Cricket Thread

Langer to England? Would surprise me but I wouldn’t have said he’d give up managing the Aussies either.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60269322

 

Shane Warne dies of suspected heart attack aged 52. Shocking. Great player RIP

 

Gutted to hear that. Some player and always seemed like a great bloke as well. RIP Shane.

 

Jeez. Was only a month or so ago he was interviewing Ange wearing a Celtic top. Gutted by this. RIP

 

RIP Shane Warne

only 52 heart attack

 

RIP. Always thought he seemed a decent guy.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/60624418

 

Rod marsh also died and warne sent a message, all very sad.

 

Don't know if anyone else has been following this, but the women's world cup has produced some absoliute classics, and deadset nailbiters over the past couple of weeks. England doing well to make the SF's after losing their first 3 games, Australia winning 7 from 7, South Africa pulled through with some great nailbiter wins, India losing a couple of nailbiters, and even West Indies squeezing through to the Semis ahead of India.

As for the men, Australia winning in Pakistan, where they had not toured in 24 years after a brutal first two tests for the bowlers on some of the flattest pitches ever, and same with the current series in West Indies, where the first 2 tests have played out on absolute roads, and as soon as it's a pitch with some life in it, England on the cusp of losing the 3rd test there, doesn't help... Interesting parrellels between the two series. First two games played out on flat track batting paradises ending in draws etc.

Coming off the back of home and away series losses to India, then being absolutely thumped 4-0 (and for the weather it would've been 5-0) in the Ashes, could this be the end of Joe Root as captain? Still a quality batsman - one of the best in the world - but as a captain it's a different question entirely.

 

Did anyone follow the test that finished today? Incredible finish, and absolute clean power hitting by Bairstow especially, completely took a game that was drifting towards a likely draw to an astounding win in the final session of the match. Phenom!

 

Taz didn’t want to put anything up but * *, the records broken in that game lol. England and Wales now playing 50 over game each day in a test. New Zealand did bowl poor tbf and not changed tack, but fair dues it was entertaining to watch.

 

The Kiwis were a bowler down, and Southee has had a shocker in this test. Matt Henry is not Kyle Jamison or Neil Wagner, so why the * did they come out after tea and have him try to bowl short like that, at his pace it was begging to be hammered. TBH, I felt that the Kiwis did kind of baulk at the end of the 2nd session, when they could've hustled to get in an extra over or two, with the tea break so close, and Bairstow and Stokes not in top gear, but the lack of hustle when they were relatively on top/even stevens, did seem to signal that they could be there for the taking after tea.

Even still, it didn't matter who or where they bowled, Bairstow was simply on fire. Two balls had to be replaced because he had battered them out of shape so quickly, and that 6 by Stokes into the 4th tier of the grandstand! Bairstow missing the English record for fastest ever century by 1 ball, and this test has produced the most boundaries (4s & 6s) between the 2 teams. Incredible finish!

 

That was a phenomenal watch. Bairstow was absolutely unplayable once he had the bit between his teeth.

 

Can’t say it’s boring watching England and Wales anymore. Can see them being out for less than an hundred really soon, came close today tbh. Bairstow was outstanding but what a knock by Overton on his debut.

 

Definitely a great fightback by Bairstow and Overton after being 6-50-odd earlier in the day. Also freaky 5/100 by Leach in the Kiwi inning. The freaky catch that was deflected by the non striker's bat, can't say have heard of anything quite like it before! Mitchell's 3rd 100 in as many tests. He and Blundell have been outstanding for NZ.

Something has to be done about the balls though. The keep needing to be replaced because they are all defective. The Duke balls are all hand made & hand stitched, and the story goes that the person who was responsible for the quality control left (or retired or something) and the person who took over has been allowing the stitching not being tight enough, which is allowing the moisture into the ball, with the effect of them gettign out of shape far more easily and earlier.

So, if that's the case the officials are knowingly going into these games with balls that they know are defective, which is not good.

 

That stitching thing is right, they think the problem is the new lad isn’t stitching it as tight. Broad has had way over the top tantrums in this series about them. Never seen that ball sizer used as much tbh. All this because somebody was selfish enough to take retirement lol.

 

Oh by the way the kiwis can swing that ball as sweet as a nut. It swings longer than the kookaburra as you know, but the most I’ve ever seen a touring side swing it was Pakistan with Abram and younis.

 

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were brilliant, 2 of the greatest of all time, and so, so dangerous with the late reverse swing with the old ball. Could be absolutely devastating and downright unplayable at times.

 

NZ all out, Leach takes his second 5/w of the match, finishing with match figures of 10/166 - his first test career 10 wkt haul in a match.

Eng need 296 to win in about 4 sessions. This game ain't gonna be a draw. Either the Kiwis bowl England out or the Poms get the runs.

 

The Ashes are on once again. First day of 1st Test.