England's tour of Sri Lanka - November/December 2014

[SpitfiresKent]

Warm Up Matches:

Fri Nov 21st - 1st Warm Up Match
Sri Lanka A v England XI, Colombo

Sun Nov 23rd - 2nd Warm Up Match
Sri Lanka A v England XI, Colombo

7 Match ODI Series:

Wed 26th - 1st ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Colombo

Sat Nov 29th - 2nd ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Colombo

Wed Dec 3rd - 3rd ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Hambantota

Sun Dec 7th - 4th ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Colombo

Wed Dec 10th - 5th ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Pallekele

Sat Dec 13th - 6th ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Pallekele

Tue Dec 16th - 7th ODI
Sri Lanka v England, Colombo

 

[MUFC1987]

Shame that Hales isn't getting a go in the First Warm up game, it seems like the England management expect him to score at the same rate that he does in T20s, which is just unrealistic. Be interesting to see if Moeen Ali shows up Cook at the top of the order though, if Moeen does keep his spot for the ODIs that is.

 

[bigred]

Agree. Think I'd drop Bell and play Moeen at 3. They'll definitely need the extra spin in SL so I'm not surprised he's in the side. Problem is, I'm not sure they'll need Moeen in Australia, unless he performs with the bat in this series.

 

[bigred]

Althought Moeen's batting was promising, I think it's his bowling potential that could actually re-shape England's plans going into the WC. If he continues to outperform Tredwell with the ball, there's a case to say that they could pick 4 genuine seamers is positions 8 to 11, have Bopara in at 7 and Moeen at 2 as the line spinner. It gives the team far more balance. Think we'll definitely need 4 genuine fast bowlers out there with the two new white balls.

If this does happen, I think it would be a shame for both Tredwell and Hales as they've never let England down.

 

[MUFC1987]

I can see him perhaps being our only spinner, but I don't think he'll be picked to bowl 10 overs every game. Simply because he doesn't have that experience of what to do when a quality player goes after him. I like his bowling though and I think it's definitely useful, because he can fill in those overs that Stokes or Woakes may not always get through.

Bit of a boring first warm up game really, in that no one really did anything too badly or too exceptionally well. Be good when we get to the series itself though, I think. Sri Lanka should be a huge test.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Here's the eleven i'd like to see for tomorrow:

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Ali
4. Root
5. Morgan
6. Bopara
7. Buttler
8. Stokes
9. Woakes
10. Tredwell
11. Finn

Tough choice leaving out Bell & Taylor.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

 

[PokerAce]

Look forward to this series ... SL were woeful in India, but they had said upfront they were unprepared. So just how do they feature in this series against England will be crucial. I still feel SL along with Aus and SA are the favs for the WC. Eng even they will agree are underdogs. So it will be interesting to see whether SL's blip in India was a one off or are they really on the decline. It would be poor timing if they are, just ahead of the WC, after having won the World T20 and Asia Cup earlier in the year.

Eng need to get their balance right. Personally I feel the best Eng XI in Aus is -

Hales
Cook
Ballance
Root
Ali
Morgan
Butler
Braod
Woakes
Tredwell
Anderson

Ian Bell can be in the squad, but for me he doesn't deliver enough. I would of course have KP in there, but thats not happening so left him from the squad.

Bell, Stokes, Jordan and __________ to make up the rest of the squad.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Brilliant hundred from Moeen Ali but we just couldn't get over the line.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

Another good knock down the order from Bopara.

Pretty ordinary shots from Bell, Stokes, Morgan, Butler. Bell + Butler were both going ok and 20 more from either of them would probably have been enough.

 

[fk915]

I know that England have lost their identity after ashes ... saw the English outfit first time.
Still confused. Why England had to borrow shirts from India and pants from Sri Lanka?

 

[MUFC1987]

I stand by what I've been saying for a while, we need to get another bowler in there, I'm a fan of conceding less, rather than just trying to score more. I appreciate Moeen got through his 10, but we can't rely on any of him, Stokes or Bopara to do it every game, when we need 20 overs from them, with just 3 other specialist bowlers. And that's assuming none of the other bowlers get hit. Plus, there's not a lot of wicket taking threat there for me. Fair enough, Bopara batted well, so get him up the order and get rid of one of Bell or Root for a fast bowler.

 

[_Sam_]

I personally feel Root, Bopara and Ali to bowl the final 10 over allocations is more than enough. If Finn had been in that lineup I feel it would have made the bowling look quite a bit stronger.

 

[bigred]

I stand by what I've been saying for a while, we need to get another bowler in there, I'm a fan of conceding less, rather than just trying to score more. I appreciate Moeen got through his 10, but we can't rely on any of him, Stokes or Bopara to do it every game, when we need 20 overs from them, with just 3 other specialist bowlers. And that's assuming none of the other bowlers get hit. Plus, there's not a lot of wicket taking threat there for me. Fair enough, Bopara batted well, so get him up the order and get rid of one of Bell or Root for a fast bowler.

I personally feel Root, Bopara and Ali to bowl the final 10 over allocations is more than enough. If Finn had been in that lineup I feel it would have made the bowling look quite a bit stronger.

I actually agree with both of your points. I think Ali, Root and Bopara will be fine to bowl the final 10 in Australia. Problem is, Stokes is then one your bankers who has to bowl 10 of the other 40 overs. He's just not economical enough to do that. Jordan would have the same problem. In which case, they'll have to bring Finn in to go with Anderson, Broad and Woakes.

In other words, if you are only playing 4 real bowlers, they have to be wicket takers or guys that won't go for more than 55 from their 10.

 

[bigred]

I've been saying for a while it's too late to drop Cook, but to be honest, I think we'll get hammered either way at the WC. Therefore, we may as well make changes now.

Cook out for Hales
Bell out for Taylor

Harry Gurney just isn't international standard. Problem is, what other bowlers can we pick with Anderson and Broad out.