The Cricket Thread

[niko_cee]

There's no good reason for Broad to be anywhere but No.11 these days.

Yeah, I thought this too (and have for a while). If you aren't willing (or able) to get in line and block the straight ball then that's where you belong. It's embarrassing to watch and I always think it's a bit of an affront to Anderson and Finn (or whoever else gets stuck at 10/11) that he goes in ahead of them.

Moeen with a bit of a Tino Best moment, but it's the top order that have botched this (as per). Probably all comes down to Root throwing it away whilst they were cruising in the first innings (and then the shit that followed).

[Max Power]

Some Welsh teenager just hit the fastest first class double ton ever.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/947031.html

Gerrimin for Old Trafford.

[Ian]

234 runs of 136 balls.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nye Donald is a lovely bat, saw him in the U19 World Cup. Will go to some fashionable county and stagnate no doubt.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As much as he genuinely seems a top bloke and his better innings are glorious viewing you'd think if literally anybody proves themselves to be a reliable spinner against teams who can play spin he'll be fucked.

There's probably an argument for bringing in Rashid for Moeen now, particularly if Stokes comes back and is able to bowl. The selection maths with this England side never seems to work though. You'd have to be:

Cook
Hales
Root
Vince
Barry
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

That kind of works actually, apart from being massively dependent on Root.

There's an even better argument for bringing in Gareth Batty but they don't pick people from outside the 'England setup' anymore.

[Max Power]

You could pick a side that has even less of a middle order and even more all rounders.

Cook
Hales
Root
Ballance
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Anderson
Broad

But really if Vince is dropped (and he should) they should bring in Hildreth or someone.

[Danny]

I would be giving Vince the rest of this series. He needs scores and soon though.

If Stokes can bowl I would go for Jims team. Finn has looked horrible, Ball tired massively and I would fire Mo into the sun for that shot (as much as I like him).

[Jimmy Floyd]

In reality, I'd stick with Moeen.

[Max Power]

I mean, he did score 150 two Tests ago...

Rashid has been called up which is interesting, along with Anderson and Stokes

[Danny]

True but he is averaging 90 with the ball (according to cricinfo) which is really what we need him for.

You could have made a case for him over Vince but he needs a sit down after that.

[Ian]

Are we happy with shuffling Root up a spot?

[igor_balis]

So we went with Ali rather than Rashid. I don't think I ever really believed we'd play 2 spinners.

This is the most ridiculously long batting lineup I can remember seeing in test cricket...I know Ali's batting has been really inconsistent and Broad has basically been hopeless for years but them at 8 and 10 either side of Woakes is pretty mad.

[igor_balis]

Amir

[igor_balis]

Pakistan's fielding is shocking.

[Ian]

Ticking over very nicely, this.

We'll probably be 437 all out.

[niko_cee]

We really ought to be looking at 600+ by tea of shortly thereafter with the batting that is to come.

[Max Power]

Root triple

[igor_balis]

Root triple

caught on the boundary on 198

[Mr. Malik]

Ballance looks so timid and insecure every time at the crease. No matter how good his technique is, it would always give the bowlers a lift to bowl to a guy who looks scared of his own shadow.

[Max Power]

It's weird because he's a big, beefy lad and whenever I've seen him play t20 for Yorkshire he's given it a right smash. Comes to play Tests and it just camped deep in the crease pushing and prodding. Still would drop Vince before him though.

Could be a fun afternoon. Stokes wants to do damage

[igor_balis]

Bairstow playing for his average here, nurdling it around at about half a run a ball at 530-6 with about 8 batters still to come, just have a slog mate. He practically padded away all of one of part-time spinner Azhar Ali's overs recently, and I don't really see the point.

[Danny]

The over before tea? Makes sense if it was. Be there after for the mad dash.

Have we broken Yasir? Double ton for 1 wicket!

[igor_balis]

The over before tea? Makes sense if it was. Be there after for the mad dash.

He was basically blocking for about 5 overs before tea, but I see your point and he did accelerate afterwards.

Pakistan 37-3 at close today and 284-3 at close tomorrow?

[Max Power]

Woakes really is the man right now. Fair play to the lad

[niko_cee]

Did anyone tell Rahat he was supposed to be the night watchman and not a pinch hitter?

[niko_cee]

Shambolic decision to bat again, although all too predictable in the modern age. I'm with Vaughan on this one.

"If it rains all day now, what do England do? Declare in the morning on 11-0?"

Quite.

[Max Power]

Off again for rain having added 0 to the lead

[Ian]

I was pondering that, niko.

What's the lowest anybody's ever declared on?

[niko_cee]

I guess you sometimes get those games where a side forfeits an innings (which I guess would be declaring for nothing) but other than that I've no idea.

The (entirely predictable) weather has made an absolute mockery of the decision to bat again. It's just infuriating.

[Davgooner]

Fucking seething at this.

[Max Power]

Hopefully Anderson is getting padded up for a nightwatchman stint

[Jimmy Floyd]

As far as I can see the computer says no on the follow on. They don't really like enforcing it in any circumstances. Today it makes no sense not to, there's no benefit to not doing so. Are they going to bowl us out for 45 on the final evening after batting two days? I don't think so.

[Ian]

Live text was giving it some chat about how it'd give the likes of Hales and Vince the chance to do some good if we were trying to motor through some extra runs but that sounds like absolute tosh to me as well. Even if Vince get a quick fifty, say, by trying to thrash a four off every ball how does that help when we're back to normal test conditions?

[niko_cee]

Absolutely. Allowed Hales to get a quickfire 24 at a pitiful strike rate, whilst looking mostly hopeless whilst doing so. Confidence building stuff. If they let Vince get a fifty then Boycott needs to go and stove someone's head in. Got to manage those bowler workloads. Did the computer bother to look at the weather forecast?

[leedsrevolution]

I'm not a "HUGE" cricket fan but not enforcing the follow on really confused me. I assumed there must have a really good reason for it, obviously not. Mon the draw.

[Davgooner]

This Root lad.

[Max Power]

Wtf is going on with Younis Khan? He's absolutely all over the shop

[Jimmy Floyd]

Knowing him he'll be on some kind of manoeuvres.

[Max Power]

http://m.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/...ch/947537.html

Jesus. Duckett smashed 150 the other day as well.

[Ian]

Joe fucking Root. What a man.

[Mr. Malik]

I missed Russel Arnold in the commentary box, issuing death threats to his co-commentators for questioning the Sri Lankan board.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kusal Mendis setting this up for Rangy like a boss.

We have seven Tests in the winter on these decks (Bangladesh and India). Wonder how useless we will be this time. Would help if we took a couple of actual spinners who don't habitually bowl beamers as well.

[Ian]

Sri Lanka beat Australia by 106 runs in Pallekele to claim only their second Test victory over the tourists, who set a Test match record in defeat.

Chasing 268 for victory in the first Test, Australia were all out for 161, their innings including a record 154 consecutive deliveries without a run.

Must have made for cracking viewing.

[Danny]

Sounds like 2013 England in an ODI

[ItalAussie]

I'm fine with heroic rearguards. South Africa nearly pulled off an amazing one against us a few years ago.

How long before away series wins become a historical footnote?

[Jimmy Floyd]

South Africa are quite good at serving up away series wins, both for themselves and for teams touring them.

Also, you'd be surprised how few away wins there have always been. India didn't win away for decades after starting Test cricket.

[ItalAussie]

South Africa are quite good at serving up away series wins, both for themselves and for teams touring them.

Also, you'd be surprised how few away wins there have always been. India didn't win away for decades after starting Test cricket.

How long did it take them to start winning at home? Most teams were pretty dire for their first few decades.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They got up to speed at home pretty quickly. Drew 1-1 with England in their third home series, beat Pakistan in their fourth, and then were beating decent teams at home by the early 60s, but didn't win a single away Test match (let alone series) until (then hapless) New Zealand in 1968.

Pakistan and West Indies fared better but if anything I would guess there are slightly more away wins now than the historical average.

[igor_balis]

Sri Lankan did this on debut against Australia the other day:



Left-arm wrist spin.

[niko_cee]

That Sri Lanka v Australlia series had escaped my attention.

A 4 run 30 over stand? That sounds amazing.