The Cricket Thread

[Archibald&Crooks]

A year ago I’d have been moaning like a match thread hissyfitter about that declaration. I still feel it’ll prove to be overly generous but I’m on board with the thinking and attitude so if it goes wrong that’s fine. Test cricket needs something fresh and if this is it then that’s great.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Pakistan need to score 264+ for this to become the highest ever 5 day test Match aggregate

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Can we bowl them out?

 

[Trix]

Can Pakistan get through this by just defending their wicket and not trying to score runs? Can't see it personally.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

This is very very tight

What a great game

 

[Trix]

This is very very tight

What a great game

How many more overs can we fit in to get a result?

 

[Trix]

Fortune favours the brave. What a test match this has been.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Great stuff

Truth be told we’d have had this Test Match sown up about a day ago if Foakes had been fit to play

Even in the last 20mins they’ve given us slip catching practice to win the match but Pope didn’t go for it and Root ran away.

 

[UncleBuck]

Wow, left that late!!
Great result!

 

[midoshairband]

utterly brilliant.

 

[dimiSpur]

That is one of the only matches I've ever seen where a captain has positively won the game through his attitude and philosophy. Everything about it.

The quick scoring at 7 p.o., and the that ridiculous declaration on the flattest pitch. Absolutely brilliant. He knew to get 10 wickets, he needed Pakistan to realistically believe they could chase down at a run rate of around 4-5. Absolutely magnificent.

I did think we'd lose overnight, and didn't care. I thought well if we win, it will be one of the all-time great wins and you have to risk a defeat for that. And boy have they done it.

Shout out to Jimmy and Robbo, brilliant bowling after tea.

 

[dagraham]

Well that was superb Test match victory on a wicket that was a complete road.

Fair play to Stokes and McCullum. No way that declaration happens under any previous England captain I can remember.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

That is one of the only matches I've ever seen where a captain has positively won the game through his attitude and philosophy. Everything about it.

The quick scoring at 7 p.o., and the that ridiculous declaration on the flattest pitch. Absolutely brilliant. He knew to get 10 wickets, he needed Pakistan to realistically believe they could chase down at a run rate of around 4-5. Absolutely magnificent.

I did think we'd lose overnight, and didn't care. I thought well if we win, it will be one of the all-time great wins and you have to risk a defeat for that. And boy have they done it.

Shout out to Jimmy and Robbo, brilliant bowling after tea.

Run rate was around 3.5 per over. It wasn’t a ridiculous declaration it was the perfect declaration

Nearly all other skippers/coaches would have batted for at the very least another 10 overs which would have meant another 60 odd runs, which would have left Pakistan needing 400 runs in 90 overs….

 

[dimiSpur]

Run rate was around 3.5 per over. It wasn’t a ridiculous declaration it was the perfect declaration

Nearly all other skippers/coaches would have batted for at the very least another 10 overs which would have meant another 60 odd runs, which would have left Pakistan needing 400 runs in 90 overs….

Of course it was perfect. That's what I'm saying in my post mate.

But it was "ridiculous" in that he took a massive risk, which paid off! The risk being, he set Pakistan an attainable total on a super flat pitch, with a relatively straightforward run rate. And that's why we took 10 wickets. Because they also played to win. He didn't allow them to play for the draw.

He risked losing the match to win it and that's wonderful to see.

Obviously the reverse swing helped immensely, but it was deserved. They worked well on the ball and managed to get it reversing at a crucial time. Some great bowling too. Robinson, if fit, will be our spearhead for years. I really like him.

 

[theShiznit]

Just caught up with the last day of the Cricket and wow, just wow.

So much credit to England for what I'm pretty sure would have been a single innings match between any other countries in world cricket and a boring 600-2 over 2-3 days match.

It was our approach that had that match so far ahead of where it would've been that allowed us to set up that final day.

Brilliant from England, Stokes and Baz.

Bazball FTW!

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

It was Michael Atherton (I think) who said that Stokes and Baz are taking away the fear of failure by being consistent in their encouragement and backing of the players to play positively and back their talent. Fail? We back you. Go out and do it again and keep doing it. The template here is the great Australian team who were relentless with it. It's still very early days in the process and we'll undoubtably come unstuck on occasions but this really is refreshing to see. Last year we didn't know who would or could replace Root, we struggled to name batsmen who we could realistically bring in, the bowlers were dray horses and it all looked so negative.

It turns out that by and large and so far, a chunk of those same players are actually good enough and there's one or two emerging too. It turns out that a large tranch of cricket is played in the mind.

Who knew?

 

[Dunc2610]

What they've said a few times now is Bazball is allowing the players to play without fear of failure. Take Australia from circa '99 -' 08...that team didn't play with a fear of losing wickets or even matches, they took to the field backing themselves and their ability and played to win. That's what England need to do, a result of that is exciting test cricket, which as a by product is sorely needed by the game.

It was Michael Atherton (I think) who said that Stokes and Baz are taking away the fear of failure by being consistent in their encouragement and backing of the players to play positively and back their talent. Fail? We back you. Go out and do it again and keep doing it. The template here is the great Australian team who were relentless with it. It's still very early days in the process and we'll undoubtably come unstuck on occasions but this really is refreshing to see. Last year we didn't know who would or could replace Root, we struggled to name batsmen who we could realistically bring in, the bowlers were dray horses and it all looked so negative.

It turns out that by and large and so far, a chunk of those same players are actually good enough and there's one or two emerging too. It turns out that a large tranch of cricket is played in the mind.

Who knew?

Its like you read my post

 

[$hoguN]

Incredible. Take a bow Ben Stokes

 

[funkycoldmedina]

David Warner: Australia opener withdraws appeal against lifetime leadership ban - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/63885721
Awwww shucks, he's one of life's good guys, always thinking of his team mates and family

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

David Warner: Australia opener withdraws appeal against lifetime leadership ban - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/63885721
Awwww shucks, he's one of life's good guys, always thinking of his team mates and family

TBH it's shameful that the idea was even being considered. It's bad enough that Smith will captain against the West Indies in the 2nd Test but as much as I dislike him, I suppose it's at least a little more palatable, maybe his 'crime' was being more stupid and weak than dishonest, I dunno.