The Cricket Thread

[Super_horns]

Oh dear - another collapse to finish the torture off.

Sums up the series.

 

[Railway Blue]

Although it wasn't a whitewash I think statistically its the worst ever Englad team to tour Oz. Fucking disgrace!.

 

[kieran_vale]

It's the hope that kills you sometimes. Here was me sat there thinking we might have a chance after Wood bowled brilliantly to set us what should be a achievable target and indeed the openers laid a platform but then they go and surrender like that. That was just a fucking disgrace. Will give Root a pass as his was bad luck keeping low but the others just looked like they wanted to get the next plane home.

Heads need to roll really. Like to think I'm not overly kneejerk but this was awful.

 

[Super_horns]

Too much focus Internationally and domestically on the white ball game so the test team sort of gets left behind and forgotten about before it’s all late .

 

[kieran_vale]

Seeing reports coming out of Australia that Shane Warne has passed away with a suspected heart attack. Am absolutely stunned at this news, only the other day I’d seen him do an interview saying he’d be interested in coaching England if they asked him. RIP to the greatest cricketer of all time in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1499746033085345796

 

[Super_horns]

Only 52.

So sad and tragic.

One of the great sorting legends .

 

[PuB]

Tragic, he pretty much kept the art of spin bowling alive. RIP Warney

 

[Super_horns]

New year, same old story. sadly!

Root is only staying as captain as there is no-one else to take over.

Him and Stokes are the only 2 players certain of their place in our ramble of a team.

 

[kieran_vale]

It was incredibly irritating to hear Root talking about the captaincy as though he should have any say in whether he gets to stay on or not. Under his watch England have now had 1 win in 17 test matches. That is an utterly appalling record.

I think what has annoyed me most is once again England have dragged a genuine talent like Matt Parkinson halfway round the world and not given him a chance while a succession of trundlers like Overton and Woakes etc keep getting chances or non turning spinners like Leach and they keep expecting different results.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Thing is Woakes is a much more dependable bat than quite a few of them but if it's not overcast his bowling is shite. Overton is a very uninspiring player, should be nowhere near the team. Leach for all his battling qualities probably isn't good enough but again a victim of poor man management.

You can talk about the injuries to key bowlers but that's part of being flogged to death by scheduling. Not picking either Broad or Anderson was a huge error. We need a new captain, a disciplinarian coach. I think these players have too easy a ride. Time again they fail, it's clear no fucker has got through to them

Bottom of the test league and you know what it's not that scewed a reflection. I'd probably put us above SL and Bangladesh but that's probably it.

 

[Railway Blue]

Anyone think that Josh Bohannon of Lancs might be worth a punt at 3 or 4 for the next test whenever that may be?

 

[kieran_vale]

Anyone think that Josh Bohannon of Lancs might be worth a punt at 3 or 4 for the next test whenever that may be?

He’s certainly had the start statistically to make him merit consideration. Can’t say as have seen him play so don’t know much of him but you don’t get double hundreds without having something about you.

More than anything though if come the first test of the summer and I don’t see Matt Parkinson on the team sheet (and give him a proper run) then I will be done with them. He has been bowling beautifully this summer at a time when it’s not usually best for spin. It looks like Stokes is going to be captain and I think that will bode well for Parkinson.

 

[Railway Blue]

He’s certainly had the start statistically to make him merit consideration. Can’t say as have seen him play so don’t know much of him but you don’t get double hundreds without having something about you.

More than anything though if come the first test of the summer and I don’t see Matt Parkinson on the team sheet (and give him a proper run) then I will be done with them. He has been bowling beautifully this summer at a time when it’s not usually best for spin. It looks like Stokes is going to be captain and I think that will bode well for Parkinson!

Southern bias methinks.

 

[kieran_vale]

Good luck to Ben Stokes as the new captain. Think it was probably the only option. With his injury history it may be the case his workload will need to be managed.

Hopefully the ECB can back him up with a good coach like Gary Kirsten and then I think there’s room for optimism. Reckon he will use the fast bowlers better for a start. Archer, Stone and Wood were all bowled into the ground at times by Root. Someone else in charge of DRS is not a bad thing either.

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - good luck to him.

Probably need it but maybe a new captain is what some needed.

 

[Super_horns]

Great innings from Root helped by Stokes and Foakes.

Probably masks a few failings again with the top order but what an excellent win if we get over the line

 

[Railway Blue]

Great innings from Root helped by Stokes and Foakes.

Probably masks a few failings again with the top order but what an excellent win if we get over the line

Problems still largely there. No player with an average of 40 apart from the maestro. Special mention for Foakes, who did exactly what was required. I really enjoyed that. We do seem to well against NZ, who are the top test team.

 

[Super_horns]

Key moments were that 3 wickets n one over when New Zealand looked set to score big then Stokes being let of via the no ball.

This morning was actually quite comfortable.

 

[EricSabin]

Hopefully it settles Foakes down as well

 

[kieran_vale]

Excellent partnership between Root and Foakes to see us home. Also well done to Root getting to 10000 test runs. Given it’s been a one man job for a large part it’s an amazing achievement. If anything losing the captaincy should free him up more and his best years should be to come.

Enough for England to look at from a critical aspect though. Having done really well to bowl them out first innings that collapse was just not good enough. The game should have been put to bed if had batted a bit smarter. That said am really pleased with our catching in this match, that as much as the batting has been a problem before. Important win though as NZ are only going to get better for the remaining tests.

 

[Super_horns]

Can we win this test ?

Guess we don’t want to be chasing more than 250.

 

[kieran_vale]

One session to go 160 to win with 6 wickets in hand. I love the way England have approached this by actually having a go. Nice contrast to Lords last year. Even if they lose this test match I’m a huge fan of this aggressive mentality.

 

[kieran_vale]

One of the great England wins that. The innings by Bairstow was like watching a real life game of Stick Cricket. Loved the approach by England in going for the target. Loved Alex Lees setting the tone at the top of the innings as well.

Not often Stokes gets overshadowed in a run chase and he was going at over a run a ball too.

 

[PuB]

What a fantastic afternoon’s watch that was!

 

[Super_horns]

Amazing innings by Bairstow.

Really went for it and got his rewards.

A great test match and win .

 

[kieran_vale]

Thought it was fantastic of Notts as well to let people in for free today to get a full house. Combine that with what we saw out on the field and that will have done wonders to selling test cricket to a more casual audience.

 

[Railway Blue]

What a glorious day at Trent Bridge yesterday. I was out walking the Bridgewater Canal with a lady friend and the only time I looked at my phone it was 93/4 and I just thought it'll be all over by the time we get home (no faith). We didn't get home until about 4.00pm and it was still for 4. I put TMS and cricinfo on and saw all these 4s and 6s. I'd already decided I wasn't going to watch Gareth's gloom merchants and had a zoom meeting to attend, so I watched the highlights on iplayer at 9.00pm. I've got a lot of time for the New Zealand team. Despite an umpire error gifting us the World Cup in 2019 they've never made a big deal of it and they take defeat with such good grace.

 

[Railway Blue]

I also like the way (as others have said) that Foakes is able to provide a shield for the long-ish tail. Any idea whose decision it was to allow the free entry? Whoever it was it was a generous and brilliant thing to do. The atmosphere was brilliant. Some negatives were even suggesting that Jamieson's absence was a factor, which doesn't wash for me. He's a big unit and will have more than his fair share of injuries.

 

[kieran_vale]

I also like the way (as others have said) that Foakes is able to provide a shield for the long-ish tail. Any idea whose decision it was to allow the free entry? Whoever it was it was a generous and brilliant thing to do. The atmosphere was brilliant. Some negatives were even suggesting that Jamieson's absence was a factor, which doesn't wash for me. He's a big unit and will have more than his fair share of injuries.

It was someone on the Notts side of it by the look of it. Inspired decision I would say. Certainly something a place like Lords could learn from (ticket prices there for the first test were ridiculous). Things like that I would go so far as to say should warrant Trent Bridge being rewarded with extra tests in future.

Jamieson even for a big unit is essentially a swing bowler and there was little on offer. He’d have gone the distance also. It was all about Englands intent for me. If they had scratched around trying to draw they’d have nicked off and probably lost. Even though I don’t really bother with the England football team think they could use some of the positivity McCullum has brought to our cricket team.

 

[Railway Blue]

It was someone on the Notts side of it by the look of it. Inspired decision I would say. Certainly something a place like Lords could learn from (ticket prices there for the first test were ridiculous). Things like that I would go so far as to say should warrant Trent Bridge being rewarded with extra tests in future.

Jamieson even for a big unit is essentially a swing bowler and there was little on offer. He’d have gone the distance also. It was all about Englands intent for me. If they had scratched around trying to draw they’d have nicked off and probably lost. Even though I don’t really bother with the England football team think they could use some of the positivity McCullum has brought to our cricket team.

That's the point I was trying to make. The best form of defence is attack. The whole essence of Test cricket is changing. Over 1750 runs at over 4 an over. Love it!