England Cricket 2024
- Thread starter littlebabyjesus
- Start date
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
You have permission to say that again in say, 10 minutes?
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
So many ridiculous stats to come out of this game but one of the best is Pakistan's opening pair of Ayub and Shafique who now, in 8 innings, average 2.87 per partnership.
2.87/1. Every time for 4 tests worth.
Harry Brook now averages 130 in Pakistan. He's scored more runs there than in England.
2.87/1. Every time for 4 tests worth.
Harry Brook now averages 130 in Pakistan. He's scored more runs there than in England.
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
The stat that blows my mind - bearing in mind Test cricket has been going on for something like 150 years - is Brook's 300's strike rate of almost 100.
If you could show that stat to anyone in the world of cricket up to the last few years no-one would have believed it.
For most of my Test Match watching (listening!) career, anything over 2 runs per over was considered audacious...
If you could show that stat to anyone in the world of cricket up to the last few years no-one would have believed it.
For most of my Test Match watching (listening!) career, anything over 2 runs per over was considered audacious...
The stats guy on TMS was basically having an 8 hour orgasm today. Painful to listen to.
I really hope Pakistan have learned their lesson and prepare a slightly different pitch for the next game. This is not the way you beat bazball. Preparing a fucking road for them to fluff out their stats.
I really hope Pakistan have learned their lesson and prepare a slightly different pitch for the next game. This is not the way you beat bazball. Preparing a fucking road for them to fluff out their stats.
Ted Striker
Foot's on the other hand
Yep, TMS was like the original Bazball tests for stats...One I liked: Just before Roots dismissal on day 4, he had spent all but 7 deliveries on the pitch
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
I rarely agree with you but yes, Andy Zaltzman is a pain in the arse. He's better on the News Quiz - and that's a pretty low bar. By close of the programme he was saying stupid stuff like "If Root averages 262 per innings from now on, he will take x amount of time to beat Tendulkar". I mean, that was a completely pointless thing to say.
But regarding your second sentence. After Pak won the toss and batted, I don't think anyone in that country was complaining. And it went pretty quiet on this thread. I think they prepared that pitch, which is still fine, to last 5 days to help their own woeful batsmen. It worked for a day and a half.
But then we saw something extraordinary. Don't underestimate that. What just happened wasn't normal.
Apart from Pope getting out second ball of course.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Next match is also in Multan. Not sure we can expect much different pitch-wise.
Pope's one contribution to this game has been declaring. And let's face it, that probably came from the ginger bloke in the cool shades lounging away up there on the balcony. I really hope he comes right... I was wrong about Crawley, so could be wrong here too.
Look at the body language.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I was also irritated by the stat-fest in the end, particularly the speculative ones. Root is still 3.5k behind Tendulkar. He may get there, but it's still way off and feels wrong to talk about it too much.
By comparison, NZ commentators are always very understated whenever Kane Williamson hits a landmark. Williamson has only just clocked up 100 tests while Root's nearly at 150, and that is entirely down to the fact that England play far more tests than NZ. Williamson is every bit as extraordinary as Root.
By comparison, NZ commentators are always very understated whenever Kane Williamson hits a landmark. Williamson has only just clocked up 100 tests while Root's nearly at 150, and that is entirely down to the fact that England play far more tests than NZ. Williamson is every bit as extraordinary as Root.
Both Root and Williamson are very humble guys. I don't think Root particularly enjoys all the plaudits piled upon him. Neither does Williamson. What a shame NZ didn't see what McCullum was capable of, even with mediocre players (and one genius). Fuck knows what gets said in that dressing room but I demand one of those fly on the wall documentary series for the Ashes.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Day 5 pitch, it takes spin you know! Jack Leach takes all 3 remaining wickets, game over long before lunch with an innings and 47 runs to spare.
What a test match.
What a test match.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
That must have knocked the stuffing out of Pakistan.
It does appear to be a mistake to prepare roads against this England team. Duckett, Crawley and Brook are all destructive players who thrive on true bounce and a lack of lateral movement to play hard at the ball.
If Pakistan want to get rewards from this series, they surely need to give their two best bowlers, Afridi and Naseem Shah, something to work with. They are very good bowlers, but Malcolm Marshall would have struggled on that pitch.
Abrar bowled like a drain, but he was probably already ill. Hope he'll be ok.
It does appear to be a mistake to prepare roads against this England team. Duckett, Crawley and Brook are all destructive players who thrive on true bounce and a lack of lateral movement to play hard at the ball.
If Pakistan want to get rewards from this series, they surely need to give their two best bowlers, Afridi and Naseem Shah, something to work with. They are very good bowlers, but Malcolm Marshall would have struggled on that pitch.
Abrar bowled like a drain, but he was probably already ill. Hope he'll be ok.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yes, but by then Pakistan were broken.
Going back to the roads thing, England also have a decent record in India on roads. The Indians' solution is to produce pitches that turn from day one. Pakistan's solution should be to produce pitches that give seam movement. Is that impossible for them to do? Leave some grass on.
This is counterintuitive as you'd think England would be made to feel at home on greentops, but I think that's where they're more vulnerable.
Going back to the roads thing, England also have a decent record in India on roads. The Indians' solution is to produce pitches that turn from day one. Pakistan's solution should be to produce pitches that give seam movement. Is that impossible for them to do? Leave some grass on.
This is counterintuitive as you'd think England would be made to feel at home on greentops, but I think that's where they're more vulnerable.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Watching the highlights, superb catch by Leach off his own bowling. Best incentive not to drop it when it's your wicket!
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
It's an interesting one if Stokes is not fit to bowl. If he can bowl, then one of the seamers drops out (is rested/rotated). Easy.
But if he isn't fit to bowl, yes logically it has to be Pope. They surely need five frontline bowlers on these decks.
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
Well this looks interesting. In a anything-could-happen kinda way.
www.espncricinfo.com
Pakistan to re-use same pitch in Multan for second Test against England
James Anderson says Ben Stokes is "good to go" as England ponder changes to XI
