The Cricket Thread

[kieran_vale]

Pitch looks like it has flattened out a lot. England will need to be patient and not go searching too much. Suspect South Africa's got no real intent on going for the win so will need to just keep plugging away.

 

[Super_horns]

Could do with a couple of quick wickets after lunch to settle the nerves.

 

[GTFCfish]

Lol Ben Stokes again, give this man a fucking knighthood!

 

[kieran_vale]

Cracking argument for Test cricket remaining 5 days this has been.

Well done England. Ben Stokes stepping up again when the team needed him most. Legend!

 

[blademan89]

Cracking argument for Test cricket remaining 5 days this has been.

Well done England. Ben Stokes stepping up again when the team needed him most. Legend!

It will kill it for good going to 4 days. Draw, draw, draw. Anyway well done england, good win, need to build on it.

 

[Super_horns]

Close in the end but got the job done.

Well done Stokes, Crawley and co.

 

[Super_horns]

Shame for Jimmy but Archer will be fit I presume to cover:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/51038748

 

[blademan89]

Shame for Jimmy but Archer will be fit I presume to cover:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/51038748

Unfortunately age may be getting the better of him, only played a couple of tests in over a year I think. He wont play again now until sri lanka and that's if hes fit then. Think 2020 may be his final year which is an absolutely huge blow for england. Archer no where near on Jimmy's level at this stage in his career, we have to hope he can become something towards as good as jimmy has been.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Jimmy will probably be eyeing 600 wickets so another 20 odd to go if his body can keep up. Will be his last year, not sure who we play at home this summer (?) but I think he’ll call it a day after then if he makes it that far.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Archer no where near on Jimmy's level at this stage in his career, we have to hope he can become something towards as good as jimmy has been.

Of course he isn’t but then they’re totally different bowlers.

This England team are in transition mode at any rate. Denly is a stop gap, Root isn’t certain to captain the side long term, Sibley, Pope and Crawley have just been blooded, Buttler isn’t a permanent fix and the bowling attack post Jimmy/Broad, well who knows.

We’re gonna have some lean years in this test championship for a good while.

 

[kieran_vale]

I think this summer will likely be it for him. He bowled brilliantly in the first innings at Cape Town but it's becoming clear that physically his body can't hold up the way it once did. Fuck knows how England will manage once he is gone as he possesses skill with the ball that no other England bowler can come close to.

Hopefully Archer is fit for the next one, don't particularly fancy the idea of Overton trundling in. Could do with getting Olly Stone back to fitness as he at least showed he had some raw pace.

 

[Super_horns]

Sounds like Archer might be out again..

Be more of a struggle without him and Anderson.

 

[kieran_vale]

Rabada banned for the final Test after picking up a demerit point for his celebration on Roots dismissal. Although this benefits England this is absolute bullshit to penalise him for that. Can't expect the players to behave like robots and take all emotion out of the game.

The current Test is going very well though. Although slow going yesterday that was exactly what I have wanted to see from our Test batting and now they are reaping the benefits carting them round the park this morning. Pope looks a fantastic player and Stokes has been his usual brilliant self.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Ollie Pope is class, plays a lot like Ian Bell.

 

[kieran_vale]

Can definitely see that comparison. Quality innings from him that has been. First of many I expect.

England declare on 499/9, just because I can't remember the last time we did it would have liked us to add the extra run to cross 500 but even so that is pretty much the perfect template for England when batting in this format.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Can definitely see that comparison. Quality innings from him that has been. First of many I expect.

England declare on 499/9, just because I can't remember the last time we did it would have liked us to add the extra run to cross 500 but even so that is pretty much the perfect template for England when batting in this format.

Yeah me too the 499 still bothers me!

Brainless tactics from Root at the start of their innings giving the new ball to Curran, Bess has got him out of jail but the first 10 overs were a joke. Wood should’ve been bowling straight up - fires 40 odd with the bat, was chomping at the bit to get out there and take people’s heads off. As I say Joe got lucky, mind boggles. I really wish we had a better captain.

 

[GTFCfish]

Ollie Pope is class, plays a lot like Ian Bell.

I’ve been told my own playing style is also like Ian Bell’s, well I’ve heard people saying I’m a bit of a bell so I presume that’s what they mean.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I’ve been told my own playing style is also like Ian Bell’s, well I’ve heard people saying I’m a bit of a bell so I presume that’s what they mean.

Odd that, I imagine you IRL to be just like the pope.

 

[kieran_vale]

Final four South African wickets wrapped up for just 1 run today. Good going England.

I'm normally sympathetic to teams choosing to bat again but in these circumstances if Root doesn't enforce the follow on then he should be sacked between innings.

 

[Super_horns]

Finished the job nicely and got them back in.

Hopefully the rain will stay away.

 

[kieran_vale]

Won by an innings. Fantastic all round performance from England and great credit to them coming from 1-0 down away to lead the series. Must be said this is the worst South African team have seen, they have major problems to sort out but even so England got almost everything apart from wrapping up the final wicket spot on.

 

[Super_horns]

Goodness knows how we lost that first test going by the form of both teams since!

 

[Valeite]

Goodness knows how we lost that first test going by the form of both teams since!

I don`t think many of our lads could keep off the toilet long enough to build an innings after a virus swept through the camp.

 

[kieran_vale]

I’d say there was definitely that and Root not helping bowling first in that test on a pitch that went very uneven as it went on. We just don’t seem to be very good when we don’t choose to bat first.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Agreed. Terrible South African team. Probably only 1 or 2 of theirs would get in our team. Still, bounced back well and i'm backing us to win the next test as well.

 

[Super_horns]

Apprantley this was our first win overseas having enforced the follow on in 28 years!

 

[Super_horns]

What a turn around from the first test with a young side and without 2 key bowlers.

 

[Camborne Gills]

Alistair Cook suggests a shortened CC isn't really a viable option. In which case have the Blast and the 50 over and bin that god awful Hundred abortion.

 

[lordofthepies]

Alistair Cook suggests a shortened CC isn't really a viable option. In which case have the Blast and the 50 over and bin that god awful Hundred abortion.

I think the Hundred will take priority over everything else. The ECB need that to be a success.

 

[Super_horns]

I think the Hundred will take priority over everything else. The ECB need that to be a success.

I think they pretty much admitted that before.