The English Cricketing Empire - A Story

[TheDevil666]

We really now need to improve for the second game. Shahzad comes in for Yardy.



I lose the toss and bat which I would have done anyway.

England Innings

A spritely century by Kieswetter (106) set us on our way. He was backed up by 76* for KP and some quick hitting down the order saw us make 289/7 which should be defendable.

Sri Lanka Innings

Sri Lanka decided to attack and because of their long tail that was a very bad idea. There were half-centuries for Mathews and Samaweera but figures of 4/60 for Shahzad and 3 wickets for Woakes were enough to see us home by 14 runs.



1-1, 3 to play.

[TheDevil666]

In this pivotal ODI I go with an unchanged team.



I win the toss and bowl.

Sri Lanka Innings

Chandimal, Mathews and Jayawardene all made decent scores for them. At 162/3 I was worried but the cloud and the long tail helped us to bowl them out for 231. Shahzad with 3 wickets. It will be a difficult chase.

England Innings

This was always going to be a difficult chase with the cloud cover and the pitch. Kieswetter got himself in but was out, likewise with Hales. At the halfway stage we were 112/4 but a brilliant partnership between Ian Bell and Luke Wright saw us home. They both contributed half-centuries.



2-1, 2 to play. Victory in any of the remaining ODIs will see us home.

[TheDevil666]

4th ODI and again I stick with the same team.



I lose the toss and am put into bat. 250 would be good.

England Innings

And we did. Kieswetter was out after getting a start and Trott was out for a duck. Hales top-scored with 76 while Pietersen supported him with 48. Ater they went Ian Bell struck a pacy half-century as we totalled 251/6.

Sri Lanka Innings

It was a close run thing. Chandimal and Sangakarra each hit half-centuries but once they (and Mathews) were gone, their tail was soon exposed. They collapsed from 158/2 and cruising to 237 all out and defeated.



We take the series 3-2 after losing the fifth ODI by 31 runs chasing 200. It was terrible.

Updates will resume soon, possibly Saturday evening maybe Sunday.

[samcarroll]

Your doing very well, but just remember;
1) If it's cloudy on the first morning of a test match, but the pitch is pretty good, then you can always bat first, albeit defensively for a few hours, before the sun will come out and you will have good weather, and a good pitch. Just because it's cloudy doesn't neccassarily mean it will stay like that for the whole time you're batting!

2) Try to keep some kind of consistency, especially in the ODI side- if a team wins one match, but loses the next, it doesn't always need to spark several changes- every side has a bad day!

On the whole though, this looks good. I'd say Woakes looks promising for you ODI-wise, while Trott is consistent in all formats.

[kee93]

introduce some off the youth like bairstow,stokes and briggs good players