The Official Cricket Thread

[Thor Sedan]

Get the feeling that Archer is going to be the English Shane Bond - outstandingly talented, fast, good in all formats - but made of glass.

[JM2K6]

JM - I've long been rather underwhelmed by Wood myself (other than his very apparent enthusiastic personality) as he doesn't seem to do much with the ball other than hurl it pretty quickly. For that reason, I've been intrigued as to why they've kept going with him. Thought this argument gives some rationale, and he does appear to have taken more wickets, and more crucial wickets, since he lengthened his run-up, whatever the detailed stats might be.

Archer's just as fragile imo, and I don't think England bowl him into the ground at all.

Root made him bowl some ridiculous number of overs and he's a core part of the team in all three formats plus an IPL superstar. They rushed him back the first couple of times his elbow got injured, and iirc the first time the injury happened was right after a couple of matches where he had to bowl an insane amount.

[ScarfaceClaw]

JM - I've long been rather underwhelmed by Wood myself (other than his very apparent enthusiastic personality) as he doesn't seem to do much with the ball other than hurl it pretty quickly. For that reason, I've been intrigued as to why they've kept going with him. Thought this argument gives some rationale, and he does appear to have taken more wickets, and more crucial wickets, since he lengthened his run-up, whatever the detailed stats might be.

Archer's just as fragile imo, and I don't think England bowl him into the ground at all.

Root made him bowl some ridiculous number of overs and he's a core part of the team in all three formats plus an IPL superstar. They rushed him back the first couple of times his elbow got injured, and iirc the first time the injury happened was right after a couple of matches where he had to bowl an insane amount.

They bowled him into the ground in his first few matches and that broke him from the off. They’ve never given him a chance to recover. The moment he’s 90% fit then he’s back.

Will be interested to see if this extended break gives him a chance to get properly sorted or if they’ll just mince him again when he gets back.

[tabascoboy]

Lot of truth to this. I had the TV on in the background yesterday - from memory they weren't even saying it was medium fast bowlers that took the wickets in England, they were outright pure medium bowlers. The reason for that is simple - the majority of first class cricket in England is played in VERY damp conditions (early Spring/late Autumn), where as long as you can hold the seam vaguely upright the ball will swing. If you're fast you're banging it into a damp wicket that won't bounce and you're not getting swing.

This Lords wicket is a touch unusual - we've come off a VERY wet May so everything is a touch on the lush side, and suddenly the sun is out, the wicket is baking off a bit, speeding up, and the bounce is quite rapidly becoming variable. Absolutely Wood should have a better understanding of bowling to the conditions, but he's an unusual English bowler - his figures abroad are massively better than those at home, because on tours the outright pace is one of the few real weapons a pace bowler will have.

Add to that that we've gone in with a 4 bowler pace attack (with a part timer spin) and you can't effectively use a pace bowler as you need him to pick up more overs than he really should. The balance of the side is way out while we're missing so many names, in particular in the batting as it leaves us selecting a side like we did in the early 90s.

Hang on, no one is telling tearaway fast bowlers to become medium pacers. The genuine quicks continue to be genuinely quick. Fast medium bowlers continue to be told to work on their pace. Medium pacers largely get ignored by England regardless of their domestic record, because of their lack of pace.

The point about wood is that pace alone isn't enough at this level. Not that we're trying to turn him into a slower bowler - just that express pace with no control or guile is less useful than slightly slower bowling that is better executed, in certain conditions.

Rinkals doing his thing of trying to turn it into a condemnation of English cricket is funny as per, but there's absolutely no evidence that fast bowlers are being coached out of being fast. It's pure nonsense.

English county cricket has a ton of problems and almost all of them can be aimed at the scheduling, as you point out.

I think the point is more that the climate, plus the ridiculous scheduling in England where no four day cricket is played in July and August when wickets are hard and bouncy, means that it's very difficult for quicks and wrist spinners to prosper and break through in the long form of the game.

It's the scheduling that really gets my goat tbh. last year there were no four day county games scheduled from something like the 3rd July to the 28th August. That's the England Test side dead on it's arse in the next few years.

A "very optimistic" amount of 4 day games take place in April and May; while you can like last year get some excellent dry and sunny conditions, in general it's not at all conducive to quicks and spinners. Completely absurd that 4 day domestic games disappear off the menu for nearly two whole months - but we know that money is king and smash and bash is where that's at.

[Enzedder]

And don't get me started about slow over rates. Fine every bloody player in the team shitloads and they'll find a way to bowl 90 overs in a day.

Christ knows why everybody gets their knickers in a twist over slow over rates.

If you don't have a spinner bowling you are not going to fir in 15 overs per hour.

Nobody, apart from the broadcasters really gives a fuck.

Mind you delaying the start of the overs so that the batsman can change his gloves and spend five minutes scratching out his guard does seem to be taking the piss.

Used to have no problems achieving it and more

[Sandstorm]

And don't get me started about slow over rates. Fine every bloody player in the team shitloads and they'll find a way to bowl 90 overs in a day.

Christ knows why everybody gets their knickers in a twist over slow over rates.

If you don't have a spinner bowling you are not going to fir in 15 overs per hour.

Nobody, apart from the broadcasters really gives a fuck.

Mind you delaying the start of the overs so that the batsman can change his gloves and spend five minutes scratching out his guard does seem to be taking the piss.

Used to have no problems achieving it and more

Probably before they used the 3rd umpire to check for LBW, snicko or run outs.

[Rinkals]

It's impossible to enforce fairly anyway.

How many times did Root change his gloves or Burns scratch out a new guard?

Who's to say that Root's concern over his ability to grip the bat with seven minutes remaining in the day wasn't genuine?

The problem is that sides who don't bowl a spinner are the ones who are penalised but conditions are not always conducive.

India are alright, particularly at home.

[JM2K6]

None of that sounds impossible to track.

[Ymx]

No earlier start today?

[Sandstorm]

No earlier start today?

Don’t be silly, they’re playing at Lords.

[Kiwias]

Jamieson gets Root first ball with a superb delivery, Rosco safe as houses at first slip.

[SaintK]

NZ to be batting again before tea

[Kiwias]

It is easy to forget how damned good Southee is when he is on song.

[Kiwias]

3 wickets lost for 0 runs in 3.5 overs

[Hal Jordan]

NZ to be batting again before tea

Does anyone enforce the follow on any more?

[Kiwias]

On cricinfo

Trent Boult is seen around the boundary, must have just finished training at the Lord's Nursery Ground

A bit of unspoken pressure before the 2nd test?

[ScarfaceClaw]

NZ to be batting again before tea :roll:

Does anyone enforce the follow on any more?

Day 4 of a rain affected test. We won’t get the option of a follow on as England will get the runs. I’d definitely enforce it given the chance.

[JM2K6]

Couple of truly awful decisions by this umpire so far today.

[Kiwias]

And Southee breaks a stubborn partnership and picks up a five-for.

[Kiwias]

Couple of truly awful decisions by this umpire so far today.

The lbw on Pope was the only really bad one I remember.

[ScarfaceClaw]

Couple of truly awful decisions by this umpire so far today.

The lbw on Pope was the only really bad one I remember.

You could argue the Pope one with hint of inside edge. What was the other one?

[Sandstorm]

Gutsy 100 from Burns

Love Jimmy surviving each ball, crowd all behind him.

[Hal Jordan]

Burns has probably scored at a quicker pace in the last four overs than the previous four hours.

[JM2K6]

Couple of truly awful decisions by this umpire so far today.

The lbw on Pope was the only really bad one I remember.

You could argue the Pope one with hint of inside edge. What was the other one?

The catch at short leg with the bat six inches from the ball.

[JM2K6]

Jesus, two appalling reviews by England. Panic stuff already.

[Sandstorm]

Dunno why Kiwis didn’t send in a slogger to bat with Conway and try to get a big lead tonight. This is turgid and putting no pressure on England tomorrow.

[JM2K6]

Dunno why Kiwis didn’t send in a slogger to bat with Conway and try to get a big lead tonight. This is turgid and putting no pressure on England tomorrow.

It's high quality bowling. A slogger wouldn't get near it.

Robinson with an excellent ball to get rid of Conway, and he/Broad/Anderson have beaten the batsmen countless times.

Wood currently the least dangerous and most expensive of the bowlers, and just got a warning for running on the wicket. England had NZ under huge pressure and he's going at over 4 an over.

[ScarfaceClaw]

That is the tiniest slimmest of nicks there. Absolute plumb LBW otherwise. Williamson didn’t even think he hit it.

[ScarfaceClaw]

What in the living fuck are those glasses of Roots? That’s a hell of a review by Root.

[And 1 guest]

What a brilliant session of Test cricket. Don't think you can blame the umpire for either decision

[ScarfaceClaw]

What a brilliant session of Test cricket. Don't think you can blame the umpire for either decision

I thought the inside edge was clearly out and the actual lbw going well down leg…

[Ymx]

That looked to be yet another shocking review.

Enough of the ball hitting it would seem.

[Hal Jordan]

What in the living fuck are those glasses of Roots?

He'll be ordering us to snap into a Slim Jim next.

[And 1 guest]

Latham sticking in well. England bowlers have been a constant threat, so one will be dropped for the next game while the shite batters all get picked again

[Ymx]

England’s bowling improved again after the mishapened ball replacement

[JM2K6]

England’s bowling improved again after the mishapened ball replacement

Truly shocking that replacing a damaged ball with an undamaged one results in improvement

[Enzedder]

England’s bowling improved again after the mishapened ball replacement

Not every country tampers with a cricket ball mate. [Atherton was innocent; so was Pringle]

[Ymx]

England’s bowling improved again after the mishapened ball replacement

Not every country tampers with a cricket ball mate. [Atherton was innocent; so was Pringle]

It’s the special replacements they’re getting Enz. They’re doing more with these than the new ball.

It’s even sneakier than their Rugby World Cup 2011 ball switching routine that was uncovered.

[Certain Navigator]

Latham sticking in well. England bowlers have been a constant threat, so one will be dropped for the next game while the shite batters all get picked again

A pretty safe prediction given we already know that Robinson is going to be dropped...

[Rinkals]

England’s bowling improved again after the mishapened ball replacement

Not every country tampers with a cricket ball mate. [Atherton was innocent; so was Pringle]

So was Broad.

So many innocent Englishmen.