Cricket

[kaosmark2]

Test cricket....

Absolute brilliance from Ben Stokes.

[LJS]

Sir Benjamin, surely?

[kaosmark2]

14 minutes ago, LJS said:

Sir Benjamin, surely?

Probably when he retires, but hard to see how not.

[pink_triangle]

The fact Australia wasted a pointless appeal and then needed one makes it even better!

[TheGayTent]

Wow wow wow. 

What a performance from Stokes - the guy is just a freak. For his 24 over straight bowling in the convicts 2nd innings, to scoring just 2 off 50 odd balls to still be there at the close on day 3, to managing the strike with Leach, and of course his destructive hitting. Wow, just wow. 

Although talk of a knighthood is ridiculously early. 

Just love Chef’s reaction to the ‘run out’

 

[TheGayTent]

As a post script, I agree with Stokes - I don’t think Hawkeye picked up the ball hitting his front pad before ricocheting onto his back pad. If you look at Lyon’s release point in relation to Stokes’ front pad and where he was in relation to his stumps, I think there’s enough doubt for Wilson’s decision. It’s probably missing leg, at best umpires call. No way was that ball doing enough to straighten that far. 

But it’s all irrelevant due to the convicts’ ability to not be able to use DRS! 

[TheGayTent]

Anderson out of the series. 

[TheGayTent]

Productive day, I’ve bagged myself a ticket to day 2 at Old Trafford. I’ll try for a day 3 ticket while I’m up there. 

I should know better really - it always rains when I’m in Manchester

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Anderson out of the series. 

Saw that. Going to be very tough to not lose both I think. Anderson and Smith coming back would have been a great thing for the game, but no Jimmy at OT is going to be rough. 

Is the same attack the right call? I'm not sure Root uses Woakes particularly effectively, will OT spin enough to justify a 2nd or will Denly/Root be enough? I know Sam Curran's also in the squad and I wonder if the different angle might help a bit.

I'm not convinced Craig Overton is the right player to call up as back-up. He's looked handy before, and he's having a great season, but surely Porter is ahead if you're going on domestic form as a right-handed 82-mph swing bowler?

[TheGayTent]

Not usually in agreement with Liew but he’s bang on the money here 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/ashes/england-australia-ashes-2019-fourth-test-four-day-report-jonathan-liew-a9096116.html

[RobertMay]

And what is your favorite team?

[TheGayTent]

16 hours ago, RobertMay said:

And what is your favorite team?

Kent !

[TheGayTent]

Weirdly, middle order looks weakened but the tail looks strengthened. 

Forecast looks great, I’m going tomorrow, Saturday, and Monday if it goes that far...

[kaosmark2]

Bairstow getting selected over Foakes is something that continues to baffle me. He's the least reliable player in an unreliable middle order, in atrocitious form, and a distinctly average keeper.

Elite players don't get bowled half as often as he does. 

I'm still not convinced Root knows how to use a 5-man attack either. 

[TheGayTent]

My team for Mount Maunganui:

Burns (c)
Sibley
Root
Crawley
Stokes

Pope
Foakes (wk)
Archer
Leach
Anderson
Broad

[TheGayTent]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Bairstow getting selected over Foakes is something that continues to baffle me. He's the least reliable player in an unreliable middle order, in atrocitious form, and a distinctly average keeper.

Elite players don't get bowled half as often as he does. 

I'm still not convinced Root knows how to use a 5-man attack either. 

When it comes to cricket I think we agree on most things. 

Except Broad !

[kaosmark2]

9 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

When it comes to cricket I think we agree on most things. 

Except Broad !

Well Broad has been in mediocre form for about 2 years. He's been immense this summer though. 

Crawley over Northeast? I know it brings the potential for another player to move up to open later, but if its a spot at 4 or lower odds he the best option? Or Kent bias? 

[TheGayTent]

8 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Well Broad has been in mediocre form for about 2 years. He's been immense this summer though. 

His career average is 28.68

Since the beginning of the 2017 English season he averages 29.26

He’s class. He’s been class for over a decade. 

You have a weird blind spot when it comes to Broad. 

8 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Crawley over Northeast? I know it brings the potential for another player to move up to open later, but if its a spot at 4 or lower odds he the best option? Or Kent bias? 

I’ve watched Northeast a lot. He has a technique for Oz. He doesn’t have the technique for most other places. 

From the little I’ve seen of Crawley, he does have the technique required for the majority of test venues and conditions. He also has the patience. 

[kaosmark2]

30 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

His career average is 28.68

Since the beginning of the 2017 English season he averages 29.26

He’s class. He’s been class for over a decade. 

You have a weird blind spot when it comes to Broad. 

I’ve watched Northeast a lot. He has a technique for Oz. He doesn’t have the technique for most other places. 

From the little I’ve seen of Crawley, he does have the technique required for the majority of test venues and conditions. He also has the patience. 

Not going to argue that his career has been top class. What's his average for the 2 years before the Ireland test though? 32 I think? Not awful but not immense. This series he's been the 2nd best bowler after Cummins, no question.

Interesting assessment of Northeast, I've not seen much of him and was mostly going on figures. Is there an argument, that if he has a technique for Oz, to try and get him more experienced in Tests so that he can go and play in Oz in 2.5 years?

[TheGayTent]

30 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Not going to argue that his career has been top class. What's his average for the 2 years before the Ireland test though? 32 I think? Not awful but not immense. This series he's been the 2nd best bowler after Cummins, no question.

30.68 if I’m using cricinfo statsguru on my phone correctly. 

Form goes up and down, but his record stands up to anything before him. 

We will miss him hugely when he retires.

30 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

 

Interesting assessment of Northeast, I've not seen much of him and was mostly going on figures. Is there an argument, that if he has a technique for Oz, to try and get him more experienced in Tests so that he can go and play in Oz in 2.5 years?

Yes, there’s a good argument for it and I wouldn’t have an issue if they go that way. He’s certainly one of the next off the rank. 

I just prefer Crawley. 

Pope looks nailed on for a place in the starting 11 in NZ - albeit it depends on Silverwood/new coach. 

[kaosmark2]

12 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Yes, there’s a good argument for it and I wouldn’t have an issue if they go that way. He’s certainly one of the next off the rank. 

I just prefer Crawley. 

Pope looks nailed on for a place in the starting 11 in NZ - albeit it depends on Silverwood/new coach. 

Sadly, I suspect they'll stick with Bairstow and there won't be that space in the line-up, so this speculation as to who other than Pope will play is irrelevant.

[TheGayTent]

21 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Sadly, I suspect they'll stick with Bairstow and there won't be that space in the line-up, so this speculation as to who other than Pope will play is irrelevant.

I think it’ll depend on who is captain. Root stays then Bairstow stays 

[kaosmark2]

Bairstow dropped!

Sadly no Foakes, but Sibley, Crawley and Pope all seem sensible call-ups. I can't really see Parkinson playing but it'd be nice to see Mahmood get a game.

[TheGayTent]

Rested probably but hopefully dropped 

[TheGayTent]

The county scoreboards on what is a massively important day show how ridiculous the current championship schedule is.