wulliemc

I still dont rate Warner

Money on India might not be a waste

No point calling him up not to play. Duckett will have to wait awhile for another chance anywhere in the order.

I would move Ali to 4 and drop Duckett for Woakes

Whats the best re parking the car

Bit late to suggest this given some of the legends that retired for Sri Lanka since last timw they were here but I wonder how much closer the series would have been if it was the second one of the summer. I remember sitting at the Oval years ago when they pasted Eng. Murali took 16 wkts but their batsmen set it up beautifully. It was the match that was a shootout between Crawley and Hick for (I think) a spot in that winters Ashes squad.

Buttler has very little if any chance of a return to the test team. More likely to see Stokes come back and at the same time Woakes keeping his place. Dont think the selectors have the guts to do that though.

In some ways it is justice for the no ball reprieve. He didnt look like he was making a ton the closer he got

Cook reverse sweeping 😂

This debate about the no ball is interesting but nobody has mentioned the fact that in theory Hales could have changed his shot when the umpired called it. I know he didnt but surely once the umpire shouts it is at least a distraction

A certain amount of lethargy fron ENG avoids a second 3 day blitz glad I didnt spend any money on this series

Yes but in the land of the blind the one eyes man is king. England had 2/10 batsmen who made a score. Sri Lanka 1/20. On a bowling paradise often only one substantial innings is enough to win a match. I agree the batting line up has a lot of work to do but Stokes looks like he can develop into a proper top 6 batsman rather than a guy with a good eye. Cook will come back to form and in this match you can forgive Root missing out for a change. The key is as a unit the middle lower order stepped up. I always remember Fletcher defending the ongoing selection of Jones on the basis he was there for when Eng were cheap for 5 and that is exactly the role Bairstow played out. Having said all of that I dont see Hales as a long term opener or Compton at 3 by the end of the summer. Unfair to judge Vince on one inns at an overcast Headingly.

Englands to lose now already

What a knock by kohli

I played until I was 21 and did an ACL. Took the course and umpires in the east league for years but been away from the game for years since the kids came along

Do you mean English batsman to reach 10k or any nationality?

Another cook with a century on debut

No but I suspect the scorer (can never remember the new ones name) will be away finding out how many times anyone else has done it. One of the commentators asked that.

Interesting stat on TMS. Broad has taken 5 wkts in a single spell 7 times.

SA have kissed this series goodbye now. Stokes in on the act now too.

Hard to decide which of Tailor's catches was better. But any other catch in the series cannot do better than third place.

Pretty sure I overheard on the telly that Amla wanted to chuck it after the first test but kept on to the second because they were back to back tests. I don't think Stokes Inns saved England in the end if you meant his 1st inns.

It will be tender but the more you get on the horse the easier it gets. I took up spin and RPM once my knee and calf rejected running and jumping around and the fitter you get the harder it becomes.

I'd be embarrassed to be SA right now. Awful stuff from them but Stokes still has to put it away and he is. Some nice classy shots from Bairstow too.

I've had that op. And it was way sorer than a similar one to tidy up after a torn acl on the same knee. I didn't really do much different in the gym tbh afterwards but it was about 8 weeks before I dared and I started slowly. Between that and the acl I find that as long as I keep away from any twisting exercise and concentrate on form everything is fine. I can run and cycle no problem now but I hammered the cross trainer when I was recovering.