International cricket thread

Inquitus

The weather not playing ball again, this has been one of the worst 5 days tests for light and rain I can remember.

Strumms

With zero possibility of a result, would Mr Conservative aka Root just send a message out... ‘ATTACK, ENTERTAIN, THROW THE BAT, PLAY SOME SHOTS ?’ entertain people ffs. !

Noooo, no possibility of a result, a run rate of 3 and more blocking then I remember in a test match, anywhere, ever, what’s the fûcking point ? Root, great cricketer but I strongly dislike his personality as relates to his captaincy of the game.

Strumms

Run rate of 2.6... ‘time in the middle’ or just entertain the cricket loving public worldwide ?

MFPM

Strumms wrote: »

Run rate of 2.6... ‘time in the middle’ or just entertain the cricket loving public worldwide ?

Yeah slow going, Pakistan bowlers don't have any real rhythm, haven't really looked threatening.

Mysterypunter

Ridiculous to be playing past 6:00 in a dead game, nothing between the teams, evenly matched.

MFPM

All over. Roll on Friday - here's hoping for a decent run of weather/light.

Inquitus

MFPM wrote: »

All over. Roll on Friday - here's hoping for a decent run of weather/light.

Yep, lets have a completed test match please weather and light gods!

Gillespy

Very frustrating few days. Part of the game. Got a bit sick of Sky going on and on about the delays. Even criticizing the groundstaff. Cricket fans expect delays and if they do their job right, can often be more enjoyable than the actual game itself.

Pakistan must be kicking themselves to be one down going into the last game. Played the better cricket so far. Very competitive first innings score here again. Batting doesn't get more foreign or difficult than that and still got a score on the board. Woakes and Buttler the heroes for England and they're the main reason the series is the score it is.

By the way, what a ball by Azhar! No wonder Root declared straight away.

Strumms

Mysterypunter wrote: »

Ridiculous to be playing past 6:00 in a dead game, nothing between the teams, evenly matched.

Yes, there should have been an early end to the game, poor again from Root, maybe it’s just his inexperience as a captain but the rules allow for a match to be drawn if both captains are in agreement.

I’m majorly critical of Root. NO result was possible aside from a draw yet he had his batsmen go out and score... 1 1 0 runs in 4 3 overs !!! :mad:

I’m sorry but that’s terrible carry on... zero surprise knowing Mr Conservative JR... he probably viewed it as.. ‘go out, get some time in the middle’... my attitude... ‘ lads, we cannot lose, we cannot win, what we can do though is go out, play to entertain the cricket fans watching around the world...

Instead... we get blocking city, a run rate of 2.5, approximately 1 run and 29% shy of the average worldwide test run rate... I feel cheated.. I’m not an English fan, but I’m a sports and cricket fan..I’d like to have spent my afternoon watching a cricket game and not a time in the middle training exercise... 2.5 runs an over, in a game England could not lose, that’s cretinous behavior, shocking. Give Root the boot.

Gillespy

Have no issue with the way England batted today. What's the point in doing the fool throwing the bat and risk being bowled out for a embarrassing low score. Crawley got a nice 50, priceless middle time against a great attack. Start again on Friday. I think you are way over the top on this. Too focused on run rates which have little to relevance in this form of the game.

romteilly

Strumms wrote: »

Yes, there should have been an early end to the game, poor again from Root, maybe it’s just his inexperience as a captain but the rules allow for a match to be drawn if both captains are in agreement.

I’m majorly critical of Root. NO result was possible aside from a draw yet he had his batsmen go out and score... 1 1 0 runs in 4 3 overs !!! :mad:

I’m sorry but that’s terrible carry on... zero surprise knowing Mr Conservative JR... he probably viewed it as.. ‘go out, get some time in the middle’... my attitude... ‘ lads, we cannot lose, we cannot win, what we can do though is go out, play to entertain the cricket fans watching around the world...

Instead... we get blocking city, a run rate of 2.5, approximately 1 run and 29% shy of the average worldwide test run rate... I feel cheated.. I’m not an English fan, but I’m a sports and cricket fan..I’d like to have spent my afternoon watching a cricket game and not a time in the middle training exercise... 2.5 runs an over, in a game England could not lose, that’s cretinous behavior, shocking. Give Root the boot.

It's a very different view to me I must say.. the time to be adventurous is when you have a chance to win a game.. Time in the middle is needed for England's top 3 especially against bowlers like Abbas which they all struggled to score against.. Test cricket is atritiatonal.. entertaining the masses of test followers isn't gained by throwing the bat around.. not even sure Sibley has that in his locker anyway..

Strumms

romteilly wrote: »

It's a very different view to me I must say.. the time to be adventurous is when you have a chance to win a game.. Time in the middle is needed for England's top 3 especially against bowlers like Abbas which they all struggled to score against.. Test cricket is atritiatonal.. entertaining the masses of test followers isn't gained by throwing the bat around.. not even sure Sibley has that in his locker anyway..

I’d view it differently. I can certainly see the value of the approach you are suggesting on one hand. But people who are paying a sky subscription, sitting at home watch the game, I think they deserve more than to be watching a glorified net session, block city. It’s a test match. That was poor. Not one bit surprised knowing Root, the guy probably goes home and dresses up as Margaret Thatcher he’s that damn conservative... come on, it’s sport, no risk of loosing, be a bit more adventurous... you owe the cricket loving public.

Slim Charles

Strumms wrote: »

I’d view it differently. I can certainly see the value of the approach you are suggesting on one hand. But people who are paying a sky subscription, sitting at home watch the game, I think they deserve more than to be watching a glorified net session, block city. It’s a test match. That was poor. Not one bit surprised knowing Root, the guy probably goes home and dresses up as Margaret Thatcher he’s that damn conservative... come on, it’s sport, no risk of loosing, be a bit more adventurous... you owe the cricket loving public.

You know what you're getting with test cricket, no need whatsoever to play t20 hit and giggle just because the game cannot be won or lost. Bollocks to that. I paid my sky sub to watch test cricket. Them scoring at 8 an over and being all out 90 minutes later is no better.

Mysterypunter

3rd test starts in Southampton in the morning, may be a delayed start, but much of tomorrow is forecast to be dry. About three and a half days of dry weather, and rain moving in late Monday and most of Tuesday, but if Ireland were playing a home test this week, it would have been washed out. Not as bad in England apparently.

MFPM

Mysterypunter wrote: »

3rd test starts in Southampton in the morning, may be a delayed start, but much of tomorrow is forecast to be dry. About three and a half days of dry weather, and rain moving in late Monday and most of Tuesday, but if Ireland were playing a home test this week, it would have been washed out. Not as bad in England apparently.

Better than last week, let's hope we get that at least that. Apparently they will consider starting half hour early which should be the minimum particularly considering the absence of crowds.

MFPM

Archer back for Curran, Pakistan unchanged. Root wins toss and bat first, windy but conditions look good for batting.

MFPM

Burns out cheaply again, this time for 6. Good catch.

England going at 4 an over so far, good toss to win.

MFPM

Sibley gone for 22 lbw Shah.

MFPM

England 91/2 at lunch...good session for them.

MFPM

Good response by Pakistan after lunch, two quick wickets.

Strumms

Good 40 minutes for Pakistan. After a solid start by England, they have gone from looking decidedly unthreatening and conceding 4 runs an over to now 3.17 and threatening.

MFPM

Strumms wrote: »

Good 40 minutes for Pakistan. After a solid start by England, they have gone from looking decidedly unthreatening and conceding 4 runs an over to now 3.17 and threatening.

Nice ball to remove Root.

Crawley playing well following his knock in the last test, maybe England have solved their no. 3 problem.

MFPM

Maiden Test century for Crawley - England bossing the game now and unless they suffer some form of collapse, given the weather they've guaranteed they won't lose this game.

Strumms

MFPM wrote: »

Maiden Test century for Crawley - England bossing the game now and unless they suffer some form of collapse, given the weather they've guaranteed they won't lose this game.

Totally, 100%... basically this is a series winning partnership... can’t see the match being lost from this position. Think with the weather England needed to get bowled out for about 220/230.

MFPM

England over 300 now, Crawley 168 n.o. Very one sided day, England will try get a very big score and bat once but definitely won't lose from here.

Gillespy

One of the most impressive innings I have seen. Total control. Up and down through the gears playing every shot. Excellent puller and reverse sweeping Yasir.

Hope to see Buttler go to a hundred tomorrow. Played well today as he has all summer really.

England bossing this now. Pakistan might be where the WI were at the end. Bubble life getting to them.

Mysterypunter

Gillespy wrote: »

One of the most impressive innings I have seen. Total control. Up and down through the gears playing every shot. Excellent puller and reverse sweeping Yasir.

Hope to see Buttler go to a hundred tomorrow. Played well today as he has all summer really.

England bossing this now. Pakistan might be where the WI were at the end. Bubble life getting to them.

The partnership was impressive when you consider the score was 130 or so when they got together, looked like they could be dismissed for 240 ish. Crawley batted in an attack mode, and has scored quickly. I didn't know John Crawley is his father, Crawley senior played a match winning knock in new Zealand once, which was memorable for me when Dominic Cork was interviewed afterwards and the first thing he said was "Creepys been superb" . This applies to yesterday, Creepys been superb. That of course is if he is nicknamed creepy, but he probably is.

romteilly

Onwards today though.. England are going post a huge total today.. be tough for the Pakistan batting line up.. Babar & Ali need to fire

Gillespy

Mysterypunter wrote: »

The partnership was impressive when you consider the score was 130 or so when they got together, looked like they could be dismissed for 240 ish. Crawley batted in an attack mode, and has scored quickly. I didn't know John Crawley is his father, Crawley senior played a match winning knock in new Zealand once, which was memorable for me when Dominic Cork was interviewed afterwards and the first thing he said was "Creepys been superb" . This applies to yesterday, Creepys been superb. That of course is if he is nicknamed creepy, but he probably is.

Attack mode but also had slow periods after Sibley got out and especially when Pakistan bowled a few overs of wide tempting balls at him. Left them all go. It really was very impressive. On top of that, he is very classical so is good to watch. Burns and Sibley get runs but it's hard work. Ugly technique with fewer shots. Sheer tyranny of will gets those types of player runs.

MFPM

Neither side probably over concerned about the rain, England have the game in their hands, can't lose and will win the series but they'd like the win for the Test championship points. Pakistan know they're up against it, good experience for the young bowlers though.