even had the toss yet?
No. Not as yet. Covers came off around 11.30 but back on again just before 12 as more rain began to fall. Been raining here in Bromley all day but now stopped a sun starting to appear.
Hopefully some play at Lords later but will be a reduced overs game.
Salt really looks poor against the moving new ball. 14 times on the bounce out in the PP and showing all the stumps as he does, one wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make that 15
Salt really looks poor against the moving new ball. 14 times on the bounce out in the PP and showing all the stumps as he does, one wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make that 15
Salt is fortunate that it isn't a 50 over game because it would have been 15 on the trot
Leach 43 wickets @ 23.15 / ER 2.58 Vaughan 15 wickets @ 20.13 / ER 2.36 Bashir 4 wickets @ 86.50 / ER 3.23
More evidence that Bashir needs to move if he wants he wants to improve his all round game as Leach is first choice and Vaughan has that second string of opening the batting. He'll have to find a county that will have him as first choice or that has an all rounder in that position at present.
Superb striking from Liam Livingstone who is in the form of his life. What a difference now he is free from injury. Young Bethel just couldn't find his touch other than one six but he is a good prospect at 20.
Comments
Back home they won the 1st Test vs NZ, and have declared on 602-5 with yet another century for Kamindu Mendis (182no), his 5th century in 13 innings, and the first player to ever get 50+ scores in his first 8 matches.
Hopefully some play at Lords later but will be a reduced overs game.
Would make everything so much easier. This is where cricket is so behind the times.
Just not up to scratch really
Leach 20-3-52-5
Vaughan 3.4-0-20-1
Bashir 11-2-47-0
This season:
Leach 43 wickets @ 23.15 / ER 2.58
Vaughan 15 wickets @ 20.13 / ER 2.36
Bashir 4 wickets @ 86.50 / ER 3.23
More evidence that Bashir needs to move if he wants he wants to improve his all round game as Leach is first choice and Vaughan has that second string of opening the batting. He'll have to find a county that will have him as first choice or that has an all rounder in that position at present.
What we need is the Hundred