SM
Oman vs. Qatar: 11 hrs 42 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

The major talking points ahead of England’s first Test in Sri Lanka

:Headline: The major talking points ahead of England’s first Test in Sri Lanka: ID:340665: from db_amp
England are without Alastair Cook for the first time in 12 years.

England’s three-match Test series in Sri Lanka begins on Tuesday in Galle.

Here Press Association Sport looks at five discussion points on the eve of the match.

Life after chef

Alastair Cook ended his Test career in September (Adam Davy/PA)

Less than two months after Alastair Cook brought down the curtain on his Test career in grand fashion with a farewell century at the Oval, England take the field without him for the first time in 12 years. There will be young fans who have never seen a Test without him facing the new ball or standing watch in the slips but now it is over to Keaton Jennings and debutant Rory Burns to begin anew. Marcus Trescothick called on the pair to “forge their own path” and these are the first steps on that journey.

All hail Herath

He may not have the chiselled good looks of an A-list star but Rangana Herath is a true great of Test cricket. His impending retirement, after one more visit to his favourite hunting ground, sees the departure of the most prolific left-arm spinner in history. The entire city of Galle is festooned with his likeness – with posters lining the streets, banners hung around the ground, and both sides planning to mark his 19-year career during the match. He needs one more wicket to reach 100 at the ground, and would become the third player in history to manage that at a single venue. Expect him to get plenty more than that.

No more “sitting ducks”

Several England players have spoken about the importance of playing positively against spin in this series and not becoming creasebound while waiting for the inevitable. Jack Leach, a spinner himself, arguably put it best when he said the visiting batsman would not be “sitting ducks”. Players’ own options will be different – coming down the track, sweeping, reverse-sweeping or paddling – but all of the main run-scorers will be expected to have a counter-punch to the home side’s twirlers.

Seeking an overdue win

Joe Root is hoping to lead England to a series win in Sri Lanka (Tim Goode/PA)

Remarkably, England have not won a Test on the road since they overturned Bangladesh in Chittagong in October 2016. Since then they have lost 10 and drawn three, with several truly troubling margins of defeat. The nature of modern touring schedules mean away wins are becoming harder and harder but England’s is a poor return on the talent and resources available to them. Captain Joe Root has vowed to make imaginative decisions to buck the trend and the success or failure of those gambles could be the difference.

Weather watch

After the limited-overs leg of the tour was blighted by thunderstorms – not entirely unforeseeable when the matches were scheduled for the back end of the monsoon season – a few clear sessions of uninterrupted cricket are the order of the day. It may be a forlorn hope though. Forecasts anticipate a heavy chance of rain on each of the five days meaning delays and stop-start cricket could be on the agenda. It might not please the thousands of travelling fans who have made the journey but if the covers hold in moisture and stop the pitch breaking up, it could play into English hands.

amp_article__340665 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2018-11-05 12:29:22:
html db last update - 2018-11-05 12:29:22 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Read more about England Sri Lanka Cricket
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .