More »
One good thing, the English cannot lose 7-0 in the Champions Trophy. If it’s any consolation, they can’t lose 6-1 to the Lankans today. However, they can be outnumbered.
They should be, because that is acceptable, and it will help restore the balance of one-day cricket. Mendis is expected to take 10 wickets today, which could happen, if he bowls from the 7th over – that’s when he started to prise out the Indians not long ago.
For England, the key should have been Prior, but he can only bat with Flintoff. Flintoff can’t even bat with himself. Predictable as England are, they will look to Strauss for another fifty in a lost cause.
The whole lot of them, Bopara, Shah, Collingwood should be sharpening their skills in county cricket. Instead they’re in South Africa helping the ECB sharpen their knives.
And of course England will lose, because they have nothing to win. On the contrary, if Sri Lanka loses, it will be because they had everything to lose.
England should bat forty overs, that’s a format they’re comfy with, and the Lankans should score the runs in less than forty.
Early Bored Call: England v themselves v (Sri Lanka)
Let’s talk about the Ashes, baby!
Is it taboo to talk about the Ashes, it doesn’t involve India, BCCI or the IPL. It’s already the second day, and for all you know, it will rain and then all that effort will be for what – so why talk about the Ashes? Looks like it won’t rain, Wimbledon was largely rain free, and an Englishman even made it to the semis – so it’s gonna be England’s almost there series. Don’t you get a sense, I do. That they will try, for an innings here, and an innings there, but never two innings together – this series will be their Adelaide, the so near yet so faaaar.
I didn’t like the sight of Flintoff smiling when he and Prior had the Aussies by the balls – almost got a sense, like you do when Sachin starts smiling, here comes trouble. And that was the last smile. So how soft is Flintoff, or for that matter the rest of them? Prior looked all at sea after Flintoff’s wicket, and it was a huge relief when he got out.
And then the tail came and lashed out, and before you know it we’re on a fast car, 435 will do, thank you. It might, and it may not.
But look at the Englishman, and you get a sense they want to all compete. Which is great, but they’re somewhat wary of going the full distance. England needs to talk at the Aussies, rile them – do an India with them, tell them who’s boss, get to Ponting, he is soft too. Wake up, England, we’re watching in India. And so is South Hall. Make the Kangaroo hop. Draw him out, that’s what you picked two spinners for – the team selection’s inspired, and England looks like a team; Australia, do you even want to look at them? Not Ponting’s Australia, they are a random bunch of mercenaries – and that’s where their tactics could be the key. Unlike the debacle in India, this lot will have more guys ready to go bonkers. Or at least they should. If Australia get within even 50 of England by lunch tomorrow, and England bats soon after, will they get Adelaide again?
