The cricket thread

earwighoney

Heartfeltdawn said:

RandallFlagg said:

No it wasn't he's 0-79 heading towards his century of runs leaked. I hope Garry gets some hand shakes when we finally smash him for 100-0. He's getting turn but Rory Burns has picked him and neutralised him.

Apart from that LBW decision that wasn't given when Burns was on 21. 

Scoring a debut century hasn't been a problem for many openers in recent years. Lyth did it, Sam Robson did, even Joe Root did before succumbing to failure at the top of the order. Compton and Jennings both had more than one... so the rush to say that England have sorted out the opening pair is somewhat premature to my mind. Burns's ton is only the start. If he doesn't push on, we're back to square one (or the likely talk of Sibley or Zak Crawley to come into the side). 

Of course he was a little lucky, had a narrow escape but he wasn't as lucky as Joe Root when the ball clipped the stump with a fair degree of force without dislodging the bail!  Who do you think should open?  IMO, it seems first class cricket isn't producing enough players who are collecting a mass of runs.  I remember looking at the total runs stats from a few years back and it seemed there were a number of a players scoring 1000+ in a season, last couple of years in comparison far fewer players are scoring those kind of runs. 

I have more faith in Rory Burns as an opener than I do with Jason Roy, who's batting seems very monosyllabic and even though he scored 10 runs he could have been out a number of times before his dismissal. 

Am I alone in thinking Bairstow looks a bit of sorts?  It goes without saying that Moeen Ali's been uncertain with the bat for a while now.  I'd like to see Ben Foakes back in the fold at some point in time. 

RandallFlagg

I don't really care who plays as long as Englands win, somehow, someway.

scrumhalf

Moeen's form has collapsed. We need him to get back to his old form and take a five-fer now.

However, he's shaved his head and he plays better when he's shaggier. Maybe it's his aerodynamics. 

scrumhalf

Woohoo, Warner's gone.

C'mon England!!! 

earwighoney

Another umpiring howler. 

I've been a cricket fan for a long time but I cannot recall a time where the umpiring has been to such a poor ramshackle amateur and idiotic standard.  

Heartfeltdawn

earwighoney said:

Of course he was a little lucky, had a narrow escape but he wasn't as lucky as Joe Root when the ball clipped the stump with a fair degree of force without dislodging the bail!  Who do you think should open?  IMO, it seems first class cricket isn't producing enough players who are collecting a mass of runs.  I remember looking at the total runs stats from a few years back and it seemed there were a number of a players scoring 1000+ in a season, last couple of years in comparison far fewer players are scoring those kind of runs. 

I have more faith in Rory Burns as an opener than I do with Jason Roy, who's batting seems very monosyllabic and even though he scored 10 runs he could have been out a number of times before his dismissal. 

Am I alone in thinking Bairstow looks a bit of sorts?  It goes without saying that Moeen Ali's been uncertain with the bat for a while now.  I'd like to see Ben Foakes back in the fold at some point in time. 

Burns capitalised on the luck and I'm glad for his and England's sake that he has scored runs. I'm just saying that some of the articles coming out reviewing his knock saying that he's cracked the opening problem for England is incredibly premature when we've seen other players score centuries and get dumped quickly and when he's opening up with a chap who hasn't yet nailed down his position. 

Partly the problem is that first class cricket isn't structured so that players can produce a mass of runs. When someone was in form in the past, you'd have a clear run of games. Now it's far more patchy. It's been a tough year for batsmen in Div 1, I think only one double ton so far this season. 

Bairstow's a bit like Hick in that his feet aren't great at moving early in his innings. Ends in a bad position and so gets bowled a lot. I think he's safe for now but should he floor a chance or two, miss a stumping perhaps, the pressure will be right back on him. 

scrumhalf

I take my hat off to the people who've gone to the game today in fancy dress. Some of them have really gone the extra mile.

I've just seen the 1966 world cup team (complete with a bloke in a Bobby Charlton wig) chase someone dressed as the Jules Rimet trophy and lift him up.

Genius. 

Heartfeltdawn

earwighoney said:

Another umpiring howler. 

I've been a cricket fan for a long time but I cannot recall a time where the umpiring has been to such a poor ramshackle amateur and idiotic standard.  

England tour to Pakistan 1987. 

scrumhalf

If the umpires get overturned four times in an innings the teams should get an extra review. 

RandallFlagg

scrumhalf said:

Woohoo, Warner's gone.

C'mon England!!! 

he knew he'd hit that but stood his ground....tosser, it's not like any England player would ever stand in the crease when they know they were out . Good review and a good Edgbaston send off for the amateur decorator as his run drought continues.

RandallFlagg

scrumhalf said:

I take my hat off to the people who've gone to the game today in fancy dress. Some of them have really gone the extra mile.

I've just seen the 1966 world cup team (complete with a bloke in a Bobby Charlton wig) chase someone dressed as the Jules Rimet trophy and lift him up.

Genius. 

It's great isn't it. I saw the inflatable Donald Trump running along really fast earlier waggling his arms, really funny.

earwighoney

scrumhalf said:

I take my hat off to the people who've gone to the game today in fancy dress. Some of them have really gone the extra mile.

It's not something you really see in many other places in the world.  In Australia, there are always some spectators dressed as Richie Benaud but not really much to compete with creativity for fancy dress like today.  I liked the guys dressed as cardinals & the Pope.

The best of them all though is Cookie Monster & his GF Minnie Mouse, as they go to see a lot of Test cricket and Bumble seems to lose his mind with joy when he sees them. 

Heartfeltdawn said:

earwighoney said:

Another umpiring howler. 

I've been a cricket fan for a long time but I cannot recall a time where the umpiring has been to such a poor ramshackle amateur and idiotic standard.  

England tour to Pakistan 1987. 

Ha ha.  Yeah, well remembered. 

Heartfeltdawn said: 

 Burns capitalised on the luck and I'm glad for his and England's sake that he has scored runs. I'm just saying that some of the articles coming out reviewing his knock saying that he's cracked the opening problem for England is incredibly premature when we've seen other players score centuries and get dumped quickly and when he's opening up with a chap who hasn't yet nailed down his position. 

Partly the problem is that first class cricket isn't structured so that players can produce a mass of runs. When someone was in form in the past, you'd have a clear run of games. Now it's far more patchy. It's been a tough year for batsmen in Div 1, I think only one double ton so far this season. 

Bairstow's a bit like Hick in that his feet aren't great at moving early in his innings. Ends in a bad position and so gets bowled a lot. I think he's safe for now but should he floor a chance or two, miss a stumping perhaps, the pressure will be right back on him. 

Yeah I agree with all your points. 

Agree about the overeagerness to see Burns as a solution to the opening problems. Media and ex players have been making statements of such a nature for a long time though. 

Talking of footwork, have you had a chance to see much of Bancroft at the crease?  His back foot in particular is so incredibly suspect, he seems to fall over himself with every ball.  Is he really the best other Australian opener there is? 

RandallFlagg

Moeen slight reprieve for his duck with that wicket

sixstringsupplies

RandallFlagg said:

Moeen slight reprieve for his duck with that wicket

He's getting milked though for very easy runs. Steve Smith is so good. I wonder if he'll get out for less than 50 in this whole series.

Schnozz

Not looking good atm

RandallFlagg

Schnozz said:

Not looking good atm

Looks plenty good. Aus are only 43-3 in their 2nd innings at stumps. Fresh bowlers in the morning and things should happen. keep them under 150 and we have a game on, challenging but do-able.

England just need to figure Steve Smith out, he's nigh on impossible to get out.

If Aus get to 200 ahead then it may be out of reach for England.

guitars4you

RandallFlagg said:

Schnozz said:

Not looking good atm

Looks plenty good. Aus are only 43-3 in their 2nd innings at stumps. Fresh bowlers in the morning and things should happen. keep them under 150 and we have a game on, challenging but do-able.

England just need to figure Steve Smith out, he's nigh on impossible to get out.

If Aus get to 200 ahead then it may be out of reach for England.

agree about close of play coming at a good time today - Freshen up the bowlers for tomorrow and look at plans for Smith, even if it is run restricting for an hour

Heartfeltdawn

earwighoney said:

Yeah I agree with all your points. 

Agree about the overeagerness to see Burns as a solution to the opening problems. Media and ex players have been making statements of such a nature for a long time though. 

Talking of footwork, have you had a chance to see much of Bancroft at the crease?  His back foot in particular is so incredibly suspect, he seems to fall over himself with every ball.  Is he really the best other Australian opener there is? 

I was very happy when Bancroft got his ban because it meant he didn't play for Somerset. He's got an odd technique when it comes to balls coming into him that he plays leg side. Stuff like glances to fine leg, the way he got out to Moeen, something looks wrong. His recent form for Durham was good and he made runs in that Australian squad match and that's got him ahead of the like of Marcus Harris in the final squad and ahead of Joe Burns in the pre-squad announcement trials. Harris has the better technique to my mind. 

Really surprised they didn't pick Labuschagne as he's been in stellar form for Glamorgan and he would offer another bowling options with his leg breaks.  

Heartfeltdawn

RandallFlagg said:

Schnozz said:

Not looking good atm

Looks plenty good. Aus are only 43-3 in their 2nd innings at stumps. Fresh bowlers in the morning and things should happen. keep them under 150 and we have a game on, challenging but do-able.

England just need to figure Steve Smith out, he's nigh on impossible to get out.

If Aus get to 200 ahead then it may be out of reach for England.

Weather will be on our side for the first part of the day. Scheduled to piss it down from about 2pm and on Monday morning as well. Don't really fancy us chasing 200 on a drying breaking up Brum track. 

crunchman

Heartfeltdawn said:

Weather will be on our side for the first part of the day. Scheduled to piss it down from about 2pm and on Monday morning as well. Don't really fancy us chasing 200 on a drying breaking up Brum track. 

Might end up chasing a lot more than 200.  Haven't got a clue how they are going to get Smith out, and we are dependent on Moeen, who is going at over 5 an over.   We finished the day with Root bowling.  That says it all.   How many times have I said we should have played Leach.