The Official Cricket Thread

[Insane_Homer]

I reckon Stokes to get his ton before Sibley....

[Sandstorm]

I reckon Stokes to get his ton before Sibley....

We'll see, he's trying to run himself out or get caught in the slips

[dkm57]

Sibley finally gets his 100.

Stokes catching up, fingers must be hurting like F##k

[Sandstorm]

100* for the Kiwi, good innings

[Insane_Homer]

picking up the run rate now too

[SaintK]

Sibley gone for 120
4 minutes shy of 10 hours at the crease!!!
Stokes still there on 157

[Longshanks]

What a shot from Stokes. The timing.
Covid-19 is getting me back into cricket.

[sturginho]

Sibley gone for 120
4 minutes shy of 10 hours at the crease!!!
Stokes still there on 157

He'll never score as many runs as Cook, but England do need an opener who can hang around for long periods even if his strike rate is low.

[And 1 guest]

This has been sustained excellence from both teams today. Stokes has been magnificent but Holder and his bowlers have never let England get away from them.

Windies will need to bat very well to stay in the game

[sturginho]

Roach finally gets one!

[And 1 guest]

Roach finally gets one!

Then another!

[sturginho]

Roach finally gets one!

Then another!

As night follows day, we've gone from "England to win by an innings" to "They'll do well to reach 400"

[And 1 guest]

400 looks like a damn good score on here. If they can get to 450 they should have enough to win

[Biffer]

England have made a dogs breakfast of this session. 378/5 at tea with Stokes on 172. An hour after tea 9 down for less than 50 runs. From 341/3 they should have been looking at 500+.

Think they'll still win this, substantially because the Windies bowlers have picked up some injuries, but still reflects the old frailties.

[Un Pilier]

England have made a dogs breakfast of this session. 378/5 at tea with Stokes on 172. An hour after tea 9 down for less than 50 runs. From 341/3 they should have been looking at 500+.

Think they'll still win this, substantially because the Windies bowlers have picked up some injuries, but still reflects the old frailties.

To look at it another way, it shows that this is a difficult pitch to score quickly on and the Windies have bowled really well. With the forecast tomorrow we needed to accelerate or the match had draw written all over it.

Only Stokes was able to cut loose in any sustained way and most batsmen really struggled.

[Un Pilier]

469-9 declared with best part of an an hour to have a go at a few tired Windies batters. Plan A.

[And 1 guest]

Game nicely poised at the moment. For once England have enough runs to allow the spinner to settle into a long spell, and a bit of rough to bowl into

[Un Pilier]

Sodding weather. Still, could be a spicy day tomorrow.

[Hugo]

Regardless of the result I'm assuming that the Windies have exceeded expectations thus far in this tour?

I know the sport has looked moribund in the islands for quite some time so this must be a welcome development.

[Ovals]

Regardless of the result I'm assuming that the Windies have exceeded expectations thus far in this tour?

I know the sport has looked moribund in the islands for quite some time so this must be a welcome development.

They've done well when you consider that a few decent players chose not to come over. Their pace bowling attack has been improving for a while now but they seem to have found a bit more steel in the batting as well. One or two, additional, quality batsmen could make them a very good side if their front line bowlers stay fit - they don't have a lot of depth in their squad. I think fewer of this team will be tempted down route of the T20 circuit.

They're also a very likeable side and Holder appears to be an excellent skipper.

Looks like we could have an excellent final day's cricket in this test. Quick blast from our bats to set a target of 280-300 and then about 85 overs (2 new balls) to get 10 wickets. All three results possible.

[Hugo]

Regardless of the result I'm assuming that the Windies have exceeded expectations thus far in this tour?

I know the sport has looked moribund in the islands for quite some time so this must be a welcome development.

They've done well when you consider that a few decent players chose not to come over. Their pace bowling attack has been improving for a while now but they seem to have found a bit more steel in the batting as well. One or two, additional, quality batsmen could make them a very good side if their front line bowlers stay fit - they don't have a lot of depth in their squad. I think fewer of this team will be tempted down route of the T20 circuit.

They're also a very likeable side and Holder appears to be an excellent skipper.

Looks like we could have an excellent final day's cricket in this test. Quick blast from our bats to set a target of 280-300 and then about 85 overs (2 new balls) to get 10 wickets. All three results possible.

Thanks Ovals. As a cricketing layperson I've always enjoyed your reading your insights.

[dkm57]

Heading for a draw IMHO, cant see England wrapping up the Windies batting in 80 odd overs

[Biffer]

Regardless of the result I'm assuming that the Windies have exceeded expectations thus far in this tour?

I know the sport has looked moribund in the islands for quite some time so this must be a welcome development.

They've done well when you consider that a few decent players chose not to come over. Their pace bowling attack has been improving for a while now but they seem to have found a bit more steel in the batting as well. One or two, additional, quality batsmen could make them a very good side if their front line bowlers stay fit - they don't have a lot of depth in their squad. I think fewer of this team will be tempted down route of the T20 circuit.

They're also a very likeable side and Holder appears to be an excellent skipper.

Looks like we could have an excellent final day's cricket in this test. Quick blast from our bats to set a target of 280-300 and then about 85 overs (2 new balls) to get 10 wickets. All three results possible.

Hetmyer, who chose not to come, looks very talented and is still only 23. Has looked good in ODI, but hasn't really translated it to test matches yet.

[And 1 guest]

Regardless of the result I'm assuming that the Windies have exceeded expectations thus far in this tour?

I know the sport has looked moribund in the islands for quite some time so this must be a welcome development.

They've done well when you consider that a few decent players chose not to come over. Their pace bowling attack has been improving for a while now but they seem to have found a bit more steel in the batting as well. One or two, additional, quality batsmen could make them a very good side if their front line bowlers stay fit - they don't have a lot of depth in their squad. I think fewer of this team will be tempted down route of the T20 circuit.

They're also a very likeable side and Holder appears to be an excellent skipper.

Looks like we could have an excellent final day's cricket in this test. Quick blast from our bats to set a target of 280-300 and then about 85 overs (2 new balls) to get 10 wickets. All three results possible.

Hetmyer, who chose not to come, looks very talented and is still only 23. Has looked good in ODI, but hasn't really translated it to test matches yet.

Hetmeyer as you say looks a great prospect in white ball cricket, and I hope he can develop his red ball game. The Windies appear to be a team on the up, and it is great to see. Hopefully this will lead to the support they deserve in home Test matches, and a real sustained renaissance for them.

Broad made a good point last night that he would like a second new ball at the end, so they will need to go hard this morning. Great to see the prospect of another game going into the final session, even though this one has been affected so much by the weather.

[Biffer]

I'm 50 next year, and my birthday present to myself was going to be five days at a test match in the West Indies. Looks a lot less likely now

[And 1 guest]

I'm 50 next year, and my birthday present to myself was going to be five days at a test match in the West Indies. Looks a lot less likely now

The TMS podcast had an interview with the chairman of their board. There seems a lot of uncertainty but they hope to host Oz and South Africa. Not sure if it will be behind closed doors.

Which island are you hoping to go to?

[Biffer]

I'm 50 next year, and my birthday present to myself was going to be five days at a test match in the West Indies. Looks a lot less likely now

The TMS podcast had an interview with the chairman of their board. There seems a lot of uncertainty but they hope to host Oz and South Africa. Not sure if it will be behind closed doors.

Which island are you hoping to go to?

I hadn't decided - I was just about to start looking into it and planning properly when this shit all kicked off. It was one of the test matches against Sri Lanka I was looking at.

[Sandstorm]

Declaration: West Indies need 312 to win from 85 overs

Stokes with another fine innings.

[And 1 guest]

Windies win out of the equation now.

[And 1 guest]

23-3 now, looks like this will be done before tea

[frodder]

Broad looks up for it. He's a nightmare when he's on top of his game

[FujiKiwi]

Come on Windies, time to dig a trench and fight it out.

[sturginho]

Windies under real pressure now!

[JM2K6]

Really weird listening to Michael Holding bleating about the umpiring - an on-the-field "out" for a ball hitting the top of middle (not even just a bail trimmer) and an ultra-edge nick have him casting doubt on the tech for no good reason and seemingly suggesting that hitting the top of a stump is too much doubt.

England were robbed of a wicket yesterday when it was "umpire's call" on hitting in line, ffs. A thing where there's no actual doubt because there's no predictive element!

[And 1 guest]

Broad looks up for it. He's a nightmare when he's on top of his game

If England have a first choice attack he has to be part of it.

[sturginho]

Windies in deep shit now, 46-4

[Torquemada 1420]

Come on Windies, time to dig a trench and fight it out.

Not really been their forte for many a year now.

[sturginho]

Come on Windies, time to dig a trench and fight it out.

Not really been their forte for many a year now.

If they are going down they are going down swinging, Blackwood has 35 off 36

[Torquemada 1420]

Come on Windies, time to dig a trench and fight it out.

Not really been their forte for many a year now.

If they are going down they are going down swinging, Blackwood has 35 off 36

Blackwood attempting a highly unlikely repeat of Greenidge '84......

It'll all end in tears.

[And 1 guest]

Trying to block everything on that pitch is unlikely to pay off though. Just inviting more men around the bat.