Cricket

[Gav]

Does anyone enjoy listening to KP on commentary? He’s got a real patronising tone and style to his delivery. He’s not as bad as Flintoff, but he’s not my cup of tea. 

[Riversider28]

A good win for England in the 3rd ODI against South Africa. After crashing to 14-3, Buttler and Malan smashed 131 and 118 respectively, finally ending on 346-7. They bowled S.A. out for 287, with Archer finishing with an impressive 6-40, which is. great news for all England supporters. 

[Gav]

If England win this test in Wellington, it will be the first time since 1890’s they’ve won all the winter tests.

Losing the toss was a great start..

[jim mk2]

The walking wicket that is Zak Crawley out already

[47er]

5 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

The walking wicket that is Zak Crawley out already

God almighty.

[jim mk2]

21-3

 

[wilsdenrover]

315 - 3 at the close of play  - Root 101 n.o. Brook 184 n.o.

Checked the score, thought that’s very good but slower going than recently - then realised they’d only been 65 overs in the day!

Edited February 24, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[Riversider28]

I’ll be there in the morning hoping to see Harry get his double hundred and then hopefully we smash our way to a quick 400+ followed by Jimmy and Broady ripping  through the heart of the Kiwi attack. Weather is likely to interrupt the day’s play at some point, but not enough to stop us moving on to an unassailable position to complete yet another outstanding victory.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Riversider28

[wilsdenrover]

24 minutes ago, Riversider28 said:

I’ll be there in the morning hoping to see Harry get his double hundred and then hopefully we smash our way to a quick 400+ followed by Jimmy and Broady ripping  through the heart of the Kiwi attack. Weather is likely to interrupt the day’s play at some point, but not enough to stop us moving on to an unassailable position to compete yet another outstanding victory.

I hope this isn’t the equivalent of doing a ‘Mercer’ on a match day thread😁

 

[jim mk2]

Brilliant recovery from a perilous position. I haven't seen alot of Brook but the lad's record since he came into Test cricket is outstanding and in the bits I've seen he looks the real deal as a Test batsman. Pity he's a Yorkie 😄

[wilsdenrover]

6 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Brilliant recovery from a perilous position. I haven't seen alot of Brook but the lad's record since he came into Test cricket is outstanding and in the bits I've seen he looks the real deal as a Test batsman. Pity he's a Yorkie 😄

Just short of 1,000 runs in 12 innings in the County championship last season too.

I wonder how, and if, they’ll fit Bairstow back into the team.

[jim mk2]

1 minute ago, wilsdenrover said:

Just short of 1,000 runs in 12 innings in the County championship last season too.

I wonder how, and if, they’ll fit Bairstow back into the team.

On present form, they can't, Bairstow blow hot and cold though, and has persistent problems with his technique. This lad looks a much better player so far. As always, openers still open to question. Crawley players only one way - which is to attack. You can't do that all the time and any decent bowler will get him out.  

[wilsdenrover]

People will suggest moving Root up to open but we’ve seen that experiment fail - he is a natural number 4.

I guess he could come back in as wicketkeeper - but I think Foakes is much better with the gloves.

Sorry Jim, I meant to quote your last post

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by wilsdenrover
To add final line

[Dreams of 1995]

You need Foakes as wicket keeper, especially when the Summer comes and we are having tests in England again. The swing in England requires you to have good gloves, it can go at the very last, and dropped catches lose matches. Foakes would be my #1 for the Ashes. He chips in with the bat here and there too

Brooks has been sensational. I went to sleep last night as it came to lunch and both Brooks and Root were getting set. If I didn't have to be up I'd have stayed up because you could tell they were building something

Crawley still has question marks. He will get tore apart by Australia. Surely there's still room in "Baz-ball" for a solid opener who will dig in, soften the ball and then allow the likes of Root, Stokes, Brooks and Pope to play more adventurous

Before Crawley was out he drove one straight on the up and he was lucky it didn't carry. You could see the wicket coming a mile off

Duckett for me is a decent batter and unlucky. Crawley has to be replaced before we start back in England. A pure flat track bully, hence big scores in Pakistan

[wilsdenrover]

10 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

You need Foakes as wicket keeper, especially when the Summer comes and we are having tests in England again. The swing in England requires you to have good gloves, it can go at the very last, and dropped catches lose matches. Foakes would be my #1 for the Ashes. He chips in with the bat here and there too

Brooks has been sensational. I went to sleep last night as it came to lunch and both Brooks and Root were getting set. If I didn't have to be up I'd have stayed up because you could tell they were building something

Crawley still has question marks. He will get tore apart by Australia. Surely there's still room in "Baz-ball" for a solid opener who will dig in, soften the ball and then allow the likes of Root, Stokes, Brooks and Pope to play more adventurous

Before Crawley was out he drove one straight on the up and he was lucky it didn't carry. You could see the wicket coming a mile off

Duckett for me is a decent batter and unlucky. Crawley has to be replaced before we start back in England. A pure flat track bully, hence big scores in Pakistan

I agree on Foakes, I think his batting average is solid enough and he adds to this with his skills behind the stumps. 

Did you have a name in mind for the solid opener who can dig in?

Joe Root’s innings shows you can have someone scoring at a ‘traditional rate’ and the team can still score as quickly as the coach/captain is wanting.

 

 

 

[Norbert Rassragr]

I was at work, on my break when it went to 21-3, and forgot to catch up. I have just seen the score now, and it is mental. Whatever they're doing in training must be working as we'd struggle to reach 220 all out in the past. 

[oldjamfan1]

I went to bed at 21 for 3 and even given our current excellent form was very surprised to see the close of play score. Nobody has ever scored as many runs as Harry Brook in their first 9 innings in test cricket (and he hasn't even finished his ninth yet!). In the history of the game!! That is incredible. No way on God's earth does Bairstow get back in for me.

[den]

Brook's test match strike rate is 99. And his ton today in 107 balls was his slowest century. 

[Dreams of 1995]

7 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

I agree on Foakes, I think his batting average is solid enough and he adds to this with his skills behind the stumps. 

Did you have a name in mind for the solid opener who can dig in?

Joe Root’s innings shows you can have someone scoring at a ‘traditional rate’ and the team can still score as quickly as the coach/captain is wanting.

Alastair Cook? 🤐

But in all seriousness I think Crompton deserves a shout, purely based on the numbers he put up last year

I also thought Alex Lees was the better of the two when he played with Crawley. I'd rather see him and Duckett myself.

Unfortunately I don't want much county cricket at all, and not best placed to say who to replace Crawley with. I just know that Crawley isn't at the standard required for international cricket.

[wilsdenrover]

Well whatever’s happening, it’s happening quickly…

[wilsdenrover]

In a strong position - I wonder if they’ll enforce the follow on if it is an option.

I think I would given it looks like more time could be lost to the weather.

[wilsdenrover]

15 more minutes of Southee and that question will be irrelevant 

[oldjamfan1]

I’m glad NZ are making a game of this. Been another cracking test match so far.

[wilsdenrover]

9 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I’m glad NZ are making a game of this. Been another cracking test match so far.

 Nicely poised - a couple of quick wickets would be good though 

[wilsdenrover]

Some things are more important  than even the biggest of rivalries:

 

Edited February 27, 2023 by wilsdenrover