Cricket - Matches & General Discussion Thread

It’s been nice to have the ABC substitute feed today. Actually get a clue what’s going on from the commentary.

12 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Root is out in the final over of the day. So, despite going to an unexpected fifth day, this match is toast.

Just watched this while doing some present wrapping

18 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

It’s been nice to have the ABC substitute feed today. Actually get a clue what’s going on from the commentary.

Their NRL commentary's pretty decent, too.

I watched a couple of highlights packages. In his second innings Labuschagne took 40 balls to get 2 runs. Clearly the bowlers know what to do they just don't do it or don't keep it up for a full hour or session.

I think taking a test into day 5 must be seen as a great achievement and one of Roots ‘ positives ‘ he talks about . We really are taking major steps forward .

Well, I didn't expect them to be still batting by the time I got up this morning.

Buttler out, hit wicket. After such a stubborn innings, too.

...and it's over.

Broad overtakes Graeme Hick in the all-time England test runs table. Would not have guessed that, but I guess he was an all-rounder originally.

Been watching the Lankan Premier league on Freesports, some big hitters on there, Ravi Bopara has played OK in a dodgy side.

Jos Buttler: 26 runs from 207 balls in 4 and a half hours. Not his usual style, but it nearly worked.

3 hours ago, Futtocks said:

...and it's over.

And now the traditional blaming of the bowlers begins ...

3 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Jos Buttler: 26 runs from 207 balls in 4 and a half hours. Not his usual style, but it nearly worked.

I think part of his problem is that in Tests it has been more towards his usual  style  . Not to this extreme of course , but he’s seemed shackled and befuddled by how to play when all along he should have just played like Buttler plays . I think i read that three times hes batted at least 20 balls for none . Pant goes crazy , but at number 7 he should be going more that way than the other . Overall our batting is way too fragile , and our plans - after Silverwood telling us theyve  been planning for  years - have been all over the place . We were planning for the  second test and seemingly forgetting the first . Now we’re all over the shop

7 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I think part of his problem is that in Tests it has been more towards his usual  style  . Not to this extreme of course , but he’s seemed shackled and befuddled by how to play when all along he should have just played like Buttler plays . I think i read that three times hes batted at least 20 balls for none . Pant goes crazy , but at number 7 he should be going more that way than the other . Overall our batting is way too fragile , and our plans - after Silverwood telling us theyve  been planning for  years - have been all over the place . We were planning for the  second test and seemingly forgetting the first . Now we’re all over the shop

There is a TMS series - in case you were wondering why TMS seem so toothless when talking about the current England set up - on Sounds called 'Project Ashes' in which they apparently go into detail about just how smart and clever England's planning for this series is.

I can't bring myself to listen to it.

10 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

There is a TMS series - in case you were wondering why TMS seem so toothless when talking about the current England set up - on Sounds called 'Project Ashes' in which they apparently go into detail about just how smart and clever England's planning for this series is.

I can't bring myself to listen to it.

Apparently this was going to be the best prepared and planned touring squad ever . Silverwood and Root were talking about this ( squad rotation etc ) for two years . They had endless debates on Sky around this focus on the Ashes rather than the series they were playing in . Anyway , here we are andi its deja vu all over again . Apparently though Australia aren’t much better than us and we have to learn lessons . How long have we been learning lessons ? Off the pitch we got it wrong and on the pitch , well its embarrassing , and Australia is the last place you want to be that . We do strawclutching well though and covering our own backs 

30 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Apparently this was going to be the best prepared and planned touring squad ever . Silverwood and Root were talking about this ( squad rotation etc ) for two years . They had endless debates on Sky around this focus on the Ashes rather than the series they were playing in . Anyway , here we are andi its deja vu all over again . Apparently though Australia aren’t much better than us and we have to learn lessons . How long have we been learning lessons ? Off the pitch we got it wrong and on the pitch , well its embarrassing , and Australia is the last place you want to be that . We do strawclutching well though and covering our own backs 

The disrespect we show other countries by constantly banging on about the Ashes is pretty embarrassing at the best of times.

I thought i was getting a decent bet when i put £20 on the Ashes too finish level at 10/1, i should’ve waited because Betfred are offering 25/1. 

39 minutes ago, Josef K said:

I thought i was getting a decent bet when i put £20 on the Ashes too finish level at 10/1, i should’ve waited because Betfred are offering 25/1. 

I'll explain to people who don't understand betting.

At 25/1, what it means when you put £20 on England to level the series is that you will lose £20.

10 hours ago, JonM said:

Broad overtakes Graeme Hick in the all-time England test runs table. Would not have guessed that, but I guess he was an all-rounder originally.

Interesting point. Yes I think Broad was an all rounder initially.

I think Hick wasn't allowed to play for England until his mid 20s as he was born in  Rhodesia and played for Zimbabwe. 

He was definitely a top class batsmen. 

Amazing that this was the second time Richardson has got Buttler out hit wicket. I wonder if the bookies even had a market for that.

15 hours ago, Josef K said:

I thought i was getting a decent bet when i put £20 on the Ashes too finish level at 10/1, i should’ve waited because Betfred are offering 25/1. 

Every other forum I frequent was debating before the tour started whether England can sneak a draw in any of the games and make it a 4-0 rather than 5-0 loss. This is the only place I've seen any optimism at all - you've certainly shifted the dial a bit

11 hours ago, Niels said:

Interesting point. Yes I think Broad was an all rounder initially.

I think Hick wasn't allowed to play for England until his mid 20s as he was born in  Rhodesia and played for Zimbabwe. 

He was definitely a top class batsmen. 

Yes, Hick scored over a hundred centuries in first-class cricket, second highest scorer of all time in first class cricket. As you say, he had to wait 7 years to qualify for England. Fairly mixed test career though, not well handled by the England team.

The best paragraph about the tour has already been written and it has been written by Geoff Lemon in the Guardian.

"In contrast, the England camp have a litany of problems: a top order that is fast food, spinners they don’t trust to play, fast bowlers they don’t dare to play, a No 8 picked to bail out the batting who doesn’t take wickets, plans that outsmart their authors, rushes of panic in the field, and a captain who is trying to carry the caravan by scoring half the runs and bowling a quarter of the overs. One of his coaches may have whacked him in the groin literally, but his teammates do it metaphorically every day."

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2021/dec/20/an-ashes-whitewash-looked-far-fetched-two-weeks-ago-but-england-are-in-mess-australia-cricket

I'm struggling to see how Root and Silverwood can stay on as captain and coach after this. Players are regressing on their watch, and they constantly seem to be picking teams based on what games will be played in the future, rather than the game that they're about to play. To go to Brisbane and hold both Broad and Anderson back for Adelaide was just plain bizarre. Would love to know how they came to the conclusion that Woakes should be an automatic pick at the Gabba, with Broad left out.

But beyond that, Harrison must also be struggling to stay in position. given how deep rooted the problems with the England red ball team are.

Just now, phiggins said:

Harrison must also be struggling to stay in position

I believe he's due another massive bonus and there is no likelihood of it not being paid.