Cricket

[lharris92]

So yesterday whilst the one day game vs ireland was ongoing (around the time the rain delay started I believe), there were reports Moores would get sacked.

One day on, Strauss takes his position and lo and behold Moores is sacked.

They really need to get their act together, the press knowing before the person AGAIN in a case where they would be sacked.

The calamity continues

[lharris92]

and no surprises with what strauss has come out and said today about pietersen

[pink_triangle]

and no surprises with what strauss has come out and said today about pietersen

Will be interesting to see what happens if they start the Ashes poorly and KP is in great domestic form. There will be great media pressure ot bring him back.

[TheGayTent]

There will be great media pressure ot bring him back.

Well that's largely the point of today's annoucement...

[kaosmark2]

The middle order is in form anyway.

I didn't agree with KP's sacking after the Ashes, but since then - particularly with his book - it's been clear there's no return. He's 34 and the young batsmen in the middle order are performing well and can play for England for another 12 years, KP only 2.

[TheGayTent]

The middle order is in form anyway.

I didn't agree with KP's sacking after the Ashes, but since then - particularly with his book - it's been clear there's no return. He's 34 and the young batsmen in the middle order are performing well and can play for England for another 12 years, KP only 2.

Largely agree. The bowling is more of an issue at the moment. Other than a reliable opener the batting line up looks fairly settled.

[kaosmark2]

Largely agree. The bowling is more of an issue at the moment. Other than a reliable opener the batting line up looks fairly settled.

The bowling in the Windies lacked variety. It doesn't help that we've got 3 all-rounders as the 3rd-5th bowlers. None of Jordan, Stokes or Ali would be selected if they couldn't bat.

I'd thought Plunkett did fairly well last summer, and offers a bit different. It's not like he's a mug with the bat either.

[lharris92]

oh and what makes the KP thing more interesting is this:

apparently after saying he wouldn't be picked this summer, strauss supposedly offered him an advisory role for the one day/t-20 teams.

strauss is far too close to the current test team to make a decision, plus he's had a disliking for KP for a while, but its hilarious to hear that if its true... "I'm not going to allow you to be picked even if you are the highest scoring batter in the county championship/consistently making huge scores, but uhh if its not a problem could you help us with the one day/t-20 situation?"

[TheGayTent]

The bowling in the Windies lacked variety. It doesn't help that we've got 3 all-rounders as the 3rd-5th bowlers. None of Jordan, Stokes or Ali would be selected if they couldn't bat.

I'd thought Plunkett did fairly well last summer, and offers a bit different. It's not like he's a mug with the bat either.

Again largely agree. I don't mind picking a 5th bowler with his batting in mind, but to pick your 3rd, 4th, and 5th bowler on this basis is moronic (unless you have world class all rounders obviously).

Plunkett has a career littered with action and injury issues - so I can understand not trusting him.

In short, I'd choose one or t'other of Stokes and Jordan - not both. Ali would be dependent on conditions.

[kaosmark2]

Again largely agree. I don't mind picking a 5th bowler with his batting in mind, but to pick your 3rd, 4th, and 5th bowler on this basis is moronic (unless you have world class all rounders obviously).

Plunkett has a career littered with action and injury issues - so I can understand not trusting him.

In short, I'd choose one or t'other of Stokes and Jordan - not both. Ali would be dependent on conditions.

That's the thing. One of them helps round out the team, all 3 leaves the bowling too lacking.

I don't think Plunkett is necessarily the answer, but he'd be a step up bowling wise on Stokes or Jordan, and as I said, he's not bad with the bat.

[lharris92]

good start...

[lharris92]

so moeen ali was in the nets when bell got bowled... could be a blessing in disguise that it happened as stokes/root have done well since.

not a bad session

[TheGayTent]

NZ won the toss, clearly bowler friendly conditions. Will wait until we've finished batting to make a real comment - but will say at least 3 of those 4 wickets came from very good balls.

[kaosmark2]

Only following on TMS, but sounded like Stokes threw a century away. Still, excellent batting performance in a difficult situation.

Root part of a match-saving partnership yet again though. Too fucking good.

Question to me is can we keep batting until lunch tomorrow and then get some early wickets in kind. Even with our problems and NZ's form I think we're the better team. Just.

[lharris92]

slip of concentration i think.

a solid day in the end, root and stokes probably both should have got centuries but didn't.

with buttler going right at the end it makes things possibly slightly different going from the start tomorrow.

what bemused me though is NZ only started to use their 4th seamer from the 70th over onwards and only bowled 5 overs.

the top order (openers) probably have to be given a bit of time to settle down again, but it was a bit disappointing to see the top 4 score 25 between them.

we'll see how things go tomorrow anyway, then the bowlers will have to pull something out early to put some pressure back on when NZ bat

[TheGayTent]

And that there is exactly why current review system is ridiculous

[kaosmark2]

Another day where NZ edge ahead, but promising signs. Bowling looked a lot more threatening than it had in the Windies even if it was slow to result in wickets.

[TheGayTent]

Broad was superb. Not that anyone will have noticed

[lharris92]

review system does need a slight tweaking, even if the first step is if its "umpires call" for the review not to be lost as technically the ball was hitting.

really though if its hitting, then it should be out, ie remove umpires call.

broad was great bowling, felt stokes just had one of those days where it wasn't going his way, wood was producing good stuff as well. bowling was good all round to be honest, just got to settle in with the batting in the morning and push on quickly to see if we can force a winning result, although that could be difficult depending on conditions, at least we were only 2 down at the close.

[kaosmark2]

If you still get a review back if it's umpire's call then you'll get many more reviews happening than before.

I do think it needs tweaking, but I kinda get why it's as it is.

[TheGayTent]

The issue for me isn't about getting a review back. It's about how two identical situations get different answers dependent on the original decision. It's nuts and totally undermines the system.

[kaosmark2]

The issue for me isn't about getting a review back. It's about how two identical situations get different answers dependent on the original decision. It's nuts and totally undermines the system.

I get the reasoning for it, they'd rather undermine the system than undermine the on-field umpire.

Of course, by having it as is, it puts far more pressure on the on-field umpire, and emphasises problems in the system and decisions.

[kaosmark2]

Fuck! No! Root!

[kaosmark2]

Has anyone been watching the 5 highlights?

Shocked that they still class Broad as an all-rounder.

Regardless, awesome batting today. Cook batting a full day, great innings from the young middle-order batsmen. I love that we've been able to give ourselves a real chance tomorrow and taken a test match against a good side to the 5th day after being behind.

[TheGayTent]

Good to see a test match where all results are still possible going into its last day.