International cricket thread

Strumms

Commentators criticising Root and his captaincy, quite rightly…setting the field for bad shots as opposed to trying to set the field to bring a press and force a wicket… England with a lead of 293 on day 3 should have an ultra aggressive field set. But… No short leg, no silly mid on, laughable captaincy, England basically cannot lose this test… there isn’t enough time for the West Indians to polish off this lead of England’s, declare, bowl England out again and chase whatever will be set….

West Indians scratching through at 2.3 runs an over, tedious. Put some fûcking close catchers in there Joe and make a go to get a wicket, make it happen.

Strumms

Mahmood takes a wicket with a sublime yorker or so he thinks, his ankle is 3 inches over the popping crease… no ball ! when it’s not going for you…the replay of the celebration turned to disappointment tells it all. Bowler, captain, vice captain… hearts sinking..

agro now, a lot of verbals plus bowler and batsman squaring up in the middle of the pitch, you don’t see this often, properly aggressive,.. haha got some sympathy with the England lads, WI batsmen saying plenty and being aggressive , nothing said, but when the England lads returned fire the umpires step in.

Strumms

Watching India vs Australia woman’s match. Elyse Perry bowled a 12 ball over by my count costing 16 runs….10 of those runs were wides…

Be the top ten longest overs in world cricket is my guess… longest and most expensive ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a64P-VDRUYA

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118804458#Comment_118804458

India got up to 277/7 including 24 wides, the over referred to in the video was bowled by an opening batsman to attempt to revive a game that was heading for a dull draw, when you mentioned long overs, I thought of tearaway fast bowlers, and a name that came to mind was Patterson Thompson who played 2 tests for West Indies around 1990, I looked it up and he bowled 22 no balls on debut, and on the cricinfo website his profile says he made Devon Malcolm look like a metronome 😂

MFPM

The slim hopes for an England victory seem to have dissipated. Some innings by Braithwaite. The first two tests not a great advert for test cricket.

Strumms

A draw is really the only possible result, 1/6 one of the online bookies have it….

in hindsight after the big opening innings scoring by England they’ll be disappointed that West Indies got so close to them. England batted too long… far too conservative declaration.

Root went with a majorly attacking field for Leach but seemingly not bothered to offer his pace men anything like that support… he must think a short leg is something that gives you a limp, as opposed to enabling catches and wickets.

hopefully England throws the kitchen sink at the West Indies and declare about 30 minutes after lunch…I’d bet though handshakes will decide this one.. don’t imagine Mr Adventurous Joe would contemplate anything else

Strumms

You’d wonder why England decided to score at 2.6 runs an over… I’m not saying that they should have gone out in one day mode but fûck, needed to be more positive even if it meant going in two wickets down 75/2…is infinitely better then 40/0 in this scenario. It’s going to be a draw but I’d like to see the batting lineup…

3- Stokes

4- Bairstow

5/6 or 6/5 - Lawrence / Root

give it a proper go till lunch

not going to happen as Stokes is pictured in a vest and shorts on the balcony having a drink.

Lees goes trying his first aggressive shot of the day and is caught 5 meters from the boundary…here comes Joe… he’s probably been practicing his handshake 🤝 excited at the prospect of said handshake at 3.50 local time.. “ it was a nice few days and both sides can take a lot of positives from the test “

Though I might be wrong, both start to tee off , Root smashes a boundary and is out next ball,

crawley gone, be interesting to see if England press on or shut down to ensure the draw.

Root and Englands tactics are bamboozling Mark Butcher , he sounds perplexed, cant at all work out what Joe Root is up to barring looking for a draw.

England declare at this late stage.

MFPM

What are the Windies at here? It's Leech and Mahmood, hardly difficult prospects to navigate.

Strumms

prob too risky to chase the win. Can’t go into tea on day 5, 5 down… door would be opened for England…West Indies have 7 wickets, 50 overs remaining… Root realizing that only two results are seriously possible, England win or draw… WI playing for the draw. 4.9 required…

Strumms

5.65 now required and West Indians making no effort beyond blocking and punishing the odd wide one.

according to Mark Butcher…

play finished early last night as the umpires forgot to request the floodlights were turned on.

takes 20 minutes for them from being powered up to be ready and effective….

that’s what you are up against in this sport now…ffs.

two standing umpires, third umpire, and match referee… four goons who between them, having to be aware of the light, checking it… but nobody thought about getting lights turned on.

MFPM

That's embarrassing by Holder! He's just so inconsistent. Braithwaite just needs someone to stand up and build a partnership with him.

Strumms

“One mistake Joe, just one mistake” can be heard by an enthusiastic close catcher….. “ just one brilliant delivery” I thought might be more encouraging ? … either way, Joes next delivery is wayward, down leg side and swept for four.

15 overs remaining, looking like a lost cause for England.

butcher chirping in criticising the late declaration by Root.

MFPM

Braithwaite finally got a partner who stuck with him and these two have managed to see out the final 25+ overs - just a few mins left now. Braithwaite should get player of the match, some effort by him.

Loved Braithwaite contemptuously laughing at that appeal by England, never out!!

Richard Hillman

Root was obviously too conservative with the declaration but throwing out Lees and Crawley to open the bat was a bad call too. The 2 guys are playing for their place/careers. They were never going to go out and start hitting the ball. Everyone else pretty much went a run a ball, but their places are pretty safe.

Root should have sent Bairstow and Woakes out to start hitting straight away. Make Brathwaite put the field back to defend the draw. Then set them a similar target but with more overs.

When I mention that Lees and Crawley were playing for their places/careers, it also be noted that Root is playing for his captaincy. Which again will hamper decision making. So Roots uncertainty as captain is becoming hamperous to the team.

Gillespy

Brathwaite and De Silva looked comfortable for another hour so doubt it really mattered. After nearly 190 overs in the field it's about consolidating your position rather than being funky/reckless with the batting order, being none down at the end of day 4 was a good position. Brathwaite and the pitch were just too good regardless I think.

Team selection is where I'm more critical. Woakes away from home generally and especially in his current form is playing with ten men. Leach has beem commendable nothing more so why not look at someone else. Been crying out for a leg spinner in both games and their exciting prospect is sat on the bench.

Strumms

Root has had the captaincy for 5 years… the same style of captaincy prevails…being constantly cautious over cleverly venturesome…. Way too negative…

give Ben Stokes a go…. Nothing to lose…..

Royale with Cheese

If Ben Stokes wanted the job I'd imagine he'd have it already.

Gillespy

Stokes had a game as captain, at home to the West Indies and lost it but more importantly said he didn't enjoy it. Can't make someone do it. At the end of the day, he would have had the same talent shortcomings to deal with. No amount of captaincy nous will get you out of 30-3 holes and small first innings totals and limited bowling options especially spinner wise. It's not as if he isn't heavily involved in the running of that team anyway.

Any optimism there for a result in the third Pakistan Australia game? Pakistan are 90-1 at the end of day 2 in reply to Australia's 391. No hundred for Smith again, duck for Labuschagne again. Khawaja out in the 90s again. Green and Carey played well to get them towards 400. Four wickets a piece for Afridi and Shah.

VillaMad

Cummins and Starc are blowing through the Pakistan order. That long tail for Pakistan is truly backfiring now.

Strumms

Bangladesh beat South Africa with 141 runs to spare, a 9 wicket victory a 2-1 series win…

South Africans bowled out in 37 overs…

Bangladesh only loose that single wicket in the chase. Haven’t beaten SA, hammered them

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118817714#Comment_118817714

He’s already vice captain which would indicate he’s perceived to have leadership qualities and active in a leadership position in the side.

he has captained the one day side on a couple of occasions so he’s in the mix.

MFPM

Some collapse by Pakistan, 170/1 to 268 all out. With two days left and a lead of 134 and 10 wickets in hand, will Australia finally get the win?

Strumms

I’d guess, weather is pretty perfect according to the forecast… 0%-2% chance of rain pretty much for the remaining days.

Australia will want a lead of about 350 and then look to give themselves 100-110 overs to bowl Pakistan out, least that’s my guess.

Gillespy

Bangladesh beat South Africa by nine wickets with 24 overs to spare to win their first ODI series in South Africa. It was a strong side by South Africa too with De Koch, Miller, Rabada.

England have named their team for tomorrow, Woakes for some reason plays and they drop Fisher for Overton. And of course no Parkinson. I hope they lose by an innings for being so bland and boring.

MFPM

The persistence with Woakes is a bit baffling, they know what he can do, and he's never performed at the same level outside England.

Mysterypunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118819962#Comment_118819962

Khawaja has a ton in the second innings, he has really played well since his recall, Australia lead by 327 now, 8 wickets in hand, probably looking at a 400 run lead before a declaration

MFPM

Some run of form for Khawaja, delivering now on an earlier promise he never fulfilled. Pakistan set 351 to win, Australia favourites but wouldn't bet against Pakistan.

Strumms

Abadan Raza gives Imam Ul Haq out caught behind off Nathan Lyon..

Reviewed by the batsman… by my estimation about a 4-5 inch gap between bat and ball. Wtf… Ball nowhere near the bat. The clown obviously just influenced by the veracity of the appeal around him… he looks confused, takes an age to raise the finger but raise it he does… DRS makes an outright eejit of him.

boccy23

i wonder whether they should look again at the number of reviews based on some very dubious umpiring decisions over the last few years?

Gillespy

Khawaja has been outstanding since his return. To think Marcus Harris was keeping him out of the team. Levels above the likes of him.

Pakistan are in with a shout tomorrow are they? A shade over 3 runs an over needed? Not been watching it just looking at the scorecard it seems flat. Australia lost just three wickets in their second innings and Pakistan none in 27 overs so far. Pat Cummins has made it an interesting game now with that declaration.