The cricket thread

sixstringsupplies

Tantalising game between the Windies and PAK reaching the climax. Windies need 8 to win with 1 wicket remaining. 

Test cricket needs a vibrant and strong Windies team. 

^being a Warwickshire fan, Ian Bell was my favourite player. Followed his career from his First class debut at 16, to his debut for England and full career and in hindsight, reckon he was jettisoned a few years too early from the test side. The most glorious cover drive in cricket 

Heartfeltdawn

I think Bell's a good choice. Square drive as opposed to square cut... Sobers. I'd not seen this analysis by Bradman before. The shot coming up from 11:30 is just something else. Worth also watching the broadcasted version of this innings just for the sound of the ball off the bat. He was approaching his ton when he played the shot: no nervous 90s there. 

scrumhalf

Not going terribly well this morning. If the lead gets to 250 do we go for it? 

guitars4you

scrumhalf said:

Not going terribly well this morning. If the lead gets to 250 do we go for it? 

I don't see us having time - Option to open with Bairstow or Butler and play one day style and see what happens - But I think they'll be more worried about losing than winning, so will try to play a dull draw - But such a negative vibe will mean batting with no purpose and that can be a big issue

India can go for it in the first 20 overs or so and see what happens - 2/3 wickets and they are in with a shout - If no joy then a dull draw

Dopesick

These two will get a hundred partnership. Fifty for Shami now. Fucking jesus.

What a way to shit the bed.

Stuckfast

Yes we've bowled to intimidate the tail enders not get them out, and now it's backfired horribly.

crunchman

260 in two sessions in a test is probably too much, even if India don't bat on after lunch.  Chance for Sibley to block, and show that his technique has improved.

scrumhalf

Can we actually block for two sessions to save the game? I wouldn't put money on it. 

Heartfeltdawn

Stuckfast said:

Yes we've bowled to intimidate the tail enders not get them out, and now it's backfired horribly.

Root's innings gave England some real impetus before the innings had closed. Today it's been a disaster and after we started so well. For all the praise of his batting, you have to look at the captain here and ask what the fuck he was thinking. England have absolutely blown a situation of advantage and they've done so because one over from Bumrah to Anderson has gotten into the English heads and we've gone to this retarded intimidation plan, a plan we've used before in the Broad as intimidator role and it was shit then and it's shit now. 

Think of Williamson and the Kiwis. With statistically the shittest tail in Test cricket waiting to bat, his choices in this situation would be:

a) short pitched attack led by Wagner and Jamieson

b) pitched up swing and yorkers from Southee and Boult. 

You know exactly which one he'd have picked and that he wouldn't have considered option c) try a bowling plan that doesn't follow our strengths. 

crunchman

scrumhalf said:

Can we actually block for two sessions to save the game? I wouldn't put money on it. 

India are helping us by batting on.  Going to be a maximum of 60 overs now, unless they do something unprecedented like bowl their overs at a good rate.

scrumhalf

crunchman said:

scrumhalf said:

Can we actually block for two sessions to save the game? I wouldn't put money on it. 

India are helping us by batting on.  Going to be a maximum of 60 overs now, unless they do something unprecedented like bowl their overs at a good rate.

India declare ten minutes into the session. I don't understand why they would take twenty minutes out of the game if they were going to try and win.

I'm not sure I have the cojones to watch our openers again. 

scrumhalf

Burns goes for a duck.

Rain, damn you, RAIN! 

Heartfeltdawn

scrumhalf said:

crunchman said:

scrumhalf said:

Can we actually block for two sessions to save the game? I wouldn't put money on it. 

India are helping us by batting on.  Going to be a maximum of 60 overs now, unless they do something unprecedented like bowl their overs at a good rate.

India declare ten minutes into the session. I don't understand why they would take twenty minutes out of the game if they were going to try and win.

I'm not sure I have the cojones to watch our openers again. 

The win is unlikely.

Declaring at lunch means England's openers have a longer period to get settled into the mindset of batting. Declaring ten minutes in = keep 'em on tenterhooks. 

And look, we're a wicket down. India now 9/4 to win. 

scrumhalf

Both openers gone inside two overs for ducks.

Will we make it to tea? 

Heartfeltdawn

Taxi for Mr Sibley. 

crunchman

scrumhalf said:

crunchman said:

scrumhalf said:

Can we actually block for two sessions to save the game? I wouldn't put money on it. 

India are helping us by batting on.  Going to be a maximum of 60 overs now, unless they do something unprecedented like bowl their overs at a good rate.

India declare ten minutes into the session. I don't understand why they would take twenty minutes out of the game if they were going to try and win.

I'm not sure I have the cojones to watch our openers again. 

You don't have to any more.

Stuckfast

At least Sibley got a good ball this time around.

scrumhalf

Stuckfast said:

At least Sibley got a good ball this time around.

Reminds me Fred Trueman's "aye, lad, and it were wasted on thee". 

guitars4you

I was watching it live on Sky around 3-4 pm on Sunday - The win barometer was something like 65% to us to win - How wrong !!!!!!!!!!

We might not have done enough to win by 11.10am today, but there is no way we should be looking at a potential defeat at 1.10pm and only 2 hours later - Then to be on our knees at 4.10pm is abysmal - Maybe, just maybe Buttler and Ali can save us, but I would not put much on such a bet - Counting down each over now - 28 to go 

guitars4you

Plus point, is that at 11am this morning all 3 results were an option - And that does not happen to often these days