[Cricket] Sri Lanka v England, Galle, First Test ****Official Match thread****

[atfc village]

Not been but the seafood is supposed to be rather good. Definitely on the list.

It was my one and only trip to Asia . I'll admit i went in very blinkered ,thinking i won't get on with the food etc etc . Happy to admit i was so wrong and would go again in a blink . Traditional Sri Lankan breakfast ,Curry with sweet bread watching monkeys in the trees from our balcony . Wonderful.

 

[sydney]

Nothing beats having a tranny under the duvet in the small hours, fiddling about on the knob .

.

typical sunday morning in sydney through th 90's ....

 

[MattBackHome]

Wonderful Cricket ground ,grass banks right in Galle City centre . Stroll into town at lunch for a beer and some street food [and it was ok and i'm very fussy with stuff like that] Have a wander round the fort and still see the cricket from the battlements . Tuk Tuk back to the resort £3 and those drivers are mental. Tickets a snip at £1.50 a day ,would love to be there again

Yeah Galle is great. We actually bumped into Sangakkara while sipping a Tom Collins or something at one of the swanky colonial hotels inside the fort walls. He looked like a God.

 

[dazzer6666]

Oh God yes I remember that day. Mind you I also remember well the classic AWG ‘when they’re down they grovel’ series - that was particularly dire. I wasn’t really mature enough to fully appreciate Whispering Death and IVA

I was lucky enough to catch some of the best years of Viv at Somerset (along with Garner and Beefy). Spent loads of days at Taunton as a kid (mid to late teens). Brilliant times.

 

[LlcoolJ]

typical sunday morning in sydney through th 90's ....

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Pevenseagull]

At the start of every series I am reminded of what should have been my first day watching Sussex.

1983 school holidays Sussex v Hampshire at the Saffrons, I was 12 and had fallen for cricket 2 years before.

I loved all sport but after the FA cup final and watching some of England v New Zealand test series I came to the realisation that one of the benefits of cricket was that I wasn't mortified if 'my' team lost. This was largely due to the Richard Hadlee being good at everything and wanting Chris Tavare to be out so Gower, Lamb and Botham could bat.

A bunch of us kids were going to go along to the first day's play in Eastbourne but went to the beach instead, I think there were some parents involved in the decision. Imran got a century and Marshall bowled a load of overs and got a load of wickets (not that I knew what was happening).

I think I was at home on the second day, watching the test. I know when The Evening Argus got delivered and I saw what had happened on day1 at The Saffrons and could barely sleep ahead of finally going for the third day.

We missed the start of day 3 but saw Paul Terry get a ton and Chris Waller take some wickets (had to look these up, not very memorable).

Sussex lost by 3 wickets (had to look that up as well) and I was absolutely gutted. Not so much that I'd missed out on seeing Imran and Marshall in full flow, but that Sussex had lost. Full partisanship restored.

Anyway, for about 80% of my life I've loved test cricket above all sport ... and here it comes again.

 

[doogie004]

Sri Lanka 81/5


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[pasty]

I'm taking full credit for the current score. Didn't wake up for the start as intended so obviously miss 5 wickets in a morning session.

 

[dazzer6666]

I'm taking full credit for the current score. Didn't wake up for the start as intended so obviously miss 5 wickets in a morning session.

Likewise [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[dazzer6666]

Ouch. YJB taking one for the team there. Smashed into him at short leg as tried to turn away from it, rebounds into the air off his foot and pouched by Buttler. 126-7.

 

[Marshy]

damn it I forgot this was on

 

[Gwylan]

damn it I forgot this was on

I hadn't but it's a bit too one-sided to be of much interest to me. The Australia - India series is much more compelling, that's proper test cricket.

England against Sri Lanka has the feel of Albion playing Burgess Hill in a pre-season friendly. Sad because SL had some decent players a few years ago but they're in a real period of transition now

 

[dazzer6666]

I hadn't but it's a bit too one-sided to be of much interest to me. The Australia - India series is much more compelling, that's proper test cricket.

England against Sri Lanka has the feel of Albion playing Burgess Hill in a pre-season friendly. Sad because SL had some decent players a few years ago but they're in a real period of transition now

Wait until we’ve batted before making that kind of call [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[The Wizard]

One of the unluckiest innings I’ve ever seen from a batting team Can see England struggling on this Bunsen turner.

Bizzare decision from the third umpire there, thought that was 100% a run out.

 

[Mackenzie]

And that’s that.

 

[The Wizard]

A mixture of bad lack and utterly shocking batting from Sri Lanka.

 

[zefarelly]

I hadn't but it's a bit too one-sided to be of much interest to me. The Australia - India series is much more compelling, that's proper test cricket.

England against Sri Lanka has the feel of Albion playing Burgess Hill in a pre-season friendly. Sad because SL had some decent players a few years ago but they're in a real period of transition now

Do you miss Malinga the slinger ?

 

[Gwylan]

Do you miss Malinga the slinger ?

I was thinking more of Dilshan, Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Samaraweera and Herath. Malinga retired from test cricket about the same time as Murali and Vaas. Blimey, that's when SL really had a team

 

[A1X]

Must be one of the filthiest 5-fers in history for Bess

 

[Gwylan]

I've just seen England's over rate - 46 overs by tea time is appalling. The ICC should really be cracking down on this and fining teams heavily/suspending captains (or both). It won't matter in this game as it will be over in three days and there are no fans but if it's not stopped, fans are going to be very short changed.

It wasn't that long ago when teams regularly bowled more than 100 overs (in fewer hours of play), these delaying tactics really have to stop.