Cricket

[Husky]

I presume that England will be unchanged for the Old Trafford test.

It seems the Burnley lad's International career is basically finished now which has made it easier for the selectors.

[matt83]

Shame for Jimmy only 25 wickets off 600. If he gets fit and he’s still got the hunger there’s definitely a place for him. But at mid 30s, young family etc 3 winter tours to New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka might just be enough for him to say sod it.

As for lancs another record non roses crowd last night of 15,196. Shame the home game in bloody Durham on a Wednesday.

The ECB/Sky aren’t fit for purpose. The ECB schedule their premier domestic tournament (in terms of revenue) at the same time as an ashes test match. Then show zero consideration to Lancs fans who’ve been dealt a bum hand by not putting them on Saturday. Also with rain delays day one can go to 7pm which clashes with the start of the t20s and if there’s lost overs days 2 onwards could go on past 7pm in which case sky will have scheduling conflicts.

Suppose cricket isn’t any different to football in that the considerations are 1 money, 2 money, 3 money, 4 money, 5 TV, 6 clubs/players and rock bottom the fans. 

[Husky]

Don't forget it couldn't be played at an out ground like Liverpool 'because they couldn't accommodate Sky'.

Adding further insult to injury is to play the home game on a Wednesday night. I suspect a lot of families bought the 'season tickets' and now they have to get all the way up to (and back from) Durham on a school night.

Is anyone here planning to go?

[matt83]

Woakes must not have been fit then. Presumably why he hasn’t bowled. I put it down to Roots shall we say iffy captaincy. Doesn’t take too many injuries for England to look weak even in bowling dept. That said Overton is probably 5th choice reserve once jimmy, Wood, stone and woakes are out.

[den]

Denley opening and Roy at No 4 leaves us looking weak up top in my opinion.

[matt83]

Just now, den said:

Denley opening and Roy at No 4 leaves us looking weak up top in my opinion.

Agreed. Problem is for all Denly in all probability is not a test match opener he is probably more suited to it than Roy is. Another problem is Roy isn’t a number 4 either. One of our many number 7s

[den]

Roy hasn’t shown to me that he has the mental aptitude at this point, to play anywhere in the side. I would have dropped him.

[oldjamfan1]

Just now, den said:

Roy hasn’t shown to me that he has the mental aptitude at this point, to play anywhere in the side. I would have dropped him.

I think you could afford to have one of Roy and Buttler in the side, but not both. Especially when there are few reliable grafters elsewhere in the top order. Those two are fine when you are 300/3 but how often has that been the case in recent years?

[den]

I think Jos has at least proven that he has all the skills for test match cricket - and while he hasn’t been getting the runs of late, I wouldn’t be thinking of dropping him just yet. With a mid order of Bairstow, Stokes and Butller there is no need for a Jason Roy. I’m not writing him off but he’s not ready yet. If he gets another chance he has to put runs on the board. To do that he has to change his whole approach to test match batting.

Edited September 3, 2019 by den

[matt83]

Perhaps Roy should be putting in the hard yards in the county championship if he wants to be a successful test cricketer  but I wouldn’t expect that while there is the ££££ of the IPL

Edited September 3, 2019 by matt83

[Husky]

Smith and Lasagne is where the game is at (the 2 rocks). If England can't break this partnership it could be as good as game over.

Curran must get pissed off. He always seems to be in the squad but never considered. Especially given the fact we are playing luxury no.7 batsmen in the team who don't even score runs.

[gumboots]

Labuschagne

[den]

?

[oldjamfan1]

2 hours ago, gumboots said:

Labuschagne

He's pasta caring gumboots

[Husky]

As usual the sold out line seems to be a load of sauce judging by very noticeable empty seats at Old Trafford.

[darrenrover]

46 minutes ago, Husky said:

As usual the sold out line seems to be a load of sauce judging by very noticeable empty seats at Old Trafford.

Resellers, Viagogo and the like, perhaps caught a cold. I tried for tickets last week via OT and could only get Day 5, so didn't bother.

[Husky]

Just now, darrenrover said:

Resellers, Viagogo and the like, perhaps caught a cold. I tried for tickets last week via OT and could only get Day 5, so didn't bother.

But I thought Old Trafford had a strict no unofficial resale policy on their tickets? ?

Are we seeing the real Archer here? 2 rocks at the crease and he's bowling 2nd division championship stuff because he doesn't like the cold weather.

[Rogerb]

Risk of hypothermia at the top of the temporary stand.

[Husky]

More than a bit of a disgrace that Lancs are playing a home quarter final away in what feels like a club cricket atmosphere. You can hear the echos from the empty stands.

[den]

More of a disgrace how Vilas organised his death bowlers. Cost Lancs the game, let Essex off the hook. So disappointing.

[chaddyrovers]

What people thoughts on Dominic Sibley and should he not be opening the batting with Burns? 

[Husky]

1 hour ago, den said:

More of a disgrace how Vilas organised his death bowlers. Cost Lancs the game, let Essex off the hook. So disappointing.

I thought some of Mowbray's decisions were shit until I saw that. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it was one of the worst decisions in sporting history.

I guess it would be the equivalent of Rovers leading 1-0 in the Championship play-off final and Mowbray subbing the keeper for Smallwood with 10 mins to go and then him letting in 2 long range under body fluffers to lose 2-1 or something crazy like that. It was that bad. Sometimes you take a gamble by bowling out your best bowlers leaving no choice at the end but it's almost like he had a compete brain freeze as there were several better options. Crazy stuff.

[matt83]

I think yesterday has to have been my worst ever days cricket. A test match at old Trafford in September and shock horror it was miserable.

From the 3rd ball the next 12 hours was like a death by a thousand cuts. A crisp packet blowing across the outfield and unsettling Smith was the nearest we came to getting him flustered. Need more from Archer today. The only reason to select him is his raw pace if he’s bowling at 75-85mph might as well play woakes or Curran. The question is whether that Lords spell is the exception or the rule. He’s not done it since so alarm bells are ringing.

Then got home to watch Lancs in an empty stadium a 300 miles round trip away. Thank you sky/ecb. What Vilas was thinking bowling livi instead of Mahmood or Gleeson I’ll never know. Arrogance and stupidity cost us there. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by matt83

[chaddyrovers]

England bowling tactics to Smith this morning has been wrong. Overton bowling short to Smith at 80 to 82 miles per hour is pointless. I don't know why we haven't tried bowling Yorkers at the stumps

Overton isn't quick enough and the pitch isn't quick enough for Medium fast short bowling. Sam Curran might have been a better choice with his left arm bowling. 

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Well, what a cost the missed catches have been today at OT. Smith has just passed 200 again, and has helped the Aussies to over 400. England have been very sloppy.