The cricket thread

guitars4you

In all this excitement, forgot to mention, well done to England and the spinners for putting us in with such  a chance - 126 all out was just what we needed - We could have been looking at well over 200 even 250

Heartfeltdawn

Was surprising that Root didn't give Mark Wood a blow at Embuldeniya. 

And it's good for us that Sri Lanka have one decent spinner out. Perera's a home track offie and Mendis is a batsman who bowls who isn't in the Jayasuriya/Aravinda de Silvia class. With the seamers unlikely to bowl, it's pretty much a one-man attack if SL are going to win this. 

Heartfeltdawn

Ooh, and there's Nelson...

scrumhalf

Heartfeltdawn said:

Was surprising that Root didn't give Mark Wood a blow at Embuldeniya. 

And it's good for us that Sri Lanka have one decent spinner out. Perera's a home track offie and Mendis is a batsman who bowls who isn't in the Jayasuriya/Aravinda de Silvia class. With the seamers unlikely to bowl, it's pretty much a one-man attack if SL are going to win this. 

Yes, but that one man has taken several bowlers' worth of wickets! 

crunchman

The new ball seems to be important - even for the spinners.  It bounces more, and the seam seems to grip more.  Once you get through the first 30 or so overs it does seem to get easier.

camf

Whatever happens, I think this has been a great test match. I love a game with the spinners battling it out with the batsmen on a turning pitch on the last couple of days. 

camf

Job well done, England. 

scrumhalf

Woohoo!

Excellent stuff from England today, that was an impressive win. 

Heartfeltdawn

scrumhalf said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

Was surprising that Root didn't give Mark Wood a blow at Embuldeniya. 

And it's good for us that Sri Lanka have one decent spinner out. Perera's a home track offie and Mendis is a batsman who bowls who isn't in the Jayasuriya/Aravinda de Silvia class. With the seamers unlikely to bowl, it's pretty much a one-man attack if SL are going to win this. 

Yes, but that one man has taken several bowlers' worth of wickets! 

So did Murali and he stated how much he missed having a spin partner in Jayasuriya when Sanath retired. Murali also had Vaas ahead of him with the new ball, Malinga for a few Tests... Sri Lanka now don't have that structure within their attack. The quick bowlers they have haven't developed further and it's asking a lot of a rookie like Embuldeniya to hold up that attack 

guitars4you

Good to see Butler lead the side home - Good to have such a player become the 'finisher' and recall his input into that tight finish last summer against Pakistan at Old Trafford

Looking at Root now with already over 400 runs YTD in 2021, then with the tour against India, then NZ + India at home, plus part of an Ashes series at the end of the year, then 1000 runs in a calendar year should be achievable - He's already done it twice - With so many matches in a year these days, then it is not as big a deal as before - But still a land mark - But for Root then 1200/1500 should be a viable target

scrumhalf

Anyone watching the T10 in Abu Dhabi?

Why have any bowlers there? They're just getting slapped all over the place. They never get a chance to bat because it's unlikely that a team will lose suficient wickets in such a short space of time for them to get a knock. Batsmen can go after the ball safe in the knowledge that there are plenty more ready to bat in only ten overs.

The number of wickets a team can lose should be reduced to five to make the balance between bat and ball a little more even.

Dopesick

Good news that Test cricket is back on Channel 4! Unfortunately the All4 app is absolutely fucking useless so I can’t watch a second of it right now, unless I pop it on the TV and keep walking back and forth into the living room while I’m working. Probably not ideal. Still...good news about the chocolate oranges.

crunchman

Dopesick said:

Good news that Test cricket is back on Channel 4! Unfortunately the All4 app is absolutely fucking useless so I can’t watch a second of it right now, unless I pop it on the TV and keep walking back and forth into the living room while I’m working. Probably not ideal. Still...good news about the chocolate oranges.

I have a TV in the room I work in. 

Crawley seems to be a developing a way to play, even if it isn't pretty.  Jadeja being out is probably helping him though.

Dopesick

Well I’ve signed in using a different email address now so I can watch it...unfortunately they have slapped some bloody great big subtitles on the screen and there’s no way of turning them off! I’m probably just being grumpy but for fuck sake sort it out you dozy twats.

I think you mean Sibley? Root looks to be loving it at the moment though hopefully both guys stick around to the close.

crunchman

Dopesick said:

Well I’ve signed in using a different email address now so I can watch it...unfortunately they have slapped some bloody great big subtitles on the screen and there’s no way of turning them off! I’m probably just being grumpy but for fuck sake sort it out you dozy twats.

I think you mean Sibley? Root looks to be loving it at the moment though hopefully both guys stick around to the close.

Well spotted.

I wish they would do away with the fake crowd noise.

guitars4you

I forgot it was on a normal TV channel - I scanned thru' BT and SKy for a while last night looking for it and couldn't see anything - Then nearly posted a question on here to see where coverage is - Then saw it - CH4 

However on TMS at work - so hi-light show later and hopefully some time Sat/Sun to see some love

Looking good so far - Keep going lads

guitars4you

Congrats Joe - Keep going

scrumhalf

Well done Joe Root, a century in his 100th test match.

What hacks me off is that Talksport2 is on DAB+ or DAB2 or whatever it's called, so I'd have to buy another bloody radio if I wanted to listen to it. I'd rather not listen on my phone or PC. 

guitars4you

scrumhalf said:

Well done Joe Root, a century in his 100th test match.

What hacks me off is that Talksport2 is on DAB+ or DAB2 or whatever it's called, so I'd have to buy another bloody radio if I wanted to listen to it. I'd rather not listen on my phone or PC. 

is it not on R5 Live - I have it via the BBC web site at the moment at work - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/55282463

scrumhalf

Online only, I think.

Sibley seems to have been playing for stumps for the last half hour. No problem, he can come back tomorrow refreshed and do it all over again.

Root's just clobbered Ashwin for six.