The Official Cricket Thread

[Enzedder]

I love how Kerry O says that India just have three #11 batters left

[Trapper]

What. A. Win. Magnificent!

[Enzedder]

Gotcha - how unlikely was that.

Well played India.

[handyman]

Cummings for captain?

[Wignu]

Wow, Aussie's first loss at the Gabba since 1988!

[mrbrownstone]

Geez how good was that. Test cricket at its finest. Very hard to pick a MOTM. Thakur 7 wickets for the match and his first innings 67. Siraj with his first ever 5-fa. Sundar with 4 wickets on debut, a crucial first innings 60, and 22 in the second innings to get them close. Gill's 91 to even give them a chance of winning. Pujaras 200 balls to tire the bowlers and ensure they couldn't lose. And obviously Pant getting them home.

Probably give it to Pant but a true team effort.

To do that at a venue Australia haven't lost at in 30 years, after being bowled out for 36 in the first test, missing your entire first choice bowling attack and your best batsman is really remarkable.

Couldn't happen to a nicer team, either.

[Kiwias]

Phenomenal performance!!!

Test cricket is the best cricket by a huge distance.

[Kiwias]

Geez how good was that. Test cricket at its finest. Very hard to pick a MOTM. Thakur 7 wickets for the match and his first innings 67. Siraj with his first ever 5-fa. Sundar with 4 wickets on debut, a crucial first innings 60, and 22 in the second innings to get them close. Gill's 91 to even give them a chance of winning. Pujaras 200 balls to tire the bowlers and ensure they couldn't lose. And obviously Pant getting them home.

Probably give it to Pant but a true team effort.

To do that at a venue Australia haven't lost at in 30 years, after being bowled out for 36 in the first test, missing your entire first choice bowling attack and your best batsman is really remarkable.

Couldn't happen to a nicer team, either.

All of this. How many of the team were playing the first or second test?

[Gumboot]

Fantastic victory by India.

Aussie's much vaunted pace attack got spanked, as did the goat. Heads will roll.

Test cricket - fuck yeah!!

[mrbrownstone]

The good news for NZ is twofold.

That result means we stay atop the test rankings. It also makes the WTC equation clearer.

For Australia to qualify they need to win at least 2-0 in South Africa. 2-1 wouldn't be enough. If they lose a game then fate is out of their hands and would require India shitting the bed against England. The funniest result would be if that tour is cancelled - currently they're on 69.12% to NZ's 70% so would just miss out.

For India to qualify they need 2 wins and 1 draw. So any result 2-1 or better against England guarantees their place.

For England to qualify they need to win their next test vs SL and then win 3-0 or better in India. Unlikely but technically possible.

From an NZ perspective, go the Proteas!!!

[Kiwias]

Geez how good was that. Test cricket at its finest. Very hard to pick a MOTM. Thakur 7 wickets for the match and his first innings 67. Siraj with his first ever 5-fa. Sundar with 4 wickets on debut, a crucial first innings 60, and 22 in the second innings to get them close. Gill's 91 to even give them a chance of winning. Pujaras 200 balls to tire the bowlers and ensure they couldn't lose. And obviously Pant getting them home.

Probably give it to Pant but a true team effort.

To do that at a venue Australia haven't lost at in 30 years, after being bowled out for 36 in the first test, missing your entire first choice bowling attack and your best batsman is really remarkable.

Couldn't happen to a nicer team, either.

All of this. How many of the team were playing the first or second test?

From Rahane

Siraj had played two Test matches, Saini one, Thakur one, Natarajan on debut

[Insane_Homer]

We will be ok mate. Probably still win the Test Championship.......

[Gumboot]

Geez how good was that. Test cricket at its finest. Very hard to pick a MOTM. Thakur 7 wickets for the match and his first innings 67. Siraj with his first ever 5-fa. Sundar with 4 wickets on debut, a crucial first innings 60, and 22 in the second innings to get them close. Gill's 91 to even give them a chance of winning. Pujaras 200 balls to tire the bowlers and ensure they couldn't lose. And obviously Pant getting them home.

Probably give it to Pant but a true team effort.

To do that at a venue Australia haven't lost at in 30 years, after being bowled out for 36 in the first test, missing your entire first choice bowling attack and your best batsman is really remarkable.

Couldn't happen to a nicer team, either.

All of this. How many of the team were playing the first or second test?

From Rahane

Siraj had played two Test matches, Saini one, Thakur one, Natarajan on debut

The number of youngsters who rose to the challenge for India is incredible. Australia couldn't keep up.

[Rinkals]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

[ScarfaceClaw]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

Steve Smith could probably walk out wearing a baggy green cap made of the skin of the last of an endangered species and I’d still support them over India.

[Sandstorm]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

Steve Smith could probably walk out wearing a baggy green cap made of the skin of the last of an endangered species and I’d still support them over India.

I'm still on the fence.

[Rinkals]

I'm normally inclined to agree.

However, the general crowing and hubris before the match and the lack of sportsmanship shown during the game made it difficult to support them.

Edit: not that the Indians are completely innocent of using excessive gamesmanship, I hasten to add...

[OomStruisbaai]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

Aussies are a bunch of arrogant cheaters.

[Sandstorm]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

Aussies are a bunch of arrogant cheaters.

Indians are a bunch of entitled cnuts

[OomStruisbaai]

I have to say that it's very rare for me to support India over Australia, but I found it difficult to support Aus in this match.

Aussies are a bunch of arrogant cheaters.

Indians are a bunch of entitled cnuts

Look at the score board.

[Kiwias]

Putting the bowling into perspective

[Big Nipper]

Putting the bowling into perspective

What the hell is Greene doing there? He is not bowling any long spells and is dead average with the bat

[Insane_Homer]

Indians are a bunch of entitled cnuts

Kholi not playing = 25% of it's usual level. Which then puts them miles head of any team with Smith and/or Warner in it.

[Kiwias]

Putting the bowling into perspective

What the hell is Greene doing there? He is not bowling any long spells and is dead average with the bat

There was not enough space for Labuschagne?

[mrbrownstone]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... c8a3c23a47

Classy til the end.

[handyman]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... c8a3c23a47

Classy til the end.

I hope Rabada and Nortje have some sweet chin music for the Aussies later this summer.

[Big Nipper]

This Aussie team is a bunch of scumbags.

[Biffer]

I don't understand why Australia batted on after the rain/dinner break rather than declaring. Now the total's far too big for India to consider chasing down, and they won't have to bat for as long to get the draw than they would've. Then there's the weather. I guess the Aussies are just being as supremely confident as only they can be, though. Confidence, or hubris?

beemur....

[Biffer]

This Aussie team is a bunch of scumbags.

There's a saying which you could have a keyboard shortcut for.

[Woddy]

Truly fantastic win for India. Up there with the Laxman-led victory after following on against Waugh's Australia in 2001 (at home, but against probably the 1st= greatest side in the history of cricket who were on a run of 16 straight wins), including for the captaincy to go for the win rather than settle for a draw. Great stuff, no matter what one thinks of the sides involved (India do not normally get too many positive character references here).

And as a series, that has to be one of the all-time goodies. Humiliating collapse and defeat, followed by avenging wins and backs-against-the-wall displays for a draw and historic run-chase at the enemy fortress, all while dealing with injuries legion and a change in leadership.

Some selection headaches coming up for India - how do you drop heroes? Most of all for the captaincy: is it a coincidence that India have responded so resolutely with Rahane in charge rather than Kohli? Several pundits had been pushing for the change anyway as Rahane's teams in the IPL made more of themselves than Kohli's. Kohli could still be the Bollywood superstar without being skipper; Tendulkar managed it, but the success of Dhoni being superman has perhaps tempted India into seeking a similar style of skipper when maybe they would be better suited otherwise.

[Dan54]

Fantastic victory by India.

Aussie's much vaunted pace attack got spanked, as did the goat. Heads will roll.

Test cricket - fuck yeah!!

I really enjoyed that.

[Certain Navigator]

Truly outstanding effort by India. That they did so well with what in the end was basically a B team really puts NZ's effort in Oz a year ago into perspective — it was actually even more dismal than I thought at the time!

[Kiwias]

Truly outstanding effort by India. That they did so well with what in the end was basically a B team really puts NZ's effort in Oz a year ago into perspective — it was actually even more dismal than I thought at the time!

It also puts out 2 ~ 0 series win against India last February in a different perspective, back when they had all their top players.

[mrbrownstone]

Truly outstanding effort by India. That they did so well with what in the end was basically a B team really puts NZ's effort in Oz a year ago into perspective — it was actually even more dismal than I thought at the time!

It also puts out 2 ~ 0 series win against India last February in a different perspective, back when they had all their top players.

Well said. We beat India, India beat Aus, Aus beat us. Very little between the top 3 on the moment, with conditions, injuries, and preparation having a huge impact.

[Certain Navigator]

Truly outstanding effort by India. That they did so well with what in the end was basically a B team really puts NZ's effort in Oz a year ago into perspective — it was actually even more dismal than I thought at the time!

It also puts out 2 ~ 0 series win against India last February in a different perspective, back when they had all their top players.

Er, mixing up apples and oranges... Both the NZ-Oz and India-Oz series were in Oz; NZ-India wasn't.

[JPNZ]

Next up for NZ Fans is a return to the short format, now the interesting thing is and I'm not sure it has happened before but there will be 2 Australian teams playing at the same time (Covid Willing) as the Aus test team will be in South Africa and they are sending effectively a B team to New Zealand. Players like Darcy Short, Riley Meredith, Adam Zampa, Ben McDermott etc will be fresh from the BBL and ready to go. In my opinion some of these players could cause an upset or three, Australia has some quality T20 talent even with the top guys out.

Mon Feb 22 - 19:00 local | 06:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 1st T20
Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Thu Feb 25 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 2nd T20
D/N University Oval, Dunedin

Wed Mar 3 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 3rd T20
Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Fri Mar 5 - 19:00 local | 06:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 4th T20
D/N Eden Park, Auckland

Sun Mar 7 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 5th T20
D/N Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui

Nice to see the Hagley Oval game already sold out and the Dunedin game has a handful of tickets left

[mrbrownstone]

Next up for NZ Fans is a return to the short format, now the interesting thing is and I'm not sure it has happened before but there will be 2 Australian teams playing at the same time (Covid Willing) as the Aus test team will be in South Africa and they are sending effectively a B team to New Zealand. Players like Darcy Short, Riley Meredith, Adam Zampa, Ben McDermott etc will be fresh from the BBL and ready to go. In my opinion some of these players could cause an upset or three, Australia has some quality T20 talent even with the top guys out.

Mon Feb 22 - 19:00 local | 06:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 1st T20
Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Thu Feb 25 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 2nd T20
D/N University Oval, Dunedin

Wed Mar 3 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 3rd T20
Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Fri Mar 5 - 19:00 local | 06:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 4th T20
D/N Eden Park, Auckland

Sun Mar 7 - 14:00 local | 01:00 GMT
New Zealand vs Australia, 5th T20
D/N Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui

Nice to see the Hagley Oval game already sold out and the Dunedin game has a handful of tickets left

Yeah it's a strange scenario with two teams playing at once. Tbh I'm not sure how much it hampers them anyway - a fair chunk of the test side (Puckovski, Labuschane, Green, Paine, Lyon) don't feature In their T20 team anyway. Can still put out a good BBL XI:

1. Finch (c)
2. Phillipe
3. McDermott
4. Lynn
5. Maxwell
6. Stoinis
7. Sams/Carey/M.Marsh/Christian/Agar/Cutting - depends on team balance
8. J. Richardson
9. Meredith
10. Zampa
11. K. Richardson

Depends on test selection I guess, but something along those lines I imagine.

[Kiwias]

Truly outstanding effort by India. That they did so well with what in the end was basically a B team really puts NZ's effort in Oz a year ago into perspective — it was actually even more dismal than I thought at the time!

It also puts out 2 ~ 0 series win against India last February in a different perspective, back when they had all their top players.

Er, mixing up apples and oranges... Both the NZ-Oz and India-Oz series were in Oz; NZ-India wasn't.

In both the India-Aus and India-BC series, India was playing away from home, on pitches prepared for the home team.

[Insane_Homer]

Afghanistan set a very competitive 287/9 after and excellent start, mini collapse and back end recovery v Ireland.

Ireland in a bit of bother at 98/4 after ~20 overs and Rashid Khan just starting his first over.

[JM2K6]

Afghanistan set a very competitive 287/9 after and excellent start, mini collapse and back end recovery v Ireland.

Ireland in a bit of bother at 98/4 after ~20 overs and Rashid Khan just starting his first over.

Blimey, Khan hit 5 sixes in his 55* off 30 balls. Good turnaround.