Cricket

[jim mk2]

I'd bet my house on us getting nowhere near the target.

There's only one likely scenario tomorrow - England steadily losing wickets all day and finally succumbing just before tea.

Lyon is the dangerman. 

[McClarky]

Is rain forecast tomorrow?  It’ll be a good effort from our batters to save the game as we always have a collapse in us and 90 overs is a lot to last.  Huge disappointment of Moin today, he was rank when he really should have been in his element. You could tell after 1 over it wasn’t his day and that wrecked our plans.  He looks so short on confidence.  This game is like the Brisbane test we drew back in about 2010 when the momentum changed half way through the game.

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, McClarky said:

Is rain forecast tomorrow?  It’ll be a good effort from our batters to save the game as we always have a collapse in us and 90 overs is a lot to last.  Huge disappointment of Moin today, he was rank when he really should have been in his element. You could tell after 1 over it wasn’t his day and that wrecked our plans.  He looks so short on confidence.  This game is like the Brisbane test we drew back in about 2010 when the momentum changed half way through the game.

Ali is in awful form at the moment with bat and ball. His batting seems to have been rank bad for ages.

[gumboots]

According to TMS potential rain tonight but not tomorrow 

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, gumboots said:

According to TMS potential rain tonight but not tomorrow 

Yes it looks a decent day from about 9 am UK time and getting sunnier as the day goes on with a very low expectation of any rain

[AllRoverAsia]

58 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

I'd bet my house on us getting nowhere near the target.

There's only one likely scenario tomorrow - England steadily losing wickets all day and finally succumbing just before tea.

Lyon is the dangerman. 

I do fear that your house is very safe ☺️

[Norbert Rassragr]

4 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

You’re having an extremely good day today friend - your cricket and Brexit posts have been well constructed and rational. ?

Edit: Re-reading this post it might seem patronising but it isn’t meant to be - I was quick to criticise your recent negative posts about the England cricket team so I though I should also acknowledge the fact that you have put forward a sensible and balanced view this time.

I'm usually a pessimist. With regards to earlier cricket comments it has been the pattern for years that when England look like they are about to thump a team with the ball Broad starts thinking he can do a Mitch Johnson and hit tail ender's in the face regardless of conditions, line and length goes to pot and the last 3 wickets add 80+ runs. England rarely have that ruthless, brutal streak that wants to humiliate opponents.

They lost their way and bowed down to Smith and whichever bowlers stuck around. 

[philipl]

Let's see an England team bat to save the draw. Will make a pleasant change but not that hopeful.

[jim mk2]

Barely 15 minutes in and 1st wicket down. What's more agony, supporting England cricket or Rovers? 

[jim mk2]

Brainless by Roy. In the context of trying to save a Test match, why would you play a shot like that?

[Husky]

On 03/08/2019 at 13:28, den said:

The scan showed no damage.

So essentially it's all the lad from Burnley's fault for pretending he was ok.

With four-ball Ali as the spinner England had absolutely no chance being a bowler light.

[AllRoverAsia]

Spineless, they have not even tried

[jim mk2]

16 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

t ain't petering out, believe me. England face a grim struggle to save the match, and could well be skittled for 150.

Thursday when we had them 122-8 seems a long time ago. 

I'd bet my house on us getting nowhere near the target.

There's only one likely scenario tomorrow - England steadily losing wickets all day and finally succumbing just before tea.

Lyon is the dangerman. 

I should have put some money on

Edited August 5, 2019 by jim mk2

[Husky]

Sending Anderson out to bat. That's something straight out of Mowbray's book. Ridiculous decision given the circumstances. . .

[Ewood Ace]

Changes needed for the next test. Roy, Buttler and Denly are not test cricketers for me. Obviously Anderson will be out after the stupid decision to play him in this one, whilst Bairstow and Ali are both terribly out of form. For the next test I'd go with.

1. Burns
2. Sibley
3. Root*
4. Stokes
5. Northeast
6. Bairstow+ (drinking in the last chance saloon)
7. S.Curran
8. Woakes
9.  Archer
10. Broad
11. Leach

[jim mk2]

Pathetic and so predictable.

[BlackburnEnd75]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Changes needed for the next test. Roy, Buttler and Denly are not test cricketers for me. Obviously Anderson will be out after the stupid decision to play him in this one, whilst Bairstow and Ali are both terribly out of form. For the next test I'd go with.

1. Burns
2. Sibley
3. Root*
4. Stokes
5. Northeast
6. Bairstow+ (drinking in the last chance saloon)
7. S.Curran
8. Woakes
9.  Archer
10. Broad
11. Leach

I'd like to see something similar but for me Buttler's average at 6 was very good, I'd move him back. I'd recall Foakes if fit and drop Bairstow who has had another stinker. If Roy gets another go then it should probably be at 4.

 I'd go:

1. Burns
2. Sibley
3. Root
4. Roy/Northeast/Vince
5. Stokes
6. Buttler
7. Foakes
8. Woakes
9. Archer
10. Broad
11. Leach

[den]

Australia better all round. I wasn’t  expecting that before the game. Several players just weren’t good enough. Moeen will lose his place and he’ll know that. For me, Denley is no more than a good county player. Roy doesn’t look anything like a test player at this point. Burns will no doubt keep his place but I’m not convinced by him.  Bairstow has struggled but I don’t think England will ditch him. He’s a quality player on his day. 

Plenty to think about and the Aussies will know they have damaged England and posed the selectors a lot of questions over this England squad. They have done more damage than just win the first test.

this wicket didn’t suit England at all though. Prepare wickets with a touch of green in them. That’s a must.

Edited August 5, 2019 by den

[jim mk2]

You can change personnel all you like but if players don't have the temperament for Test cricket, eg Roy, then there's no point picking them. Test cricket is, or used to be,  game of patience. Burns showed the way in the 1st innings albeit with alot of luck but that is the mentality you need. 

 

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

You can change personnel all you like but if players don't have the temperament for Test cricket, eg Roy, then there's no point picking them. Test cricket is, or used to be,  game of patience. Burns showed the way in the 1st innings albeit with alot of luck but that is the mentality you need. 

 

Sibley certainly has the temperament for test cricket.

[Husky]

As I said earlier on in this thread, I would have taken the World Cup win over The Ashes given a choice. So the summer for me has already been a winner, however why not have your cake and eat it, with both??

At the end of the day, the first test was lost largely due to the selectors cowardice/incompetence. The same thing that almost ended up costing England the aforementioned World Cup.

The only real surprise in there was Burns coming good in the first innings. All the pathetic performances were thoroughly predictable.

I suspect the truth about the Anderson injury thing will probably only come out in a book at a later date. But seriously what kind of fitness test did they do on him? - he managed only 4 overs before a previously known injury came back and ended his game. It sounds Roversesque.

 

 

 

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Husky said:

As I said earlier on in this thread, I would have taken the World Cup win over The Ashes given a choice. So the summer for me has already been a winner, however why not have your cake and eat it, with both??

For me if we don't win the Ashes then this summer will have been a failure.

[oldjamfan1]

15 hours ago, Ewood Ace said:

For me if we don't win the Ashes then this summer will have been a failure.

I agree 100%

[Husky]

You guys could end up with a depressing summer then - Rovers look crap and England look more likely to get a 4-5 test pasting rather than winning 3 - especially as the groundsman seem to have gone back to preparing pitches for the opposition.

[Silas]

Personally don't think we're doing too bad in the international sports arena. 

Semi final World Cup football.

Semi final Nations League football.

Winners World Cup Cricket. 

I think we'll compete well in the Rugby World Cup. Hopefully, semi or final.

If the Aussies do us over in the Ashes I ain't gonna cry too much. Of course I'd love to beat them, but just don't see it happening. Steve Smith is the best Test player in the World and can basically beat us on his own. 

At this point, I'll be happy to avoid a 4/5 nil pasting. Yeah, yeah losers mentality I know,  but you gotta call it as you see it. If we merely compete in the Ashes we've probably overperformed.