International cricket thread

Mysterypunter

Gillespy wrote: »

Pollard got that badly wrong and let himself down, he is better than just a dumb slogger though. Quality white ball cricketer.

In other West Indies news they have appointed Kraigg Braithwaite as Test captain replacing Holder. Rewarding him for the good job he did in Bangladesh. Seems harsh on Holder who decided to miss the series. Might be best for Holder in the long run to be rid of it being such a quality all-rounder.

I think West Indies have a lot of ability and just need the application to go with it. I still think Pollard is a T20 slogger, average of 25 in odis, 3 hundreds in his life, and slogs his wicket away a lot when it's not going his way, but maybe I'm being harsh. Better game last night, West Indies chased 274, with the help of a first wicket stand of 192, and despite a bit of a collapse, got there with 2 balls to spare.

dohboy

Mysterypunter wrote: »

Definitely overbowled, and Zimbabwe in the lead now, but need another 150 or so, good 8th wicket partnership

Yeh his lengths were a bit all over the place by the end, but he was still bounding in tbf. Didn't look to be flagging too much. Woulda thought the Afghans should have used their seamer more (think they are only playing one?) as the two lads were looking v comfortable with spin.

Nicely poised, but it could also end very quickly in the morning.

Mysterypunter

dohboy wrote: »

Yeh his lengths were a bit all over the place by the end, but he was still bounding in tbf. Didn't look to be flagging too much. Woulda thought the Afghans should have used their seamer more (think they are only playing one?) as the two lads were looking v comfortable with spin.

Nicely poised, but it could also end very quickly in the morning.

Zimbabwe are 330/8 now, Williams 137* and Tiripano out lbw to Rashid Khan for 95, they added 187 in around 70 overs. Unfortunately they only lead by 72, and need a few more

Mysterypunter

Afghanistan have got their reward for excessive appealing as the umpire makes a horrible decision, teams should be penalised runs for appealing 4 times in every over. Funny enough, the fella who gave it out is a fat bloke from Afghanistan. Don't know if he is any good or not, but the ball was thrown to him at the lunch break, a gentle lob from 2 or 3 yards away, and he dropped it, so I wouldn't say he is a cricketer. As I write this the number 11 is lbw despite it missing leg stump, so Afghanistan need 108 for a hollow victory, Rashid Khan took about 3 wickets, but ended with 7/137. Sean Williams brilliant for 151*

Richard Hillman

This is an absolutely magnificent Test Match. A few early Zimbabwe wickets on this snake pit and panic will set in

Royale with Cheese

Afghanistan get over the line comfortably enough in the end. 3 wins from 6 for them now.

VillaMad

Just watched it back this morning. None of the 3 wickets that Afghanistan got were out in my opinion. 2 lbws that were missing leg stump and an edge that wasn't. As Zimbabwe followed on, Rashid Khan bowled something like almost 100 overs in 2 days and a bit. Afghanistan's plan A, B and C seems to be Rashid Khan when bowling.

Very good test match to watch though. All results were possible heading into the final day although an Afghanistan victory was always the most likely. When teams are of a fairly even standard, you do get back and forth cricket which can be good to follow.

Mysterypunter

I am not the greatest fan of the Curran brothers, but Sam Curran has a lot of ability, but the brother is hardly a cricketer, there is a 3rd one who plays for Northants, but of the two internationals, only one of them should be an international. India squared the series with a 7 wicket victory today

Gillespy

Tom tends to go the distance more often than not lately. Sides have figured out his variations maybe. He has won games for England in the past, holding his nerve bowling the last over so they will persist with him for that. Not a first choice pick when are all available. Whereas Sam gets into all teams I think. He's a much better cricketer.

MFPM

India struggling against the pace of Archer and Wood. 55/3 having been 22/3.

Strumms

Really good bowling and fielding from England.. fast, accurate, consistent and very economical bowling and excellently accurate and aggressive in the field in terms of taking catches and retuning the ball back to the stumps, giving the Indians second thoughts about every run...

Strumms

Good stuff from Kohli but a seriously poor over to finish from Wood.... barring the final delivery the deliveries were meat and drink to Virat..

MFPM

Kohli back in form - critical runs in this innings. Wood's figures took a bit of a beating in that over. England should be able to chase this down.

Strumms

7.85 runs per over required. England favorites...

Gillespy

Buttler on the warpath. Powerplay of 57-1 has made the chase easy from here.

dohboy

Win the toss and win the match it seems on the subcontinent. Don't really watch the IPLs, but I read that 14/15 of the first matches in the IPL went to the chasing team.

Strumms

A canter for England... their bowlers were excellent though...batsmen too, to only loose two wickets in an International T20 chase in the subcontinent and win with 8 balls to spare...

MFPM

India off to a better start than the last match, well they've got through the first three overs scoring runs and not giving away cheap wickets.

MFPM

I jinxed them! Rohit out c&b Archer for 12.

Strumms

If an umpire can’t see the deflection off the thigh pad there he needs to retire, via specsavers, a joke.

Strumms

I’d say that’s the end of Rachid, gone for 26 off two overs, India look to be targeting him...

MFPM

Rahul gone for 14 off bowling of Stokes. 63/2 off 7.4

Strumms

Captain persists with Rachid and it pays off, great delivery to bamboozle Kohli... what do I know

MFPM

Kohli from hero to villain, giving his wicket away to Rashid who has been poor in the game so far.

Strumms

Terrible final delivery by Rachid, not a great 4 overs, costing him and England 39 runs all be it managing one wicket.

Strumms

Don’t think that can be overturned, not conclusive enough proof that fingers were not under the ball with him given out on field

MFPM

Really good comeback here by India. Once England got going with Bairstow and Stokes it looked like they were going to do it but the quick wickets of Stokes, Bairstow and Morgan turned the game back. Sets up an exciting decider on Saturday.

Gillespy

Very underwhelming approach by England to chasing that. Left the required rate get too high very early. Roy looked horrible, that kind of batting that gives T20 a bad name. Malan struggled too. Yet they still got pretty close. Would have loved to see Jofra pull it off there.

Rohit captaining the final overs will make the calls for him to replace Kohli even louder.

Strumms

England were poor at the beginning of the innings and towards the end... the middle third saw them get into a good position, probably par with India but they gave too many cheap wickets away..when they sit down and examine the dismissals... they’ll be pretty disappointed with their performance.

Strumms

That never looked close in real time, clipping a fourth stump.. poor review.