The Official Cricket Thread

[Paddington Bear]

Ciderabad doing the job again?

The County Champ have put out a really good last hour highlights reel - the ball isn’t turning that much and besides the game went to the last hour. Vaughan and Leach bowled very well and there’s some unintelligent shots, just good cricket from Somerset really

[Paddington Bear]

Mickey Vaughan's son Archie got a 5-for at Taunton, knocking over Surrey to get a 111 run win

Makes the runin for the county championship title interesting, but suspect Somerset will be bridesmaids yet a-fecking-gain.

Short form cricket has its place and its charms, but it can never offer up the sort of drama and finish we had in Taunton, that is pretty much unique to multi day cricket. Superb stuff and couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch

Absolutely this.

Short form cricket is an excuse to get pissed in the sun and have a laugh with your mates.

Longnform cricket is a fascinating, intricate sporting competition with changing moods and individual ebbs and flows over many days. And also an excuse to get pissed in the sun with your mates.

And as Mrs PB discovered to her horror a few Saturdays ago, washed out games can be an excuse to get pissed in the rain with your mates

[Paddington Bear]

Cracking start to finals day. Somerset 7-3 chasing 150 recover to win by six wickets. Surrey once again having no response when a team won’t just roll over for them. Would put Somerset as favourites now

[JM2K6]

Ciderabad doing the job again?

The County Champ have put out a really good last hour highlights reel - the ball isn’t turning that much and besides the game went to the last hour. Vaughan and Leach bowled very well and there’s some unintelligent shots, just good cricket from Somerset really

All 20 Surrey wickets in the match shared by two Somerset spinners, and 9 of Somerset's to Shakib Al Hasan - I don't think we can say that it wasn't a turning wicket. You don't open with Leach if it's not doing plenty.

[Jethro]

Sri Lanka 302/7 Stumps Day 1

New Zealand bowling, particularly the spinners, was at times wayward backed up with the odd shocking fielding attempt.

Kamindu Mendis 114, Kusal Mendis 50

William O'Rourke 3/54

[Certain Navigator]

Sri Lanka 302/7 Stumps Day 1

New Zealand bowling, particularly the spinners, was at times wayward backed up with the odd shocking fielding attempt.

Kamindu Mendis 114, Kusal Mendis 50

William O'Rourke 3/54

Why is NZ's best bowler — Henry — not playing? Nobody in their right mind could possibly pick Southee ahead of him.

[Enzedder]

All out 305 - great effort this morning and O'Rourke finished with 5/55.

NZ currently 29-0

[Jethro]

Stumps Day 2 - Match evenly poised

Lanka 305

NZ 4/255

Latham 70, Williamson 50

NZ bowlers in particular O'Rourke, who got a 5for, bowled out the Sri Lankan tail pretty quickly on day 2 for a couple of runs. New Zealand chase started solidly but nagging Lankian spin kept getting wickets at crucial times to keep the score under control on a rain effected day. Latham was solid for his 70, and Williamson was of course sublime before getting out to an unplayable ball. Disappointment for mine was Ravindra who misjudged a straight ball, but still managed a 39. Mitchell still at the crease eyeing anything that looks like it might go over the boundary. Game even, could go either way, will the rain have the final say?

[Gumboot]

First chance I've had to settle in and watch some of this test, but all the usual streaming sites appear to be broken.

Anyone got a working link?

[inactionman]

Mickey Vaughan's son Archie got a 5-for at Taunton, knocking over Surrey to get a 111 run win

Makes the runin for the county championship title interesting, but suspect Somerset will be bridesmaids yet a-fecking-gain.

Bah.

Surrey have won a third straight County Championship title after Somerset's defeat by Lancashire.

[Jethro]

Stumps Day 3

Sri Lanka 305 and 4/237 (Karunaratne 83, Chandimal 61, O'Rourke 3/37)

New Zealand 340

Sri Lanka did well to restrict the Kiwi lead to 35 on what looks like a flat track, though O'Rourke would disagree. In their second dig excellent second wicket stand between Karunaratne and Chandimal with Mathews and de Silva adding icing to the cake with a fifth wicket unbroken stand that looks very dangerous for New Zealand. O'Rourke continues to impress and dare I say it, would make the Aussie or England teams without issue, he bowls some unplayable balls and there's always a feeling something is about to happen when he thunders in. The less said about the Kiwi spinners the better, wayward, lacking penetration, Santner in particular looks infinitely replaceable. Not that impressed with Patel either to be honest, surely NZ bowling stocks haven't fallen this low in the slow bowling stakes?

Either team could win it from here, or of course a draw could go down - rain etc, test match poised. Really looking forward to day four, can the kiwi attack get early breakthroughs or will Sri Lanka post a formidable score from here. Loving this test match which ever way it goes, but slight feeling both teams are B level.

[Insane_Homer]

Afghanistan embarrassing South Africa again to take the ODI series 2-0 with 1 to play.

[Jethro]

Afghanistan embarrassing South Africa again to take the ODI series 2-0 with 1 to play.

Has anyone checked on Oom?

If anyone is wondering it was a rest day yesterday SL v NZ, apparently elections or celebrations or something, hostilities set to resume this evening

[Certain Navigator]

Stumps Day 3

Sri Lanka 305 and 4/237 (Karunaratne 83, Chandimal 61, O'Rourke 3/37)

New Zealand 340

Sri Lanka did well to restrict the Kiwi lead to 35 on what looks like a flat track, though O'Rourke would disagree. In their second dig excellent second wicket stand between Karunaratne and Chandimal with Mathews and de Silva adding icing to the cake with a fifth wicket unbroken stand that looks very dangerous for New Zealand. O'Rourke continues to impress and dare I say it, would make the Aussie or England teams without issue, he bowls some unplayable balls and there's always a feeling something is about to happen when he thunders in. The less said about the Kiwi spinners the better, wayward, lacking penetration, Santner in particular looks infinitely replaceable. Not that impressed with Patel either to be honest, surely NZ bowling stocks haven't fallen this low in the slow bowling stakes?

Either team could win it from here, or of course a draw could go down - rain etc, test match poised. Really looking forward to day four, can the kiwi attack get early breakthroughs or will Sri Lanka post a formidable score from here. Loving this test match which ever way it goes, but slight feeling both teams are B level.

Patel is slowly working his way back into it, but you're right about Santner. How both he and Southee could be picked ahead of Henry defies belief. One can only assume the Southee-Williamson cabal outvoted Stead.

[Kiwias]

Blundell and Rachindra were going very well but Blundell’s love affair with the reverse sweep sees him dismissed unnecessarily

[Kiwias]

BCs collapsing against the SL spin attack, only Ravindra able to handle it.

[Insane_Homer]

Sri Lanka wrapped that up easily enough.

SA with a resounding win on the back of an excellent bowling performance to save a little pride against the Afghans.

[Sandstorm]

SA with a resounding win on the back of an excellent bowling performance to save a little pride against the Afghans.

Bit much giving all the credit to the bowling attack, 3 Afghans were also run out.

[Certain Navigator]

Second NZ-SL test underway. SL currently smashing it at 76-1 at almost 4/over.

NZ playing the same XI, so still no Henry, who'll now be expected to come in cold against India.

A year ago, Wells claimed that players couldn't live on past glories when dropping Nicholls. One wonders when he's going to apply the same logic to Southee and Conway.

Santner, of course, is a different kettle of fish as he has no past glories to full back on, so his continued selection is an ongoing puzzle. Rarely has so little been achieved by one person for so long.

[Enzedder]

We have created the chances but just cannot "convert" them into wickets. Very poor efforts to date

[Certain Navigator]

We have created the chances but just cannot "convert" them into wickets. Very poor efforts to date

Mitchell seems to have morphed into the catching equivalent of Taylor.

[inactionman]

Did I read correctly that a ticket to the India Test at Lords is £175?

I appreciate its a whole day, but that is not cheap.

[Biffer]

Did I read correctly that a ticket to the India Test at Lords is £175?

I appreciate its a whole day, but that is not cheap.

That’ll be the top price but the normal price will probably be £140.

[inactionman]

England Oz delayed start due to rain.

Totally unexpected in what is practically October.

[inactionman]

Ozzie wicketkeepers, eh.

from cricinfo:

Starc to Brook, no run
flicked off the hips and into the keeper's gloves! There was an audible snick as the ball hopped down the leg-side, and though the original decision was out, the umpires are checking whether it carried, not whether he touched it! And that looks as though it's inches short! Boos around Lord's as an Australia keeper gets involved in a moment of mild controversy... we've heard that one before... not out is the verdict!

[Paddington Bear]

Did I read correctly that a ticket to the India Test at Lords is £175?

I appreciate its a whole day, but that is not cheap.

I’ve found it is cheaper to buy tickets for the Old Trafford tests and return trains than go to Lord’s which is a few tube stops from my house, madness. Chuck in the fact that every time I’ve been to a non-London test I’ve ended up spending the afternoon chatting to someone who is also actually involved in the game rather than mentioning their 50 for Millfield back in the day, I think I’ve made my call on how to consume test cricket from now on

[inactionman]

Did I read correctly that a ticket to the India Test at Lords is £175?

I appreciate its a whole day, but that is not cheap.

I’ve found it is cheaper to buy tickets for the Old Trafford tests and return trains than go to Lord’s which is a few tube stops from my house, madness. Chuck in the fact that every time I’ve been to a non-London test I’ve ended up spending the afternoon chatting to someone who is also actually involved in the game rather than mentioning their 50 for Millfield back in the day, I think I’ve made my call on how to consume test cricket from now on

I've actually only been to somewhere other than Old Trafford for Tests once*, and that was to Lord's to watch Hashim Amla bat all day. I much prefer Old Trafford, and can't really understand the Lord's premium.


*although I've been to many of the country grounds for domestic and one-dayers

[Paddington Bear]

Did I read correctly that a ticket to the India Test at Lords is £175?

I appreciate its a whole day, but that is not cheap.

I’ve found it is cheaper to buy tickets for the Old Trafford tests and return trains than go to Lord’s which is a few tube stops from my house, madness. Chuck in the fact that every time I’ve been to a non-London test I’ve ended up spending the afternoon chatting to someone who is also actually involved in the game rather than mentioning their 50 for Millfield back in the day, I think I’ve made my call on how to consume test cricket from now on

I've actually only been to somewhere other than Old Trafford for Tests once*, and that was to Lord's to watch Hashim Amla bat all day. I much prefer Old Trafford, and can't really understand the Lord's premium.


*although I've been to many of the country grounds for domestic and one-dayers

Lord’s is special in a number of ways. They’ve put huge effort into the stands, the views etc. It is unique. The atmosphere however is dire, both in terms of getting behind England and people just watching the game full stop. I’m happy only heading there for Middlesex games unless someone else is paying tbh

[OomStruisbaai]

The struggling Proteas finally look like getting a win over the Irish.

[Jethro]

Second Test Sri Lanka v New Zealand

After what can only be described as village sunday league efforts from the kiwis on day 1, seriously how many catches did we want to put down - where the frack was the Captain as the SL batsmen had a field day with knicks through first slip - and we seriously contend that is a bowling attack that anyone is going to fear, and I include the Taranaki under 13th girls team, the BCs decided to repeat the performance on day 2.

Sri Lanka 602/5 declared

In replay NZ 22/2 - seriously!

We look forward to a continue fall of kiwi wickets on day 3, reckon if they enforced the follow on the match will be done midway through the third session.

[Kiwias]

Kane gone in 3rd over of the day. All out by lunch and match over by an hour from stumps. You got it here first.


EDIT: I wrote that in jest but we are now 53 - 7 with over an hour to go till lunch.

[Guy Smiley]

Kane gone in 3rd over of the day. All out by lunch and match over by an hour from stumps. You got it here first.


EDIT: I wrote that in jest but we are now 53 - 7 with over an hour to go till lunch.

good grief

[Enzedder]

55-7

Embarrassed - and I am not even a player. GTFO you useless sacks of ....

[Kiwias]

Southee is Southee and BCs are 68 - 9, with lunch still a long way away

[Sards]

The struggling Proteas finally look like getting a win over the Irish.

Our national cricket is awful. If you want to put yourself off the sport you just watch the Proteas. Which is why I don't bo

[Sards]

The struggling Proteas finally look like getting a win over the Irish.

Our national cricket is awful. If you want to put yourself off the sport you just watch the Proteas. Which is why I don't bother. Rather watch the kids

[OomStruisbaai]

The struggling Proteas finally look like getting a win over the Irish.

Our national cricket is awful. If you want to put yourself off the sport you just watch the Proteas. Which is why I don't bother. Rather watch the kids

Agree. And it's not that we don't have great young talent. Cricket have the same structure as rugby.

[Kiwias]

Even if we set a world record for the 10th wicket partnership, that still does not avoid the follwo-on.

[Kiwias]

All out for 88, a mere 514 runs behind, and SL have enforced the follow-on.

[Kiwias]

Kane gone in 3rd over of the day. All out by lunch and match over by an hour from stumps. You got it here first.


EDIT: I wrote that in jest but we are now 53 - 7 with over an hour to go till lunch.

good grief

I take no pleasure in being right in the first part of my prediction.