I'v always rated Tresco and I reckon another possibility would be Cook/Strauss/Tresco/Yawn/KP/Bell for the top 6.. it makes sense because Tresco is a builder, the two openers are solid, Yawn will only face an older ball and KP and Bell can keep their partnership. Only problem is that there is no part time bowler (except kp, haha) in the top 6 and one is often useful (Symonds, Ganguly, Clarke, Sehwag, Kallis, Colly, Tendulkar, Jayasuria, etc are all useful bowlers). Then a keeper.. well Prior is no, Ambrose is decent and I think Read will never really be ready for test cricket. As for bowlers, well you can't keep Broad (reminder : he is in the side to take wickets.. if he doesn't, a 5 man attack is effectively a 4 man attack and a 4 man attack becomes 3 which is asking for trouble). I rate Siders, Anderson, Monty and Flintoff. But I feel that England need to find that special someone that can take 7 wickets in his day. Fred can't do it, Siders can't do it, and Anderson can only do it on a very helpful wicket and against a very unsolid batting line up. Thus, Harmison (90+ mph) comes back into the picture, as well as Jones and Hoggard. But who do you drop?

Y2 - I think we should bat the first hour tomorrow and declare. India will bat and I am sure they'll do well. A line up with names such as Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly are not easy to bowl out. This is definitely going to be a draw mainly the rain played two sessions. I think they had no option but to schedule the tour at this time cos of the tight international fixtures. Can you remember last year South Africa and India came at the same time and not a single match was played on that triangular tournament due to rain.

Pietersen is a match winner. He has the potential to turn a game and he creates pressure on the opposition just by being in the team. After losing the series against South Africa - which I predict - he will be itching to make his mark on the world stage again.

Del... U're right...The weather should hold up for a result... But I don't see that happening knowing SL's weather, but still they could press for a result, providing Indian batting line up doesn't live up to their worth. Long way from that happening though....

Smith & Kallis are still one of the most fearfull players in world cricket they are 1 of a kind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why not drop KP whats makes him drifrent, a kick up the backside might do him good, tresco comin back is not goin to happen you all know that,for now we to stick with ambrose and as for broad he may not be takin wkts but he got the runs

I would give Freddie the skippers role. Sure he let himself and others down with the pedalo affair but he must have learned from that. As for Prior, I take the point about dropped catches, so yeah, Ambrose for Prior.

The Sri Lankans are playing well. I think this test is gonna be a draw. Let's see. I love this referral system. I think Mahela used it successfully today. Why on earth do people schedule matches to be played during rainy season??

So recco you dropping pietersen?

england, south africa,newzealand,india,west indies all other teams visited Pakistan. Asia cup just held in Pakistan and nothing happened now plz tell me what is the problems with the teams y they dont want to visit Pakistan y bad preception is spreading around the world plz clear me

I have to agree on the issue of bringing Tresco back (if he is willing, if not some1 should convince him!), he was vital in the English team of old. Get rid of Broad, he can't bowl for squat and I don't think his batting average will last. Vaughan should stay because even though he has no hope against Steyn he seems to bat better against the Aussies. And, as editor says, there is no one else who can captain. I'm still for Ambrose instead of Prior, you cannot have a wcketkeeper in the team who drops the ball all the time. It is just too costly. Prior never scored that many anyway. I haven't seen much of Simon Jones's return but if he is in some form I'd give him a go. I never have thought much of Harmy so I would chuck him too. Therefore I would say - Strauss, Cook, Tresco, Bell, Vaughan, Collingwood, Ambrose, Flintoff, Sidebottom, Anderson (unless Simon Jones comes into consistent good form), Panesar. Bowling might be a bit weak but I think its the best they can do without comprimising the top 6.

Tresco is retired from Cricket right? Collingwood is under a bad patch he'll come good after couple of Durham pro 40's. Anderson is good too, Harmison era is gone he's not consistent anymore. England shouldn't change the team so often, one bad match doesn't mean you have to change the whole team.

Willo, I like the idea of playing Harmy and Tresco. Yes they will fall to pieces outside of England, but why not go for a horses-for-courses approach (although I know that didnt work so well in the last test...) and pick them when they will be on form? Not convinced about Prior though, he was a poor keeper in the past, and that won't have changed. Yes, he will chip in with some runs, but by playing him you run the risk of giving away more runs then he can score with drop catches etc.

With an eye on a home Ashes series I suggest the following England team: Cook, Strauss, Tresco, KP,Bell, Broad, Prior,Flintoff,Sidebottom, Panesar, Harmison. Harmison and Tresco are no good at travelling outside of England but seem to do the job at home.

Y2 - Yeah! I am not complaining mate, just happy to see 3 of them getting hundreds. I think they'll try to score 500 before declaring. Day 2 is almost finish and the forecast doesn't look good.

Just 1 million??!! Pom, don't tell me that you cannot afford to pay Karma a measly sum of ZIM $33 billion !! That would be just shy of 1 US$.

Lanka should seriously think about declaring around 400 if they are looking for a result. With over 2 sessions gone due to rain, that is their only chance of forcing a win.

saman, I agree with your on Broad. He does not look like a test bowler to me.

cotsspur, after the Pattinson debacle (at least according to Vaughan), I don't think the English selectors will have the gumption to experiment with a greenhorn any time soon.

del.. Its good that Mahela is batting slowly. I think he wants to bat only ones in this game. Its another story of that actually happening, but thats their mindset right now.

Why is it that South Africa has to play a four day game while England get a rest? Even the few English players who could have gone to play country cricket has been told to take a break. Maybe its an English plan to wear out their opponents.

Karma - Group 4 security are standing by in case I have to send you the million Zimbo dollars (LOL). Poochandi...well what a surprise the Saffa's were absent on that weekend !

Well I was here all through the Lords' game, and no shame from me. I couldn't believe it, but I wasn't hiding from it ^^ Anyway, Proph, I'm merely suggesting for England, because by the looks of their bowling attack they need a bit of bite. They need to understand that Flintoff is not the be all and end all of a bowling attack or batting line up (yet?). Harmison bowls 90+ and would go rather well with Siders (swing) and Anderson (half-half). Dropping Monty is always dangerous as he is a match-turner on his day (those days don't come often though, and he enjoys getting tail-enders out). Also playing 4 quicks leaves them in danger re over rates (Vaughan suspended would be funny.. do they recall Colly as captain or do they make KP captain? KP as test captain would be funnier than Vaughan trying to prod at Steyn's away-swingers). I digress. Surely they can balance their line-up better than it was in the 2nd test? It has proven that they need a top 6. It's the bowling attack that's interesting, and surely Broad has to go.. the poor bloke cannot get wickets! Averaging 49 with the ball (and 41 with the bat.. lol), 19 wickets in 15 innings, of which 6 were meaningful (he played 5 tests against NZ, getting 15 wickets, mostly tail-enders).

Well done Mahela Jayawardena for equalling a Don Bradman record! Love to see him get a double ton but he's scoring very slowly.

And to think of it Dhoni isnt great shakes behind the stump himself. It is not that India is missing a great wicketkeeper but rather a good lower order batsman.