Sri Lanka vs England 1st Test Galle

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The Breen Machine said:
Really good performance from England. Openers a bit of a concern but long-term Crawley will not open and I think Sibley will improve over time in the setup.
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I'm not sure about Sibley. He has fantastic concentration and a great attitude and he has shown so far that when he's in he can score big. However its obvious he has massive issues against spin and i think good quicks have realized a huge flaw in that if they bowl shortish and at is body and put a leg slip in he finds it very difficult. However that is what test cricket is all about - seeing if you can overcome challenges and develop. Good luck to him.
The Rat said:
Bairstow played really well in both innings like. I think looking at Sibley, and even Crawley against spin there, there is a real chance he plays 3 in India IF its spinning pitches. And I think it will be considering their injuries to their seamers, who wont be back.

They weren't arrogant though, that was a very harsh like and I dont think true, Sibley and Crawley struggled, thats all it was. The first time a spinner has got out both openers in both innings for single figures, ever! Some stat that when you think about it. They looked inexperienced.

As I say lets see the ptiches in India first, but if it spins, we cant go in with Crawley, Sibley and Burns as our top 3, we just can't

Great win, its not easy winning over there, I think its really impressive considering thye had no cricket at all. Sri Lanka will be better on Friday, and I quite fancy them to make it 1-1 actually
Another few observations is that Roots innings really was of the highest class,a nd the reason we won the game basically

and we looked a much better team when we tried to control the run rate, which I think has to be our plan in India and Oz. Broad dried it up after lunch and the spinner from the other end then got better.

India have bowled dry in Australia and it worked there too
https://twitter.com/x/status/1351072702237339648

Watch to the end, fantastic interview that.

Don’t get why some people dislike the lad at all
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Regarding Bairstow he was deservedly dropped. I think when players who have tons of ability (like him and Buttler for example) they deserve more leeway and more chances but sometimes a bad run just goes on too long and a decision needs to be made. however class is permanent and the door should never be closed on someone like him. He's done well in this game and will probably get further chances in India. Good luck to him and if someone else plays instead of him good luck to them also!
 
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rentaghost said:
I'm not sure about Sibley. He has fantastic concentration and a great attitude and he has shown so far that when he's in he can score big. However its obvious he has massive issues against spin and i think good quicks have realized a huge flaw in that if they bowl shortish and at is body and put a leg slip in he finds it very difficult. However that is what test cricket is all about - seeing if you can overcome challenges and develop. Good luck to him.
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Agree - I just think he's got enough about him to develop and find a method to cope with his difficulties at the moment. He's got good backroom staff who should be able to polish some of these rough edges he currently has and some of it can come down to pure determination and concentration - Steve Waugh being a good example as he stopped playing the hook shot in the mid 90's and was rarely seen playing an attacking shot to a short ball directed into the body again!

Cook, Waugh, Graeme Smith are all evidence that you can be a prolific test run scorer with a limited shot selection. I don't think Sibley will reach these levels but he's got the fundamentals to score runs in test cricket, he now needs to work on the weaknesses that test cricket usually expose at the start of one's career.
 
The Breen Machine said:
Agree - I just think he's got enough about him to develop and find a method to cope with his difficulties at the moment. He's got good backroom staff who should be able to polish some of these rough edges he currently has and some of it can come down to pure determination and concentration - Steve Waugh being a good example as he stopped playing the hook shot in the mid 90's and was rarely seen playing an attacking shot to a short ball directed into the body again!

Cook, Waugh, Graeme Smith are all evidence that you can be a prolific test run scorer with a limited shot selection. I don't think Sibley will reach these levels but he's got the fundamentals to score runs in test cricket, he now needs to work on the weaknesses that test cricket usually expose at the start of one's career.
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Cracking post I hope so
 
The Breen Machine said:
Agree - I just think he's got enough about him to develop and find a method to cope with his difficulties at the moment. He's got good backroom staff who should be able to polish some of these rough edges he currently has and some of it can come down to pure determination and concentration - Steve Waugh being a good example as he stopped playing the hook shot in the mid 90's and was rarely seen playing an attacking shot to a short ball directed into the body again!

Cook, Waugh, Graeme Smith are all evidence that you can be a prolific test run scorer with a limited shot selection. I don't think Sibley will reach these levels but he's got the fundamentals to score runs in test cricket, he now needs to work on the weaknesses that test cricket usually expose at the start of one's career.
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Nah mate, everyone has to be flawless all the time otherwise they are out! ;)
 
rentaghost said:
I'm not sure about Sibley. He has fantastic concentration and a great attitude and he has shown so far that when he's in he can score big. However its obvious he has massive issues against spin and i think good quicks have realized a huge flaw in that if they bowl shortish and at is body and put a leg slip in he finds it very difficult. However that is what test cricket is all about - seeing if you can overcome challenges and develop. Good luck to him.


Regarding Bairstow he was deservedly dropped. I think when players who have tons of ability (like him and Buttler for example) they deserve more leeway and more chances but sometimes a bad run just goes on too long and a decision needs to be made. however class is permanent and the door should never be closed on someone like him. He's done well in this game and will probably get further chances in India. Good luck to him and if someone else plays instead of him good luck to them also!
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Agreed aye on last point

On sibley I think he’s done well against the quicks. And has showed he can handle them

Getting out to a few flicks ff his hip is not the worst issue to have, he has a good defence and is patient, he’s been pretty consistent against some excellent attacks

I want him opening in Australia, I think he can handle Cummins n haze which is all that matters

I suspect he might not play in India if it turns, which is fine by me
The Breen Machine said:
Agree - I just think he's got enough about him to develop and find a method to cope with his difficulties at the moment. He's got good backroom staff who should be able to polish some of these rough edges he currently has and some of it can come down to pure determination and concentration - Steve Waugh being a good example as he stopped playing the hook shot in the mid 90's and was rarely seen playing an attacking shot to a short ball directed into the body again!

Cook, Waugh, Graeme Smith are all evidence that you can be a prolific test run scorer with a limited shot selection. I don't think Sibley will reach these levels but he's got the fundamentals to score runs in test cricket, he now needs to work on the weaknesses that test cricket usually expose at the start of one's career.
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It’s also worth noting that opening in Sri Lanka is a freak thing

He will never ever open against spin in most places in the world

By the time he faces spin normally he’s 30 not out or so

It’s not an issue to me. Maybe he’s not the man to open in Sri Lanka, but that bares absolutely no relevance to opening in Australia or in England

Put it this way, it’s just about the best flaw you can have as an opener. Know what I mean?
 
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rentaghost said:
I wouldn't be against that like. There's not an obvious solution to the openers problem in India assuming they are in favour of spin which Chennai usually is. Burns will probably be one position with Crawley 3 i reckon.
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I’d forgotten about Burns. But I could get away with

Burns
Bairstow
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
And then bowlers to suit surface etc

I realise it’s probably messing Bairstow around a bit, which is a bit unfair. But I don’t think he’s a long term 3, and don’t think he plays ahead of Crawley, Root or Pope. So it’s either open or replace Buttler (I’m indifferent between the two)

I don’t think Bairstow can open long term either btw
 
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chunkylover53 said:
I’d forgotten about Burns. But I could get away with

Burns
Bairstow
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
And then bowlers to suit surface etc

I realise it’s probably messing Bairstow around a bit, which is a bit unfair. But I don’t think he’s a long term 3, and don’t think he plays ahead of Crawley, Root or Pope. So it’s either open or replace Buttler (I’m indifferent between the two)

I don’t think Bairstow can open long term either btw
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Based on that though, Crawley has to open

He is an opener and has opened all his life.

Bairstow could bat 3 in India I think, but opening is asking too much of him.

I think there is a chance Lawrence might move ahead of Pope too, wasnt my initial belief but just following all the journos on twitter they seem to think that in spin conditions its possible. Pope was poor in the summer mind. Although I am a huge fan, everyone needs to be in the team on merit

The lads in this squad have the advantage, remember there are no warm up games in India, so I'd go with lads playing cricket over those who arent, bar the obious ones of Stokes and Archer

I think its a huge ask getting people straifght from a hotel room to face India's attack after no cricket, IMO anyway.
rentaghost said:
I wouldn't be against that like. There's not an obvious solution to the openers problem in India assuming they are in favour of spin which Chennai usually is. Burns will probably be one position with Crawley 3 i reckon.
Click to expand...

Crawley will open in India IMO, I'll be amazed if not

although they may not spin like we think, so if thats the case then Sibley obviously opens.
 
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The Rat said:
Based on that though, Crawley has to open

He is an opener and has opened all his life.

Bairstow could bat 3 in India I think, but opening is asking too much of him.

I think there is a chance Lawrence might move ahead of Pope too, wasnt my initial belief but just following all the journos on twitter they seem to think that in spin conditions its possible. Pope was poor in the summer mind. Although I am a huge fan, everyone needs to be in the team on merit

The lads in this squad have the advantage, remember there are no warm up games in India, so I'd go with lads playing cricket over those who arent, bar the obious ones of Stokes and Archer

I think its a huge ask getting people straifght from a hotel room to face India's attack after no cricket, IMO anyway.


Crawley will open in India IMO, I'll be amazed if not

although they may not spin like we think, so if thats the case then Sibley obviously opens.
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I buy the Crawley/Bairstow argument totally.

I really rate Pope, he’s got it all. And needs to play, everywhere. He reeks of class.
 
I could well be proved wrong but think Sibley is not a long term answer, definitely not against spin, but even against pace in the long term.

There is some much analysis done nowadays and so much prep, international teams do that , hence they will work out where to bowl to him to restrict his scoring shots which is limited now and would be even further limited when the top teams work out where to bowl to him
 
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