Zak Crawley out with a broken finger. 3 tests for Dan Lawrence to open which is interesting. I'm not surprised they're looking at Jordan Cox, he's another keeper bat for a start so provides a bit of cover for Jamie Smith but has been batting at 4 for Essex so provides batting cover. Amazing that we lose an opener and don't call one up to open or even to provide back up.

Think this is the first time I've posted since ESR's departure has been made official so I'll need a name change

I hope Sri Lanka I've got a bit more fight in them than the West Indies had

I don't think they'll have much to offer to be fair. .Their batting is like ours prior to the new coach coming in

I think they've got a fair few guys averaging over 40 with the bat. Not as strong with the ball but definitely better than Windies with the bat.

Graham Thorpe...

oh my just read it myself.. RIP

Sad news, he was a very prominent figure in the England side during my early years of watching cricket. One of those players you always felt more secure about when he was at the crease. 55 is no age at all.

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 16 minutes ago
Graham Thorpe...
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Probably my favourite cricketer growing up

Terrific cricketer. RIP.

Ben Stokes had to be helped off with what looked like a hamstring injury during a match in The Hundred. The talk about it is gloomy but we'll see what happens.

'England Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the rest of the summer after tearing his left hamstring while playing in The Hundred. The all-rounder will miss England's three-Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts on 21 August, with vice-captain Ollie Pope to lead the side in Stokes' absence'.

That's a big blow given we just got him back bowling which balanced the side again. Smith up to 6 and Woakes up to 7 would be fine though if we bring another bowler in.

Pope doesn't seem like a captain to me but we shall see how he does in the absence of the skipper.

"England Men have announced their XI for the first Rothesay Men's Test match against Sri Lanka, starting at Emirates Old Trafford starting on Wednesday, 21 August.

With Ben Stokes (hamstring) and Zak Crawley (finger) both missing through injury, Durham seamer Matthew Potts returns to the side for the first time since June 2023. Surrey batter Dan Lawrence will open the batting in Crawley's absence.

Yorkshire middle-order batter Harry Brook has been named vice-captan for the three-match series and will support captain Ollie Pope.

England Team

1. Dan Lawrence
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope (captain)
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook (vice-captain)
6. Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper)
7. Chris Woakes
8. Gus Atkinson
9. Matthew Potts
10. Mark Wood
11. Shoaib Bashir"

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4088125

Should be seeing off Sri Lanka easily enough these days...let's see if they are any better than the woeful Windies

is there no other number 6 out there?

dont like it when a bowling all rounder is just shoehorned in

im sure we'll be fine though

Brook as vice captain although I guess it possibly would have been Crawley if he was fit. I would have said Critchley would be a shout to bat 6 and bowl spin to give us a 3 seam 2 spin attack given how dry pitches could be. Ryan Higgins is probably the best all rounder on the county circuit but his 75mph bowling probably isn't what England are looking for.

Sri-Lanka win the toss and bat first

Sri Lanka 6-2.

Maybe they are as bad as the West Indies!

6-3.

falling like 9 pins

Pitch not looking great with balls keeping low on day 1 but things going pretty well for Pope as captain given SL won the toss.

Knew they'd be shat

SL 128-7.