Cricket thread

[nickyboy]

That Winviz is bizzare

65% England win
3% W Indies win
32% Draw

Lead is 234. Could be all out with lead of 250. I'd give Windies a much better chance than 33/1 of chasing that down. And what's 3/1 the Draw all about?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

And what's 3/1 the Draw all about?

I guess it's because Moeen and Woakes are scoring runs so freely that the wicket still looks good for another day and both teams have already scored 400 on it.

 

[rich p]

With that lead, the Windies will struggle to get to tea but I hope they make a decent fist of it.

 

[Dayvo]

It's about 3.5 runs an over, is it not?

Doable, if they apply themselves. Also depends on how the pitch plays and the conditions. Another fifer for Anderson, I suspect.

 

[MikeG]

It's about 3.5 runs an over, is it not?

Doable, if they apply themselves. Also depends on how the pitch plays and the conditions. Another fifer for Anderson, I suspect.

Not doable, however much they apply themselves. Not on the 5th day of a Test, at Headingley, and with it turning prodigiously.

 

[MikeG]

Good call. Hameed has the ability, technique and aptitude to be very succesfull in Test cricket. His time will come.

Buttler would be in my starting X1, and instead of Bairstow as 'keeper.

Just seen that Bairstow was out playing a reverse sweep (in a Test match, FFS).

He isn't a good enough keeper to justify taking the place of a batsman. Besides, we've got more than enough biffers in the middle order already. We need a senior pro with a wise head, and the ability to accumulate runs steadily. Bell or Thorpe-type players, to bat at three. If you want to pick the best 'keeper, then he's retiring this year. Next best, Ben Foakes. I'll bet half your house that he tours Australia this winter.

 

[rich p]

We need a senior pro with a wise head, and the ability to accumulate runs steadily. Bell or Thorpe-type players, to bat at three

You've said that before but who are you thinking of?

 

[rich p]

Denis Compton?

Another middle order biffer Rocky!
Chris Tavaré...
The man who helped kill off Test cricket!

 

[MikeG]

You've said that before but who are you thinking of?

Dunno. I don't follow county cricket so much these days. I'm not saying Hildreth, because I don't know him, or what his strengths and weaknesses are........but someone like Hildreth, who scores a hatful of runs, and has been around for years. Some wazzock decided to scrap first class cricket in the middle of the summer and make the players play some pub game for a month instead.........so there is no-one with any proper cricket under their belt at the moment (and someone tell me how we're supposed to develop spinners if they don't play any FC cricket when the pitches are turning towards the end of summer?).

 

[rich p]

Dunno. I don't follow county cricket so much these days. I'm not saying Hildreth, because I don't know him, or what his strengths and weaknesses are........but someone like Hildreth, who scores a hatful of runs, and has been around for years. Some wazzock decided to scrap first class cricket in the middle of the summer and make the players play some pub game for a month instead.........so there is no-one with any proper cricket under their belt at the moment (and someone tell me how we're supposed to develop spinners if they don't play any FC cricket when the pitches are turning towards the end of summer?).

I posted as much earlier and I agree.
The thing is that people pay to watch T20 but not FC cricket. while Test cricket keeps the counties afloat financially.
The word on the street (TMS chit chat) is that Sam Robson of Middx should get a recall.

 

[MikeG]

The other approach is to play 3 openers, and ask Stoneman or Haseeb Hamed to bat 3.

Robson has played 6 FC matches this year. That doesn't seem like ideal preparation for Tests.

 

[rich p]

The other approach is to play 3 openers, and ask Stoneman or Haseeb Hamed to bat 3.

Robson has played 6 FC matches this year. That doesn't seem like ideal preparation for Tests.

Hammed has played 8 matches and averages 24 while Robson has played 6 and averages 50.
Who knows?

 

[MikeG]

True enough. They've made it damned difficult to get from county cricket to the Test side these days. The preferred route is via the Academy, U/19s, and the Lions. Which is great when it works.

 

[MikeG]

......The man who helped kill off Test cricket!

Funny, I never noticed its demise.

 

[User482]

Funny, I never noticed its demise.

You've looked at the WI team?