The Cricket thread

Now that's how to do a synopsis Sam.

Test cricket, 1990s-style. And there's nothing wrong with that. Still a very even game - a couple of quick wickets tomorrow and we're on top again.

This series is so weird as to be almost unbelievable. England 92-8 in reply to Australia 475,you can't really begin to explain why there should be such huge chasms between the teams in any given match. I would imagine that they will enforce the follow on bearing in mind the weather forecast, may even be another 3 day test match in the offing. Very odd carryings on.

I hate to say this but maybe we should remember cricket was invented so that bored leisurely gentlemen could have a spread bet through the balmy Summer months. Test matches have long moved on from the snore draws of the 1970s, but this series isn't the first in the last 5 to 10 years where anything can happen. And over the last couple of years, these total batting collapses have become quite common. It's not just England and Australia, it's all teams.
Television or betting necessities has to be part of the reason.

I love your cynicism Mr Hawkins.

England are 226 for 8..wont be long now

Buttler out. Pretty much all over now. Weird ashes with 5 very one-sided matches, but not all in favour of the same team. This defeat is probably a good thing, a 4v1 ashes win might allowed a load of back-slapping that would have hidden that we are not in fact a very good team.

Top 5 innings for England in this ashes: Root (134), Root (130) Cook (96), Stokes (87), Cook (85). Tells it's own story about the quality of our batting.

On the subject of cricket, if anyone's interested in Cricket management sims, there's an excellent on-line game called From The Pavilion.

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That looks fun. I'm bored of waiting for International Cricket Captain to catch up with the 21st century.

ive just signed up for that

What a dull Test match this is. Is there actually anybody at the ground watching?

Poor old Rashid. 0-160+ on debut.

Cornish Chris wrote:

What a dull Test match this is. Is there actually anybody at the ground watching?

Poor old Rashid. 0-160+ on debut.

Cook 263 to add to 245 from Malik. England have a bit of a lead-Geoffrey was asked if there was any chance of a result on talksport today-"peegs maaaght fly" was the predictable response from the great man. Academic interest only unless a miracle transpires.

Phenomenal effort from Cook. Is there anyone else in any England team that could have played a knock like that? Possibly Atherton, Gooch or Boycott, but few else.

South Africa rain delay start of first test

England are 258 -8 at the moment, Boycott is wittering away on TMS

Bairstow out for 41,
267 -9

Step up Stuart Broad another classic innings from you is needed

By that i do of course mean bowling in case anyone thought batting

South Africa just lost their 1st wicket 2nd ball of the innings,

England managed 303

Excellent performance from England, won by 241 runs. Looks good with Cook contributing nothing in this test and yet to come good and Anderson to come back into the team. The Saffers looked demoralised after their panning in India- in the words of Douglas Jardine-we've got them down, now lets tread on them.

Didn't expect it to be so easy, aren't South Africa the force they were not so long ago ?

AstiSpumante wrote:

Didn't expect it to be so easy, aren't South Africa the force they were not so long ago ?

I suppose they've lost people like Smith, Kallis and Boucher in the last couple of years and they aren't easy to replace-Steyn and Morkel not getting any younger either and Amla is totally out of form, only De Villiers [a true great] looks the part and there's talk of him retiring. Looks like they have some very serious rebuilding to do.

Dale Steyn is such a talisman his absence always seems to affect the whole team. However, Newlands has been a bit of a fortress and if they pick young Rabada he could inspire them. I'm not writing them off just yet.

If you've missed this morning's session from South Africa, shame on you.

Stokes 202 not out
Bairstow 84 not out

England 505-5

Probably the most incredible display of hitting in a Test Match I've ever seen. Puts '81 vintage Botham to shame.

Carnage and butchery. Staggering stuff from Stokes and England well on the way to 600 plus, Saffers must be demoralised and this test will take some saving.

great mornings work Stokes.