The cricket thread

ennspek · May 2015

Could do with Bell rediscovering a bit of form right about now :-(

scrumhalf · May 2015

Oh dear. Second innings, same old story.

Maybe it's the awful sweaters that are putting them off.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

Lords is doing what Lords does. One session you'll get an absolute bowling paradise, the climate changes and you get a veritable road. The first session of day 1 they got the bowling conditions, which we didn't get until late in their innings. That then stays when they get to bowl. It has not been a bad performance really. We showed some fight with the bat first innings, stuck to it with the ball even when the conditions went really docile, Mark Wood has shown some promise, Moeen keeps going (still got the best strike rate of any of the serious bowlers on either side)... it's not the sort of performance that demands beheadings.

rocktron · May 2015

England could knock off the 62 runs in arrears and put up a total to give the bowlers a chance. Moeen could then bowl the side to victory utilising the rough outside the off-stump with the wicket taking spin on the 5th day.

Three quick wickets in the NZ second innings and panic would set in.

This is cricket and stranger things have happened. It's not over 'til it's over.

menamestom · May 2015

Heartfeltdawn said:

Lords is doing what Lords does. One session you'll get an absolute bowling paradise, the climate changes and you get a veritable road. The first session of day 1 they got the bowling conditions, which we didn't get until late in their innings. That then stays when they get to bowl. It has not been a bad performance really. We showed some fight with the bat first innings, stuck to it with the ball even when the conditions went really docile, Mark Wood has shown some promise, Moeen keeps going (still got the best strike rate of any of the serious bowlers on either side)... it's not the sort of performance that demands beheadings.

I agree with that but you have to say the kiwi's have really made the most of the conditions, which doesn't always happen with the visiting team playing in the first test. Could be an interesting day.

menamestom · May 2015

Oh FFS, Bell trudging off.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

menamestom said:
I agree with that but you have to say the kiwi's have really made the most of the conditions, which doesn't always happen with the visiting team playing in the first test. Could be an interesting day.

Coming to England early in the season means they're playing in similar conditions to what they'd find back in New Zealand. It's not much of a culture shock to them. Most of them have played in England at some level before, from county cricket to 2nd XI to MCC to league cricket.

Cracking Test match.

scrumhalf · May 2015

Cracking day's play today.

To an extent the summer rests on our bowlers tomorrow.

Gassage · May 2015

If Ben Stokes was a league cricketer he'd turn up to games in an adidas shell suit, baseball cap on the wrong way, white reeboks, in a maxpower car, whith a can of diamond white in one hand and a a fag in the other. FACT

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

Gassage said:

If Ben Stokes was a league cricketer he'd turn up to games in an adidas shell suit, baseball cap on the wrong way, white reeboks, in a maxpower car, whith a can of diamond white in one hand and a a fag in the other. FACT

Not too much different from that England Lions tour he was sent home from then...

scrumhalf said:

Cracking day's play today.

To an extent the summer rests on our bowlers tomorrow.

No, not at all. Even if we lose, look at the positives. Cook back in form. The emergence of a consistent line up from Ballance down to Moeen that could be seriously powerful. A new bowler in Wood who has good pace and looks threatening. Stuart Broad continuing his improvement with the ball. Moeen reacting to a poor West Indies tour by coming back with runs and wickets.

Considering the fucking shitty list of events that occurred prior to this Test match, England have shown determination, fight, and got the balance right between attack and defence in the second innings. Stokes might get the plaudits for the speed of runs but Cook's innings has been superb.

Don't give the Kiwis an opportunity to win. Keep them out there as long as possible.

scrumhalf · May 2015

I stand by what I said.

Assuming we declare and set them a tempting target, it will be a test of the bowlers to see how many Kiwi wickets they can get. And on a wicket where there is some wear and tear, it will be a test to see if our Moeen and Root can be attacking spinners. Without spinners I think it will be difficult to beat the Aussies.

Bitter experience also makes me wary of saying things are so good after less than one test. We have problems atthe top end of the batting order, and The Aussies have Johnson and his gang who are seriously quick.

iseverynamegone · May 2015

Gassage;644862" said:
If Ben Stokes was a league cricketer he'd turn up to games in an adidas

shell suit, baseball cap on the wrong way, white reeboks, in a maxpower

car, whith a can of diamond white in one hand and a a fag in the other.

FACT

Is there a right way to wear a baseball cap? And should he have a cigarillo and a pimms?

I see England are not only taking all Yorkshires players but also the coach now. I'm all for England improving, but only if they give Yorkshire the championship now in recompense.

ennspek · May 2015

To be fair Cook's test form has been back for a while now. Ben Stokes today! Kevin who? :-p It's been a cracking test so far.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

scrumhalf said:

I stand by what I said.

Assuming we declare and set them a tempting target, it will be a test of the bowlers to see how many Kiwi wickets they can get. And on a wicket where there is some wear and tear, it will be a test to see if our Moeen and Root can be attacking spinners. Without spinners I think it will be difficult to beat the Aussies.

Bitter experience also makes me wary of saying things are so good after less than one test. We have problems atthe top end of the batting order, and The Aussies have Johnson and his gang who are seriously quick.

I'm not saying things are so good. We still need a stable opening partnership and we need to know who our backup bowlers are. Some indication as to who the reserve wicketkeeper is would also be wise (I'm not a Bairstow fan). Lyth needs to deliver in the next Test. Personally I'd love to have Steven Davies up the top of the order but it won't happen.

But it would be a really grumpy English fan mentality to not look at this Test and see that there are some good signs about. We started badly, fought hard in the first innings, watched the Kiwis rack up the runs, and Cook and Stokes especially have played their balls off today. A victory would be unlikely, a defeat would be huge. Making sure we don't lose is the priority. In a two-match series, throwing all the cards into the desk tomorrow morning with a declaration would be ludicrous. Instead we go to Headingley with a bit more confidence, the Yorkshire contingent will be on home soil (which should benefit Lyth in particular), and the team has a structure to it that we haven't had for a while. They go to Headingley knowing they need to win.

Root the spinner: Yes, he's got a few wickets. A strike rate of one wicket every 19 overs. In the world of part-time spinner, this puts him in the Carl Hooper bracket. Even Marlon Samuels gets them quicker.

Right now, Moeen has a better strike rate than Ryan Harris, Joel Garner, Hadlee, Big Mitch, and Michael Holding. How much more attacking do you want? Before this Test, Mo had played 9 Tests. Compare his record to these two dudes after they'd played 9 Tests:

Moeen - 28 wickets at 29.50, SR - 50.50

Warne - 21 wickets at 37.83, SR of 75.

Murali - 36 wickets at 29.05, SR of 67.9.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

And go me for being the first person on the FB to mention Carl Hooper

lloyd · May 2015

Cooks soooo conservative, need to bowl these out not contain for a draw

lloyd · May 2015

Great start though!

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

lloyd said:

Cooks soooo conservative, need to bowl these out not contain for a draw

We've just scored nearly 500 in the third innings so the pitch is not bad. Last year Middlesex chased down 472 to win by seven wickets against the much vaunted Yorkshire attack at Lords. The scorecard shows what Lords does. Weather conditions made it good for the seamers in the first innings for each side, it levelled out, Yorkshire put on some runs, and then it really levelled out for Middlesex to chase down.

At least being bowled out means we didn't have to declare. Renders all the earlier declaration content useless!

Cook's got the fields right for the opening. It's giving the seamers some help. You don't need mad fields. McGrath in these conditions would have been lethal.

Now the Kiwis are three down, they won't be going for it.

lloyd · May 2015

Aye fair enough, I'd like him to be more attacking in the field in general though. Popped out before and just come in, looks like it will dribble into a draw now though, unless we bowl them out...

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

61 for 5 .Definitely no dribbling as yet.

It's very easy to think that you need incredibly varied fields all the time. In a situation like this, opposition now well under the pump, pitch and climate both in favour of the seamers, there's not that much chance of unusual shots being played.

There was so much criticism when England didn't pick Stokes for the World Cup. It was the right decision. He looks better, more focused. The atmosphere on the balcony whenever I've seen players talking to Farbrace looks very relaxed considering the absolute hammering the team have taken in the last few weeks in the media. Now we have Bayliss coming in, a man with a very good track record at international level, there is a lot to look forward to.

iseverynamegone · May 2015

Moeen will pick up a couple.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

There, that is how you use Joe Root. Not a frontline spinner but a dude who bowls a few overs and nicks one out.

lloyd · May 2015

Hopefully New Zealand will buckle now, not sure how good their tail is to be honest? Enough overs in the day to get them out though.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

lloyd said:

Hopefully New Zealand will buckle now, not sure how good their tail is to be honest? Enough overs in the day to get them out though.

1 more to get. A real team performance. Some excellent bowling changes.

lloyd · May 2015

Yeah, been a great test to be fair. Both teams played well. Just the bowling today has been the difference, should have this last one in the next few overs with any luck.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

When NZ piled up the runs, it was in the best of the batting conditions. Now it's gone the other way and England have used the conditions very well.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

Fuck T20 in the ass. Test cricket for the absolute win. Fabulous match.

Heartfeltdawn · May 2015

And the final catch... all innings Vaughan has been chuntering about them sticking a third man out there. That is why!

lloyd · May 2015

Great catch to end it. Test match cricket is the best format bar none, hopefully that will continue to be seen as true among (most) players. Great game, Cook captained really well to be fair too.

rocktron · May 2015

Just as I predicted, except Moeen did not spin them out!!!

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