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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    I stand by what I said.

    Assuming we declare and set them a tempting target, it will be a test of the bowlers to see how many Kiwi wickets they can get. And on a wicket where there is some wear and tear, it will be a test to see if our Moeen and Root can be attacking spinners. Without spinners I think it will be difficult to beat the Aussies.

    Bitter experience also makes me wary of saying things are so good after less than one test. We have problems atthe top end of the batting order, and The  Aussies have Johnson and his gang who are seriously quick.
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  • Gassage;644862" said:
    If Ben Stokes was a league cricketer he'd turn up to games in an adidas

    shell suit, baseball cap on the wrong way, white reeboks, in a maxpower

    car, whith a can of diamond white in one hand and a a fag in the other.

    FACT

    Is there a right way to wear a baseball cap? And should he have a cigarillo and a pimms?

    I see England are not only taking all Yorkshires players but also the coach now. I'm all for England improving, but only if they give Yorkshire the championship now in recompense.
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  • ennspekennspek Frets: 1626
    To be fair Cook's test form has been back for a while now. Ben Stokes today! Kevin who? :-p It's been a cracking test so far.
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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    edited May 2015
    scrumhalf said:
    I stand by what I said.

    Assuming we declare and set them a tempting target, it will be a test of the bowlers to see how many Kiwi wickets they can get. And on a wicket where there is some wear and tear, it will be a test to see if our Moeen and Root can be attacking spinners. Without spinners I think it will be difficult to beat the Aussies.

    Bitter experience also makes me wary of saying things are so good after less than one test. We have problems atthe top end of the batting order, and The  Aussies have Johnson and his  gang who are seriously quick.
    I'm not saying things are so good. We still need a stable opening partnership and we need to know who our backup bowlers are. Some indication as to who the reserve wicketkeeper is would also be wise (I'm not a Bairstow fan). Lyth needs to deliver in the next Test. Personally I'd love to have Steven Davies up the top of the order but it won't happen.   

    But it would be a really grumpy English fan mentality to not look at this Test and see that there are some good signs about. We started badly, fought hard in the first innings, watched the Kiwis rack up the runs, and Cook and Stokes especially have played their balls off today. A victory would be unlikely, a defeat would be huge. Making sure we don't lose is the priority. In a two-match series, throwing all the cards into the desk tomorrow morning with a declaration would be ludicrous. Instead we go to Headingley with a bit more confidence, the Yorkshire contingent will be on home soil (which should benefit Lyth in particular), and the team has a structure to it that we haven't had for a while. They go to Headingley knowing they need to win.

    Root the spinner: Yes, he's got a few wickets. A strike rate of one wicket every 19 overs. In the world of part-time spinner, this puts him in the Carl Hooper bracket. Even Marlon Samuels gets them quicker.  

    Right now, Moeen has a better strike rate than Ryan Harris, Joel Garner, Hadlee, Big Mitch, and Michael Holding. How much more attacking do you want? Before this Test, Mo had played 9 Tests. Compare his record to these two dudes after they'd played 9 Tests:

    Moeen - 28 wickets at 29.50, SR - 50.50
    Warne - 21 wickets at 37.83, SR of 75.
    Murali - 36 wickets at 29.05, SR of 67.9.



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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    And go me for being the first person on the FB to mention Carl Hooper :D



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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Cooks soooo conservative, need to bowl these out not contain for a draw

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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Great start though!

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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    lloyd said:
    Cooks soooo conservative, need to bowl these out not contain for a draw
    We've just scored nearly 500 in the third innings so the pitch is not bad. Last year Middlesex chased down 472 to win by seven wickets against the much vaunted Yorkshire attack at Lords. The scorecard shows what Lords does. Weather conditions made it good for the seamers in the first innings for each side, it levelled out, Yorkshire put on some runs, and then it really levelled out for Middlesex to chase down. 

    At least being bowled out means we didn't have to declare. Renders all the earlier declaration content useless!

    Cook's got the fields right for the opening. It's giving the seamers some help. You don't need mad fields. McGrath in these conditions would have been lethal. 

    Now the Kiwis are three down, they won't be going for it.  



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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Aye fair enough, I'd like him to be more attacking in the field in general though. Popped out before and just come in, looks like it will dribble into a draw now though, unless we bowl them out...

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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    61 for 5 .Definitely no dribbling as yet. 

    It's very easy to think that you need incredibly varied fields all the time. In a situation like this, opposition now well under the pump, pitch and climate both in favour of the seamers, there's not that much chance of unusual shots being played. 

    There was so much criticism when England didn't pick Stokes for the World Cup. It was the right decision. He looks better, more focused. The atmosphere on the balcony whenever I've seen players talking to Farbrace looks very relaxed considering the absolute hammering the team have taken in the last few weeks in the media. Now we have Bayliss coming in, a man with a very good track record at international level, there is a lot to look forward to. 



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  • Moeen will pick up a couple.
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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    There, that is how you use Joe Root. Not a frontline spinner but a dude who bowls a few overs and nicks one out. 



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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Hopefully New Zealand will buckle now, not sure how good their tail is to be honest? Enough overs in the day to get them out though.

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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    lloyd said:
    Hopefully New Zealand will buckle now, not sure how good their tail is to be honest? Enough overs in the day to get them out though.
    1 more to get. A real team performance. Some excellent bowling changes. 



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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Yeah, been a great test to be fair. Both teams played well. Just the bowling today has been the difference, should have this last one in the next few overs with any luck.

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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    When NZ piled up the runs, it was in the best of the batting conditions. Now it's gone the other way and England have used the conditions very well. 



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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    Fuck T20 in the ass. Test cricket for the absolute win. Fabulous match. 



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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    And the final catch... all innings Vaughan has been chuntering about them sticking a third man out there. That is why! 



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  • lloydlloyd Frets: 5773
    Great catch to end it. Test match cricket is the best format bar none, hopefully that will continue to be seen as true among (most) players. Great game, Cook captained really well to be fair too.

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  • rocktronrocktron Frets: 806
    Just as I predicted, except Moeen did not spin them out!!!   :)
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