International cricket thread

Strumms

England were set for 200+ vs Pakistan but losing a glut of wickets for 144/3 to 169/7 really stifled them.

Good start with the ball though , Ali gets Rizwan, third delivery, no runs on the board.

StormForce13

The stadium which will host the opening match of the T20 World Cup in Dallas this weekend has been hit by severe weather, causing the cancellation of Tuesday's official warm-up match.

The United States and Bangladesh were due to meet at 16:30 BST at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas but the match has been called off because of the "conditions of the facilities".

Warnings for strong thunderstorms, flash flooding and tornados have been given for the area. Images on social media appear to show the stadium's giant TV screen has been blown over. Texas governor Greg Abbott said more than a third of counties were subject to a disaster declaration after extreme weather ploughed through the state.

There was further heavy rain overnight and winds up to 80mph while storm sirens sounded in the city of Dallas.

The opening match of the T20 World Cup between the US and Canada is due to take place in Dallas on Saturday, 1 June (01:30 Sunday BST).

Current situation in Texas! https://www.blitzortung.org/en/live_lightning_maps.php?map=31

Strumms

if lots of overs and or entire matches are lost due to adverse weather… the ICC will take a real hammering and rightly so.

A few of the matches are in locations like Texas where the rainy season is finishing around late May / early June …. And further inclement weather such as storms and hurricanes can be prevalent throughout mid summer.

Haven’t looked at every venue in such detail but be nice if we get a good load of cricket….

Going to be a real unknown element to certain aspects of the tournament seeing as so little international cricket has been played there or covered from there…

Hopefully the US have their shît together and we have good consistent cricket pitches, quick enough flat outfields giving appropriate value for good shots.

Gillespy

This Pakistan keeper has had a lot on his plate. Rizwan is in the team too so not sure why he hasn't the gloves.

Strumms

England 67/0 after 5 overs. Tearing Pakistan a new one. Brilliant batting but not good bowling… or wicket keeping, first chance put down.

Strumms

fûck me, what a drop. Kahn again. I’d have caught that.

MFPM

This is a walk in the park for England. Pakistan are so hit and miss.

Strumms

surely there has to be a better wicket keeper somewhere in Pakistan than Azam Khan !

Either way, all over, England on top from the start….

Strumms

anybody know if West Indies vs Australia is being broadcasted / streamed anywhere ? Starts in about 12 minutes but can’t see any listings or streaming info, thanks.

Edit : WI 68/1 after 5.. big score in the offing

VillaMad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122204542#Comment_122204542

Not been shown anywhere. West Indies teeing off for sure but then I guess it's easier when it's a 15-a-side game with no pressure on the match itself. Apparently, Australia are without a number of players as they were playing in the IPL and so some of the coaches have been fielding like George Bailey, Brad Hodge and Andrew McDonald to make up the numbers.

See that the two games in Dallas were rained off today. Hopefully the weather isn't a factor during the competition.

Gillespy

England with Jofra back look like the side to beat in the world cup. Any weakness you'd say was the bowling. Rashid the only banker with Sam Curran's loss of form and no more Woakes. He comes back and transforms it. Bowls the difficult overs taking pressure off the other seamers. Batting looks more devastating if anything with Salt and Jacks in.

Pakistan look a rabble. Rauf takes a wicket and makes a hand gesture to say that should his third wicket having two dropped by the keeper. Doesn't say much for team harmony. Although he has a point about the keeper. Looks so out of place and played like it too.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122204640#Comment_122204640

got to love the IPL… 🤦🏻‍♂️

Basically they have the whole of the sport in handcuffs and are leading it around with an electric cattle prod.

StormForce13

You've gotta admire the Pakistani selectors' commitment to diversity! (it's the only reason I can think of as to why Fatso Khan is being repeatedly selected as the national wicketkeeper!)

Strumms

you do indeed. I had to have a look see to figure if he was a handy batsman or wtf he might add to the team but in his 12 innings for the international side he averages 9.77….

Debub

and USA beat Pakistan in a super over finish !

Debub

and now Afghanistan puts one over NZ

Strumms

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/20876/13151393/andrew-flintoffs-son-rocky-flintoff-in-england-u19s-squad-for-series-vs-sri-lanka

Yet to make his full Lancashire debut but been involved in the Lancs setup since U10s.

right-handed all-rounder apparently like his old man….

VillaMad

So the first test match of the English summer will begin this week against the West Indies but it will be all about Jimmy Anderson who will be playing his final test match and even as he is only a few weeks shy of his 42th birthday, he took 7-35 last week for Lancashire and is still incredibly bowling as well as ever. 700 test wickets and likely to bowl his 40,000th ball in test cricket this week and as a seamer they are feats that will never be overtaken again in test cricket. Just a freak that will never be emulated again.

As for the squads:
England: Brook, Crawley, Duckett, Lawrence, Pope, Root, J Smith (wk), Stokes, Woakes, Anderson, Atkinson, Pennington, Bashir, Potts
West Indies: Braithwaite, Imlach, McCaskie, M Louis, McKenzie, Da Silva (wk), Athanaze, Holder, Hodge, A Joseph, S Joseph, J Louis, Motie, Seales, Sinclair

England have dropped Bairstow and Foakes and so Jamie Smith will make his debut with the gloves. Dillon Pennington and Gus Atkinson will be hoping to make their debuts as England will have the impossible task to try to find the next Jimmy Anderson.
The West Indies will play their first test match since the iconic win in Brisbane back in January. As has been the case in recent times, their test squad is completely different from the limited overs sides and has a lot of inexperience again. Shamar Joseph was the revelation of the tour in Australia but has struggled badly with injury and form in the months since, so it would be asking a lot for him to come close to those performances. Kemar Roach had to pull out through injury and will be a big loss.

MFPM

I suspect this will be one of England's easier test summers with WI and Sri Lanka and makes sense to make some changes. The West Indies may get a victory but weather permitting England should win both series.

Strumms

Jamie Smith is well thought of and for someone so young and inexperienced at only 23 ( 24 on Friday ) he can bat and keep.

high score in first class cricket is 234 not out and he averages 41.87

10 hundreds and 14 half centuries in 59 first class matches.

Last match for Surrey vs Essex he scored 100 & 70.

Promising stats anyway.

Gillespy

Bit surprised Bashir got the nod over Hartley just based on how handy Hartley is with the bat. England like to prioritise batting as seen in their wicketkeeper selections. Bashir looks the better bowler right now but not a lot in it.

VillaMad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355476#Comment_122355476

Hartley being an unused reserve for the whole of the T20 World Cup I guess has put paid to his chances as well. Almost 2 months without a game until yesterday. England clearly are taking a punt on Bashir by taking the long term view that he will come good and that all these experiences will stand to him. Bashir by the way was born 4 months after Anderson made his test debut!

England have just named their side for the first test:
1. Crawley 2. Duckett 3. Pope 4. Root 5. Brook 6. Stokes 7. Smith 8. Woakes 9. Atkinson 10. Bashir 11. Anderson

Lawrence, Pennington and Potts left out. Debuts for Smith and Atkinson.

England's batting line-up looks pretty strong now apart from Pope who is only averaging 22 in first class cricket this season and also fell apart in India after the first test match.

If Stokes can bowl, the bowling should be enough for the West Indies but it's a long way from their best for sure.

Strumms

think the problem with England is they don’t have a natural number 3.

And Pope who is being shoehorned in there…. he’s having an absolute disaster of a summer domestically with the bat in all competitions, in his last 10 innings he’s only scored one half century….ok that was 99* but he’s been pretty dreadful generally…

Stokes was interviewed recently and confirmed he was going to play as an all rounder. He’s 33 now, just come back from knee surgery at the end of last year… I think maybe the smarter thing as this point in his career would be to focus on just being a batsman and captain…..also had a hip issue.

Gillespy

Pope has never convinced me. He had that magical match winning innings in India and not much else. Root is the obvious number three, fair enough he wants to stay at four but I can't imagine it's to be behind such a frantic starter like Pope. He often looks more like a tailender when he comes out and for a good while after if he survives. When he got injured during the Ashes I said that's a blow for Australia and it was. They've gone all in on him and even tied their hands by making him vice captain.

MFPM

Decent start for WI. England won the toss and elected to bowl, ball not doing alot so far.

MFPM

I spoke too soon! Poor shot from Braithwaite gives Atkinson his first wicket with his second ball..

Gillespy

This waiting for the lacquer to come off the ball wasn't always a thing in England was it? Can't say I remember it being such a factor until a few years ago. New ball used go straight away. Now it's waiting ten overs for some lateral movement.

Strumms

40/2… Atkinson grabs two wickets in three overs.

Stokes bowling, decent pace and very accurately too. The length of his spell might give an indication of his fitness.

English morning so far… run rate 2.35 only… West Indians look nervy. Ball has beaten their edges again and again, as I type again, Atkinson unlucky…. He has 2 wickets and only conceded 2 runs from his 5 overs so far.

Strumms

was that 8 overs on the trot by Stokes ? Can’t be too much wrong with his fitness anyway. 😳

MFPM

West Indies imploding here to a guy on debut. Decent bowling but some poorshots from WI. Holder has to better than that, out first ball.