QDK looking in fine touch for the South Africans, lovely player to watch.
Results 31 to 60 of 139
Thread: The cricket
-
14-07-2017 02:27 PM #31There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
-
14-07-2017 06:08 PM #32
Isn't it time the rules were changed to make batsmen wear proper helmets with neck-protectors?
And maybe batsmen learned that it isn't a good idea to turn their backs on the bowling?
Kuhn could have been badly hurt, wasn't (thankfully) badly hurt, but if he had been it would have been his own stupid fault.
-
-
15-07-2017 04:04 PM #34
205 all out. Good toss to win, I think.
Let's see how Joe Root is at the Rain Dance ....
-
17-07-2017 03:34 PM #35
Pathetic show today. as bad as the first test. Cricket is becoming a joke. Grinding out a draw is part of the game and these sides don't have the skills or the concentration. Too much slogging out for the 20/20 money to keep the Market Men happy is the problem.
Holding, McGrath or even Bob Willis would have run through all of them in no time.
-
17-07-2017 05:29 PM #36
That's a weakened SA side.
133 all out (of which Cook scored 42) is a disgrace.
I haven't seen any of it, but I'll watch the highlights and make sure I get the verdict. "Gutless shambles" comes to mind as a possible summary?
-
17-07-2017 05:53 PM #37This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The top three balance is very much under the spotlight, Ballance and Jennings really, with Ballance more so - questions over whether you can open with three left-handers. Jennings has struggled this series and his domestic form is awful but he's just off the back of a Test century and a Test half-century in his first two tests, both on the sub-continent! Ballance's first eighteen months in the team were strong but he has struggled in the last two years.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
-
17-07-2017 09:22 PM #38This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I think Root had an easy run last time out - SA had a stand-in captain who didn't seem to be on the ball at all. De Villiers is another matter entirely, very sharp, very experienced, and utterly ruthless.
Root needs to assert himself, IMO - some of the carry-on surrounding appeals to the third umpire was beyond ridiculous, with Broad, Stokes and Bairstow the main culprits. SA, on the other hand - the bowler appeals, Faf walks quietly over to de Kock and they have a word. Faf looks at the bowler - the bowler either backs down or renews his appeal. Faf has a wee think to himself, and either asks for the review or shakes his head and turns away. Absolutely no doubt about who's on control.
One cannot say that about England and Joe Root. I'm beginning already to get flashbacks to Beefy - great player, NOT a captain. I really hope JR proves my dark prognostications wrong.
Having watched the highlights (I'm saving the Lord Chief Justice for just before going to bed) i'll say it again - that performance was a gutless shambles, with some of the worst offenders being senior players. It would be simplistic to blame Root - the same players were doing the same things last winter in India. they seem to have learned nothing.
Rabada's back for the Third Test, Faf's got them playing again - can England pull themselves together and turn things around? I really doubt it.Last edited by --------; 17-07-2017 at 09:25 PM.
-
17-07-2017 11:18 PM #39
There was a feature on SSN yesterday morning that Englands 4th innings batting record under Bayliss is abysmal, more of the same by the look of things, although never watched any of the last 3 days play.
-
18-07-2017 12:31 AM #40This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Bayliss was interviewed on "The Verdict" and he was as shifty and evasive as he could possibly have been. He didn't give a single straight answer that I could detect. He was saying exactly the same things he said in the winter during the Test series in Bangladesh and India.
'Abysmal' is a very good word to describe the England batting yesterday. Not one of them seemed to have any conception of the idea of just going out to occupy the crease and wear the bowling down.
I think it was David Lloyd told the story about David Steele of Northamptonshire when he was picked to play against the Australians in 1975 (I think!). Steele was near retirement, and probably wouldn't have satisfied the present backroom staff as to his fitness levels or weight or even eyesight (he wore glasses). When he arrived at the crease in his debut Test, one of the Aussie slip fielders remarked loudly to Rod Marsh the w/keeper, "F*** it, Rod, look at the arse on this one!' Steele turned round and said to the guy, "Aye, take a GOOD f***** look at it, mate. You'll see enough of it this summer!" He scored 50, 45, 73, 92, 39 and 66 in his six Test innings that year, and made his top score the following season against the West Indies (in their prime). He wasn't athletic, he had solid technique rather than brilliant, most folks thought he was too old, but if you'll pardon my French, he had bollocks the size of cannonballs and the heart of a lion.
And the Aussies were heartily sick and tired of his big arse occupying the crease - for hours and hours and hours. And scoring runs as well, of course, but the main thing initially was to stay there, and sicken the bowlers - who included Jeff Thompson and Dennis Lillee. Now THAT's a Test batsman.
And they needn't blame T20 - the Indians are top-class at T20, and ODIs, and Test matches. They're able to adapt to the format. The English guys can't, or don't, or just won't.
-
18-07-2017 07:09 AM #41
Yesterday was the first time I have ever though Root was looking older after watching his post match interview. He looks like a man under pressure already.
Every gimmick hungry yob,
Digging gold from rock and roll
Grabs the mic to tell us,
He'll die before he's sold.
-
18-07-2017 10:43 AM #42This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I think he is. I rather fear for him, TBH.
Something that was brought up on 'The Verdict' - there may be a pattern emerging of players being picked for England, coming in and doing a terrific job, then either falling away badly or simply not improving, not finding their feet in the team. IIRC some of the players mentioned were Jennings, Ballance, Vince, Wood and Buttler. There were others, but I missed them.
I didn't catch it all, and I'm not saying it's true, but I do wonder just how useful Trevor Bayliss is? What exactly does he do? How exactly does he interact with the captain? And what influence exactly is he exerting on the players? Because not to put a fine point on it, he's doing a rank bad job as far as I can see.
India appear to be able to prepare the same top players to play Tests, ODIs and T20 equally well. Most other countries too. England seem to have a thing about 'specialist' short-game squads, and yet they of all the top (maybe I should say 'big') countries seem to have this problem with batsmen walking out in Tests and setting off as if they were playing T20 - no concentration, no determination to stay at the crease, poor judgement, poor choice of shot ...
Bairstow's dismissal yesterday was farcical. So was Moeen's. So were half-a-dozen others. At one point Broad came down the wicket to speak to Dawson - they were laughing and joking? Two balls later Broad gave HIS wicket away - spooned the ball straight down the fielder's throat.
And I see Root's defending them - 'not fair to say they have no respect for Test cricket'. IMO he should have torn each and every one of them a new one last night. And he should have been backed by Bayliss - who was also spreading excuses and platitudes around and avoiding give a straight answer to anything he was asked.
Win one Test by more than 200. Lose the next by more than 300. That's not just random. Nor is it just down to Faf du Plessis coming back - though I think his captaincy was a major factor in the match.
So which England will we see next out? I suppose they could bounce back (though I rather doubt it). I just hope it doesn't do to Joe Root what a similar situation did to Beefy ...Last edited by --------; 18-07-2017 at 10:45 AM.
-
18-07-2017 01:31 PM #43
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
- Posts
- 979
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Thought he looked quite solid in his debut, is he still injured?
-
18-07-2017 09:58 PM #44This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I think he's still injured, but given the way the team seems to be run these days, they could have already decided he's not good enough.
He looked very good in that one match in India. Right now I'd rather not see any more youngsters drawn into the England set up until that set up's sorted out and running properly.
Complete this well-known phrase or saying - "Couldnae run a p***-*p in a b*****y." Answers to the MCC, Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood Road, London NW8 8QN.
-
27-07-2017 04:36 PM #45
SAF doing well. Pity about the interruptions but then I wonder whether the conditions also add a bit for them when they are able to bowl?
Rabada's wicket was an absolute beauty! Welcome to Test cricket Dawid MalanThere's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
-
-
28-07-2017 02:24 PM #47This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
30-07-2017 04:34 PM #48This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
31-07-2017 12:10 AM #49This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Of course a debut bowler taking 5 wickets in his first innings is a real bonus, but the batsmen have looked to me a lot more solid than even in the first Test.
-
-
31-07-2017 01:27 PM #51
Hat trick for Ali to take the match, cracking stuff. England win by 239 runs.
-
31-07-2017 03:07 PM #52This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
United we stand here....
-
31-07-2017 04:48 PM #53This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Terrific performance - they looked the part this time. Very well played.
BTW there is an uncanny resemblance here?
i.jpg The Man in the High Castle ...
HeydrichPhoto1933.jpg The MCC Captain?
Maybe young Joe really IS the guy to bring order and discipline to the England Test side ....
-
-
31-07-2017 05:43 PM #55This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
That's what I thought - I don't normally see these things, but I have a biography of RH on my desk and it just hit me.
Something you're not telling us, Joe?
-
31-07-2017 05:45 PM #56
Seriously, they played really well in this Test. Let's see them repeating the performance next out and WINNING THE SERIES!
-
31-07-2017 05:51 PM #57This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
01-08-2017 06:24 PM #58This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
England are only a couple of picks away from being a really strong side and could be top three as opposed to top five or six. They have to be mindful of succession planning though, particularly with Broad and Anderson. Also need to sort that top order, because they are genuinely solid in the middle order.
I've got tickets for days 2 and 3 at Headingley for the second Test vs the Windies at the end of August. I would expect England to be dominating that match if they are as good as they think - first match to iron out any kinks and come across any surprises, second match to demonstrate why they are so much higher in the rankings.There's only one thing better than a Hibs calendar and that's two Hibs calendars
-
02-08-2017 10:04 AM #59This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Aye, but the Germans lost that series big time - started well, but horrendous second-innings collapse, remember.
-
02-08-2017 10:10 AM #60
They took a fair hammering in the first series too, hopefully they'll never arrange a 3rd.
Log in to remove the advert |
Bookmarks