The CRICKET Thread, Finally!

[Iceman]

Bangladesh beat England in the 1st Test after only 3 days!

 

[regwec]

Congrats to them - they can certainly take wickets in their own conditions.

I have concerns about England's tour of India, primarily because they do not have the ability to either bowl or play spin to the competence required to win. It may be wiser to play more seamers - even on wickets favouring spin - so that there is at least control and consistency. I haven't really seen Ansari or Batty do anything that Moeen or Rashid can't, anyway.

I really do require an explanation of why Gary Ballance keeps being picked. For goodness' sake drop him, put Haseeb Hameed at No.2, and shift Duckett and Root each down a spot.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Bangladesh beat England in the 1st Test after only 3 days!

Wait, what???

England were coasting along nicely at 71/0 when I last tuned in. England even had a first innings lead if i'm not wrong. Damn, they got slaughtered.

 

[Iceman]

Congrats to them - they can certainly take wickets in their own conditions.

I have concerns about England's tour of India, primarily because they do not have the ability to either bowl or play spin to the competence required to win. It may be wiser to play more seamers - even on wickets favouring spin - so that there is at least control and consistency. I haven't really seen Ansari or Batty do anything that Moeen or Rashid can't, anyway.

I really do require an explanation of why Gary Ballance keeps being picked. For goodness' sake drop him, put Haseeb Hameed at No.2, and shift Duckett and Root each down a spot.

Yeah England have work to do and some changes are needed. I'd like to see how your tip Hamed performs out there.

Wait, what???

England were coasting along nicely at 71/0 when I last tuned in. England even had a first innings lead if i'm not wrong. Damn, they got slaughtered.

Yep, huge collapse!

 

[aNarcHy2day]

I would be very happy to see Ballance continue in the team. I mean, he does have a great record against us. PLEASE don't drop him. t:

 

[Iceman]

Haha, this guy is fast gaining popularity with all other teams.

 

[regwec]

India shouldn't be so cocky about Ballance, as he pretty well minced the sorry team they sent to England in 2014:

71 - dnb v India Nottingham 9 Jul 2014 Test # 2128
110 - 27 v India Lord's 17 Jul 2014 Test # 2130
156 - 38 v India Southampton 27 Jul 2014 Test # 2132
37 - dnb v India Manchester 7 Aug 2014 Test # 2134
64 - dnb v India The Oval 15 Aug 2014 Test # 2137

He is out of form, however, and not the right man to face competent spin on crumbling arid wickets. Worse, he has never really addressed the deficiencies in his batting that were found out by New Zealand. I just can't identify a positive reason for him to be picked.

 

[Iceman]

Ah nice numbers. Batsmen have to learn to play spin if they want to bat on that side of the world.

 

[aNarcHy2day]

India shouldn't be so cocky about Ballance, as he pretty well minced the sorry team they sent to England in 2014:

71 - dnb v India Nottingham 9 Jul 2014 Test # 2128
110 - 27 v India Lord's 17 Jul 2014 Test # 2130
156 - 38 v India Southampton 27 Jul 2014 Test # 2132
37 - dnb v India Manchester 7 Aug 2014 Test # 2134
64 - dnb v India The Oval 15 Aug 2014 Test # 2137

He is out of form, however, and not the right man to face competent spin on crumbling arid wickets. Worse, he has never really addressed the deficiencies in his batting that were found out by New Zealand. I just can't identify a positive reason for him to be picked.

Well. To be fair to me I did point out that he has a great record against us.

 

[regwec]

Ah, sorry, I thought that was wrapped within the sarcasm.

 

[Iceman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38246381

Opener Keaton Jennings hit a debut century as England reached 288-5 on a fluctuating first day of the fourth Test against India in Mumbai.

 

[regwec]

Good show, but it looks like a batting wicket tbh.

 

[aNarcHy2day]

India win the 5-match series 4-0.

Test 1@Rajkot- England 537 (Stokes-128, Root-124, Jadeja-3/86) and 260/3 dec (Cook-130) drew with India 488 (Vijay-126, Pujara-124, Rashid-4/114) and 172/6 (Kohli-49*, Rashid-3/64)

Test 2@Vizag- India 455 (Kohli-167, Pujara-119, Anderson-3/62) and 204 (Kohli-81, Broad-4/33) beat England 255 (Stokes-70, Root-53, Ashwin-5/67) and 158 (Cook-54, J Yadav-3/30) by 246 runs.

Test 3@Mohali- England 283 (Bairstow-89, Shami-3/63) and 236 (Root-78, Hameed-59*, Ashwin-3/81) lost to India 417 (Jadeja-90, Ashwin-72, Stokes-5/73) and 104/2 (Patel-67*) by 8 wickets.

Test 4@Mumbai- England- 400 (Jennings-112, Buttler-76, Ashwin-6/112) and 195 (Root-77, Bairstow-51, Ashwin-6/55) lost to India 631 (Kohli-235, Vijay-136, Rashid-4/192) by an innings and 36 runs.

Test 5@Chennai- England 477 (Ali-146, Root-88, Jadeja-3/106) and 207 (Jennings-54, Cook-49, Jadeja-7/48) lost to India 759/7 dec (Nair-303*, Rahul 199, Broad-2/80) by an innings and 75 runs.

- England should really have won the Rajkot Test had it not been for a very delayed declaration on Cook's part.
- Kohli was a notch above the rest scoring 655 @ 109 per innings.
- Not a fan of the big break in between the Test and ODI series.

 

[regwec]

Well deserved by India, who are formidable in their own conditions.

England's individual talent is not clicking into great team performances at the moment. I don't know if it is due to inexperience, too much transition, or poor captaincy. One thing is for sure - they need to develop their spin attack and defences.

 

[Iceman]

Just watching IPL and there's going to be a "Super Over". Do you guys know about this? Don't think I've ever heard of it before.

 

[regwec]

Yes, it's the equivalent of a penalty shoot-out.

A bit of shock that Zafar Ansari, the spin-bowling all-rounder who has long been considered a bright hope for test cricket, has retired aged 25 to pursue a career as a lawyer.

I'll swap with you, Zaf.

 

[Iceman]

Was quite interesting to see it for the first time today. And yes that's a weird one. Surely you can be a lawyer at the same time and then take it on fully at the still young age when you stop playing cricket.

 

[regwec]

Unbelievable! South Africa needed just 7 off the last over with 5 wickets in hand to level the ODI series against England.

1-1-*-1-*-1

Mark Wood gives one of the great displays of death bowling, and England win the series.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Just watching IPL and there's going to be a "Super Over". Do you guys know about this? Don't think I've ever heard of it before.

Super Over will take place when two teams end up with the same score after their stipulated 20 overs. Then both teams will hafta bat an over each to determine who wins the match. Each team will have 3 Batsmen for the Super Over, if 2 wickets fall within the over then the Super over for the batting team will end.

Nao if the scores are still tied after the Super Over then the winner will be determined through runs scored in boundaries, i.e the team that has scored more in 4s & 6s over the course of their (20+1) overs will win the game.

 

[Iceman]

Thanks for the above Blitz.

Anyone watching the ICC Champions Trophy? England struggling against Pakistan in the semi.

 

[Iceman]

Pakistan have bloody steamrollered us. What went wrong?

 

[Iceman]

Bangladesh got 264 against India. India have started well though, favourites to reach the final.

 

[aNarcHy2day]

Pakistan have bloody steamrollered us. What went wrong?

With all due respect to how good this England side is shaping out to be in the shorter formats specifically, their performances do seem to drop all too alarmingly when the pitch is not a flat road. It was an used pitch and was probably two paced at times. In addition, Pakistan bowled with a seldom seen venom and England just wilted despite efforts from the middle order to see them through to a decent total.

Once that happened there was trouble since this England bowling attack has never been it's threat.

Bangladesh got 264 against India. India have started well though, favourites to reach the final.

Yayy! We reached the Final at a canter though I fear Pakistan won't roll over like last time.

 

[Iceman]

With all due respect to how good this England side is shaping out to be in the shorter formats specifically, their performances do seem to drop all too alarmingly when the pitch is not a flat road. It was an used pitch and was probably two paced at times. In addition, Pakistan bowled with a seldom seen venom and England just wilted despite efforts from the middle order to see them through to a decent total.

Once that happened there was trouble since this England bowling attack has never been it's threat.

Yes it is a bit worrying how things can go pear shaped quickly if we don't bat well early on.

Yayy! We reached the Final at a canter though I fear Pakistan won't roll over like last time.

Probably not and they'll likely be well up for it against you in the final. Although I imagine you're still favourites.

 

[regwec]

The England debacle is a product of their essentially embracing an entirely new approach to the shorter format. Five years ago, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell would have nudged and clipped 4 per over before accelerating to a break-neck 6.5 per over in the last 5. England might have ended on 211/4 after 50. Nowadays, Hales, Morgan, Stokes and Buttler trust power and reflexes to send anything marginally too straight, short or wide out of the stands. It has allowed England to transform their game, and seen them routinely beating the best teams in the world. But sometimes the conditions are too unhelpful and the opposition bowling and fielding is too probing. That happened on Wednesday. And they were bowled out in the 49th...for 211.

Anyway, Pakistan played a blinder and deserved to progress. I can't wait for the final, and wish I had tickets. My Indian friend can barely work or sleep at night. I think India will win, but I hope Pakistan push them hard.