The cricket thread

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

He's an absolute wonder.

Shithouse for Somerset today. Temp and clouds at Lords, way more movement about. If they're going to get anything out of this game, they need a huge Middlesex collapse 2nd knock.

crunchman · April 2021

Heartfeltdawn said:

He's an absolute wonder.

Shithouse for Somerset today. Temp and clouds at Lords, way more movement about. If they're going to get anything out of this game, they need a huge Middlesex collapse 2nd knock.

6 wickets for 16 runs!

Somerset will still need to bat very well to have any chance.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

crunchman said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

He's an absolute wonder.

Shithouse for Somerset today. Temp and clouds at Lords, way more movement about. If they're going to get anything out of this game, they need a huge Middlesex collapse 2nd knock.

6 wickets for 16 runs!

Somerset will still need to bat very well to have any chance.

Aye. Not surprised there's some hoop around, it's not cold this end of south London and there's a little bit of moisture in the air. Still going to take a serious batting effort as you say to pull through though.

Interesting to see that the spinners are taking wickets on day three pitches. A comparative lack of rain coupled with breezes drying them out a bit maybe. Harmer's got one, Leach bowling well, Mason Crane taking a few. Bess is 26 overs into the season and has yet to take one. With Moeen not playing and Bess in bowling rehab for some time I suspect, a Leach-Crane partnership would be most intriguing.

Also have to put this up:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/09/moeen-ali-abuse-an-upsetting-start-to-both-the-ipl-and-county-championship

Much is said of racist bullshit when it's directed at football players and racist abuse from the stands. This is no different and should be condemned likewise.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Chris Woakes took a wicket today in his second over in this season's IPL. It's his first competitive (ie. non-practice) match since the England-Oz ODI at Manchester last September.

When you think he went on both winter tours and is a multi-format player, that's some seriously boring bubble time for him.

crunchman · April 2021

Definitely starting the season too early. Snow stopped play at Headingley.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

In the places without rain or snow, there's some good finishes. Middlesex versus Somerset is still totally neck and neck, Gloucestershire have got a good chance of chasing down 200+ against Surrey, Glamorgan aren't out of it against Yorkshire..

I'm sure a few have heard of the Hampshire controversy. Very poor indeed.

https://twitter.com/leicsccc/status/1380885425695428612

crunchman · April 2021

Great win for Somerset.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Outstanding. Four days of swings and roundabouts competitive cricket. Brilliant advert for the game.

Stuckfast · April 2021

Heartfeltdawn said:

I'm sure a few have heard of the Hampshire controversy. Very poor indeed.

That's shocking. He actually went back and knocked the bail off knowing the ball was in his other hand. How could he "not know there was an issue" with that?

That should result in a ban IMO.

scrumhalf · April 2021

Surely if "the spirit of cricket" is to mean anything at all there has to be a fairly hefty penalty. It's the keeper's equivalent of ball-tampering.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

100% agree. The keeper isn't a rookie with over 100 professional games under his belt.

Under the fake fielding rules:

"41.5.10 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team."

So if that happens for attempts to deceive by simulation, then I can't see how an incident like this won't go to a much fuller investigation and possible censure.

As if the Somerset game wasn't good enough, Gloucestershire really pulled it out of the bag against Surrey who were absolutely woeful in the field. All that money, all those names, all the ability to sign practically anyone available, and you're reduced to bowling short balls and wide of the stump nonsense in an attempt to save the game. Disgraceful that only one wide was called.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO49936

crunchman · April 2021

Century for Foakes in that Surrey match. Surely he has to keep his test place.

Stuckfast · April 2021

I count six hundreds by England-qualified opening batsmen in this round of matches which should make things interesting for the selectors. Adam Lyth is probably past it now but the rest are mostly young players.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

crunchman said:

Century for Foakes in that Surrey match. Surely he has to keep his test place.

And he kept beautifully whilst Surrey were spraying it around this afternoon. Watching him with the gloves was my favourite part of the winter.

Stuckfast said:

I count six hundreds by England-qualified opening batsmen in this round of matches which should make things interesting for the selectors. Adam Lyth is probably past it now but the rest are mostly young players.

Maybe it's at the point where we have to look for something other than hundreds because we've brought openers in and they've all ended up with similar results. They get a start, many will make a ton or two, but they don't sustain the performance. Take Cook out of the equation and there are two openers with 30+ averages in the last few years. One of them is Sibley at 30.41. The other is Sam Robson (30.45) and he hasn't played in over half a decade. It's a pretty sorry list.

It's all part of the slide. Of players who debuted in the 90s and 00s and played more than 20 Tests, two from the 90s and seven from the 00s averaged more than 40 with a number averaging high 30s (Stewart was 39.54).

Of batsmen who debuted in the 10s and 20s and playing more than 20 Tests, Root is all on his lonesome. Hameed averages 43 in three Tests so doesn't count, Stokes and Ballance are next highest with averages of 37.

Australia: players who debuted in 90s and 00s, average more than 40 in a min of 20 Tests: a total of 13 players with a number playing under 20 Tests who averaged 40+.

Players who debuted in 10s and 20s averaging more than 40 in a min of 20 Tests: Four with Labuschagne not quite at 20 Tests.

The all-rounder opener. That's what we need.

crunchman · April 2021

Heartfeltdawn said:

..... (Stewart was 39.54).

Stewart averaged 46 when playing as a batsman.

Only 34 when keeping wicket though. They would have been better off playing Jack Russell and let Stewart concentrate on his batting.

Gassage · April 2021

crunchman said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

..... (Stewart was 39.54).

Stewart averaged 46 when playing as a batsman.

Only 34 when keeping wicket though. They would have been better off playing Jack Russell and let Stewart concentrate on his batting.

Save for the fact Stewart dropped a lot less than Russell at test level.

scrumhalf · April 2021

Apparently in the Hundred wickets will be referred to as "outs".

Can someone please kill off this abomination, it makes me think of T20 as traditional.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

You have to give the ECB credit for trying to create something that makes the Stanford Super Series look good.

Stuckfast · April 2021

Essex 96 all out!

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Very interesting day so far. Leicestershire with an unbeaten century opening stand against Surrey, Adam Lyth three short of a successive ton, Somerset rebuilding again..

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Best story of the day: Simon Kerrigan getting wickets again. Guy's been through absolute hell after his Test debut so it's heartening to see him back and getting wickets.

Stuckfast · April 2021

Yes, I've been watching the live stream, he's bowled superbly.

Stuckfast · April 2021

Flipping heck. Borthwick has 100 out of 140-4.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

No Stokes against NZ. That's a huge loss. First Test is June 2nd and the IPL isn't finished until Sunday May 30th so Sam Curran wouldn't be a straight slot in for Stokes. Group stages end on May 23rd so with flights back and quarantine, it's going to be quite the most interesting selection for ages given Stokes is definitely out, Archer must be a risk to come back after the elbow problems, the IPL list of Woakes, Buttler, Bairstow, and Sam Curran may be required until the end of the tournament, Rory Burns might be out of favour, Sibley hasn't played yet this season and Crawley isn't dripping with form...

Abbas with 5 for 3 in less than 3 overs this morning including a hat trick. Middlesex looking favourites for the low score of the season already.

Stuckfast · April 2021

Ah yes, the Rod Bransgrove Invitational XI powers on. I suppose at least they've got Mason Crane who is actually English.

Saqib Mahmood is bowling really well, I'd have thought he will be in contention for England.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Saqib is looking very tidy indeed. He and Ollie Robinson are the fringe seamers at the minute, Stone and Wood as the two fit outright quicks, Anderosn and Broad and Woakes are your experienced chaps.

Sibley absent injured for Warwickshire this afternoon. Think I'll hold off on the First Test choices for a week or so!

Stuckfast · April 2021

The delivery Matt Parkinson bowled to dismiss Adam Rossington was a proper Shane Warne to Mike Gatting affair. Shame the rest of our batsmen gave their wickets away.

earwighoney · April 2021

Heartfeltdawn said:

Saqib is looking very tidy indeed. He and Ollie Robinson are the fringe seamers at the minute, Stone and Wood as the two fit outright quicks, Anderosn and Broad and Woakes are your experienced chaps.

Sibley absent injured for Warwickshire this afternoon. Think I'll hold off on the First Test choices for a week or so!

I saw Saqib bowl a bit in the PSL (or another T20 franchise, they all seem to blur into a haze in my memory almost immediately after watching) before it was canned and I was impressed.

Heartfeltdawn · April 2021

Sibley has a fractured finger according to the Beeb. Must put his First Test place in doubt.

sixstringsupplies · April 2021

Stuckfast said:

The delivery Matt Parkinson bowled to dismiss Adam Rossington was a proper Shane Warne to Mike Gatting affair. Shame the rest of our batsmen gave their wickets away.

That was a ripper! There’s a Parkinson v warne video “who did it better” doing the rounds on social media.

Tough call.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

The cricket thread

Comments