Cricket

[kaosmark2]

Definitely enjoying Pakistan beating India more than the other games so far. Very entertaining dominance.

[kaosmark2]

Stokes going to the Ashes. I think that means a 3-2 loss in now achievable? Can't see us winning it without Archer/Stone/Mahmood unless Wood manages to get through all 5 games in great form, but I think Robinson will do well there, and it makes it easier to play Leach/Parkinson.

[fred quimby]

17 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Definitely enjoying Pakistan beating India more than the other games so far. Very entertaining dominance.

I worked with many Indian people. they are a little downhearted today

[kingbadger]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Stokes going to the Ashes. I think that means a 3-2 loss in now achievable? Can't see us winning it without Archer/Stone/Mahmood unless Wood manages to get through all 5 games in great form, but I think Robinson will do well there, and it makes it easier to play Leach/Parkinson.

More like a 4-1 or 3-1 loss now if we're lucky. Just can't see us being able to take 20 wickets consistently with such a conservative approach. Granted the Archer injury is an absolute bastard, but with Stokes in the squad there will be much more need for Mahmood or even Carse than for Woakes. At least going in with 5 bowlers per match might relieve the pressure on Wood and not having to have him bowl 20 overs in a day. 

[kaosmark2]

26 minutes ago, kingbadger said:

More like a 4-1 or 3-1 loss now if we're lucky. Just can't see us being able to take 20 wickets consistently with such a conservative approach. Granted the Archer injury is an absolute bastard, but with Stokes in the squad there will be much more need for Mahmood or even Carse than for Woakes. At least going in with 5 bowlers per match might relieve the pressure on Wood and not having to have him bowl 20 overs in a day. 

I don't think we can win the urn, as you said, can't see us taking 20 wickets consistently, but between it making a spinner more pickable, and strengthening the batting and fielding, I think we stand a chance of taking 2 tests. I feel like the pink ball in Adelaide, if we can hold our own batting-wise, then Anderson/Broad/Robinson/Woakes/Stokes or some combination of them + Leach can take 20 wickets even with Wood rested, then it's just hoping that Wood (+Mahmood if he gets promoted mid-series), can bring enough heat in one game to nick another.

It's a fragile Aussie team, with little match practice behind them, I don't think it'll be as bad as the last 2 times.

I do feel sorry for Woakes though, over the last 18 months he must have thought there's been chances to stake his spot as a premier all-rounder and he has to isolate/get injured/etc. almost every time Stokes is unavailable.

[WS_Jack_III]

Now then all, I'm very much a casual cricket fan, don't follow all the happenings but love to watch the big events. 

 

How come the windies are currently so poor in the T20?

Edited October 29, 2021 by WS_Jack_III

[kingbadger]

1 hour ago, WS_Jack_III said:

Now then all, I'm very much a casual cricket fan, don't follow all the happenings but love to watch the big events. 

 

How come the windies are currently so poor in the T20?

Aging squad, usual politics. For instance Gayle turning down easy singles/twos and lumbering around fielding with his feet yet Narine not making the squad due to 'fitness issues'. Bizarrely Holder didn't make their original 15 man squad, got a late call up in the last day or two and has gone straight into the team. The fact they've wheeled out Ravi Rampaul in each game yet couldn't find a space in the squad for Holder is mind boggling. 

Their team is so full of X-factor players they're prone to look terrible then peak at exactly the right time. 

[WS_Jack_III]

29 minutes ago, kingbadger said:

Aging squad, usual politics. For instance Gayle turning down easy singles/twos and lumbering around fielding with his feet yet Narine not making the squad due to 'fitness issues'. Bizarrely Holder didn't make their original 15 man squad, got a late call up in the last day or two and has gone straight into the team. The fact they've wheeled out Ravi Rampaul in each game yet couldn't find a space in the squad for Holder is mind boggling. 

Their team is so full of X-factor players they're prone to look terrible then peak at exactly the right time. 

I suppose the last tournament was 5 years ago.

[sirjonnyp]

The Final Word succinctly described this Windies side as 'getting the band back together', but it not working at all. Last night's game turned into a really good one in the end. Sadly the occurrence of muttering 'oh no it's a Chris Gayle taking singles kind of game' has been far too frequent recently. For a team that has built itself around the ethos of go big or go home, it was really weird to see them hit the 14th over with only three boundaries. 

[WS_Jack_III]

It was a good final few overs, suppose that's what T20 is supposed to be all about. Having said that, there was some absolute shocking fielding from both sides.

Edited October 30, 2021 by WS_Jack_III

[kingbadger]

Well that was a mauling. Best get those hits in now before the Ashes. 

[sirjonnyp]

I love it when we do Australia like that. 

[kingbadger]

You would assume (hope) that India are out now having lost both games against the major nations in their group. Unless NZ and Pakistan massively fluff their lines then you'd assume they're in the semis, though the Afghans are always dangerous. 

Would love to see an England v NZ final, would be a great story after the 2019 WC Final and there's plenty of unfinished business there. 

[kaosmark2]

Finding India absolutely hilarious. I'm hoping SA/Windies do a number on Aus, but genuinely really enjoying this tournament, moreso than I ever expected to enjoy T20.

[steviewevie]

bit quiet on here.

[st dan]

Absolute disgrace with the bat yet again.  
We can only hope that we get bowled out early tomorrow morning and the last two tests are called off due to the covid outbreak and we can just erase this series from our memories. 

[zahidf]

 

[Reckoner]

In quarantine longer than it took to lose the ashes. Quite the effort. 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Reckoner

[Neil]

6 hours ago, Reckoner said:

In quarantine longer than it took to lose the ashes. Quite the effort. 

yeah, but we always spend longer travelling than we do playing? we're always quick to lose to oz, they like it like that.

[TheGayTent]

Jonathan Agnew should stick to commentating 

[sirjonnyp]

Blimey what shit show that all was.

I was at the MCG for days one and two, which to be fair were an good couple of days for the bowlers, including the best I've seen Jimmy bowl in the flesh. I got adopted by a father son combo from Doncaster after day one, spent all night with them, then went to see The Final Word being recorded after day two and had a few drinks with Adam, Geoff and other audience members which was lovely. Felt super hungover for the next two days, until I realised that it wasn't a hangover and was in fact covid. So thanks, cricket. 

It feels to me like a lot of the pieces that have been written, or discussions had on camera, were prepared months or even years before this series, and were just waiting to go once the state of the England side got exposed. Whether anything happens is anyone's guess. 

In better news, I made my first score of the season on Saturday (average last year was 2, the only time I batted this year was a duck). First ball was a wide full toss that I put through the covers for four ('second best shot of the day' according to the umpire), then managed to clip their swing bowler for another boundary off of my pads on the way to making 10 before being stumped charging the spinner. Not much, but felt really good about it afterwards given I only started playing last year.

[TheGayTent]

Can’t believe Warne has gone. Truly shocked and saddened. Probably the best player I’ve seen live. His performances in 05 must be the best performance by an overseas player in an unsuccessful tour. Best spinner to ever play the game. Fantastic sport. Superb cricketing brain - the best captain Australia never had. Gutted. 

[SighMo]

2 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Can’t believe Warne has gone. Truly shocked and saddened. Probably the best player I’ve seen live. His performances in 05 must be the best performance by an overseas player in an unsuccessful tour. Best spinner to ever play the game. Fantastic sport. Superb cricketing brain - the best captain Australia never had. Gutted. 

Agreed. Never seen him live but I'm sure he's the best bowler I've seen in my lifetime; so sad.

[Punksnotdead]

7 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Can’t believe Warne has gone. Truly shocked and saddened. Probably the best player I’ve seen live. His performances in 05 must be the best performance by an overseas player in an unsuccessful tour. Best spinner to ever play the game. Fantastic sport. Superb cricketing brain - the best captain Australia never had. Gutted. 

As an (ex) spin bowler myself, I am beyond gutted at this news. He was probably my cricket hero, despite being an Aussie. 

[TheGayTent]

Stokes just the 5th all rounder in history to take more than 150 wickets and score more than 5000 test runs. Superb achievement.