Off Topic Cricket Thread

Garbage cricket and garage captaincy from Root this morning. Gifting NZ runs
They were like this at times last summer when Stokes missed the last test against India. They still should have won that, but he is a massive miss.
 
It's a good pitch and without swing will be hard to take wickets on. I thought the score last night flattered us.
Archer over bowled by Root. You don't bowl eight overs on the trot if you're a quickie. Root had Archer once bowl 40overs in an innings and it took him a year and more to get over the injuries.
Agree to an extent.....I do think Archer is very fragile though. We've made hard work of it this morning.....starting off with bouncers?.....and,the last time I looked,I don't think he'd had a bowl yet today?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rowley
They were like this at times last summer when Stokes missed the last test against India. They still should have won that, but he is a massive miss.
Nothing to do with Stokes today.... it's the strategy that's wrong.....and poor catching.
 
Nothing to do with Stokes today.... it's the strategy that's wrong.....and poor catching.
Yep. But it was the strategy when he was missing last summer too.

But his captaincy was poor in the winter, the first time since he took the job. I think four plus years is long enough in that job and he'll be done now.
 
Suppose we shouldn't be surprised that England reserves are going to lose to New Zealand, but it's been pretty pathetic thus far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brainy Dose
Suppose we shouldn't be surprised that England reserves are going to lose to New Zealand, but it's been pretty pathetic thus far.
It seems to be more and more obvious there must be problems behind the scenes with this team. We're in trouble.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TopCat.
It seems to be more and more obvious there must be problems behind the scenes with this team. We're in trouble.
This test is already gone and I'm looking to Trent Bridge. All the noises are that Stokes and Atkinson will be back. I haven't seen anything in this test for the 5 replacements to keep their places. I'd go:

Duckett, Gay, Bethell, Root, Brook, Smith+, Stokes*, Robinson, Atkinson, Tongue, Bashir
 
Just found out about Stokes retirement by going on Sky Sports app. Strange time to announce it during a match, then take a wicket straight after.

England are going to struggle I reckon, we did when Botham retired until Flintoff came in and again until Stokes. I wonder if what's happened the other week made him think "Stuff it". A great servant to English cricket and has given the cricketing public great moments but maybe now is the time to bow out for him.

There's no one else to give the captaincy to and Brook will probably get it but even though he's good he doesn't have the mentality of a test batsman, he plays too many one day shots.

The next few years are going to be a struggle and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Aussies keep the ashes next summer by winning here
 
Last edited:
Strange time to announce it but he will have his reasons
ECB announced it publicly. Stokes told them, they told the world. He’s probably said “stick it up your arse.” As he knows they don’t have a team capable of winning big stuff at present. And we’re probably a distance from getting one. Or having a good captain!!
 
50 for 0 and going well. Then Geoff Boycott's saying comes home to roost. Add 2 wickets to the score and does it still look good?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oliver's Army