International cricket thread

MFPM

England make a slow start to this 'chase', Duckett gives his wicket away with a stupid run out.

MFPM

England 18/2...There may be trouble ahead!

MFPM

England 20/3.

MFPM

Terrible shot by Bairstow, his poor form continues. 28/4.

MFPM

Chance now this could finish today, tomorrow more likely but England lower order could fold.

MFPM

In fairness to Stokes, he is consistent, they don't do draws and want to 'entertain' - I dare say while it's entertaining, I'm not sure England supporters feel like that right now!

Trampas

The tee times booked for tomorrow

riffmongous

Looks like it'll be India's largest margin of victory in a test match

Trampas

Duckett should keep his mouth. Not the first time he has said some silly stuff on the tour. Like he wants to keep stokes and baz happy

Gillespy

India were excellent this game, had to show a lot of grit recovering from being 30-3 on the first morning and then turning it around from 200-2 to at the start of day 3 to 319 all out. Add the Ashwin stuff too. Ruthless then with bat and ball in the second innings.

England had their chances, Root not catching Rohit to make it 40-4 and the first innings collapse after getting a great start from Duckett. Poorest showing of the English batsmen in a long time, too many soft dismissals.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783543#Comment_121783543

He backed it up by scoring runs. I'd be more concerned about the slogball mentality of the England test side. It doesn't work in India, and they will probably lose 4-1. They should have won the Ashes series last summer, and it did them no favours then either, but they think it's some kind of magic formula. It's like a lot of magic formula, works for a bit then gets countered. Also who leaves some people in front of a microphone? I listened on talksport this morning coz i was too lazy to turn on the TV, and at 18/2, they were wondering if England could reach the close of play 2 down. At risk of stating the obvious it was only going one way then. There's no magic formula that will compensate for conceding 775 runs in a match or losing 18 wickets in 75 overs, for just 234 runs. England went from 207/2 to 319 & 122 all out. India scored 430/4 off 98 in between. That shows them up as talking rubbish while being hammered. Nothing to do with the pitch deteriorating or anything else, just poor batting and innocuous bowling.

Gillespy

If they go on to lose the series, it will be the first series defeat by Stokes. That's in almost two years. From where they were after the Ashes, one win in 17, they'll take that. Big deal losing in India too. Everyone since 2012 has left India with a hiding.

But it's far too easy to be laying into today when it has been a resounding successful approach overall. Wouldn't put it past them winning the next one either. Written off after going two down in the Ashes, they came back strongly and only rain at Old Trafford stopped them winning 3-2.

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783736#Comment_121783736

It was more the they can have as many as they want. They won the first test and saying happy with position when they were behind in the game. They won that game but saying stuff like have as many as you want is silly

Royale with Cheese

When bazball goes wrong it goes very very wrong, but it's brought them success overall. You just have to accept you will be on the end of some very heavy defeats playing like that, pretty sure the England setup already has.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783862#Comment_121783862

But don't you need to balance your approach to maximise success in the test game?

Re Jaiswal, can someone explain the story there. He retired hurt yesterday after his century and then came back today fresh as a daisy to add another and fair dues to young man. I'm not clear on the rules but I'd have thought that to 'retire hurt', you'd want to be injured in some way physically. Whereas with him, I think it was the heat & cramp? I can understand not being able to continue at the time but should he have been allowed back after a rest? What's to stop abuse of this. But maybe I have it wrong.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121781718#Comment_121781718

The fact that he feels OK to say stuff like that shows the lack of effective leadership... this ' Billy big boĺlocks ' nonsense .... keep your mouth shut, play your cricket...

That's a defeat and a half they just suffered..

Awful batting in the second innings... mammoth total to need to chase but 2 days to chase yet skittled for a pathetic score. 122... as big as possible he says.. yet posting 122 🫣

Obviously personally a few good scores and he thinks the world of himself...

Confidence is to be admired, arrogance, not... I wonder if that's a symptom of the Stokes leadership style...

McCullum would do well to reign that in.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121783959#Comment_121783959

Rubbish talk ok, but there is way too much talk, analysis and hot air in sports today. Saturation coverage and the amount of experts who know nothing is crazy. Nasser Hussain always makes me laugh when he talks about a positive approach. A yes man who spent 15 years blocking

VillaMad

England were shambolic in the last two days and no excuses can be given for that, however before this test series, England only had one test standard spinner if even that in Jack Leach who once again got injured and is out of the series. The other spinners they have are barely good enough for the county championship and to go on a tour of India without decent spinners, you are on a hiding to nothing regardless of what batting line-up India have. No coincidence that England last won in India with Swann and Panesar, far above any spinners they have had since.

In saying that their approach yesterday morning was all wrong. Bazball is fine if it means taking the positive approach. Crawley and Duckett for instance are unable to defend and are suited better to hitting out. Root however has got 10,000 test runs playing normally and doesn't need to resort to risking his wicket like that. With Ashwin not there, England had the opportunity to tire out the Indian attack but they were unable and were very poor. It's all good trying the positive approach but you also need to give your 41-year-old bowler and the oft-injured Mark Wood a bit of a rest. England have already bowled 200 overs more than India in this series. and with it being a 5-test series that is damning on England's approach.

Jonny Bairstow is also horribly out of nick again and doesn't appear to be the same player pre-injury. Unless he finds some dramatic increase in form, his test career days are surely numbered, especially with Harry Brook to come back in whenever he becomes available again.

India were superb to be far. Kuldeep's spell yesterday changed the game and Jaiswal just rubbed their noses in it in the end. Hard to see anyway back for England from here with the next test taking place on Friday. Lawrence could come in but I wouldn't expect much from him. Doubtful whether Anderson and Wood will be playing so Robinson and Atkinson come into consideration for them.

Mysterypunter

Mike Proctor died over the weekend. What a player. Hard to explain his impact by numbers alone, but undoubtedly the top all rounder of his era. Only played 7 tests, averaged 15 with the ball, and a first class batting average of 36, and bowling average of 19.53 over 401 games. Top first class score of 254 including 6 successive hundreds. The only player to make a century and take a hat trick in a match twice. RIP

Strumms

English spinners took a grand total of 7 wickets over two innings. 7 wickets in 153 overs that spinners bowled total.

1 wicket every 21.xx overs from the spinners…

So… the pitch turns in India…. You still pick your best bowlers…. If you haven’t got good spinners, don’t pick average ones ! Pick good seamers !

rather have a good seamer on a spinning pitch as opposed to an average or crap spinner….

Another issue Joe Root bowled 43 overs over 2 innings in extreme heat. Then he’s supposed to go out in that extreme heat and make big scores with the bat ?!

what fûcking planet is Stokes and Mc Cullem on that this is the kind of decision making ? Honestly, a shrink couldn’t make sense of that…

AND this is with the toss determining that England bat last ! It’s just pure sandbox decision making.

I’m sure the likes of Graham Gooch, Graeme Hick, didnt get involved in that carry on. Hick was a far better bowler than Root.. bowled a fraction of the overs that Root does…minuscule in comparison.. why ? Because he was a batsman… that’s his job, Gooch protected him.

in this tour Root opened the bowling… imagine,

there is thinking outside the box and there thinking inside a psyche ward which is maybe what’s going on with that pair Stokes and the Brendan fella….

the temperature there too in the mid ‘30’s so… 33,34,35°C and your best most experienced, reliable middle order batsman grinds himself into the dust out bowling 43 overs over 2 innings before batting in the 4th innings…. In that weather… bazball ? No, dumb ball .

Anderson is an issue too. A shadow of his former self… Looks like, not only is he struggling, but he’s not got the look of a player enjoying his cricket… not at ease or at one with the leadership going by some animated gestures from him….

Mysterypunter

More rubbish from Duckett about Jaiswal batting aggressively because he learned it from England. Makes no sense, not that he ever did. Hussain commented on it saying he learned from the Indian first class system and the IPL. You would think no one else has the ability to produce quality players, funny especially coming from England, who steal lots of players from other countries.

Gillespy

India squad for fourth match sees Bumrah rested and still no KL Rahul or Shami. Bumrah to Mukesh is a massive drop but they might bring Axar back and go with just Siraj. India haven't been at full strength in any game but Bumrah feels like the biggest loss. It's been announced too that Virat Kohli has become a father again so I guess that's why he has had the whole series off.

Strumms

Before the test Stokes pretty much announces that he will bowl.

“Stokes initially ruled himself out of bowling on this tour, saying he had made a "pinky promise" to England physio Ben Davies.

But after England's defeat in the third Test, the Durham man opened the door to the possibility of taking the ball in the final two Tests, saying he had been able to bowl at "100%" in training.

The 32-year-old bowled for 35 minutes, then had a long conversation with team doctor Glen Rae.

Stokes said his left knee was pain-free during the bowling spell, something that had not occurred for "years" and there is a "possible chance" he will bowl during the Test.

what gets me about that if I’m McCullum I’m collaring Stokes and saying..” look you clown, none of their lot are expecting you to bowl, none of them will be thinking about you bowling, we ruled it out, none of them will be talking about it, preparing for it or watching videos of you bowling, so why give them the heads up !? Why ? “.

in this day and age can people not just stay quiet… ? Use information to their advantage and make the element of surprise a positive thing in their armoury ? Stfu and surprise them ! 🤦🏻‍♂️

dohboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801000#Comment_121801000

Ah here, he's been bowling in the nets so he's going to be asked is he going to bowl. It's not exactly the third secret of Fatima. And what is he exepcted to answer when asked? 'I might do.' You really do use any excuse to crib about Stokes and McCullum, it's laughable lol

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803666#Comment_121803666

Any excuse. ? Ever here the old saying….a closed mouth catches no flies (lol ???) 🤷‍♂️

let them wonder. Or even, lie !.. “ bowled a few balls, still a bit or a niggle,… no point in risking with a lot more cricket to come..”

dohboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803841#Comment_121803841

How is any of what you said there much different from him saying there's a 'possible chance' he'll bowl? Yer dancing on the head of a pin. If he openly lied and said he wasn't going to bowl, and then did, you'd no doubt be calling him pathetic and a clown again. Also this is Stokes bowling, he's not exactly some secret weapon. He's bowled plenty against India before.

Gillespy

Pitch looks like it could be a fast game. Very cracked already. England have named their team, two changes, Rehan and Wood out and Robinson and Bashir in.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121804064#Comment_121804064

Lying ? Errr it’s international sports not the Eucharistic congress. 😉

not providing an opposition and media with a full picture is smart.

Strumms

England win the toss and will bat, sensible as the pitch is reported to be prone to deteriorate significantly.

Crawley with a life 3rd delivery, gloves a bouncer to where short leg would be stood but no short leg is placed there 😬

another life , bowled in the 3rd over, by a no ball, all happening.😅

Royale with Cheese

Bazball has been put away for the afternoon, great partnership between Root and Foakes. Some sensible grown up (somewhat dull) cricket 😃