Cricket

[Mattyblue]

Could be a match winning inninngs that.

Really tidy player, think Bell's days may be numbered...

[Al]

We have just been stuffed by Pakistan and appear to have only 4 batsmen capable of consistently making a score. I list Cook, Taylor, Root and Bell and that is being generous. In the meantime our best batsman (KP) is making centuries but will not be selected. It's absolutely ridiculous, whether the captain likes him or not.

[Mattyblue]

Three years on from the last beating in the UAE and we still can't bat against spin... and these days we can't bowl it either.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Mattyblue

[chaddyrovers]

Very disappointed series result in the UAE.

But we are playing against South Africa around Christmas in a 4 test match series.

I expect Hales to come in for Rashid. Plus I can see Ali being our spinner there.

My team would be:-

Cook, Hales, Bell, Root, Taylor, Bairstow, Ali, Broad, Plunkett, Anderson, Finn.

I haven't pick Stokes or Wood cos I dont think they will be fit enough or injured.

If Stokes is fit then he replaces Plunkett and bats at 7

Edited November 6, 2015 by chaddyrovers

[Baz]

Must be hard to play test cricket in those harsh conditions, with only a handful of people in the ground.

Still see no reason for moving Ali up the order, he does a good job playing a few shots in lower mid-order, different kettle of fish as an opener.

We have some serious batting issues at present, and keep trying the same people.

Haven't seen SA recently, but they should be relishing the prospect of the 4 tests.

[chaddyrovers]

South Africa are currently playing Against India in India.

They seems to have a new side cos I've only heard of 5 or 6 of them. Like De Villers, Amla(who is captain), Steyn, Morkel, Tahir and Du Plessis.

[Husky]

Surely 6th in the cricket world rankings is almost minnow territory?

But we won the Ashes!!!!!!!!

[only2garners]

There needs to be a bit of realism here. No away team has ever won a test series against Pakistan in the UAE. Only one team (New Zealand) has ever won a test match. England came preciously close to winning the first test, just being denied by the light and they have been competitive in the other two.

I see Al is still banging on about his mate. I see he didn't mention Pietersen's scores the last time England were in the UAE - 2, 0, 14, 1, 32 and 18.

[Gav]

I wish I was at Newlands in Cape Town right now, looks fantastic and the cricket isn't bad either.

[ABBEY]

why..because of the bikini shots a few mins ago? hahaha shhh i wont tell debs.

[matt83]

I wish I was at Newlands in Cape Town right now, looks fantastic and the cricket isn't bad either.

3 of my mates are out there. Very jealous. Sadly I couldn't afford it as also went to Antigua/Grenada test in April. For all that was a great crack can't help but thinking if I was only doing one tour this was the one to pick.

Sure they've bought the rovers st Georges flag so I'll look out for it when hit boundaries

[BiggusLaddus]

Another good day for England. Finely balanced when we went 5 down but an excellent last session.

Amla looks lost as captain.

[Baz]

Apart from the last ball before and the first ball after tea, was very much Englands day.

Stokes and Bairstow did a very good job of staving off the pressure, and scoring at a decent strike rate to force South Africa back.

Think if England can get another 100 on the board in this innings, and a pitch set up to rewards the likes of Broad and Finn, it could well be a very nice position by tomorrow evening.

[Ste B]

I wish I was at Newlands in Cape Town right now, looks fantastic and the cricket isn't bad either.

It's not bad at all but it's bloody hot. Seen a few blues out here. And some of that lot

[ABBEY]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/35215453?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_sport&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

awful

[Gav]

It's not bad at all but it's bloody hot. Seen a few blues out here. And some of that lot

Just seen a lad with an old Yellow Mcewans lager top on, debs swears she saw you with him Ste?

We need to get on the one of these trips, we always say we'll go but never end up there, got the Ashes penciled in so we'll see.

Enjoy the trip, then again how could you not enjoy it!

[ABBEY]

Ste b on Tv before the watershed ?

[Baz]

Unbelievable innings going on right now from Stokes, with Bairstow scoring at just under a run a ball playing sedately.

[Ste B]

We have been on today but no rovers shirts in sight. There's a good few blues out here, most from Cherry Tree it seems

[K-Hod]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-35231783- I've found the (over) reaction to this incredibly embarrassing. He only asked her out for a drink for god's sake.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-35231783- I've found the (over) reaction to this incredibly embarrassing. He only asked her out for a drink for god's sake.

I found his comment far more embarrassing. He's a professional being interviewed by another professional as part of his job in front of thousands of people, and he decides now's the time for a creepy one-liner. I've always loved Gayle as a cricketer, phenomenal player sort of holding back the tide for a once mighty but now rapidly failing cricketing nation. But translate that interview to say a large boardroom linked to a conference call to multiple other boardrooms around the world. Would it be acceptable to say something like that? People need to have some appreciation of the fact that they're on TV and are role models.

[K-Hod]

I didn't really think it was creepy, just saw it as him having a laugh tbh. Maybe it would have been better off camera, but some of the furore has been ridiculous.

[oldjamfan1]

Have they reached 1000 yet?

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I didn't really think it was creepy, just saw it as him having a laugh tbh. Maybe it would have been better off camera, but some of the furore has been ridiculous.

I thought the last part of it was creepy. "Don't blush" implies he expected his comment might embarrass or make her feel uncomfortable but that he finds that amusing if anything. And if by that he meant she'd be blushing/swooning at being overcome by him asking her out, arrogant much? Calling someone "baby" who you've only just met strikes me as pretty creepy too. But I suppose all that's subjective, maybe I'm quite old fashioned or overly polite when asking someone out.

Yeah definitely better off camera, personally don't see anything wrong with it then.

[K-Hod]

I thought the last part of it was creepy. "Don't blush" implies he expected his comment might embarrass or make her feel uncomfortable but that he finds that amusing if anything. And if by that he meant she'd be blushing/swooning at being overcome by him asking her out, arrogant much? Calling someone "baby" who you've only just met strikes me as pretty creepy too. But I suppose all that's subjective, maybe I'm quite old fashioned or overly polite when asking someone out.

Yeah definitely better off camera, personally don't see anything wrong with it then.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of 'baby' as a term of endearment in general, good spot!