Monday 23 May 2016

First test

At last some Test cricket!! Day one, Sri Lanka stuck us in and shortly after lunch I'm thinking "What is going on?  How can SL have us five down?"  Then Hales and Bairstow restored something approaching normality.  Day two, Bairstow whacks a great century, we make a respectable 298 then Jimmy & Broad bowl them out.  Day three, Jimmy is brilliant, watching it on TV was a privelige  and Sri lanka lose by an innings.


Five long months with no test cricket and its all over in a flash!  Dull weather at Headingly in May will always be bowler friendly and Anderson was just too good.  Hard to believe he'd never taken a 5 for here before.  This could be a golden summer for Jimmy.  Bairstow looks better with every innings and with nine catches his place behind the stumps is secure but could there be a case for moving him up to concentrate on his batting and bringing back Buttler at 7?  There are still places up for grabs in England's top five.  Stokes was injured so it looks like an in form Chris Woakes will get another chance as a like for like replacement.  He's lucky, hopefully he'll make the most of it.

It starts again at Durham on Friday.  Sri Lanka will surely play better but won't come close to winning.  England shouldn't miss Stokes too much this time but against better opposition...

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