The International Cricket Thread 2018

[PaulWinch again]

Sam Curran is some player.

[paul_e]

Woakes record with the Kookaburra ball is poor so he will not be an automatic pick for overseas tests.

He’s a much better bowler with a Dukes ball in his hand.

True but we should be trying to get him more experience with the kookaburra because Jimmy had similar problems for a time but, through exposure, he's learned how to be effective with it.

[manic-road]

Great from Stokes in the field, fantastic run out throw and great reflexes for a catch at first slip.

[PaulWinch again]

This is getting dicey now for England, we need to knock them over quick.

[Villan For Life]

That 5 run penalty that Sri Lanka suffered and was added to our total looked incredibly harsh. I don’t think the batsman deliberately ran one short, I think he assumed he’d scored a boundary and walked back to the strikers end.

I imagine that they will appeal that one.

[PaulWinch again]

We’re struggling here. We need them out fast, on this pitch this lead is becoming meaningful.

[PaulWinch again]

Roshen played a blinder there and Sri Lanka are in front. We’re going to have to bat really well and try and set them 220+.

[PaulWinch again]

Not sure why some media types are complaining about a night watchman today. Seemed sensible to me, there was absolutely nothing to be gained tonight and a key wicket could have been lost. Very odd that some people are getting bent out of shape.

[PaulWinch again]

Let’s be sensible with the bloody sweep shot.

[paul_e]

Roshen played a blinder there and Sri Lanka are in front. We’re going to have to bat really well and try and set them 220+.

Nearly there now with the lead up to 204. Plenty of time so we should just bat out but we're already at the point where we're competitive so the more runs we can add the better. Buttler in the first innings and Root here have shown the key to this wicket though, it's a bit like the Durham wicket from a few years ago where you're never really 'set' so it's best to keep the runs flowing. Sri Lanka have handled it differently but for us the guys who've got the strike rate up around 70-80 are the ones who've got the runs.

[PaulWinch again]

Brilliant Joe.

[paul_e]

Lead up to 250, advantage England but this is still possible so we need this pair to just keep ticking over.

[paul_e]

God damn it, wicket went as I was waiting for the post to go on.

and Curran first ball as well (lovely delivery to be fair).

[paul_e]

That's a terrible decision against Rashid, clear inside edge, piss poor from the umpire. You can criticise England for wasting reviews but that doesn't change the fact that the umpire can't be making such basic errors at this level.

[manic-road]

Moen and Rashid have been on the end of two poor decisions, could do with the last pair sticking around.