The Cricket Thread

[Saddlerrad]

25-3..Cook caught behind, trying to hook only the second short ball of the game. 170 was optimistic.

 

[hodge]

Bell to get 50....

 

[Skinner]

Loooool Root and Bell will see us to 100

 

[Saddlerrad]

So Root and Bell...fantastic delivery.

30-4. Bell bowled by Henry.

 

[Skinner]

Maybe not

 

[hodge]

maybe not then....

 

[The Southbank]

Just seen the Cook dismissal, what the flying fuck was he trying to do?!

 

[slaphead]

Perfect start for NZ, bowling beautifully in the conditions. The only one who's given it away (again) is Cook, poor shot to a poor ball. Gone before the Ashes with any luck.

 

[Saddlerrad]

See I thought Cook was right to go attacking. Let's face it, if he doesn't, the run rate sits at 1 with Ballance at the crease. Load of piss from the top 3/4 again. NZ bowled well but Warne is spot on, nobody has the attacking mindset to play vs new ball bowlers. Nobody gets out the crease or takes risks or looks to invent scoring shots. Diabolically dull in the top order YET AGAIN. You can effectively play ODI cricket in test cricket these days and it will work. Look at Warner and the Aussies. 350+ every single day they bat in test matches.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Phew, glad the umpire didn't give him.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Very impressed by this Henry chap. Half of his dismissals are going to be batsmen playing through the line late and being bowled. His speed doesn't look that great statistically but he seems to get the ball down very quickly to the batsmen. I like the look of him. Gets something out of the pitch seam wise too. Good prospect.

 

[Bobbin']

Root carrying England again then.

 

[hodge]

See I thought Cook was right to go attacking. Let's face it, if he doesn't, the run rate sits at 1 with Ballance at the crease. Load of piss from the top 3/4 again. NZ bowled well but Warne is spot on, nobody has the attacking mindset to play vs new ball bowlers. Nobody gets out the crease or takes risks or looks to invent scoring shots. Diabolically dull in the top order YET AGAIN. You can effectively play ODI cricket in test cricket these days and it will work. Look at Warner and the Aussies. 350+ every single day they bat in test matches.

Dare I say it...... Alex Hales

 

[Saddlerrad]

Dare I say it...... Alex Hales

I don't even need to mention how many times I've said I want Hales in England's top 3. It's beyond a joke now that he isn't at least 'included'.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Root carrying England again then.

Think Ben Stokes is playing a blinder!

 

[Super_horns]

Root and Stokes showing they are the future - good re-building job.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Great Knock from Stokes. Bit of a dissapointing dismissal though!

 

[Super_horns]

Blame me - always jinx it!

 

[Saddlerrad]

Brillant innings from Stokes. Clearly everyone can't play like that, but it's no surprise that players with attacking incentive appear to be the ones getting the runs under the belt and those that bat with an old, traditional test match mindset struggle. The game has moved forward. You need at least 1 strong, counter hitting, powerful, attacking batsmen in the top 3...IE Hales.

 

[hodge]

I don't even need to mention how many times I've said I want Hales in England's top 3. It's beyond a joke now that he isn't at least 'included'.

Hales should be first name on the team sheet in ODI amd T20 imo, test match, well given how well Balance has done he wouldn't be replaced at 3 and Lyth probably deserved a shot, however if he doesn't perfom vs NZ i'd get Hales in for the ashes, get an attacking player like we did with KP in 05

 

[slaphead]

Unlukcy for Root, if ever anyone deserved a ton, he did. I'm going to argue the toss about Cook, he got out to a daft shot given the circumstance. Two down in the first morning of a Test with the ball swinging you don't go hooking and give your wicket away. For me the comparison with the Aussies is irrelevent, they know if someone goes cheaply, they have the quality to step up. England don't and we don't have an attacking batsman who can get after the new ball. Except, of course, Hales.

 

[silvergull]

This is the difference a coach makes. Our line up is made up of aggressive batsman. Ask them to defend and they over think is. Under moores you'd never see the stokes buttler partnership (glossing over the fact stokes shouldnt have been in...)

It won't always work, and until our bowling line up is strengthened, we'll lose more than we win. But who cares. This brand of cricket ive enjoyed!!! Young players making strokes.

That shot down the ground of Ali really highlights it. My concern is our bowling attack.

For my money, county cricket is causing problems. Our bowlers are used to depending on swing and seam of the pitch. Durham (and wood) play on an awful pitch that's too easy for bowlers.

 

[Super_horns]

Shame to lose Buttler at the end.

Great attacking aggressive play from him and Ali.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Pity to lose Jos Butler at the death but its been Englands day

 

[RavenBish]

This will be a draw. Lordzzzzz.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Buttler out for 67, last ball of the day LBW to Boult. Brillant day all round entertainment wise. 354-7. Superb from Stokes and Root, who carried the team once again. Good innings and partnership from Ali/Buttler at the end, adding another ton. Great value for money. That's all I ask. Good entertaining cricket, even if it's not a winning one. If you get put in and are 30-4 it's a decent achievement to end the day only 7 down with 320 runs added.



England need to get to 400 tommorrow, anything else is a bonus. That wicket is going to be FLAT for our bowlers with the sun out.

 

[hodge]

Unlukcy for Root, if ever anyone deserved a ton, he did. I'm going to argue the toss about Cook, he got out to a daft shot given the circumstance. Two down in the first morning of a Test with the ball swinging you don't go hooking and give your wicket away. For me the comparison with the Aussies is irrelevent, they know if someone goes cheaply, they have the quality to step up. England don't and we don't have an attacking batsman who can get after the new ball. Except, of course, Hales.

I'd argue Jason Roy has the potential to be that kind of player, just not yet.

 

[JJH]

Well I for one was incredibly worried at 30-4, but it's been turned around yet again by our middle order.

Our top order are piss poor, and it's been proved yet again.

Either way - barring a miracle, this is going to be a draw. It's a batting paradise, and I can't see us taking 20 wickets on this, but I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

 

[hodge]

People saying Lyth and Bell threw their wickets away, very harsh, but got snorters which no one would want to get.

 

[spireite]

We can't lean on the middle order to bail us out. We need more from top 3. I'd be tempted to put Root at 3 I think, lad doesn't give his wicket away