The Official Cricket Thread

[Manny]

A lot will be chatted about the declaration but it's annoying sometimes seeing the double standards when it comes to Stokes' captaincy. Everyone loves the aggressive spirit when we're cavalier, thrashing the ball everywhere, setting attacking fields all the time and rewriting Test cricket manuals, but then as soon as it goes slightly too far and there's one contentious decision that doesn't work out* the boot goes in.

 

Every decision he makes is to try and move the game forward - sometimes it'll unequivocally move in Englands direction, sometimes it'll be more in the balance but that's how he'll lead, backing himself and his team to get back on top if it doesn't quite pan out entirely in England's favour. In a match that could have gone either way it can look like a huge error - but you can also look at it as almost giving the platform for a win (giving us more time at the Aus batting) and, more or less, we created enough chances to do so.

 

Normally I shit the bed when we lose the opening Ashes match but strangely in this one I don't feel like it's going to be as crucial as it usually is. Fuck it.

 

*Picking Moeen - and I was broadly in favour of it so this isn't me being a massive hypocrite - was an error. He's just not Test match fit, unfortunately.

[s(k)aturation]

4 minutes ago, Gooch said:

 

Yeah the franchise stuff especially, internationals I can handle.

 

 

It was a fantastic win by Australia.

I'll admit though, I'm not Australian Cricket's biggest fan.

I've just seen one too many cunts come and go in our set up, throughout my many many years of following the game - and I'm old enough to just be honest about it these days.

 

 

[Bloke]

10 minutes ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

I'd more just say that I love Test Cricket, above all other allegiances.

 

And that includes not giving a fuck who's arguably up or down during the course of the game - but rather just enjoying it - and then being happy enough with whoever deservedly comes out on top.

 

So frankly, don't express my opinions for me, sunshine.

 

 

 

Well enjoy it with whoever deservedly came out on top then. 

[s(k)aturation]

3 minutes ago, Bloke said:

 

Well enjoy it with whoever deservedly came out on top then. 

 

Mate, I'd happily enjoy it with you, and it would be even better if @Jairzinho joined us for a beer - cause that's what people who love cricket do after a great game.

That's when the point scoring stops.

I'll enjoy the win with both sides, if that's OK.

 

[Gooch]

2 minutes ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

And by the way, mate, believe it or not, I probably shouldn't have had a go.

I just wasn't 100% on board with what you were saying earlier.

 

It was a fantastic win by Australia.

I'll admit though, I'm not Australian Cricket's biggest fan.

I've just seen one too many cunts come and go in our set up, throughout my many many years of following the game - and I'm old enough to just be honest about it these days.

 

 

Aha its all good no worries, was a fantastic game.

[s(k)aturation]

3 minutes ago, Gooch said:

Aha its all good no worries, was a fantastic game.

 

Sorry mate, I actually edited.

 

I thought I was responding to @Bloke... all this post-game goodwill has me confused !!!

 

It is 5am here... and I have to do the kids breakfasts soon, with not near enough sleep.

 

Stupid fucking Ashes Series in England !

 

 

[Bloke]

7 minutes ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

Mate, I'd happily enjoy it with you, and it would be even better if @Jairzinho joined us for a beer - cause that's what people who love cricket do after a great game.

That's when the point scoring stops.

I'll enjoy the win with both sides, if that's OK.

 

Nah ya lost

[s(k)aturation]

1 minute ago, Bloke said:

Nah ya lost

 

Well mate, don't say I didn't offer.

Enjoy the win by yourself then.

 

 

[Trumo]

I think the Aussies approach, though by far the most cautious of the two teams, was the right way to go. Do the right things when bowling and fielding, and be dogged when batting. That's not hindsight talking.

 

England faced 78 and 66.2 overs in their two innings, whereas the Aussies faced 116.1 and 92.3 respectively. That's a difference of 64.2 overs, which is an awful lot of strain on the aging Anderson and Broad, the injured Stokes, the rusty (and then injured) Moeen and the relatively inexperienced Robinson, and a lot of toil for the rest in the field in some very hot conditions and a pitch that was largely lifeless. Root bowled 22 overs in that match, which is a heck of a lot for a part-time option.

 

While the conditions at Lord's will obviously be a key factor, England's analysis needs to come up with a solution that makes the Aussies toil way more than they had to at Edgbaston. No point bludgeoning 300-350 while spending 2 and a half sessions at the crease, then toiling away for 5 or 6 sessions against the Aussie line-up before trying to bludgeon another 300-odd when fatigue has set in. 

[Scooby Dudek]

From the BBC, this is what cost us, out the non WK to open drop Crawley and go again.

 

They missed eight chances of varying difficulty in the field, four of which were by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. Most crucially, Bairstow failed to move for an edge when Khawaja had only five on the fourth evening

[Jairzinho]

18 minutes ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

Mate, I'd happily enjoy it with you, and it would be even better if @Jairzinho joined us for a beer - cause that's what people who love cricket do after a great game.

That's when the point scoring stops.

I'll enjoy the win with both sides, if that's OK.

 

 

Aye.

 

Like you, I'm not very partisan when it comes to cricket.

 

The cricket I'm serious about is the title race my team is in this year. Thought I could just enjoy a bit of a hit at a lower level, but I'm fucking in now. Our game on Saturday was actually more dramatic than this test.

[s(k)aturation]

9 minutes ago, Trumo said:

I think the Aussies approach, though by far the most cautious of the two teams, was the right way to go. Do the right things when bowling and fielding, and be dogged when batting. That's not hindsight talking.

 

England faced 78 and 66.2 overs in their two innings, whereas the Aussies faced 116.1 and 92.3 respectively. That's a difference of 64.2 overs, which is an awful lot of strain on the aging Anderson and Broad, the injured Stokes, the rusty (and then injured) Moeen and the relatively inexperienced Robinson, and a lot of toil for the rest in the field in some very hot conditions and a pitch that was largely lifeless. Root bowled 22 overs in that match, which is a heck of a lot for a part-time option.

 

While the conditions at Lord's will obviously be a key factor, England's analysis needs to come up with a solution that makes the Aussies toil way more than they had to at Edgbaston. No point bludgeoning 300-350 while spending 2 and a half sessions at the crease, then toiling away for 5 or 6 sessions against the Aussie line-up before trying to bludgeon another 300-odd when fatigue has set in. 

 

Fair enough.

Although the sample size of a single loss by a bee's dick will probably see England stick to their guns for the minute I'd say.

And if their game plan needs to factor in the age of their two premier bowlers, then maybe it's the age of the bowlers that's a bigger problem than the game plan.

England scoring 420 wouldn't necessarily have made Anderson and Broad's job any easier.

Anderson takes 5-30 on a gloomy overcast first morning at Lord's perhaps, and suddenly the game plan and Old Man Anderson have a lovely symbiosis.

 

[s(k)aturation]

1 minute ago, Jairzinho said:

 

Aye.

 

Like you, I'm not very partisan when it comes to cricket.

 

The cricket I'm serious about is the title race my team is in this year. Thought I could just enjoy a bit of a hit at a lower level, but I'm fucking in now. Our game on Saturday was actually more dramatic than this test.

 

In Spain?

 

 

[Jairzinho]

Just now, s(k)aturation said:

 

In Spain?

 

 

 

No. I'm in Wales for a couple of years. Played four games at the back end of last season, the first I'd played for 10/12 years.

 

Getting a full season this year.

[Bloke]

How funny was it when Broad with his Karate Kid headband was amping up a bunch of middle inglinder's to a whole lot of fuck all

[s(k)aturation]

Just now, Jairzinho said:

 

No. I'm in Wales for a couple of years. Played four games at the back end of last season, the first I'd played for 10/12 years.

 

Getting a full season this year.

 

Warming up for your star turn in Melbourne!

 

 

[s(k)aturation]

11 minutes ago, Bloke said:

How funny was it when Broad with his Karate Kid headband was amping up a bunch of middle inglinder's to a whole lot of fuck all

 

Yeah he certainly didn't pull off the wanky headgear as effectively and classily as this legend, who bet against Australia....

And won.

 

[Jairzinho]

3 minutes ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

Warming up for your star turn in Melbourne!

 

 

 

Ha, I'd love to bat on a few quicker wickets!

[sir roger]

Was a fantastic game, congratulations to Australia, and can't wait for the next four.

 

Cannot work out why every England captain in my memory has gone a bit loopy with ridiculous plans when the opposition tailenders come in, instead of asking their bowlers to keep doing what they do best and has managed to get the proper batsman out.

[Remmie]

What a fantastic game that was, really sets us  up for a brilliant series. Cummins was excellent, the prick, what composure and bravery after mostly negative batting. 

 

There was a stat about in Ashes history there have been 10 close finishes (victories within 25 runs or 3 wickets) and the result have gone 10-0 to England before this game so I suppose the cunts are due one. 

 

The declaration makes all the headlines, but it was amongst a number of things that meant an incredibly slender defeat - missed chances, fitness issues, bad luck (so many difficult chances presented or balls not quite carrying), not having a rapid quick bowler, extras, fuck me the extras and about twelfty other things I can't quite remember. 

 

I think regarding the declaration, there needs to be a meme of Stokes with the Marilyn Monroe quote "if you can't handle me at my worst, you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best"! 

[A_S]

Great win! Robinson making himself look like a bigger tit by the day is very funny too. 

[Leyton388]

Only England could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

[A_S]

1 hour ago, Trumo said:

I think the Aussies approach, though by far the most cautious of the two teams, was the right way to go. Do the right things when bowling and fielding, and be dogged when batting. That's not hindsight talking.

 

England faced 78 and 66.2 overs in their two innings, whereas the Aussies faced 116.1 and 92.3 respectively. That's a difference of 64.2 overs, which is an awful lot of strain on the aging Anderson and Broad, the injured Stokes, the rusty (and then injured) Moeen and the relatively inexperienced Robinson, and a lot of toil for the rest in the field in some very hot conditions and a pitch that was largely lifeless. Root bowled 22 overs in that match, which is a heck of a lot for a part-time option.

 

While the conditions at Lord's will obviously be a key factor, England's analysis needs to come up with a solution that makes the Aussies toil way more than they had to at Edgbaston. No point bludgeoning 300-350 while spending 2 and a half sessions at the crease, then toiling away for 5 or 6 sessions against the Aussie line-up before trying to bludgeon another 300-odd when fatigue has set in. 

A lot of good points in here, especially the flipside of scoring quickly meaning less time in the field for the opposition. 

 

The actual approach from England was fine, but the planning around it was a mess.

 

Preparing a flat wicket did no favours for their veteran quicks.Then they compounded it by bringing in an underdone Ali on a hunch, and all of this while knowing Stokes can only bowl sparingly. And now there is fuck all time between games to accommodate the bloody Hundred! 

 

This result sets up the series nicely though. 

[Bloke]

5 hours ago, s(k)aturation said:

 

Yeah he certainly didn't pull off the wanky headgear as effectively and classily as this legend, who bet against Australia....

And won.

 

That's a sweatband? And yes he is a dickhead.

 

Who hurt you? Imagine being so upset at your own country winning one of the best Ashes test's of all time.

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

Age is cruel.

 

From this terror

 

 

To this flowery shirt wearer.

 

 

Interesting to hear they played for that old Bunbury's team, and great to see Mick Harford looking good after his cancer battle.  Unlikely pair but doing some great work.