General Cricket (not the chirpy kind) Discussion Thread

[Apox]

Speechless. This match is why Test cricket is brilliant.

No, it was the worst of Test cricket. A horrible, horrible pitch that never offered a result and produced some of the most boring Test cricket ever.

I disagree. While the pitch was pretty awful, the spectacle it produced and the madness it created was simply fantastic, and that is why I love Test cricket, it kept me gripped for 5 days.

[Liventia]

No, it was the worst of Test cricket. A horrible, horrible pitch that never offered a result and produced some of the most boring Test cricket ever.

I disagree. While the pitch was pretty awful, the spectacle it produced and the madness it created was simply fantastic, and that is why I love Test cricket, it kept me gripped for 5 days.

What spectacle? There was no spectacle! You can have a poor pitch that produces a spectacle (see Lord's and Headingley v SL). This was just dead.

[Aryavartha]

the test is a disaster for cricket.

i would take a sporting wicket - even if that means india may get bundled out in pace and bounce.

you want your players to be tested against and hope they come good. there is reward and satisfaction in that.

these runs by bhuvi, anderson and wicket by cook etc - are pretty meaningless. the only positive for india is binny showing he has good temperament. we still cannot judge if he can be a better bat than others in bench, because we have to account for the lifeless pitch. and vijay should feel good for having done good against the new ball in both innings - probably the only time there was any trouble for the batsmen.

i hope the second one is a better wicket.

[KoloToure]

And from tomorrow I will be annoying my whole street by knocking in my bat...

What has happened to all of England's fast bowlers btw? We've gone from having 7 or 8 top level bowlers to having, like, 2. Tremlett, Onions, Bresnan?

[Liventia]

And from tomorrow I will be annoying my whole street by knocking in my bat...

What has happened to all of England's fast bowlers btw? We've gone from having 7 or 8 top level bowlers to having, like, 2. Tremlett, Onions, Bresnan?

Onions is only just back from long-term injury. The other two are way past it.

[Goram]

And from tomorrow I will be annoying my whole street by knocking in my bat...

What has happened to all of England's fast bowlers btw? We've gone from having 7 or 8 top level bowlers to having, like, 2. Tremlett, Onions, Bresnan?

I've quite enjoyed having Plunkett around, to be honest. Don't think he's been too shabby, as yet. Stokes, on the other hand, I'd drop and bring back Chris Jordan.

[Liventia]

You can't judge Stokes on a pitch that offered nothing and he still took two wickets on. He's easily the fastest England have.

The seven years away from Tests have done Plunkett a world of good.

[KoloToure]

You can't judge Stokes on a pitch that offered nothing and he still took two wickets on. He's easily the fastest England have.

The seven years away from Tests have done Plunkett a world of good.

Admittedly he was the most impressive bowler when I went to Headingley.

[Liventia]

Gary Ballance will keep his place in the England team for Thursday's second Test against India despite being pictured during a boozy visit to a Nottingham nightclub on Sunday night. (Telegraph)

[Uitbregen]

Gary Ballance will keep his place in the England team for Thursday's second Test against India despite being pictured during a boozy visit to a Nottingham nightclub on Sunday night. (Telegraph)

Sports player in alcohol shocker!

I'm really hoping for a much quicker, bouncier track today at Lords, so we can actually get a good game out. I don't see why we don't prepare a quick track, it bloody helps us!

[Uitbregen]

Bit of overkill on the pitch front - greenest I've ever seen!

[Uitbregen]

Ishant and Bhuvi to add 50, then England to get bundled out for 200.

[Goram]

Ishant and Bhuvi to add 50, then England to get bundled out for 200.

Jesus, don't.

[Uitbregen]

Ishant and Bhuvi to add 50, then England to get bundled out for 200.

Jesus, don't.

Maybe if I say it enough times, it won't happen

[Liventia]

Alastair Cook.

[Afalia]

Poor Cook. He's not been having a good time since, well, 2011 really.

[Uitbregen]

Poor Cook. He's not been having a good time since, well, 2011 really.

I dunno, he was pretty good in India in 2012.

[Liventia]

Poor Cook. He's not been having a good time since, well, 2011 really.

I dunno, he was pretty good in India in 2012.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting
Gone downhill since 2011/12, that one India series aside.

[Afalia]

Poor Cook. He's not been having a good time since, well, 2011 really.

I dunno, he was pretty good in India in 2012.

Yeah true, but as Liventia says that was more the exception to the trend.

[Goram]

Another fine hundred for Ballance. He looks comfortable, might be on for a good few more.

[Aryavartha]

this is what test cricket should be..batsmen being tested, they grind it out, bowlers come back in the end...momentum swinging back and forth.

india ahead by ballance's wicket at end of day. morning session tomorrow is crucial for both teams as wickets would give india lead and eng has to bat last. if eng bats through the day and get a little lead, then they can look to grab some indian wickets at end of day.

draw looks unlikely at this point of time.

[Uitbregen]

If Cook does get dropped (which he probably won't), who would replace him at the top of the order? Root, then bring someone else in in the middle order? Or perhaps let Carberry or Compton have another shot?

EDIT: Broad, why the fuck would you do that?

[Goram]

2014. The year of the Tail Ender.

[Aryavartha]

ooo..match following my plot..

i should not say anything lest i jinx it

[Goram]

DRS...DRS...DRS!