NPR

WTF was that video about Smith?

Root and Malan fighting hard. Let's hope the rest copy.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 6:30 am Root and Malan fighting hard. Let's hope the rest copy.

Well, now that both Root and Malan are out, we can see if they do indeed copy

Butter not having a great game.

Grandpa wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 12:54 pm
Is there a point where England get stripped of competing for the Ashes?

Replace them with India or something?

Given England have won 5.5 out of the last 9 Ashes series, seems unlikely at this point.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:06 amButter not having a great game.

Yep, it's been all downhill since he took that early screamer.

Will Smith enforce the follow on if England fall short of it?

charltom wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:41 am

Grandpa wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 12:54 pm
Is there a point where England get stripped of competing for the Ashes?

Replace them with India or something?

Given England have won 5.5 out of the last 9 Ashes series, seems unlikely at this point.

The Ashes are literally predicated on England being shit and losing to Australia in Australia.

Gumboot wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 9:06 am Will Smith enforce the follow on if England fall short of it?

I don’t get why not. Old bowlers moaning? They only had to manage 10 overs more for the day until recharging.

Especially if there is rain on the potential forecast for tomorrow.

charltom wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:41 am

Grandpa wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 12:54 pm
Is there a point where England get stripped of competing for the Ashes?

Replace them with India or something?

Given England have won 5.5 out of the last 9 Ashes series, seems unlikely at this point.

And 5.5 out of the last 17.

But I think it was a deliberately dooming question, not aimed to be serious.

breaking news from the ground. Firstly, England captain Joe Root will not be on the field at the start of play today after being hit in the abdomen during throw downs in the warm-up before play. He is currently being assessed by the England medical team.

England's chances just slipped to minus10

Two wickets in the first three overs, another absolute screamer by Buttler, this one to his left hand. His secret is obvious — Knick it well wide of him if you want him to catch it.

Then Buttler drops a much easier chance from Smith

This from cricinfo

Broad to Smith, no run
Massive appeal from Broad! He's convinced of the lbw! Fast and full, trapped on the crease. Not out on field, but Stokes reviews. Impact is umpire's call, but it was hitting off alright... close!

I get that it was given not out on the field but surely the ball cleanly hitting off stump is sufficient to overturn the umpire’s call on impact. Maybe someone more knowledgeable about DRS can explain it for me.

The law says that if it hits outside the line of off stump, he is not out if playing a shot.

My first thought was also that it was outside the line.

Warne's comment does raise a great point though - how can a player be both out and not out to the same ball?

Perhaps England should nail their keepers' foot to the ground to make every catch difficult. He cannot get the easy ones where he has time to think about it

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:50 am The law says that if it hits outside the line of off stump, he is not out if playing a shot.

My first thought was also that it was outside the line.

Warne's comment does raise a great point though - how can a player be both out and not out to the same ball?

Who gives two fucks where the ball pitched? The ball was hitting the stumps and that surely should be the key factor.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:56 am Perhaps England should nail their keepers' foot to the ground to make every catch difficult. He cannot get the easy ones where he has time to think about it

Kiwias wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:58 am

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:50 am The law says that if it hits outside the line of off stump, he is not out if playing a shot.

My first thought was also that it was outside the line.

Warne's comment does raise a great point though - how can a player be both out and not out to the same ball?

Who gives two fucks where the ball pitched? The ball was hitting the stumps and that surely should be the key factor.

Them's the laws of the game though so until they change...

As a bowler, I would have loved to see them change as I could swing and seam

Kiwias wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:58 am

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:50 am The law says that if it hits outside the line of off stump, he is not out if playing a shot.

My first thought was also that it was outside the line.

Warne's comment does raise a great point though - how can a player be both out and not out to the same ball?

Who gives two fucks where the ball pitched? The ball was hitting the stumps and that surely should be the key factor.

That's unfortunately LBW ground rule.

Knock Labuche over.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:00 am

Kiwias wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:58 am

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:50 am The law says that if it hits outside the line of off stump, he is not out if playing a shot.

My first thought was also that it was outside the line.

Warne's comment does raise a great point though - how can a player be both out and not out to the same ball?

Who gives two fucks where the ball pitched? The ball was hitting the stumps and that surely should be the key factor.

Them's the laws of the game though so until they change...

As a bowler, I would have loved to see them change as I could swing and seam

Laws can be changed if it is shown there is a better version of them, so they should fucking well get to it.


But I have lost my feed. Can someone help?

Umpires call is just a sop to protect the umpires' ego. It becomes more of a problem when you don't have neutral umpires

Ball tracking isn't 100% accurate and Umpire's call is an acceptable margin of error equal to half a ball width.

I cannot understand why they didn't enforce the follow on, unless it's to drive England's bowlers into the ground. Which doesn't work anyway, because Root and Malan are bowling.

If England get the last three wickets cheaply, they could still be in the game.

I accept that 450 would not be an easy chase, particularly on a 5th day pitch, but why risk it?

Can't understand why Smith hasn't declared yet. More than enough runs ahead already.

Gumboot wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 7:48 am Can't understand why Smith hasn't declared yet. More than enough runs ahead already.

And there you have it. A mere 468 runs to win the test and effectively keep the Ashes alive.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 7:38 am Ball tracking isn't 100% accurate and Umpire's call is an acceptable margin of error equal to half a ball width.
it?

No shit, nothing is 100% accurate. Which do you think is not only more accurate, but much more importantly, consistent. Umpire or DRS. The only argument in favour of umpires call is something about players losing respect for the umpire. I suspect umpires call will eventually be done away with but things tend to move slowly in cricket.

Starc leveled Root with a 142kph rocket to the groin and several deliveries later has him caught behind right on stumps

2 things which encapsulate Eng at the moment. In isolation, they look small but it's the cumulative effect of such things. Root keeps harping on about them being close but ignores the size created by the combined small failures he is citing as the evidence that the gap is narrow.

1) Malan gets a reprieve from some uncharacteristic sh*te fielding by Aus. When oppos f**k up like that, you need to go on and punish it because there is not just the added runs but the psychological impact. Instead, Malan gets out way too soon after.
2) Root. Out to "last ball" of the day playing at a ball he should have left. Really? How much of a boost is that to your opponents? And someone is going to say that that's harsh on Root because he is carrying the side but it simply isn't good enough.

To be fair to Root, watching the poor guy at the end there was cruel. I kind of give a bit of Leeway due to the nature of the injury. Having to run all those twos bow legged did not look fun.

What’s worse was he had a similar training injury just before that.

Makes me feel sick. If he’s been struck there one more time he would have probably doid.

The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:24 pm The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

It’s always been easier to slog than dig-in & just defend.

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 3:18 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:24 pm The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

It’s always been easier to slog than dig-in & just defend.

The real art of batting. Blame it on the moden youth coaching.

SQUADS

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.

Standby players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

South Africa: Dean Elgar (capt), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Duanne Olivier, Sarel Erwee, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Kyle Verreynne, Lungi Ngidi, Prenelan Subrayen, Sisanda Magala, Ryan Rickelton.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:24 pm The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

Now you understand why English batsmen are so bad at test cricket. The first class game has been completely sidelined in favour of limited overs cricket, and is now played in conditions completely unsuited to developing proper technique.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:41 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:24 pm The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

Now you understand why English batsmen are so bad at test cricket. The first class game has been completely sidelined in favour of limited overs cricket, and is now played in conditions completely unsuited to developing proper technique.

The same here and it's from day 1 they get coached the wrong habits.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 6:49 pm

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:41 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:24 pm The modern batsmen struggle to dug in and defend for days like Atherton and Boycott.

Blame it on the mik en moer modern day cricket.

Nowadays it's easier batting at 10 a over then bat time out.

Now you understand why English batsmen are so bad at test cricket. The first class game has been completely sidelined in favour of limited overs cricket, and is now played in conditions completely unsuited to developing proper technique.

The same here and it's from day 1 they get coached the wrong habits.

I'm not sure SA ever gets unsuitable weather, but our first class season has been pushed out of the height of summer and now starts when it's still frosty.

England really put up a fight here.

Test cricket still has more drama than ODI's and T20's combined.

Absolute horror way to go. Feel for him but it is soft.

All done and a fiver for Richardson.

So where do England go now? What are they going to do with Leach - surely they have to get him back in the starting 11. Did they miss Wood - does Woakes make way....??

Will the rest of the tour carry on with rising Covid cases??