International Cricket

[planetgeli]

From what I've seen and read they seemed to expend so much effort trying to get out/kill Pujara that they were spent by the second new ball. The last 100 runs came at a run a ball, after the new ball was taken. Starc was hit out of the attack in the 46th over (20 runs) and it seems India had a brilliant game-plan, perfectly executed, of runs at one end, defence at the other. After 41 overs India had 91 runs.

Hats off to them.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I've just watched the ten minute highlights on youtube. If you mean the ball Lyon bowled that went for four byes...off-break turned into a massive leg break off the pitch, beat everybody, he had no chance.

My God Pujara took one hell of a battering.

Pant - brilliant.

This is a still from it. Ball has turned regular off-spinner way. Didn't turn that much. Did bounce quite high. But a miss, nonetheless.

Video clip here.

Tim Paine misses out on stumping Rishabh Pant, Nathan Lyon SHOCKED at him: WATCH

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Just watched the highlights. Australians don't do final days at test matches, do they, even when the match is perfectly poised? Crowd of about 5,000 in, most of them Indians. Against Pakistan, New Zealand got that many without any away fans.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Just watched the highlights. Australians don't do final days at test matches, do they, even when the match is perfectly poised? Crowd of about 5,000 in, most of them Indians. Against Pakistan, New Zealand got that many without any away fans.

Neither their fans nor their players show up for the final day.

 

[planetgeli]

This is a still from it. Ball has turned regular off-spinner way. Didn't turn that much. Did bounce quite high. But a miss, nonetheless.

Video clip here.

Tim Paine misses out on stumping Rishabh Pant, Nathan Lyon SHOCKED at him: WATCH

Ah right, not that. The leg break was very near the end, really hit a crack.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Add Josh Hazlewood to the list of unsporting tossers then. Gloating at Pujara after he'd just taken a vicious blow to the head

'Poor form': Josh Hazlewood slammed over Pujara sledge

Some have opined Josh Hazlewood should have shown a bit more class towards the Indian star.

au.sports.yahoo.com

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm not sure I mind that too much. It doesn't get admitted very often, but sometimes fast bowlers are trying to hit the batsman, and this was one of those instances. More classy to do it just with a glare, like Ambrose would do, but expressing concern once you've seen he's ok is a bit false, no, given that you're just going to try to do the same thing again?

It takes a certain physical bravery to play top-level cricket. I wouldn't want the game to lose that. And Pujara had the last laugh, sticking around long enough to tire out Hazlewood and others. Whatever bruises he has tomorrow, I'm sure he won't mind them one bit.

 

[planetgeli]

Good test match for the neutral (c'mon Pakistan) going on over in Karachi. First time S.Africa have been there and played them since 2007. Pakistan having the better of the opening two days, 308-8 after S.Africa 220 all out.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Good fightback by SA before losing late wickets, so advantage Pakistan. Good even match, still, and every prospect of another close fifth-day finish.

Lockdown has proved a rather splendid showcase for test match cricket, which is better suited to the absence of crowds and/or people shut away with fuck all to do but watch cricket. With any luck the bright sparks seeking to tinker, with four-day matches, etc, will have been put back into their boxes.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Aus tour of SA is off. It's a shame for the WTC, which has ended up being a bit of a mess, but it's good news for New Zealand, who are now definitely in the final. The comedy way that Aus may to fail to qualify for the final - four points lost for slow over-rate in a game that they ended up drawing - is a nice touch, though.

In their final series, India need to win by 2-1 or better, England by 3-1 or better to qualify. Anything in between these margins and Aus qualify.

Probably didn't want it like that, but I'm pleased for New Zealand. They're no.1 in the rankings now, and deservedly so. Only recent blemish was the pummelling they took from Aus last year.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Covid cricket continues to amaze as WI chase down 395 to beat Bangladesh, double hundred to debutant Kyle Mayers. Hope it's more than just one of WI's occasional moments amid the mediocrity. Record run chase in Asia.

Meanwhile in Pakistan, SA are right in it as they go into a beautifully poised final day needing 243 to win and with nine wickets in hand.

Test cricket.

 

[planetgeli]

And in Dhaka, West Indies win the series 2-0 after winning the second Test by just 17 runs.

Spinners took all the wickets in the second innings, the first time West Indies spinners have done this for 65 years.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yeah well done them, and with a very inexperienced team as well. Big blow for Bangladesh to lose Shakib, but all the same, they're not easy to beat at home, and WI were missing plenty of players. Two brilliant games.

Test cricket really is in a very healthy place at the moment, away wins coming all over the place. Third one this year.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

just a mention for free sports channel (freeview 64 round here - and think you need a HD-able telly) quite often has slightly obscure cricket on.

currently showing test match between zimbabwe and afghanistan...

 

[GarveyLives]

West Indies v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I (N), Coolidge, Antigua, 3 March 2021: Kieron Pollard becomes third player to hit six sixes in an international over

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[planetgeli]

West Indies v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I (N), Coolidge, Antigua, 3 March 2021: Kieron Pollard becomes third player to hit six sixes in an international over

​

The amazng this about this, as if six 6s in an over wasn't amazing enough, was that he did it against a bowler who had taken a hat-trick in his previous over. (Which included Chris Gayle first ball).

 

[planetgeli]

Another test match that went to day 5 session 3. Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 6 wickets.

AFG vs ZIM, Afghanistan v Zimbabwe 2020/21, 2nd Test at Abu Dhabi, March 10 - 14, 2021 - Full Scorecard

Get cricket scorecard of 2nd Test, AFG vs ZIM, Afghanistan v Zimbabwe 2020/21 at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi dated March 10 - 14, 2021.

www.espncricinfo.com

Notable for Rashid Khan bowling 99.2 overs in the match, which included two straight innings in a row as Zimbabwe followed on. His second innings figures were 62.5-17-137-7.

 

[two sheds]

West Indies v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I (N), Coolidge, Antigua, 3 March 2021: Kieron Pollard becomes third player to hit six sixes in an international over

​

Remember seeing in b&w 1968 on the news Gary Sobers do it for Nottinghamshire - first time in first class cricket.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

So who's watching the much anticipated world test championship final then?

TBH I think it's kind of funny that after all of it they look likely to end up with a proper English washed-out draw, even though England were nowhere near the final.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm a big fan of the WTC and I really hope they get a result. The format may be a bit of a political compromise, but I think the principle is great and I think the right two teams are in the final.

Weather looks grim today but there is a reserve day, so it is effectively a six-day test match if it rains. They can afford to lose one day, but probably not two.

 

[Ted Striker]

Jesus Peach of a delivery there.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Beautiful. Perfect delivery. Asifesque.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Finally under way in the WTC. New Zealand had a very poor first hour, Boult and Southee getting it wrong. But came back strongly in the second hour - Jamieson continues to impress me, and they continue to catch everything.

But I reckon India will be quietly pleased to have lost the toss and quietly satisfied to be just two down at lunch. Plenty in this pitch and the conditions for the bowlers, and nice to see an English wicket with a bit of pace to it.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

So the World Test Champs final is well into the sixth day and there's a possibility of an actual result! New Zealand looking well on top, if they can get the last four India wickets reasonably quickly then they should have time to chase it down.

 

[Petcha]

New Zealand are destroying them. Well deserved

 

[planetgeli]

NZ need 139 off 53 overs. Could be tight still. Certainly a great advert for 6 day tests

 

[littlebabyjesus]

really happy there's going to be a result.

Kyle Jamieson's match figures: 46-22-61-7. No boundaries.

According to TMS, the most economical match figures for a fast bowler in England since, highly appropriately, Joel Garner in 1980.

He still has a test average of around 13!

 

[Petcha]

Well at least it makes England's demolition look a bit better. This side's quite good.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Well done NZ. Brilliant performance. They really are some team at the moment, and given the resources available to them in terms of people and money, it's pretty remarkable. Probably about half a dozen of this side would get into a Kiwi all-time 11. Maybe more than half a dozen. It's more a question of who wouldn't.

 

[planetgeli]

Meanwhile, over in Oz...

MacGill opens up over alleged kidnapping

Former Australia spinner Stuart MacGill says his alleged kidnapping and assault has taken a major toll on his family.

www.bbc.co.uk

For those not following.

Stuart MacGill, happily living out his life in quite retirement , introduces his partner's brother (Marino) to a known Sydney drug dealer called Sonny.

Sonny and Marino agree a coke deal. Marino is supplying, Sonny is buying.

The deal goes wrong. Drugs are produced by Marino, no money is forthcoming from Sonny.

As MacGill made the introduction, it appears Marino decides MacGill should pay compensation as he made the introduction. Marino allegedly kidnaps MacGill with two others and drives him off to a suburb of Sydney to be frightened.

An hour later MacGill is released unharmed. No money is handed over. Allegedly.

MacGill doesn't report this to the police for 5/6 days. And then he does.

Arrests are made.

MacGill's family life suffers.

...........................................................

Probably more interesting than anything that happened to him on a cricket pitch.

It goes without saying that MacGill is completely innocent in all this.

Brother of Stuart MacGill's ex-partner among the four men accused over cricketer's kidnapping

Marino Sotiropoulos, the brother of the former Test cricketer's ex-partner, is among four men accused of bundling him into a car before driving to a home in Sydney’s west where police say he was bashed and held at gunpoint.

www.abc.net.au