The Official Cricket Thread

[Ovals]

SA vs Pakistan T20 tomorrow afternoon. Let’s see if we can get it together in the shortest format.....

Linde the only player left from the test squad. Might as well give the youngsters a go.

That was an incredibly disappointing performance from SA in the 2 tests - they really underperformed. What has happened to the players - I'm sure they are better than they are showing - especially the bowlers. I rate De Kock but he doesn't come across as a real leader - and it seems to have affected his form. Is he one of the problems - I read that he doesn't really want the job - that's not a good start.

[handyman]

SA vs Pakistan T20 tomorrow afternoon. Let’s see if we can get it together in the shortest format.....

Linde the only player left from the test squad. Might as well give the youngsters a go.

That was an incredibly disappointing performance from SA in the 2 tests - they really underperformed. What has happened to the players - I'm sure they are better than they are showing - especially the bowlers. I rate De Kock but he doesn't come across as a real leader - and it seems to have affected his form. Is he one of the problems - I read that he doesn't really want the job - that's not a good start.

w
De Kock is a player like KP, see ball, hit ball. He will never do well with too much responsibility. Also very awkward with the media. Our batting line-up is very brittle, the senior player just did not perform on this tour. The bowlers did well. To be fair, we're not sitting with the greatest bunch of players atm.

Tough times ahead.

[Sandstorm]

New leg spinner Usman is a bloody handful!!

[Sandstorm]

Proteas dumb dumb dumb.

[Sandstorm]

SA lose by 3 runs. Poor cricket, we could have lost by much more. Our playing of spin is woeful!

[JM2K6]

So, Anderson rested, Archer has an elbow injury, Bess dropped. Broad will be in for Jimmy, so it's a question of Stone or Woakes for Archer. I like Woakes, but Stone's pace could get him the nod. Him being so injury-prone must be a worry, though.

[Sandstorm]

SA vs Pak T20 on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I however, will be watching the 6N instead. Fuck those chokers.

[handyman]

SA vs Pak T20 on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I however, will be watching the 6N instead. Fuck those chokers.

Treating the wife to dinner on Saturday and Sunday will chill around the pool with the family and having a braai. Also no cricket for me.

[Ovals]

So, Anderson rested, Archer has an elbow injury, Bess dropped. Broad will be in for Jimmy, so it's a question of Stone or Woakes for Archer. I like Woakes, but Stone's pace could get him the nod. Him being so injury-prone must be a worry, though.

Understandable changes - but we could end up with several players with very little recent match practice - and in the case of Ali and Stone - they haven't really played any 1st class cricket for over a year. Foakes and Woakes not since last summer. So, something of a gamble.

Pitch is thought to be a bit quicker and with lower bounce - but will spin from day one. I think they are fed up with Root playing everything so easily off the back foot - might make it a bit trickier for him if the turn is a bit quicker.

[Gumboot]

England bowling brilliantly again - such impressive depth to their attack these days. Kohli had no idea what happened there.

[Enzedder]

Attack is the best defence by the look of it. Loved those pitches as a bowler.

[Enzedder]

106/3 at lunch. Very fast pace for day 1

[Paddington Bear]

Taking a lot of spin and India in a good position. Pray for rain

[Insane_Homer]

that was marginal but it looked more out than in, I couldn't see any part of that boot behind the line

[JM2K6]

Er yeah what the fuck, that was out

[JM2K6]

Fucking lol

England appeal for a catch. Take the review. 3rd umpire reviews it and doesn't look at anything past the initial contact on the pad. Root queries it. They check LBW (?!) and decide it's not out. Root seemingly asks the umpire if they're checking what happens with the ball AFTER it hits the pad. Umpire affirms, Root goes "oh okay", and moves on.

They didn't. We just saw a replay where it hit the glove. Fucking hell, we've been screwed twice here. Hapless umpiring.

Moeen bowls Rahane after a wild swipe.

[ScarfaceClaw]

Fucking lol

England appeal for a catch. Take the review. 3rd umpire reviews it and doesn't look at anything past the initial contact on the pad. Root queries it. They check LBW (?!) and decide it's not out. Root seemingly asks the umpire if they're checking what happens with the ball AFTER it hits the pad. Umpire affirms, Root goes "oh okay", and moves on.

They didn't. We just saw a replay where it hit the glove. Fucking hell, we've been screwed twice here. Hapless umpiring.

Moeen bowls Rahane after a wild swipe.

That was a shocking effort from the third umpire.

[JM2K6]

Yeah, he's awful.

India currently struggling with the mighty Joe Root on a 5th day pitch (even though it's the first day). We're gonna struggle to make any runs on this one.

[JM2K6]

Moeen largely bowling pies today. He's picked up a couple of wickets but he looks as rusty as you'd expect, and it's not like he had any test form for some time...

[Paddington Bear]

Third umpire - cheating or incompetence? Have swung back and forth on it

[OomStruisbaai]

Pretorius 5 wickets and we may win for a chance

[Enzedder]

Moeen largely bowling pies today. He's picked up a couple of wickets but he looks as rusty as you'd expect, and it's not like he had any test form for some time...

CERTAINLY CAME GOOD WITH HIS FIRST OVER THIS MORNING.

India all out for 326

[Enzedder]

Burns unlucky to be given out there. Sharma is right arm around and DRS shows JUST touching leg stump.


0 - 1 after 3 balls.

[Enzedder]

23/3. Joe Root gone for 6.

The toss looks as though it was critical.

[Enzedder]

39/4 at lunch.

[Jb1981]

58-5 as England are in all sorts of trouble.

[Rinkals]

23/3. Joe Root gone for 6.

The toss looks as though it was critical.

[Kiwias]

Siraj on to bowl for the first time in India and Pant takes an absolute screamer down the leg side for a wicket off Siraj’s first ball.

87/6 now

[Torquemada 1420]

Third umpire - cheating or incompetence? Have swung back and forth on it

It's India. What do you reckon?

[Paddington Bear]

They didn’t like losing the first test, did they?

[Torquemada 1420]

They didn’t like losing the first test, did they?

This one already looks over.

[Paddington Bear]

They didn’t like losing the first test, did they?

This one already looks over.

Yeah no doubt, barring some heroics from Foakes and the tail

[Torquemada 1420]

Eng 8 down so why are India playing with a deep mid-on with a right arm spinner bowling around the wicket to a right hand bat?

Bring him up and encourage bat to go over the top?

[JM2K6]

Yeah, he's awful.

India currently struggling with the mighty Joe Root on a 5th day pitch (even though it's the first day). We're gonna struggle to make any runs on this one.

Ah well.

[JM2K6]

Haha, Pujara hides his bat behind his pad, England review for lbw, umpire decides he was playing a shot, to the shock of even the Indian commentator. More jokeshop stuff.

[Torquemada 1420]

Haha, Pujara hides his bat behind his pad, England review for lbw, umpire decides he was playing a shot, to the shock of even the Indian commentator. More jokeshop stuff.

FFS. This is one of the reasons I watch so little cricket these days.

[JM2K6]

Haha, Pujara hides his bat behind his pad, England review for lbw, umpire decides he was playing a shot, to the shock of even the Indian commentator. More jokeshop stuff.

FFS. This is one of the reasons I watch so little cricket these days.

That's a little odd. One of the major reasons that this is so noteworthy is because it basically doesn't happen any more. What we're seeing is the impact of COVID on a country that produces shite for umpires.

[Torquemada 1420]

Haha, Pujara hides his bat behind his pad, England review for lbw, umpire decides he was playing a shot, to the shock of even the Indian commentator. More jokeshop stuff.

FFS. This is one of the reasons I watch so little cricket these days.

That's a little odd. One of the major reasons that this is so noteworthy is because it basically doesn't happen any more. What we're seeing is the impact of COVID on a country that produces shite for umpires.

I meant poor umpiring. Don't think it's COVID. Just that Indian cricket is bent period.

[Ovals]

Well, this game is long gone.

On a positive note - good to see Stone bowl well, with good pace, and not get crocked yet.

Foakes, the only batsman with no match practice out there, showed how good his technique is. He also kept brilliantly in the 1st innings - an absolute joy to watch a world class gloveman at work. Buttler did very well in the last 3 tests but Foakes is a class apart.

India clearly wanted a pitch that would suit their bowlers from day one, so we couldn't rack up a big score even if we won the toss. Expect to see more of the same from herein - albeit the day/night, 3rd test, uses a pink ball so we may get some change from that one.

Could be several changes to the team for the next test. Jimmy and Archer back, Bairstow/Crawley in for Lawrence, and, or Burns. And what to do with Mo - bowled pants and got out to a lame defensive prod. Think I'd prefer Bess as it stands, but I reckon they'll double down with Mo.

Woakes must be getting a bit fed up with this bubble and, seemingly, no chance of actually playing.

[Sandstorm]

Proteas choking again. 46-4

Sorry 46-5
Wankers