Matt the Shrimp
aka Harry Potter
Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat.
Big news is that Sajjid Mahmood has been dropped and replaced by Gloucestershire's Jon Lewis. Surprising call, there.
Lewis has been in good form, though - and you get plenty of movement throught the air and off the seam up in Nottingham, which may be why the selectors have gone for the more traditionally English-style swing bowling of Lewis over the raw pace of Mahmood.
Add to that the fact that the Lankans have really struggled with movement through the air - England's top bowler this series has unquestionably been Hoggard - and it adds up to a decent case for Jon Lewis.
UPDATE!!
Lewis has opened the bowling with Hoggard, and in his first over has picked up a wicket!! Top man - what a great way to start your Test career.
Sri Lanka 2/1 - and it's the dangerous Michael Vandort who has been sent back to the Pavillion.
* * *
Meanwhile, SL - in a move that smacks mildly of desperation - have recalled former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, presumably because he has played a few county seasons here, and is thus one of the few people able to cope with the swing & seam of the English attack. He replaces Samaraweera, who had a dreadful Test at Edgbaston (8 & 3).
Kulasekera has also been dropped and has been replaced by the man whom he, in turn, replaced - Kapugedera, whose Test debut came at Lord's.
Current score: SL are 3/1.
Matt
Big news is that Sajjid Mahmood has been dropped and replaced by Gloucestershire's Jon Lewis. Surprising call, there.
Lewis has been in good form, though - and you get plenty of movement throught the air and off the seam up in Nottingham, which may be why the selectors have gone for the more traditionally English-style swing bowling of Lewis over the raw pace of Mahmood.
Add to that the fact that the Lankans have really struggled with movement through the air - England's top bowler this series has unquestionably been Hoggard - and it adds up to a decent case for Jon Lewis.
UPDATE!!
Lewis has opened the bowling with Hoggard, and in his first over has picked up a wicket!! Top man - what a great way to start your Test career.
Sri Lanka 2/1 - and it's the dangerous Michael Vandort who has been sent back to the Pavillion.
* * *
Meanwhile, SL - in a move that smacks mildly of desperation - have recalled former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, presumably because he has played a few county seasons here, and is thus one of the few people able to cope with the swing & seam of the English attack. He replaces Samaraweera, who had a dreadful Test at Edgbaston (8 & 3).
Kulasekera has also been dropped and has been replaced by the man whom he, in turn, replaced - Kapugedera, whose Test debut came at Lord's.
Current score: SL are 3/1.
Matt
