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Sri Lanka v England: Tourists use three wicketkeepers in warm-up match

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments112

Ben Foakes keeps wicket for England
Ben Foakes was called up for England's Ashes tour to Australia in 2017-18 but is yet to be capped at Test level
Tour match day one, Colombo
Sri Lanka Board President's XI 392-9 dec: Silva 62, Sarathchandra 59; Moeen 2-64
England: Yet to bat
Scorecard

England used three wicketkeepers on the opening day of their two-day tour match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI, who declared on 392-9.

With Jonny Bairstow recovering from an ankle injury, England gave Jos Buttler, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope time behind the stumps in Colombo.

The hosts had 90 overs, regardless of wickets, and three batsmen retired after making half-centuries.

England will bat under the same playing conditions on Wednesday.

Both teams could field 14 men, and the touring side used eight bowlers - seven before lunch - though Ben Stokes instead spent long periods in the nets.

As well as rotating his wicketkeepers, England captain Joe Root gave the second new ball to leg-spin bowlers Adil Rashid and Joe Denly.

Root had said on Monday that Buttler was likely to stand in should Bairstow not be fit for the first Test, which starts on Tuesday, 6 November.

England did not make a breakthrough until the 39th over, when James Anderson found the edge of Lahiru Thirimanne.

And Stuart Broad, whose place in the Test team is reported to be in doubt,external-link failed to strike in his 11 overs.

The spinners made an impact as the day wore on, Moeen Ali taking a wicket either side of tea, Rashid striking later in the session and Denly claiming a wicket with the last ball of the day.

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112 comments

  • Comment posted by Angry Beast, at 13:16 30 Oct 2018

    We used 3 keepers in a warm up game. Blah, blah blah.

    I want a HYS on the outrageous suggestion that the Aussies bans be lifted. They formulated a devious and deceitful plan then told bare faced lies to the media and authorities. Really well planned lies. They should be banned for that alone.

    No amount of high handed deflection can change the truth. They were cheats of the very worst kind.

  • Comment posted by chatsy, at 18:04 30 Oct 2018

    #61 Its hard to bash these particular Aussies too much - especially Warner - wasn't he the one who despicably sledged Jonny Bairstow over his Dad's suicide, only to walk off in a sulk the other day coz he could not take what he gave out in spades

  • Comment posted by U14061168, at 13:40 30 Oct 2018

    Have we not had this 14 a side nonsense before?
    Successful tours have started with "real" warm-up games.

  • Comment posted by Jumparound, at 13:20 30 Oct 2018

    The Sri Lanka board XI were 392/9 from 89.5 overs.
    Though the 9 'wickets' actually includes 3 retirements.
    Basically, England got smashed all over the place today.

    How is Leach not playing! 5 seamers are not needed in Sri Lanka.

  • Comment posted by lucky arsenal, at 13:31 30 Oct 2018

    Once again England seem to be messing jack leach about. 14 players allowed and he still can't get a game.

  • Comment posted by dave61, at 13:36 30 Oct 2018

    Why leave our best spinner Leach out? Words fail me-again.

  • Comment posted by Nottsfan, at 13:26 30 Oct 2018

    Entirely predictable from Broad. I'm sorry but he should not be in the test team under Sri Lankan conditions. Bowls wrong length and no lateral seam movement to help him out there. Not much point to his batting nowadays either.

  • Comment posted by perfidiousalbion, at 21:09 30 Oct 2018

    Pretty rusty by the sounds of it. Let's see how bat 1st
    On another subject the Aussie trios bans should NOT be lifted. Whatever the Aussie culture they were part of it and are adults so made their own decisions. However much the ACA whinge the suspensions should stand Any less dilutes the message.

  • Comment posted by Yorkshire, at 13:57 30 Oct 2018

    Foakes should keep, as we need a good keeper with Spin. Buttler has never taken a stumping in test cricket & only 2 in first class cricket career. He missed an easy one in United arabs before last time he kept in tests & missed another in ODI the other day.
    Can not afford to miss such chances in these tests

  • Comment posted by Unlimited, at 13:58 30 Oct 2018

    England got absolutely spanked today. It’s a disgrace Jack Leach isn’t playing. What on earth is the side we picked? Leach is our best bowler full stop in these conditions and he’s not in the side! I don’t see Burns on the sheet either, just one opener. Unless this is a game you can use more than 11 men. But if so you’d have thought Leach would be playing. Appalling shambles again by the selectors

  • Comment posted by Peter Lanky, at 13:31 30 Oct 2018

    re. 1. Posted by Angry Beast on 12 minutes ago

    Agree absolutely. Anyone other than a professional sportsman would have lost their job, struggled to get another and quite rightly be reminded for the rest of their lives the severity of what they had done.

    Instead, they are having to put up with a minor inconvenience while still raking in the cash.

  • Comment posted by steve_harmisons_middle_finger, at 19:28 30 Oct 2018

    This sentiment has been repeated many times, but the warm ups for foreign tours are a complete joke. Need at least two first class games before and one in between tests.

  • Comment posted by FFB2, at 14:05 30 Oct 2018

    Boys club doesn’t pick side for conditions . What’s new? Boys club picks Broad over Leach in Sri Lanka as afraid to rock the boys club boat. What’s new? Boys club picks the wrong spinners, instead of Leach who is the best in these conditions. Denly and Root are red ball part-timers, they aren’t test standard bowlers. Leach has the best control and these wickets will do the rest for him. Pick him.

  • Comment posted by UrbanFox, at 15:23 30 Oct 2018

    Where’s Leach??Based on today could be very long and tough tour!! Seamers virtually ineffective, Anderson is class regardless.

    Do we really need broad/Woakes/Curran? I feel they will contribute more with bat than ball!

    My team would be

    Burns
    Denly
    Moeen
    Root
    Stokes
    Buttler
    Woakes
    Curran
    Rashid
    Leach
    Anderson

    Woakes and Curran will contribute with bat and might get odd wicket!

  • Comment posted by James, at 07:58 31 Oct 2018

    Stokes retires injured.

    Ready made excuse for England management.

    He is the new Gotham in that he gets picked even if he's not fit, playing outright badly, condition don't suit him and the team overly rely on his unfortunate inconsistency

    He's talented but he's not a superstar - 1 innings on a flat pitch in SA doesn't make you a genuine batsman

    Jason Gillespie has a test double ton

  • Comment posted by Dougal, at 03:09 31 Oct 2018

    What is the point of flogging Anderson and Broad to death in the searing heat playing this nonsense? I wouldn't have taken them on this monsoon tour. Should be kept in wraps for the Ashes. Probably only need two seamers and there are plenty of alternatives. Utterly pointless. At 36 one injury could mean the end for Anderson.

  • Comment posted by shls, at 22:50 30 Oct 2018

    Very little to learn from this two day farrago - one or two proper 3 day matches pre-Test necessary to get people into some sort of form when abroad. Having said that, I watched Foakes at the Oval all season and he's both an excellent keeper and very decent bat (averaged 36 or so). I'd keep Buttler for batting and stick Foakes behind the stumps, as he's used to keeping for a full day (or more).

  • Comment posted by LMAV, at 09:05 31 Oct 2018

    One reason England's Ashes series in Aus in 2011 went so well was because they had three proper games before the test matches started. This example is frequently cited but the administrators take no notice. We do the same to our touring teams - warm-ups against D2 counties or D1 seconds.

  • Comment posted by Peter, at 20:52 30 Oct 2018

    England are experimenting. Let’s base their performance on a warm up match? Our team is doing well in most formats of the game so try to be positive. Perhaps discuss that the Aussies should serve their full ban. Goodness muralitharan had to pay the Aussie penalty for long enough. Spin I see taken well in Sri Lanka so we have to practice.

  • Comment posted by U16636004, at 20:35 30 Oct 2018

    I understand why teams are allowed to field more than 11 players but I think it is a load of rubbish. It makes the game a lottery and is also another route towards a loss of integrity.

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