International cricket thread

227-9

dont understand why New Zealand, 1-0 up in this two match series once they were 6 down, didn’t just abandon the win and attacking cricket and play conservatively for the draw… still trying to hit sixes… mad.

wow, this rain wasn’t forecasted at all but it’s coming reasonably heavily, covers on, early tea taken… looking back at the forecast the chance of rain…3%..

should be enough time and good weather for the SA win, disappointing I am not a fan of this SA team. Elgar arguing the decision to go off…. It was chucking it down ffs…Hmmm no good.

New Zealand surrendered very quickly after lunch. It was like they had somewhere better to be. Jamieson and de Grandhomme really poor shots in any situation never mind trying to save a game.

New Zealand miss Williamson's leadership as much as his batting. Must be one of their worst home summers in a good while. Losing to Bangladesh means it might be their worst one ever.

I said it after the first game, don't discount South Africa turning things around. Great team performance. They need to do something about making terrible starts in series.

I’d say Pakistan vs Australia is going to end in a draw, two days play remaining

Pakistan 476/4d Australians 271/2 in reply… unless the Pakistani team run through the Aussies which in fairness is unlikely….

Unless something mad happens, draw is the most likely result defiantly. Only a day left with the scores almost level and still in the first innings. Even without all the lost overs to rain and bad light this game was destined for a draw given the pitch.

Dreadful test match in Pakistan on a dead pitch where the bat completely dominated.

Pakistan ultimately ended with 728/4 from their two innings. Their goal on the final day was to fatigue the Aussie bowlers ahead of the second test match but the Aussie pace attack bowled very little so it was all very boring.

England against the West Indies begins at 2pm. England have only won one test series in the Caribbean since 1968 and are at the weakest point in test cricket for quite some time. The Windies batting still doesn't look great but they should have enough to eek out decent scores. Jayden Seales has had an electric start to his test career so it will be interesting to see how he goes.

England are handing a debut to Alex Lees despite a modest record of just 34 in first class cricket. England without Broad and Anderson look set to play Woakes, Overton and Wood alongside Jack Leach. Hardly an attack to fear.

17-2 now. Same ole, same ole for Engerland.

Familiar start for England, Root at the crease with nothing on the board..

Root out now for just 13, big wicket!

Looks hard work for the English batsmen..

Joel Wilson the absolute useless clown, the ball misses Bairstow’s bat by at least 3 or 4 inches and that donkey gives it out. A vociferous appeal in fairness which isn’t great if that’s all umpires are going on…Overturned on review, Bairstows reaction was priceless… wide eyed amazement, I think you could read his lips to Ben Foalks…”I didn’t fuckiñg get near hitting that”…

Only catching bits of the test but a good England fightback let by Bairstow, he's been good since his recall in the Ashes.

Yep…First session is key.. England get to lunch still batting and have around 330/340 on the board they’ll be delighted especially from 48/4… West Indian bowlers and fielders looking jaded in that last session which was surprising…

More useless umpiring, a ball is bowled to Mark Wood.. the side on replay shows that it passes Wood who was stood in an upright position throughout about two and a half feet over his head….should be a wide but no signal, Wood looks at the umpires in disbelief …How can you adjudicate on tight catches, lbws, decisions based on millimetres and centimetres if you cannot make a judgement call based on ‘feet’… bizarre… entertaining test though.