Sri Lanka 3rd Test

Should have played it up here with much better weather...Southern weather letting the paying crowd down...

In other news the Barmy Army are stressed about the Pakistan tour they have paid for. They are refurbishing all the stadiums for the Champions Trophy next year so the grounds might not be ready and the series might have to be moved to the UAE. But two of their three stadiums are taken with the women's t20 world cup that got moved from Bangladesh, so all 3 would have to be played at the same venue. They mentioned Sri Lanka but it would be monsoon season.

 

Hopefully the grounds will be ready in time @dreamboy3000

 

Should be a walkover if Shan Masood keeps his captaincy.

 

Half the overs lost yesterday and still they don't start until 11. They should be starting at half ten to make up time.

 

Why not 10.00 ?

 

There seems to be no flexibility with start times in this country

 

Because it would be unfair on people who have paid for tickets and transport and then miss the first hour's play. It's one thing to add time on at the end but quite another to start before paying customers have been given a reasonable chance to get there.

 

Sri Lanka have had no luck this morning.

 

Those aren't missing any of the time they have paid for though.

 

That's the worst morning of cricket I've seen in a long time. It was like everyone on both sides has had a late night and wasn't really with it. Hoping for a better session after lunch

 

Bookies before the day started had the England innings runs under/over in the 470s so Sri Lanka fought back well and got their rewards.

I still expect four down for 100 runs.

 

Sri.lanka bowled ok but every wicket was a complete giveaway.

It was just bad cricket all around. Decent catching from Sri Lanka but that's about it.

 

That did occur to me too but I still think I'd be pretty miffed if I'd forked out a couple of hundred quid for a day's play and train tickets and they started without me.

Edit: Imagine the uproar if the test actually finished before the scheduled start of play!

 

Lovely batting by Smith getting England out of a big hole. Stone with 5 off 25 holding up an end.

 

Just gone but done his job.

 

Seemed bonkers to me that he didn’t just drop a straight bat to the last ball before tea. Still a great innings though.

 

Didn't realise that. At least we've got sumat to bowl at.

 

Not looking to good at the moment.

 

Just left the pub and looks like England are in deep sh it.

 

Thankfully it's Dan Lawrence's last test. Unfortunately for him Pope got 154 in the first innings.

It'll be 29 knocks to Pope's next hundred but we're going same way as we did in 1989.

Crap team "Bazball" bish,bash bosh".

County cricket closest thing in World cricket to test cricket. Pick best County players playing week in, week out on our wickets and we'll beat the Aussies.

As for away from home play the West Indies, India or Pakistan before the away ashes.

We give away too much advantage before a balls bowled.

Whilst I'm ranting how the f cuk are Rob Key and Wright (can't be bothered to remember his first name) in charge?

Seriously f cuked. I've more chance of pulling or scoring in next ashes.