International cricket thread

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118556764#Comment_118556764

Just stuck on a PSL super league match and he was bowling, all the commentators were saying here is the big gun, the best bowler, once again got flaked all over the place, 1-50, including being hit for 35 in his last 2 overs. I gave out before about Dwayne bravo, but Chris Jordan must be the world stealing a living champion, do any of these fellas watch cricket? Ace bowler my bollix

Gillespy

It's a prolonged run of poor form now for him. Being a T20 bowler especially bowling at the death is a mug's games though. CSK are after buying him so they see something still but can't see him being more than a bench warmer unless injuries there.

New Zealand and South Africa starts soon, toss at half nine. Still no Williamson and Boult is missing for the birth of his child. Keegan Peterson the no. 3 who impressed against India is out and Nortje is still injured. South Africa will fancy their chances.

Strumms

South Africa 44/4 at lunch… didn’t see that coming 1.57 the run rate.

Gillespy

Zero hesitation by Latham at the toss to bowl first. Pitch wasn't as green as usual, it was more about cloud and swing. 7-23 for Matt Henry made sure it was the correct call. In only a two match series, South Africa couldn't have a day one like that.

MFPM

South Africa badly needed that wicket, NZ in total control though.

Strumms

Even more so now… brilliant aggressive batting but not careless swinging proper cricket shots..460/9 after SA posted a meagre…95 Tom Blundell is on 90 not out and their number 11 Matt Henry 44* off 46 deliveries…. Some going, 463/9….

weather tomorrow isn’t good, unfortunately only play likely going by the current forecast is in the AM session but rest of the test forecasted to be good weather…

looks like 1-0 to New Zealand unless the forecast changes.

number 11 Matt Henry scores 50, well played.

Gillespy

Very disappointed in South Africa. Had high hopes for this series after the way they played India. And with New Zealand weakened without Kane and Boult, Taylor just retired too, gave them a good chance. Rough end of the toss is no excuse to being so completely outplayed.

Strumms

The india vs West Indian game is fiercely entertaining…

the Indians ŵith a great finish to their innings.. Pant with 52 from 28, Iyer 32 from 18…186/5

umpires again having a complete mare… a review for lbw shows an edge before the ball hits the pad… umpire still awards leg byes. Wtf ?

before that the Indians up to their usual tricks, ball hits the boundary rope / advertising pad on the full, about 3 meters away from the closing fielder who indicates he doesn’t know if it’s 4 or 6 …. The replays not conclusive due to the camera angles but eventually the third umpire after 57 replays decides it’s 6… which it was…

Gillespy

Very frustrating those delays. I get it's too important not to thoroughly check as two runs is a lot especially in T20. I wish the fielders would just signal what it was and their word was taken for it. Like Martin Guptill in the world cup final, doesn't get bigger than that and he immediately put his hands up for six.

One of the good things the Hundred did is speed up the third umpire calls.

Strumms

South Africa 91-7 now…. Looks like their goose is cooked

VillaMad

Haven't seen any of this New Zealand v South Africa test match but my goodness this is a hammering and a half!

That India test series must feel like a million years ago with this performance.

Amazingly, I don't think New Zealand have ever beaten South Africa in a test series. That will surely end on this tour.

Strumms

A dark moment for SA.. scoring 206 runs over 2 innings and conceding 482 runs in just one innings to be beaten by an innings and 276 runs…fukkk

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118657066#Comment_118657066

That's some defeat, there had been some signs of improvement in the SA test side, in the recent India series and New Zealand struggled against Bangladesh so this is perhaps a little surprising.

Away victories still relatively rare in modern test cricket.

Gillespy

They managed to turn it around against India after losing badly in the first game of that series. Elgar is the key for them. Markram and van der Dussen are struggling for runs. And no QdK anymore to get quick runs with the tail.

The response by New Zealand to that Bangladesh defeat has been brutal though.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118657901#Comment_118657901

The obvious drawback for South Africa is the quota system, Bavuma should not be in the test side, 48 matches and 1 hindered in a match against England in which both teams made over 600 in the first innings, average of 33, and while he is a stylist and a good player, he is sometimes a walking wicket. But in this regard South Africa have a unique and sad history and it is not his fault he is being picked, but it doesn’t do the team any favours and it will always hold them back unless they can produce talented African players, but there are not many to choose from. This was a poor performance from them, but they usually dig in and fight a bit more than in this test

Gillespy

Bavuma is exposed when they lose. Don't mind him, think he's probably better than his numbers. I agree however by right they should have moved on from him by now.

Mysterypunter

I like him too, but I also liked Michael Carberry who played well in Australia on an ashes tour, then he made a statement saying he would have played 100 tests if it wasn’t for institutional racism, that is very unrealistic, Bavuma would not have played 48 except for the quota system

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118658944#Comment_118658944

Carberry scored 345 runs, in 12 innings over 6 tests…an average of 28.75. He scored one half century (60).

hate to break it to ya Michael, it wasn’t racism that got you dropped, you were dropped because you didn’t perform. Didn’t take your opportunity which they enabled you with and didn’t score runs.

he had or has a very good first class record, averaged or averages 41.02 which is very decent for an opening batsman but he was given the chance internationally but didn’t perform…

John Crawley averaged 46.49 for Lancashire batting number 3 but when he couldn’t perform for England he too was jettisoned…

Nick Compton, Nick Knight, Ian Ward, Rob Key.. all went by the wayside without much test experience, came in, didn’t perform, got jettisoned…Compton came from the most decorated and historically venerated family of cricketers going… almost identical numbers to Carberry, test and domestic… tests…16, average 28.7…. Scored a couple of hundreds and fifty’s though which probably enabled slightly more longevity.

Gillespy

Carberry said that at the height of BLM and he got a bit carried away I think.

I felt at the time he had earned a chance against a team without Harris and Mitchell Johnson. He had his cancer scare then so he had enough good will built up to get away with it. He's working on TMS now so you might say it worked.

Gillespy

Night and day different start to the second test by South Africa. Surprised many when Elgar decided to bat first. It put himself and Erwee right back in the firing line and they delivered with an opening stand of 111. Erwee went on to make 108, his maiden test hundred and South Africa end the day 238-3. Not out of it yet with their long tail though.

Strumms

Sipamla gets hit on the helmet, physio on, 5 minutes examining the helmet, in addition to 10 minutes examining Sipamla, then eventually a new helmet, gets hit on that one by a glancing blow… umpires stand around, physio back on, physio straight off…. South African benefit to take time out of the game about a 17 minute delay….commentators stumped…

new Zealand need 425 to win, world record chase if they do, they’ll have time to do it but that’s a world record I think.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690923#Comment_118690923

South Africa have set New Zealand 425 to win, after 136* from wicket keeper Kyle Verreynne, who played brilliantly in only his 6th test, Maharaj will be crucial in the 4th innings

Mysterypunter

New Zealand 6/2 with both openers out, would love to describe the wickets, but the BT sport coverage is bizarrely showing an ashes test

Strumms

In the region of two hours play remaining… if Conway and Nicholls are there at the close there be an outside chance 140-2 or thereabouts but they can’t ship many more wickets.

Gillespy

That was odd with Sipamla batting. Saw someone say they were leaving him out there to get him replaced with a concussion substitution. Does it have to be like for like? Simon Harmer would be useful to have instead for the fourth innings.

Hard to see NZ getting a result now. It needed to be a three match series at least. I don't know why the New Zealand public aren't filling these small grounds and demanding more test matches that way. Will Young took an amazing catch on the boundary, he celebrated it to a completely empty grass bank. Such a great team they deserve more home support.

Strumms

New Zealand goose is cooked as regards winning the test…

the required run rate is 3.65 so not astronomical but 4 down going into the last day hmmmm.

On the other hand, maybe the best chance of securing the draw, or avoid losing is to play for the win. From a phycological perspective 91 overs of blocking when you are 4 down isn’t desirable…we’ve seen many a side faulter adopting that tactic and mindset.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118707138#Comment_118707138

Might the local Covid restrictions help to explain the low turnout?

Gillespy

I think there are some still in place however day one had a decent spattering in. It was deserted yesterday. It's nothing new for NZ.

Pakistan vs Australia starts on Friday, that should see good crowds.

Gillespy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118708817#Comment_118708817

Think it would suit the likes of Southee and Wagner to go for them instead of survival. Wagner is in great form recently just teeing off. The other bowlers Jamieson and Henry can dig in. Conway still there gives NZ a bit of hope.

Strumms

pity Conway could not hang on in for his century… would have deserved it, a quality if watchful innings….

draw or a SA win the only likely results now.. going to be close…South Africa favourites.