The Cricket Thread

[Squeak]

Apart from Pope...

Story to tell his grandkids... "Let me tell you about the game where we scored 823 / 7d".... "What you score Grandad?" ....."Out second ball for a duck son. Hell of a catch."

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Only two non-Asian players have ever won more Test matches in Asia than Jack Leach.

Shane Warne (13) and Joe Root (12).

He's level on 11 with Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting and now ahead of James Anderson, Mark Boucher and Justin Langer who had 10.

He also has a markedly better bowling average in India than Shane Warne (20 wickets @ 30.65 vs 34 wickets @ 43.11).

Leach is now on 133 wickets and has recently gone past:

Dominic Cork
Devon Malcolm
Steven Finn
Phil Edmonds

Every chance he can catch the following on this tour:

John "Tory Bastard" Emburey (147)
Hedley Verity (144)
Chris Old (143)
Ashley Giles (143)
Tony Greig (141)
Phil DeFreitas (140)
Graham Dilley (138)

 

[Sniffer]

He’s benefitted from DRS but still a good achievement.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The only spinners ahead of him are:

Derek Underwood (297)
Graeme Swann (255)
Moeen Ali (204)
Jim Laker (193)
Tony Lock (174)
Monty Panesar (167)
Fred Titmus (153)
Bastard Emburey (147)
Ashley Giles (143)

(Greig bowled a bit of spin but was mainly a seamer)

If he plays enough on Asian tours then he could well go top five. I don't think we'll take him to Australia or pick him very much at home.

 

[Tony Towner]

It helps that we go every Winter, 2nd time in 3 years in Pakistan for instance

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He's played 14 Tests in Asia. Giles played 15.
-
If it were that easy, etc etc

 

[Tony Towner]

He's played 14 Tests in Asia. Giles played 15.
-
If it were that easy, etc etc

Unless you are looking at averages then you can't compare England players against either previous generations or their contemporaries from other nations. Runs, wickets and wins don't tell a story when we play 50% more games than anyone else.

These Root stats demonstrate that. It's his 58 average which sets him apart, not the runs which don't show a true picture

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845010568899338738

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You can apply qualifiers to any stats.

Like Sehwag averaged 27 in England, 25 in South Africa and 20 in New Zealand. I wouldn't say that diminishes what he did elsewhere.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Root is on target to overtake Dravid Ponting and Tendulkar from fewer matches than each at the end of their careers. Only Kallis would be a bit different.

So it means they all had longer careers in terms of time, not matches or innings.

 

[Tony Towner]

Back to back Tests on the same ground is unusual, on the same pitch unheard of I'd imagine

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845394808845508928

 

[Stan Hullis]

It was being suggested on comms during the first test that they should do it

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi all dropped for Pakistan

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Bit harsh on Naseem and Shaheen. Thought they both bowled sort of okay.

Babar can have no complaints. His form has utterly disintegrated.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Stokes and Potts in for Woakes and Atkinson.

Pakistan have picked three spinners and just one seamer in Jamal, so I wouldn't think Stokes will be called upon to bowl that much. Need a better showing from Bashir.

 

[Tony Towner]

Bottled the big decision about Pope by rotating the bowlers then.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't think they believe there is a decision to be made, not when Stokes is fit to play a full role.

 

[Tony Towner]

You are probably correct, but I think Stokes needs to be the 6th bowler these days, at least at home when we are only playing 1 spinner. Not talent wise obviously, just maintenance.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Pakistan win the toss and will bat*

*not a huge surprise!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Early wicket for Leach, and as I type a second.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

This seems like a decent partnership, and the pitch is still utterly demon-free