International cricket thread

Strumms

277 the target… a tough get.. lots of time in the game remaining though so there won’t be that pressure.

still it’s in the top 20 highest fourth innings run chases at Lords if successful.

Strumms

so De Grandhomme loses sight of the ball and gets himself run out…for 0

Then takes a wicket off a no ball..

then has to leave the field and possibly the entire test, injured..

all without taking a wicket.

Tom Mann Centuria

Terrific advert for Test cricket (though maybe not some of the batting) so far. Could easily go either way still.

Gillespy

15 overs to the second new ball. 61 runs needed. England will need to get on with it in the morning before that is taken. Foakes did fine just a bit slow. Batting was at its easiest there, at least Root made appear so.

Long tail will keep NZ in the game until the end. It could be all over in the blink of an eye once this partnership is broken.

Tom Mann Centuria

Paddy Power have England 1/5 and NZ 16/5. Although I want England to win I'm very tempted by the price for a Black Caps win. Get Root early and I think they'll win.

Strumms

Yep, be all on the first hour, England’s batsmen can potter along at about 3 an over and have it wrapped up just before lunch.

danger for them is 5 down plus a long tail….

Gillespy

Easy in the end. Only needed 14 overs to get the 61 runs.

England are so reliant on Root. Best player in the world. Talent wise I always believed he was just had issues converting. That's in the past now and the hundreds and milestones are flowing.

Strumms

So England with a 5 wicket victory..making it look easy in the end..

MFPM

Easy victory in the end for England, as long as Root bats well they always have a chance. NZ will kick themselves, they had the game yesterday but that collapse yesterday did it for them and their bowlers were really poor this morning, no pressure applied at all.

Strumms

At 69/4 & 159/5 to an extent even, England were behind the 8 ball but a classy effort by Root and a watchful effort by Foakes in support and they are over the line with 5 wickets to spare..

MFPM

Decent start by NZ this morning, particularly with the news that Williamson is out of the test.

Strumms

Potts drops a not so difficult chance, ball goes through him and for four.. dreadful attempt.. you’d say a chance of medium difficulty but doesn’t make any sort of competent effort…dreadful… England getting no chances, runs flowing and fast…. Chance arrives and shelled…

SeeMoreBut

Leach I just don’t get it. He just can’t seem to tie an end up and create pressure

Batsman seem to target him at times.

Should England just move on from him?

Not much to replacement him with

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119187684#Comment_119187684

Totally, he is a club standard cricketer, playing for England because of the dearth of quality spinners plus the peculiar fetish England captains and coaches / managers have for him…

Jack Leach is 30

played 23 tests…

79 wickets taken…

Averages 3.4 wickets per TEST..1.7 wickets per innings…

looks and is as about as useful as a condom with air vents.

if he batted at 8 and averaged about 16 with the bat you might say.. ok, he’ll get you a few runs, borderline all rounder but…no

his selection is bizarre… pick a batsman, pick an all rounder, pick another bowler but for the love of fûck don’t pick Jack Leach.

The way Ali has been talking I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back in soon. Great servant to them and brilliant in home conditions but he’d hardly represent a step forward for the future.

Saying that, either does Leach.

I’m surprised they haven’t tried to shoehorn Livingstone into a bits and pieces test all rounder at this stage. I wouldn’t advocate it but it would be a very England (and McCullum) thing to do.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119187877#Comment_119187877

Moeen might not get many more wickets but at least the guy can bat, averages around 29… so a genuine all rounder… problem is im reading that he is 35 in a weeks time… so a stop gap return if indeed it would happen…not a prestigious wicket taker…

Livingston is an interesting shout.. what might go against him slightly in terms of consideration is a very indifferent start to his ODI career..… also there is the distinct bang of a mercenary about him…played for 7 different teams in franchise cricket in 6 countries….over just the last 4 years.

the behaviour of a guy quite enamoured with maximising his earning potential ahead of his career potential…

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119187949#Comment_119187949

I don’t necessarily agree he’s a mercenary, and if he is, not entirely by choice either. The ECB actively encouraged players on the fringes of both one day set ups to look for opportunities abroad. He was snubbed for the England Lions tour that went alongside the Ashes too.

NZ realistically batting England out of the game here.

Strumms

He is still a professional cricketer being paid by Lancashire.. he also has an incremental contract with the ECB.

any organisation I’ve worked for, if you wanted to carry out any paid work for another company or organisation… it was only with their permission and blessing…

problem the ECB and the county teams might have is with the money available in the IPL… you’ll have cricketers like Livingston after a couple of domestic seasons at home, get a fella from Bangalore on the phone offering hundreds of thousands per season, giving up on domestic cricket, therefore giving up on test all all forms of international cricket….

His CV of globetrotting to sit in playing for whomever is astonishing… not good for one’s career.. bank balance sure..

2015–present Lancashire

2019 Karachi Kings

2019, 2021 Rajasthan Royals

2019 Cape Town Blitz2019/20–2020/21Perth Scorchers 2020, 2022 Peshawar Zalmi

2021–present Birmingham Phoenix

2021 Team Abu Dhabi

2022 Punjab Kings

Footballers play more or less on the same continent for one club… so for internationals they don’t go missing or play far from home…

when jadon Sancho was off playing for Dortmund he can be in London in 3 hours.

cricket, different being global

————————

surprised NZ haven’t declared, only two results possible, NZ win or draw if weather plays a part

MFPM

Really good day for NZ, over 500. Interesting to see how England bat and if the pitch deteriorates. If England bat well and get a big score, it's likely to be a draw snore fest...

Strumms

feel sorry for Mitchell, he deserved a double hundred.. shame he got out to such a scrappy shot after all that hard work.

crucial last hour of play….NZ looking good with runs on the board and a no doubt tired England lineup having to bat.

Strumms

I initially thought that was a bad shot but the replay shows a pretty excellent delivery that might have got better players than Crawley walking back to the pavilion…

Strumms

Riefell should just give it up, with one of the worst umpiring decisions I’ve ever seen, gives Foakes out caught behind. Replay shows that his bat is 18 inches approximately from the ball which just flicked his shirt… umpiring on sound over what was seen… doddery and

Xander10

so they'll have to play another two full days to reach the inevitable conclusion of a draw. finding this a bore fest.

Strumms

What fûcked it up was NZ putting on 553… they need to win to keep their chances of a series win alive so why take so much time out of the game creating such a needlessly massive score ?

Around a 480 declaration and leave yourself an extra 17 or so more overs at a tired England……

an interesting enough watch with some good batting to admire but NZ look resigned to not winning, they look a little sapped of confidence and energy… not a shard of assistance from the pitch..

Gillespy

England five down wouldn't look too bad if it was the likes of Woakes, Curran and even Wood in next. It's why I thought Stokes was reckless. Still a long way behind he put a lot of pressure on Root and Foakes. Fantastic if it comes off of course.

If teams are level after first innings it could be a good game yet. Anything can happen in the third innings and the part time off spinner Bracewell got a few to turn this evening. If that continues Leach and maybe Root might be a threat.

Strumms

England will be very satisfied, the only real negative was the Stokes brain fart.

If England can bat through to lunch they should in scoring terms be around parity with NZ…. Get past that, a lead of 100 ?

The first hours play will really have a big say in the direction the match takes.

the NZ second innings will be the one…they’ll be tired from being in the field for a couple of days… England will be rested.. NZ will be without Jamieson for the remainder of the test possibly, it’s reported in the NZ media that he has lower back pain…which is neither conducive to batting or bowling..

so one bowler and one batsman down…

England favourites.

Tom Mann Centuria

Draw favourite in my book.

Xander10

England didn't manage to push on the runs this morning. Parity. Conditions better now for bowlers, so England have a chance if they can get a few early wickets.

Strumms

England scored a massive 539 but 6 batsmen only made a single digit score. That’s mad.

Strumms

A really crucial couple of sessions now for both sides….England with a little dominance having NZ 142/4 who have a slender lead of 156..this could to either way.