Irish Cricket 2023

Lionel Fusco

172 all out pretty shite all told

wicorthered

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666904#Comment_120666904

They're bad shots because they're too attacking.

You also mentioned his 33.3 strike rate. You constantly give out about the strike rates in tests.

wicorthered

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666926#Comment_120666926

Facing one of the greatest bowlers of all time and with a serious lack of first class preparation. Compare McCollums and Crawley's prep for this game

wicorthered

This is where the trouble starts. The bowling is way off test level. I doubt a single bowler would even make a county side. England will be leading at close.

The slip cordon again shows the lack of first class cricket. They have no idea where they should be, not many times you use more than one slip in an ODI

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666963#Comment_120666963

Coaching?

wicorthered

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666968#Comment_120666968

Malan has less experience at this level than the players!

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666938#Comment_120666938

They are bad shots because they are not executed well.

i constantly give out about strike rates ? It’s appropriate to mention it yes….

bowlers already going at over 6 an over, bowling rubbish.

riffmongous

Aww man this is terrible bowling to watch

Strumms

No pace… Hume bowling a stock ball at 75 mph ffs… Hand conceded 17 runs in two overs…also going under 80 to low 80’s. Batsmen looking uber comfortable and untroubled…. Perfect competitive practice before the ashes… looking like a practice day.

breezy1985

I know test cricket kits are old school but is there a reason why Englands gear looks kinda modern and we are wearing cardigans ?

Strumms

Underage sets ups could really do with getting through a few quick bowlers that are constantly 86 mph and over.

A few medium pacers like we have here are no threat to batsmen as good as these in this format… Crawley and Duckett when they get together between overs are smiling, laughing, chatting and looking like they haven’t a care in the world.

6.96 the English run rate. 😣

Strumms

Stumps day 1. Pretty much a disaster for that Irish team.

even the wicket Hand took was more a poor shot by Crawley. Speaking of Crawley, 44 of his 56 runs were 4’s….

172 all out vs 152/1…

We have no chance of getting a win or draw barring an earthquake in Middlesex. No doubt it will (still) be a learning curve, lads getting used to these conditions and the experience will stand them in good stead and all the rest of the platitudes and excuses used ad nauseam over the years….’Balbernieisims’ I think is an appropriate descriptor.

England don’t have to do anything drastic now… everything from the scoreboard to the time left to the weather is in their favour, can’t not win.

wicorthered

Realistically this game should never have been scheduled. This isn't test cricket, no one benefits from this. The Irish lads are lambs to the slaughter here.

There hasn't been a first class game in Ireland since 2019. No one in this team, including Balbirnie and Stirling have ever played a prolonged spell of meaningful first class cricket. How are they meant to compete with an elite test side. In ODI and T20i you can get away with weaknesses, one or two can mask deficiencies elsewhere. That doesn't happen in tests.

Look at the first class appearances stats for both teams. Look at the lead in to the game. The English lads played weeks of competitive cricket, the Irish guys one glorified friendly. How were Ireland meant to be match ready, especially in a format they don't play anywhere near regularly. Crawley played more first class games in 2023 than McCollum since 2019. Potts more in 2023 than Hand in his career.

We can criticize all we like, and I'm usually very critical, but the difference in levels between the teams is grotesque. The Irish guys have given their best, what we're watching is their best. Unfortunately their best is light years from the elite teams. That isn't their fault. How can you blame Tucker, Tector, McCollum or any of them. CI haven't supported them, haven't given them the structures to succeed. Instead they've thrown them to the wolves and walked away. I critised Hand earlier and I was wrong. He's doing his best, it's CIs fault he was out in that situation today not his, he tried his heart out. CI cancelled the domestic first class game, yet arrogantly organized tests, knowing it was the players not them being humiliated on the pitch.

Josh Little and IPLs are the future of Irish cricket and it's not a future that involves test cricket. I hope for the lads themselves things improve in days 2&3 and if not, well they player a test match in Lord's fair play to them.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666910#Comment_120666910

The odd thing about Balbirnie is that as captain he's been very like Porter in terms of batting form. Four out of five times he's gone for little score but then puts in the odd good innings. I'm sure it's frustrating for him as well but a team that's struggling a bit really needs a captain that contributes more reliably. My two cents.

Smartphone 1

Waste of time. Waste of funding. Give it to Rugby or Football where we can compete on an international stage

Strumms

Tests at Lords :

Matches Won Winning Toss 51 (35.66%)

Matches Won Losing Toss 41 (28.67%)

Matches Drawn 51 (35.66%)

Lords is a benign pitch… the slope can be slightly disconcerting for inexperienced batsmen… but look at any and every pitch report , historical results suggest winning the toss doesn’t influence results as much as at other grounds..

just not good enough… not doing anything to make England earn it….popping up easy catches, Stupid, unintelligent cricket.

flatty

Depends on the weather though. It was overcast and humid early. Very hard to bat against a world class seam attack. I think it's been great to get a test there, and we should be grateful for it. The timing was unfortunate in that England are lining up for the ashes. I've been offered a corporate ticket for the first day at old Trafford. I think I'll go. Was at a day in 2005. Had 9 pints in the sun, which actually didn't seem a massive amount over the course of the day. A very nice day out. Couldn't see the ball though. Was like a day at the beach.

Furze99

Going to be a long, long tough day by the looks of it.

What's your predictions folks? 600, 700 - then declare either late today or early tomorrow?

wicorthered

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120667748#Comment_120667748

Yeah good idea why not ban cricket altogether. This the same football team that lost to Luxemburg?

MFPM

Ireland's bowling is all over the place this morning. At the rate England are scoring they'll declare at some point today and unless Ireland's batting significantly improves it'll be done and dusted tomorrow afternoon.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120669745#Comment_120669745

Why doesn't Balbirnie fiddle with the field more, slow down the over rate, keep them waiting a bit - any different sort of tactic to unsettle or draw them into a false stroke. What's the plan?

Gillespy

Pope is awful to watch. His stats don’t tally with the eye at all. The opposite of watching Root bat. Cummins and Hazlewood must fancy their chances watching this.

wicorthered

Whoever in CI organised this match should hang their heads in shame. I'm sure they're sipping champagne in the pavilion, while a hard working bunch of lads are humiliated on the world stage. CI hadn't even the decency to make sure the team were fully prepped for this. A mickey mouse practice match was deemed enough prep to play England at Lords!!!

We can talk about field placings, run rates etc. But the reality is these teams should not be playing each other in test cricket. The gap in domestic playing standards, preparation, coaching is monumental. They're two different sports. This was always going to happen today and it's not the players to blame!

Strumms

I’d be raging as an England or Ireland fan if I’d spent time and money getting to this…

Balbernie as always, if plan A isn’t working, stick with plan A… doing nothing to put pressure on the England team or even make them think, poor captaincy, yet again.

Furze99

Just hitting boundaries and centuries for fun here. I suppose it'll be over by tomorrow evening anyways.

MFPM

This could get really embarrassing for Ireland..England are 189 ahead, they could probably declare now and still win.

MFPM

A wicket at last!!

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670314#Comment_120670314

Another century partnership!

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120669927#Comment_120669927

Same with Jason Roy in the short games, big reputation, terrible to watch. The fella doing the betting preview on betfair must not watch much cricket, he tipped up England to score less than 386

Royale with Cheese

I'm basically just pretending this match isn't happening.

Hopefully England declare soon, they could probably win by an innings and 1000 runs if they really wanted to.