Re. my comments in post #2713, July 10th, on my experiece with Manchester weather. See things haven't changed much since those far-off days of my youth" P!!ssing down yet again, I see.
Just a note on the Johnny Bairstow back lash that apparently he has given to the written press after his wonderful 99 this week at Old Trafford after they wrote about his team selection for this very important Test. I don't think anyone said, and not even on here, that he wasn't a great cricketer or that he didn't deserve his place in the team, JUST NOT AS A WICKET KEEPER...!! I do think he could have slipped in to the no.3 role for this Test and the 5th but if he cant see that the criticism was for his keeping display and not his batting then he's a fool, but a good fool...!! He was culpable for not taking regulation catches which at the time would have almost certainly have seen us take one of the opening two Tests lessening the downer that this 4th Test will end up a washed-out drawn match seeing the Aussies retain the Ashes... On such fine moments define all great sporting events...
Interview divided opinion amongst my cricketing buddies. Some (with flag shagging tendencies) loved it for his passion for the cause. Others, myself included felt he rather made the critics point for them. The criticism of his keeping was definitely not out of order.
Fifth place for a 22-year-old rider, and for his first Tour, a great performance with a victory in one of the most important stages. As expected, the last week was too long and he had the bad luck that, in the penultimate stage, when he was fighting for the podium, he crashed heavily. In any case, I don't think he would have made it. Next year he'll be back, with Movistar, and he'll probably be in the top places again. I don't know if he has a Tour in his legs, we'll see in two or three years, but it's clear that he's a Tour man and I'm sure he'll get a podium. Another thing is Juan Ayuso (20 years old), the other great hope of Spanish cycling. I dare to say that, if injuries respect him, he will win at least one Tour de France in the future. He is already a fantastic rider.
My own feeling is he was instrumental in us losing the first 2 Tests. However it wouldn't have mattered if England had not declared on the first day of the First Test. To me we lost the Ashes that day. It was unnecessary and smells of hubris, and not good cricketing sense.
It was a declaration that at the time was in theme with the 'out there, positive thinking' that this team and Stokes leadership has shown these past 12 months or so. BUT, doing it on the first day of the first Test was bonkers, and only fuelled the entertain at all costs first mentality that has crept in to this team and the way they are batting. It is a very refreshing way to play cricket, and they have produced some amazing comebacks, run chases and don't forget field settings that have broken the mould of how to play and set up a Test team. But when you are at the very top of your sport, winning is a must, and especially against your biggest foes, and that is what tempers my total support of what we have seen in this series. The series over in Pakistan was an amazing feat to show what can be done if you all pull together and try and crack what was the flattest of flattest pitches produced to gain a positive result. These Aussies are different though...!!!
I think too much was made of that declaration on day 1. They had batted tremendously well, nearly 400 off 78 overs and for me it was OK to declare with 8 wickets down and get the Aussies in after a long day in the field. For me the first test was lost by the bowlers in Australia's 2nd innings. Australia were down and out at 192-6, 209-7 and 227-8 and yet somehow they allowed Cummins and Lyon to put on 55 for the 9th wicket to win the match. Anderson, in particular, did far too little with the ball in that 2nd innings.
Fair point Oddy... I have always thought of this 'Baz-Ball' style or whatever they want to call it mainly directed at the batting and not the bowling. I suppose it's hard to reinvent the bowling side of the game other than you need to get 20 wickets first to beat a side (unless declarations come in of course...) The batting has been a revelation, no doubt about that, but as you have highlighted we had em in real trouble and didn't kill them off...!!
Am I the only one getting a little bit sick and tired of the bullshit coming from this England Ashes team? Ollie Robinson (average medium pacer who struggles for fitness) got the ball rolling with his Aussies have 3 no. 11s. Backfired fairly spectacularly at Edgbaston. Then the JB stumping furore at Lords. Whatever the rights and wrongs, JB was stupid to leave his crease. Then JB’s tetchy interview at Old Trafford. Already discussed on here so no need to repeat. In the lead up to the final test we have Brook arguing the case for a moral victory if we draw 2-2. Test series against the Aussies are and will always be about which team ends up with the Urn. They’ve ‘won’ Harry. Finally our amazing skipper reckons the Burnley Express is the best fast bowler of all time. Really Ben? You’ve not heard of Lillee, Hadlee, Holding, Marshall, Donald, Akram, Younis or my personal all time favourite the Big Bird Joel Garner? Just shut the f**k up and go out and win this last test.
Can't agree at all about the declaration. It was unnecessary. They were batting against a tired attack and could have made 40 runs more and put the Aussies in the next morning. Instead they surrendered that chance of a bigger lead. Root was in full flow, how would 40-50 minutes make such a difference. It wasn't the way I played or was taught to play cricket and as I say was a hubristic declaration with no foundation of reason.
So Pat Cummins has won a toss and put us in, first toss he's call right the series... Let's see how we fair batting first as it seems the cards Stokes plays all the time is that we are not afraid of chasing any score down no matter what it is... I am of the opinion you get as many runs as is possible in your first innings to not let the side win and bowl them out...!! I hope we can get this game off to a flyer and put em under from the off and hopefully square the series...
I might be tuning in to the cricket by watching the text go through on the BBC website, so can't actually see them play at the moment, but what is going on here...!! It beggars belief at how impatient we actually are at times...!! From 60-0, going along swimmingly well to a very unsteady 194-6, a run of 134-6 in 24 overs... Takes getting used to this dosnt it...?!?!?
I just don’t understand. Surely in any top level sport the best athletes can assess conditions and adapt their approach accordingly. Dom Sibley was not up to it because he only had one tediously slow mode of batting which meant the oppo never felt out of the game. Crash bang wallop cricket is far more entertaining to watch than Sibley was but ultimately presents the same problems. Oppo always feel their in the game. Having said that I’m looking forward to seeing Wood on this deck.
It's moving at some pace this Test... As many dropped chances as bad shots, as many great balls as full blown half trackers and way too many, WTF's moments for me as well...!!!
The beauty of watching cricket and making a judgement on it is wait for both sides to bat before jumping to conclusions...!! As Broad takes two quick wickets and the Aussies, 4 down now, havnt got past half way yet...!!
China 1 - Haiti 0 Thought the Spanish referee, Marta Huerta de Aza, was very indecisive. Poor show by her. Haiti can count themselves a trifle unlucky. The Chinese team and manager get my goat for some reason or other. Hope England can fix them in the group's final game.
