The Cricket Thread

[JJH]

Another pathetic dismissal. Braindead cricket.

 

[MJA]

Surely there are better options than Ali in County cricket?

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[spireite]

We've not been outplayed, just been stupid.

 

[RavenBish]

Pretty much, Pakistan have just made less mistakes than us. An early spell by Rahat to get Hales in the first innings and some disciplined bowling from Shah aside I don't think their attack have performed particularly well - which is a bad omen considering Old Trafford can be a bit of a bowlers paradise.

Sounds the sort of thing an idiot in a pub would say but I don't think England have had much of a 'plan' this Test either, especially with the bat. A rather casual and over-confident approach.

 

[JJH]

Glos hit 212-1 against Essex today at Cheltenham festival. Klinger hit 95*, he's had a ridiculous scoring season already. Win this one and we're confirmed through to the quarter finals.

 

[TomPNE94]

This is brilliant to watch at the moment. Far cry from that shite series against Sri Lanka

 

[Bobbin']

Keep the faith boys.

This can be done.

 

[blademan89]

I don't feel confident at all with this I see us losing by 50 or 60 runs and thinking of having a £50 on Pakistan at 11/10

Prediction looking nailed on now. Had a treble on Pakistan,Edmund and stenson 5/1. Feeling confident

 

[Baz]

Aneurin Donald has just hit a double century for Glamorgan....impressive thing is it's come off 123 balls.

 

[Saddlerrad]

I hate losing to these twats.

10-140 for Shah, excellent.

Bodes tremendously well for 7 test matches in Bangladesh/India.

England not the finished article by any means and haven't had the best test, but is the first sign of life without Anderson? Still a developing side, but Ballance/Vince/Ali very much have to be questioned. He's had the best 18 months of virtually any test match batsmen around the world, but Joe Root has a lot to answer for in this test match.

Glad to see the commentators crucifiying Joe Root for his shot at 118-1 in the 1st innings. I knew how crucial it could be at that point, didn't realise it would work out quite as crucial as it did.

 

[Baz]

This is Pakistan, they'll probably be shocking for the rest of the tour.

 

[Pilgrim Meister]

Our Batting line up is not up to it, and is the main problem. Nothing wrong with our bowling.

England had just under 2 days to bat long at 1 run an over and not taking any risks. Boring as hell to watch, but would of knackered out the Pakistan Bowlers and then made it easier as it went along.

A change of approach is needed for the next test.

England 207 all out. Lost by 75 runs

 

[JJH]

Prediction looking nailed on now. Had a treble on Pakistan,Edmund and stenson 5/1. Feeling confident

Did you lump on?

Gutting that. So many moments you could pinpoint as to where we've narrowly fell short in this game, but that'd be taking away from Pakistan's performance. Fantastic entertainment was that.

 

[RavenBish]

Probably 100 light in the first innings and that was the difference. Old Trafford should be a great match on that pitch with Anderson back in.

Questions need to be asked of Ali for me, he's lucky OT is a turning wicket so he'll stay in but hes well below average with bat and ball currently. Ballance did ok, our most fluent batsman in the 2nd innings. Vince looks like delaying the inevitable currently, just don't think he has it in him.

 

[blademan89]

Did you lump on?

Gutting that. So many moments you could pinpoint as to where we've narrowly fell short in this game, but that'd be taking away from Pakistan's performance. Fantastic entertainment was that.

No only had a score on it. But it's virtually won now so £100 profit. Pakistan this morning at 11/10 is rediculous in my eyes it was guaranteed you'd have to be so unlucky to not win if you went huge on it

 

[kieran_vale]

Very good Test match, looking forward to the next one. Pakistan definitely deserved that though, just goes to show the difference a match winning spinner can make.

That said we have definitely contributed to our own downfall with the bat especially first innings. Am pretty annoyed with Moeen Ali there though, no problem with him coming down the track but when it looks like you're not going to get to the pitch of the ball there's nothing wrong with blocking it rather than the ugly tailender style hack he attempted. I expect we'll bounce back and win at Old Trafford though.

 

[Camborne Gills]

A good day for Kent. Four half centuries in a score of 310/3. Thanks to Gloucestershire as well, for beating Essex in the T20, which gives us a better chance of reaching the QFs

A brilliant innings from Donald for Glamorgan, 234 containing 26 fours and 15 sixes (194 in boundaries)

 

[Pilgrim Meister]

Next Test I would have the following XI:

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Root
4. Vince (last chance saloon, replaced if fails again)
5. Ballance
6. Bairstow
7. Stokes (replaces Finn)
8. Woakes
9. Rashid (replaces Ali)
10. Broad
11. Anderson (replaces Ball)

Ali gets dropped for another Spin alternative but two spinners at this stage, especially with Ali not preforming with the bat makes doesn't sense. Stokes selected to bolster batting line up as well as a bowler. Woakes has done OK at 8. Finn has not preformed to the standard, Ball has done OK, but not quite good enough.

If we went with two spinners, then drop Woakes, but will Ali do better than Woakes with the bat?

Also, who should replace Vince if he fails again?

 

[Baz]

Donald is only 19 too, he's done pretty well in all formats so far this season so hope he continues to develop nicely, shame he'll probably be taken off our hands though.

 

[lordofthepies]

I hate losing to these twats.

How are they twats? This Pakistan team is my favourite team in world cricket at the moment.

 

[Saddlerrad]

How are they twats? This Pakistan team is my favourite team in world cricket at the moment.

They are a good team, just don't like them, don't like how they celebrate, don't like how OTT they can be. Plus, they have a massive history of issues with England, cheating, match-fixing, right down to dodgy umpires. Wouldn't trust any single of their current players not to be on the take somewhere along the way.

Not a fan. Only team I hate losing to more than Australia.

 

[blademan89]

They are a good team, just don't like them, don't like how they celebrate, don't like how OTT they can be. Plus, they have a massive history of issues with England, cheating, match-fixing, right down to dodgy umpires. Wouldn't trust any single of their current players not to be on the take somewhere along the way.

Not a fan. Only team I hate losing to more than Australia.

I fully agree with you.

 

[MJA]

They are a good team, just don't like them, don't like how they celebrate, don't like how OTT they can be. Plus, they have a massive history of issues with England, cheating, match-fixing, right down to dodgy umpires. Wouldn't trust any single of their current players not to be on the take somewhere along the way.

Not a fan. Only team I hate losing to more than Australia.

Absolutely 100% agree mate. They are certainly an arrogant bunch of tossers.

Just hope the England selectors see the problems and do something about it instead of just recycling the same old names. I'm not saying make wholesale changes for the next test but surely there is a better spinner than Ali playing the county game. He seems to survive in the side because people think he can bat but today just summed his batting performances up. Pakistan having a very good spinner, who could make things happen on a pretty shit pitch was the ultimate difference between the 2 sides

 

[lordofthepies]

They are a good team, just don't like them, don't like how they celebrate, don't like how OTT they can be. Plus, they have a massive history of issues with England, cheating, match-fixing, right down to dodgy umpires. Wouldn't trust any single of their current players not to be on the take somewhere along the way.

Not a fan. Only team I hate losing to more than Australia.

Except that's total bullshit. If we ignore Amir for a moment, all of this team are massively outspoken about match-fixing and they were all ashamed to be associated with the spot-fixing of a few years ago. Most of them didn't even want Amit back because of how far that set their reputation back. All of the other players have spent the last 5 years playing honest cricket and working their arses off for limited money in front of non-existent crowds in a foreign country to restore the reputation of their country only for little shits like you to cast aspersions on their good character. Misbah is one of the most honourable men in cricket (and one of the best leaders of men). And Younes is magnificent too. As far as I can tell, there is no good reason to doubt the integrity of anyone in this team. Saying that they're from the same country as historical cheats is not a good reason. I'll talk about the Amir thing later but I'm a bit drunk and have a bus to catch.

 

[lordofthepies]

And having a go at a team for celebrating too much is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.

 

[RavenBish]

Cook, Hales, Root, Borthwick, Ballance, Bairstow, Stokes, Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Anderson

is what I'd like to see - I'm tired of Ali's lack of development in his bowling considering how long he's been doing it now and I don't think he's in a good place with his batting mentally either. Old Trafford is prime spin territory and Borthwick gives you an in-form batsman and a second spinner too (read Warne say the other week that he sees Borthwick as being a better spinner than Rashid if he concentrates on that side of his game a bit more) - Ballance gets the benefit of the doubt ahead of Vince and you've got a lineup that bats very deep - which is what we'll need looking at Pakistan's attack.

what do I expect to see? 1 change, Anderson in for Ball (the management clearly rate Finn and seem to be hoping he'll bowl himself into form).

As for the Pakistan team, don't have an issue with them and I have massively in the past - this lot seem a good bunch though.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Except that's total bullshit. If we ignore Amir for a moment, all of this team are massively outspoken about match-fixing and they were all ashamed to be associated with the spot-fixing of a few years ago. Most of them didn't even want Amit back because of how far that set their reputation back. All of the other players have spent the last 5 years playing honest cricket and working their arses off for limited money in front of non-existent crowds in a foreign country to restore the reputation of their country only for little shits like you to cast aspersions on their good character. Misbah is one of the most honourable men in cricket (and one of the best leaders of men). And Younes is magnificent too. As far as I can tell, there is no good reason to doubt the integrity of anyone in this team. Saying that they're from the same country as historical cheats is not a good reason. I'll talk about the Amir thing later but I'm a bit drunk and have a bus to catch.

Is that you in disguise Misbah?

They are bound to be ashamed in the media of Amir's actions, they aren't going to openly condone his actions, under any circumstances. 'Yeah, we understand Amir's point of view, cheating was understandable in a huge multi hundreds of thousands of pounds operation'...it didn't take long for Allah to allow them the power of forgiveness though, did it?

I wasn't specifically making any accusations, or casting aspersions on the current team, as opposed to any other Pakistan team in history. The simple fact is, I'm not a fan of ANY Pakistan team, the nature of their culture, actions of the previous teams. This lot might be decent, they may come across as decent, but I wouldn't trust any of them, any Pakistan side. Too much water under the bridge over various incidents over the years.

That being said, it's my opinion, I'll form them how I want.

If you don't like it, tough shit. Take advantage of the ignore button.

 

[lordofthepies]

Simple fact is, I'm not a fan of ANY Pakistan team, the nature of their culture

 

[Aber gas]

Personally I've always rather liked the Pakistan cricket team. Brash, lightning fast seamers. Mercurial spinners and exciting but fragile batsmen. Wasim and waqar in their pomp was one of the most exhilating things I've seen on a cricket ground. Chuck in " boom boom " , inzaman , mushtaq and shoaib ahktar for some of my favourite players of all time. The corruption thing is a bit weird tbh. We don't castigate South Africa for the actions of Cronje and Kirsten ( alleged ) or the Indian test team for the endemic corruption of their domestic cricket but seem happy to do just that for this Pakistan team. I also like this current team and as Pies has said their emergence in such trying circumstances is to be admired alongside their obvious talent.

 

[JJH]

They are a good team, just don't like them, don't like how they celebrate, don't like how OTT they can be. Plus, they have a massive history of issues with England, cheating, match-fixing, right down to dodgy umpires. Wouldn't trust any single of their current players not to be on the take somewhere along the way.

Not a fan. Only team I hate losing to more than Australia.

These are the reasons I dislike Pakistan as well.

It's not a reflection on their current team (despite them having a past match fixer in the side currently, regardless of what the circumstances were when he was approached), more their past.

They have had some cracking entertainers in the past as Aber mentions, but I'm not a fan of them as a cricketing nation.

The OTT celebrations annoy me a bit as well, but I'm being bitter. Hope we celebrate in similar style now if we win the next test.