Mills set to thrill
They got through the frosty early English summer. They had finally started getting to grips with the two top-ranked seam bowlers in the world.
Now Sri Lanka’s batsmen look like they may have to get ready for a totally different challenge altogether, with Tymal Mills said to be set for a place in England’s Twenty20 team.
Mills has no international experience to date. That, allied to the fact he cannot play long-form cricket because of a chronic back condition, means he remains something of an unknown quantity beyond England.
Sri Lanka’s batsmen might want to start swotting up, though. Mills has the sort of skills that are liable to hurt not just batting averages.
In his first match of any note, he nearly broke Graeme Swann’s arm in a practice match between England and Essex in 2013. Two weeks ago, he broke Chris Gayle’s defences in a Twenty20 match with a 93.3mph thunderbolt.
He possesses serious pace, and is seriously exciting.
Bowlers’ reprieve
Hooray, at last, for the bowlers. Mahela Jayawardene, a representative on the ICC cricket committee, has said a recommendation has been made for a tweak to the decision review system regarding lbws.
If it is upheld, only 25 per cent of the ball will need to be hitting the stumps for a batsman to be given out on review in future, rather than the current margin-of-error allowance of 50.
It is a seemingly minuscule difference which could, in fact, have a significant impact. Maybe not to the amount of dismissals, but at least to the general cheer of the bowlers.
Like when Jonny Bairstow escaped being given out in the first innings at Lord’s when on 56. Hawk-Eye showed the path of the ball to be crashing in to the leg stump, but only just barely less than half of it.
It is a rule that has always looked faintly ridiculous. Now the bowlers will be getting a little bit of assistance.
• Osman Samiuddin: ICC to review independent study to see if there is a fine-edge advance to be made in DRS
Amir can
Stuart Broad might be forgiven for having an axe to grind with Mohammed Amir. Beyond the standard feelings that international cricketers probably bear towards convicted fixers, even.
Broad’s one Test century to date will always have a dose of scepticism attached to it, given it was made during the match in which Amir was later proved to be bowling no-balls to order.
Yet the world's No 3-ranked bowler was sanguine when news came through that Amir had been granted a visa ahead of Pakistan's tour to the UK.
“At the end of the day as an England team to win a Test series like that is a brilliant feeling and you want to play against the best possible team you can,” Broad was quoted as saying.
“For quality of bowler I don’t think there is much doubt that he is up there with anyone.”
And on the early evidence of his return to the international fold in the limited overs sphere so far, five years out have done little to wither Amir’s ability.
• Mohammad Amir selected for Pakistan cricket's tour of England
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Cricket in review
Last week
• India beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets, first ODI
Tri-series
• South Africa beat Australia by 47 runs
• Australia beat West Indies by six wickets
Points table
1 Australia 3 2 1 9
2 South Africa 3 1 2 5
3 West Indies 2 1 1 4
Preview
This week
• Sunday - England v Sri Lanka, third Test
• Zimbabwe v India, second ODI;
• West Indies v Australia, Tri-series
Wednesday
• Zimbabwe v India, third ODI; West Indies v South Africa, Tri-series
Thursday
• Ireland v Sri Lanka, first ODI
Saturday
• Ireland v Sri Lanka, second ODI; Zimbabwe v India, Twenty20
Sunday
• Australia v South Africa, Tri-series
Game of the week
England v Sri Lanka, third Test
A dead rubber involving one side who have been underwhelming at best so far on tour should be a tough sell, right? Not when it is a Lord’s Test. The stands have been packed, and for all bar a short, telling session with the bat on the third morning, Sri Lanka’s players have remembered how to play cricket.
Player of the week
Jonny Bairstow – Not as fluent in previous trips to the crease in the series, and his effort was far from chanceless. But a first innings century for England salvaged his side’s chances, and earned him a place on the home team honours board at Lord’s.
Match-up of the week
From the look of the third Test, Sri Lanka are finding their stride just in time to take on an Ireland side who have been without much cricket of late. That said, though, the Irish will be keen to put on a show in a rare chance to host international touring opposition in Malahide.
Stat of the week
14 – The number of years since England had two right-handed batsmen opening the batting in a Test match. A knee injury to Alastair Cook while fielding on Saturday meant Nick Compton went up one place in the order to bat with Alex Hales. The last time it happened was in 2002, when Rob Key and Michael Vaughan opened up.
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