Sri Lanka observe Vaas heroics

In the lead up to the 1st Test, I said that Sri Lanka should be a tough test given that they have a class batting line up. I can't see players like Sangakkara and Jayawardene missing out again at Lords and Jayawardene especially has a great record there. So England can expect to have to work much harder in the field than in Cardiff. When batting they'll be up against a similar low profile Sri Lankan bowling attack and Sri Lankan's must have had a rueful smile on their faces when they saw Chaminda Vaas' heroics earlier in the week for Northants.

Apparently Finn has been bowling well for Middlesex according to John Emburey, but I find it hard to look past the time I watched Luke Wright take him apart at Hove on a bowler-friendly wicket earlier in the year - I worried for his international future that day, and 3 back of a length-bowlers with no Bopara/Collingwood style back up worries me. It'll be interesting to see how England go if, as expected, they play the tallest ever Test bowling line up.

The great news is that the weather looks set fair and spectators shouldn't have to put up with the usual bad light issues....looking forward to it. Without having seen the wicket, I predict a draw!

Emburey/Gaveskar link

It's all becoming clear. You probably read how surprised I was to find John Emburey was being considered for the Indian coaching role on Cricket Burble, summed up in the title "Emburey for India...really?".

I don't have full faith in Sunil Gaveskar as the head of the ICC's newly formed Cricket Committee - I have also burbled about that before.

Now the link between the two has become clear. BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah has been quoted as saying "Emburey's name was suggested by Gavaskar." That explains it.

Emburey for India...really?

When Duncan Fletcher resigned, England were in the lucky position of having a solid replacement lined up without too much upheaval. But had there not been an obvious candidate, if the name of John Emburey had been mentioned, we all would have choked laughing...wouldn't we? Highly respected player though he is (although Cricinfo describe his as "the Ashley Giles of his generation"), his coaching record is fairly lamentable. It's akin to Kevin Keegan and Glenn Hoddle getting the England football manager's job. Or perhaps it's even worse, and the equivalent of considering Glenn Roeder.

While there is no doubt that players can make or break the career of a coach, results surely can't be dismissed as irrelevant when it comes to appointments, whatever the standard of the players he was coaching.

Why the BCCI would want Emburey is beyond me...