The Cricket Thread

[Savage Henry]

Poor old Athers. Look at some of the bowlers he had to face. McGrath & Warne, Donald & Pollock. Waqar & Wasim, Walsh & Ambrose, Murali & Vaas.

He had the world on his shoulders captaining a poor side and with his long standing back trouble. Vintage Atherton was of course his magnificent innings in SA.

I wonder how well Atherton would have done if he had had a decent team around him. That's cricket though.

Young Root looks like a cheery sort, something that could never be said about Athers.

Not as a player. He seems like a pretty good guy in the commentary box.

[Arthur Orton]

Not as a player. He seems like a pretty good guy in the commentary box.

Definitely he has a dry sense of humour and is extremely knowledgeable about the game. Some good anecdotes about him in Bumbles book.

[Reynard]

Totally disagree. England have already won the series. From England's perspective, a 1-0 series win is the same as a 2-0 series win. If this was Australia, nobody would quibble about the declaration. If the weather was set fair tomorrow, nobody would quibble.

You dont tend to get wins gift wrapped in test cricket, you make it happen. That last hour or so last night has fucked things up potentially if the hose gets turned on tomorrow as forecast. The declaration should have come earlier and they shoulkd have been more ruthless about it all. If they want to get back to number one in the world they need to win games, they will still win if they get an hour or two at them tomorrow morning, but knowing the forecast wasnt great they should have turned the screw. You get the brownie points for test wins and it all counts towards getting a better ranking.

Broadly I agree with you that the series is won and it doesn't REALLY matter whether they win or draw now, but I like to see ruthlessness, its ALWAYS a sign of a hardened test side. This looked like safety first rather than displaying supreme confidence in your bowlers abilities to skittle out a side. As a bowler I wanted my captain to throw me a ball and tell me to rip stumps out the fucking ground for him because he thought I would do just that for him.

For f**k sake, NZ have barely scored four hundred odd in the three innings theyve had combined so far in this series, there was f**k all chance theyd have got to three hundred odd never mind four hundred odd on a wearing, turning wicket.

Hopefully Cook learns a bit from it, even if they do win this test, he needs to be a bit bolder.

[Savage Henry]

You dont tend to get wins gift wrapped in test cricket, you make it happen. That last hour or so last night has fucked things up potentially if the hose gets turned on tomorrow as forecast. The declaration should have come earlier and they shoulkd have been more ruthless about it all. If they want to get back to number one in the world they need to win games, they will still win if they get an hour or two at them tomorrow morning, but knowing the forecast wasnt great they should have turned the screw. You get the brownie points for test wins and it all counts towards getting a better ranking.

Broadly I agree with you that the series is won and it doesn't REALLY matter whether they win or draw now, but I like to see ruthlessness, its ALWAYS a sign of a hardened test side. This looked like safety first rather than displaying supreme confidence in your bowlers abilities to skittle out a side. As a bowler I wanted my captain to throw me a ball and tell me to rip stumps out the fucking ground for him because he thought I would do just that for him.

For f**k sake, NZ have barely scored four hundred odd in the three innings theyve had combined so far in this series, there was f**k all chance theyd have got to three hundred odd never mind four hundred odd on a wearing, turning wicket.

Hopefully Cook learns a bit from it, even if they do win this test, he needs to be a bit bolder.

Oh definitely. I have no idea what they were playing at last night. I said earlier in the thread, I thought they would have had a dash last night, got a 400+ lead and declared overnight. Maybe it is a conservative streak in Cook, I don't know, but it seems to me they really wanted their batsmen (Comton and Bell chiefly) to try and get a few runs for the sake of form. Maybe one of his bowlers has a niggle.

[Reynard]

Oh definitely. I have no idea what they were playing at last night. I said earlier in the thread, I thought they would have had a dash last night, got a 400+ lead and declared overnight. Maybe it is a conservative streak in Cook, I don't know, but it seems to me they really wanted their batsmen (Comton and Bell chiefly) to try and get a few runs for the sake of form. Maybe one of his bowlers has a niggle.

Listening to Trott after the close of play was revealing. Apart from getting a bit grumpy about the criticism of last nights performance he pretty much said the thought process behind this was so they didn't have to think about chasing 150 on that wicket. WT actual F??

Its fairly safe to say that this reveals a pretty conservative streak in the dressing room.

As for Compton and Bell, it revealed to us that Compton is probably struggling to keep his place in the side and that Bell got out on the slog. Theres quite a bit of cricket to be played before the ahses really so I'm not sure what the point was in not throttling the f**k out the game and keeping the foot down on their throats.

[booitsme7]

Great to see some cricket getting played today and what a great C&B by Broad to get McCullum.

Southee and Bracewell put on a 50 odd partnership but Swann has now got Southee and he now has 5 wickets.

2 wickets to win but its raining and the players are going off.

[booitsme7]

Restarting at 3 if the weather holds.

[booitsme7]

England have done it and well done Jimmy Anderson for taking the last wicket to join Fred Trueman on 307.

[Reynard]

England have done it and well done Jimmy Anderson for taking the last wicket to join Fred Trueman on 307.

By a baw hair! They beat the rain by minutes really.

After all the chat about the declaration and Trotts efforts to dig to Australia England did win that test in just over three days which is good going. You cant really complain too much about how they played this time, Broad had a decent series with the ball, in fact his figures over the five tests against NZ have been very very impressive. Anderson was good as usual, Finn bowled himself into a bit of form and Swann was back to his wicket taking best. The only real issue to address is the opening bat and having listened to the chat it seems that Compton will need a big score or two before the Ashes begins, he has looked very scratchy and is fiiled with self doubt. And Bells form is a bit of a worry but he is a class player and youd not drop him even though he hsnt been delivering for a wee while. Pietersen will probably come in for Bairstow, which is a bit tough on the boy really but he is good enough and has been blooded in tests now.

Should be a great summer of cricket

Listened to Jeremy Coneys tales of beating the Windies in that controversial series in NZ in the early 80s on TMS during the rain break, absolutely hilarious, as were his stories about the return revenge job in the Carribean. Coney is absolutely brilliant, I absolutely love listening to the guy.

[Savage Henry]

By a baw hair! They beat the rain by minutes really.

After all the chat about the declaration and Trotts efforts to dig to Australia England did win that test in just over three days which is good going. You cant really complain too much about how they played this time, Broad had a decent series with the ball, in fact his figures over the five tests against NZ have been very very impressive. Anderson was good as usual, Finn bowled himself into a bit of form and Swann was back to his wicket taking best. The only real issue to address is the opening bat and having listened to the chat it seems that Compton will need a big score or two before the Ashes begins, he has looked very scratchy and is fiiled with self doubt. And Bells form is a bit of a worry but he is a class player and youd not drop him even though he hsnt been delivering for a wee while. Pietersen will probably come in for Bairstow, which is a bit tough on the boy really but he is good enough and has been blooded in tests now.

Should be a great summer of cricket

Listened to Jeremy Coneys tales of beating the Windies in that controversial series in NZ in the early 80s on TMS during the rain break, absolutely hilarious, as were his stories about the return revenge job in the Carribean. Coney is absolutely brilliant, I absolutely love listening to the guy.

Test Match Special's line up for this series has been outstanding. I suspect they're lining Vaughan up to take over from Agnew, but the New Zealand contingent are brilliant entertainment. Ian Smith is also pretty hilarious on Sky, though he did the first test on BBC as well. Coney might be the best of the lot though, I wish they had him for every series. And no Blowers. Good stuff. I like accuracy.

[drs]

Anyone hear Andy Flower almost throw a wobbly with Aggers?

Aggers was lobbing him some easy questions about the follow on, Trott scoring at a slow rate etc but Flower sounded like he was on the defensive after a 10 wicket thumping rather than after a win.

[Savage Henry]

Anyone hear Andy Flower almost throw a wobbly with Aggers?

Aggers was lobbing him some easy questions about the follow on, Trott scoring at a slow rate etc but Flower sounded like he was on the defensive after a 10 wicket thumping rather than after a win.

See, I thought he was being humorous, but you might be right. Siege mentality and all that. He actually revealed quite a lot in that interview though - made it clear that Root is likely to open in the ashes unless Compton makes serious runs, and that he was less than impressed with Trot on the penultimate evening.

[Reynard]

Test Match Special's line up for this series has been outstanding. I suspect they're lining Vaughan up to take over from Agnew, but the New Zealand contingent are brilliant entertainment. Ian Smith is also pretty hilarious on Sky, though he did the first test on BBC as well. Coney might be the best of the lot though, I wish they had him for every series. And no Blowers. Good stuff. I like accuracy.

Coney flits between serious analysis and the ridiculous with great ease. He should be a TMS stalwart forever frankly. And he lives here anyway.

I didn't see much of it on the TV apart from the highlights stuff so missed most of Smiths output. I like him a lot too. I hope Vaughan isn't hanging about waiting for Aggers to feck off anytime soon either, I suppose he may take some of the old geezers space when they snuff it in due course but he is definitely settling in quite well to the cake and biscuits routine.

I've liked Coney since the first time I heard him doing the co commentary stuff, he's a good guy. Very self deprecating as are the bulk of NZ cricketers (apart from Sir Richard)

[Reynard]

Coneys tales of Richard Hadlees house on the second day were also fantastic. I hope they are good friends...

Edited May 29, 2013 by Reynard

[MB]

Coney is a class act. I'm old enough to remember him playing and captaining a very good New Zealand side back in the 80s. He was a good batsman, excellent slip fielder, useful bowler and an outstanding captain. He was also very sporting and famously allowed the retired Bob Taylor to keep wicket for England in a test match after Bruce French got injured. An intelligent man, he always has some useful insights to share as a commentator/summariser.

[Reynard]

Coney is a class act. I'm old enough to remember him playing and captaining a very good New Zealand side back in the 80s. He was a good batsman, excellent slip fielder, useful bowler and an outstanding captain. He was also very sporting and famously allowed the retired Bob Taylor to keep wicket for England in a test match after Bruce French got injured. An intelligent man, he always has some useful insights to share as a commentator/summariser.

Yes, I can remember him playing back then too. NZ had a pretty decent side at the time, good openers, Hadlee of course, as well as useful bits and pieces players such as Coney. He was a pretty good captain of that lot.

My uncle was Hadlees doctor. And David Gowers, so there were always free tickets for the Trent Bridge tests from Hadlee.

[booitsme7]

First ODI today and England have finished on 227-9.

[Bobby Skidmarks]

_{I was surprised at Bairstow's ommission from the 1 dayers, I felt he was more tailored to the limited overs game than the likes of Root and Trott (although Trott gets big scores, he takes a few balls to get there)}

_{Dernbach was again expensive, If you are going to rest Finn then I'd have given Onions or Tremlett a go.}

_{ETA f**k knows why this font changed automatically.}

Edited June 1, 2013 by Bobby Skidmarks

[Savage Henry]

_{I was surprised at Bairstow's ommission from the 1 dayers, I felt he was more tailored to the limited overs game than the likes of Root and Trott (although Trott gets big scores, he takes a few balls to get there)}

_{Dernbach was again expensive, If you are going to rest Finn then I'd have given Onions or Tremlett a go.}

_{ETA f**k knows why this font changed automatically.}

Agreed. I rather get the impression the England heads don't really value the 50 over format. As you say, it'd make much more sense to play Onions or Tremlett and whoever they think is the second best spinner - and wicketkeeper as well, for that matter.

[Fuctifano]

Surprised England still don't pick prior for the odis when he's clearly their best keeper, unless they're worried about over working him. They could still pick Butler as a batsman only.

Also don't think they need Cook, Bell, and Trott in the top 3. If KP was fit then I'd bring him in for Trott.

Onions suffers from the management seeing him as Anderson - lite and also more suited to the longer game. Dernbach is abysmal, he's got some terrible stats.

This is the last champions trophy as well, fairly pointless tournament other than the £££ for the ICC.