The Cricket Thread

[Squeak]

If Brook can stay in for 2 or 3 hours doing this, then England may get to 200.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

Brook in this innings looks like the club cricketer that’s a decent sportsman with a good eye (striker for the pub team or decent tennis player compared to his mates) but has never batted before, so just throws the bat at it with no foot movement or recognisable shot.
Cue another 100 and me proving again I have no idea about the modern game

 

[Stan Hullis]

I’ve only just turned it on but some of the shots he’s just played as he reaches 50 certainly go against your comment

 

[Squeak]

So somehow we reach lunch with only 4 wickets down. Given the way we were playing, I could see us being all out by now.
Have to say Brook is so entertaining but Pope has played well... how long this continues is anyone's guess.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

I’ve only just turned it on but some of the shots he’s just played as he reaches 50 certainly go against your comment

Agreed but his first 25/30 was madness, especially given the scorecard. But as we know 40-4 isn’t the same now (as regards approach) as it was in 1984

 

[Squeak]

Excellent from Pope... solid knock that at a critical time... let's hope he can convert to three figures....

 

[Squeak]

Brilliant 91 ball hundred from Brook to get England out of a hole... much work still to be done... worth staying up to watch that....

 

[Squeak]

Poor shot from Pope and he succumbs for 66. Good innings but has to convert from that position.

 

[Squeak]

England hit their way to 280 all out and then reduce NZ to 86-5.
Played the Joker there today.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Giving an honest assessment of today's play, I feel your "played the joker" comment is extremely apt, Squeak. The first hour was not pretty and not clever. Crawley deciding to give it the big heave to everything is not a viable solution to his defensive problems. He has a technique issue that he needs to iron out there, not a need to change style completely and try and biff EVERYTHING. He is a very decent batsman who is having defensive issues. I am sure that can come good with some sensible application and coaching.

Duckett is a biff everything batsman. Thats what he is. It won't change. When it comes off, lovely, when it doesn't not so clever.

It seems bloody strange when he is England's top run scorer and will probably go past Tendulkar before he retires, but it feels like Root could do with a decent Root knock, especially in first innings. Not quite sure what is going on there.

Bethell is very new to this and learning so we can allow him a duff moment and move on.

Pope - great to see him finding a place lower down the order, and he appears to have the temperament to be a good steadier of the ship if the upper order goes pear shaped. A very welcome return to form in NZ after an abject run in 2024.

Brook - lunatic. Brilliant, big hitting colossus of a lunatic. Has to be the most brutal batsman on the planet at the moment. But I must agree with you Squeak. If he gives those chances against Convict CC he isn't getting tons, he is getting arse splinters in the pavilion.

Tail - spectacularly shit after some decent wags recently.

280 on a green top looked defendable, and so it is proving. The bowlers have been excellent.

Clearly on top against a team that whitewashed India in India. The same India that gave Australia a proper pumping in Perth (although it looks like normal order may be getting restored in Adelaide). This after being badly schooled in Pakistan. The top of the world test order seems all over the place with everyone capable of destroying everyone else.

Which leads me to my main request of Stokes and McCullum. How about, instead of moaning about how the powers of the world are against you when you get docked World Test Championship points for pedestrian over rates, you ACTUALLY BOWL AT THE RATE YOU ARE MEANT TO?

I would like to see England in a world test final. It won't happen if we keep frittering points away in this ludicrous fashion.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The rules are stupid though.

The over rates in Adelaide were slower and nothing happened to India or Australia. Plus if you get a result miles before the scheduled close of day 5, does it really matter?

That's without getting into the ridiculous nature of the table where some teams have played 20 Tests and others haven't played 10, or India never playing Pakistan.

 

[Tony Towner]

Yeah, it has too many flaws to make me care one way or another

 

[Squeak]

The rules are stupid though.

The over rates in Adelaide were slower and nothing happened to India or Australia. Plus if you get a result miles before the scheduled close of day 5, does it really matter?

That's without getting into the ridiculous nature of the table where some teams have played 20 Tests and others haven't played 10, or India never playing Pakistan.

Totally agree. If you get too many draws in Test cricket, that is when you need to do something about over rates but as it is, the vast majority of Tests finish within 5 days. Quality over quantity but what I would do is stop the stupid breaks every hour for refreshments and all the other bullshit ways some teams behave when in danger of losing. Further, make the fuckers play until it really is too dark. I know you can't do that all over the world but in England in the Summer there is usually plenty of daylight in the day when they walk off.

 

[Trips]

Hat trick for Atkinson to clean up the innings

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Squeak was right! 125 all out

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

A 12 fer
A Test hundred
A Test hat trick

Not a bad first six months work for Angus

 

[Squeak]

That six from Bethell was simply astounding.... quite the morning from England.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Didn't realise @Kenny had popped over for the match

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Safe to say we are going to be setting New Zealand a monumental target.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Another fifty for Brook. His average is well into the sixties. He could break every record bar Bradman's average.