The Cricket Thread

[Saddlerrad]

Programming begins live at 9pm, so 10 sounds about right.

 

[JonBCFC]

Says 10pm on ECB too.. Doesnt matter what time anyway, we're gonna lose.. and even if we do win, it wont be convincing.

Management needs drastic changes imo

 

[Skinner]

We'll win

 

[RavenBish]

Yeah we'll win but we'll probably only need 240 at most so it doesn't mean anything

 

[Saddlerrad]

Be nice for us to bat first, even if it's bowling friendly overhead conditions with rumours of some rain around. We need to come out and make a statement, score 370 etc.

 

[SpireiteDan]

We need to come out and make a statement

We've kept the same team (for the 3rd game?), i reckon that sends out a pretty big statement, just for the wrong reasons....

 

[Saddlerrad]

So we win the toss and bat. Now to send some sort of statement out. 120-1 after 15 please, not 65-2 with Bell and Ballance out.

We've kept the same team (for the 3rd game?), i reckon that sends out a pretty big statement, just for the wrong reasons....

Yeah it says 'no matter how much you moan we are shit, we will continue with shitness until we are out, at which point we will say we are making a change and then approach the next ODI series in April as we did this one' rinse and repeat.

 

[RavenBish]

That's it Ian, leave everything short and wide

 

[Merger most horrid]

We lost the toss and got put in not that it will probably matter either way......win or lose we're still a joke

 

[Saddlerrad]

We lost the toss and got put in not that it will probably matter either way......win or lose we're still a joke

Fair enough, didn't see the toss so I presumed.

We need to bat 50 overs and 'smash' some confidence into some of the batting line up. If we can't score 300 against this attack, on this wicket we need to voluntarily 'declare' on the entire tournament and go home early.

 

[Saddlerrad]

See this is why I think us coming out to bat will be good for the confidence of some of the batsmen. Sure, Ali got lucky with that catch just dropping, but I reckon that's the kind of thing that will change his luck...we've already seen a few shots that make him look a little more fluid since then. It's a shame Bell think's he is wearing a white kit currently though.

 

[Skinner]

'kin hell, Bell went for a shot

 

[JJH]

Decent start, but we got this far against New Zealand..

 

[Saddlerrad]

Bell hasn't even remotely settled in yet. Needs to get a couple of drives away and build his confidence. We have got to stamp some authority on this. Is it only me that keeps seeing that Scotland captain in dark colours and thinking it's Brendon McCullum?

 

[RavenBish]

Give it another 10 overs and Bell might middle one at some point

 

[DarkSithLord]

58 from our opening 10 then. Average against this bowling attack.

 

[RavenBish]

Got a bloke tossing up 43mph deliveries with no turn in International Cricket and he's not getting hit for 6 back over his head every ball. Tremendous stuff.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Doing okay at the moment. Bell clearly here to bat the entire 50 and walk away with 110. Meh, suppose you need an anchor. I do agree though. If David Warner had faced the 60 balls that Ian Bell has against this attack, he'd be 110 not out now.

 

[RavenBish]

You can anchor an innings with a strike rate higher than 65. We've got 10 wickets in hand still, there's no need to play like this, he's struggling, Scotland just haven't produced a delivery good enough to get him out.

 

[Saddlerrad]

You can anchor an innings with a strike rate higher than 65. We've got 10 wickets in hand still, there's no need to play like this, he's struggling, Scotland just haven't produced a delivery good enough to get him out.

True. But I have no problem if he scores 100 here and then takes the confidence forward. If he doesn't, then it's a waste.

 

[RavenBish]

What confidence? He's batting exactly the same as he did against New Zealand. If he ends his innings playing a few positive shots then maybe but he seems quite content just protecting his wicket against a toothless attack. It's pathetic.

 

[RavenBish]

Coetzer's not even a bowler domestically. Fucking attack him!

 

[JJH]

This bowling attack is bloody awful, below County Cricket average, we should be wholloping it now, why not have a proper go?

 

[RavenBish]

Thank fuck for that. Rotten innings from Bell, pathetic.

If they send Ballance out now I'm fucking done.

 

[RavenBish]

And here's Ballance. Fucking clueless stuff.

 

[JJH]

And there goes Bell.

Driving a 70mph half volley should be bread and butter to a player of Bell's standard, but picks the fielder out at a catchable height.

Deary me.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Awful from Bell. Fuck me? Ballance? Jesus Christ. We really are happy for nudging 300 here aren't we? Ballance to sit back and fuck around nudging and nurdling.

Laughable. Zzzzzzzzz.

 

[RavenBish]

Ballance in to hit 30 off 45 before lobbing one to mid wicket

Thank God Ali isn't spineless like the rest of the top order

 

[RavenBish]

Ballance chewing up half an over just to get Ali on strike. This is fantastic strategy.

 

[Saddlerrad]

It's too much.