International Cricket

[littlebabyjesus]

Yep, could still go either way. India probably happier to go away to come back fresh, but SA just one good partnership off slogging distance.

Watching the three test series going on at the moment, I'd have to rank England sixth out of the six teams. England need to pull their socks up because they're staring at West Indies-level mediocrity at the moment - reasonable if not amazing bowling and a long line of pretty-enough but underachieving batters. Windies in the later years of Lara's career, perhaps. They're about there at the moment.

 

[planetgeli]

Excellent first hour for S.Africa (after the rain), but Shami gives India a small glimmer getting vdD.

Incidentally, out of the last 7 batsmen to carry their bat in tests, Dean Elgar is 3 of them. Which says a lot about him, and quite a lot about his team whose averages rival England's.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

SA on their way now, you feel. Even seeing Elgar smile a bit now. Both he and Bavuma are super-concentrated. All over for India barring something extraordinary.

Excellent test and it will be a good win. Bavuma always looks great when he bats. Hopefully he'll get himself a few hundreds at some point soon.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yeah, Elgar now playing all the shots. This is over! Can he get to 100?

 

[planetgeli]

96* will do. Excellent win. India beaten by a great batting performance. Remember those? No, me neither really.

 

[Petcha]

As decisions go to field first, this wasn't the greatest. 349/1

Taylor ends Test career with final wicket as New Zealand square series

Wagner and Jamieson share seven wickets in an innings win inside three days in the second Test

www.espncricinfo.com

Looks like NZ got the prod they needed from the last game. I fancy Latham for a triple century here.

 

[Petcha]

So will Latham (acting captain) declare once he hits 300? Toughie! Coz he could go on and on and on here.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I fancy Latham for a triple century here.

oops

 

[Balbi]

Looks like my plans for day three and day four are in deep trouble. Possible NZ could wrap this up by lunch tomorrow.

 

[Petcha]

Awkward decision for Latham. Surely he has to enforce it though. They could be 700 up by the time Taylor gets a bat.

So we go to sleep with the suspense of whether Latham enforces the follow-on tomorrow or not. There is a case to be made either way - not least when considered it could be Taylor's final Test innings if they bat - as with three full days left, a result should be up rather soon. Until then, it is goodnight and goodbye from Ranjith, Srivasthsa and me, Himanshu!

 

[Balbi]

I thought Tom could just send Rosco out to open and then declare whenever the big man gets out

 

[Balbi]

Beautiful day here at Hagley

 

[littlebabyjesus]

As decisions go to field first, this wasn't the greatest. 349/1

It's an example of how winning the toss isn't everything. It was the right thing to bowl, and Bangladesh did ok second day. They got it wrong with the ball first day, that was the problem. NZ would no doubt have fielded first as well - it is a typical NZ pitch, green on day one then flattens out, and you bowl first.

 

[Balbi]

From the stand Bang seem a lot more composed today and NZ are bowling a lot like Bangladesh did on Day 1. Definitely a lot of zip but not a whole heap of movement. Think this could go to the evening, if Bangladesh last until tomorrow it's going to rain and then suddenly things get interesting.

Think Neil Wagner is having some problems too, he was bowled heavily in the first test and is down in front of us working on his hip flexors in between overs and chatting with a physio.

 

[Petcha]

I hope it does go to tomorrow. And you should definitely get yourself on TV here in some way. It can't be that difficult given the village cricket thing going on. I think I saw a nana knitting before. Is anyone even drinking?

 

[Petcha]

By this time at the Oval I'm reluctantly assisting in a beer snake going over my head and half cut myself with little idea of whats actually happening on the field

 

[Balbi]

The members stand has a good range of beers but I'm pacing myself. It's family day too, so the bars are brisk business but best behaviour. It's also really hot out there.

 

[Petcha]

A bit off track Balbi, but you seem to know your shit about both cricket and NZ culture. A) Is Taylor very unusual in being a Maori first class cricketer and b) is that because there's a bit of a class system down there like there is here where have virtually no top flight black cricketers?

 

[Petcha]

Oh and why/how are you in the members area?!

 

[Balbi]

First question, Rosco isn't Māori he's Samoan. And yeah it is a bit of a rarity, he was mentored by Martin Crowe. You do get Pacific Islanders and Māori playing the game but yeah it's a bit like the UK in that regard, cricket is gonna cricket. They're working on it but you're likely to get an Ajaz Patel than a Te Atawhai Wihongi at the minute you know? Māori are under represented in soccer and cricket if you ask me, because the focus has been NRL and Union - easier and cheaper sports to get into with a far wider chance of making it in NZ. Decent article here.

Trent Boult is Māori, affiliated to three iwi out on the East coast of the North Island. Brief list of Māori cricketers here

Second, a mate was doing some charity fundraising work for Canterbury Cricket and got some guest passes. So I'm up in the Richard Hadlee drinking some nice beer and having an air conditioned view of proceedings. Lot of old Black Caps about, and McCullum and that.

 

[Balbi]

Whole crowd yelling at Latham to bowl Taylor for four overs and booing Wagner and Jameson.

Rosco gets the ball, wins the game. HOW GOOD IS THE CRICKET.

 

[Balbi]

There's me in the fancy shorts and shirt.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

South Africa beat India South Africa won by 7 wickets - India vs South Africa, India in South Africa, 3rd Test Match Summary, Report | ESPNcricinfo.com

Check India vs South Africa, India in South Africa 2021/22, 3rd Test Match scoreboard, ball by ball commentary, updates only on ESPNcricinfo.com. Check India vs South Africa 3rd Test Videos, Reports Articles Online.

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The South Africa - India decider is shaping up to be a really good game. SA taking wickets - they're developing a really strong pace attack - but Rishabh Pant scoring quickly. Should result in a challenging but potentially achievable chase.

 

[planetgeli]

South Africa beat India South Africa won by 7 wickets - India vs South Africa, India in South Africa, 3rd Test Match Summary, Report | ESPNcricinfo.com

Check India vs South Africa, India in South Africa 2021/22, 3rd Test Match scoreboard, ball by ball commentary, updates only on ESPNcricinfo.com. Check India vs South Africa 3rd Test Videos, Reports Articles Online.

www.espncricinfo.com

The South Africa - India decider is shaping up to be a really good game. SA taking wickets - they're developing a really strong pace attack - but Rishabh Pant scoring quickly. Should result in a challenging but potentially achievable chase.

Exactly right. It's another great Test match and panning out much like the Second Test. S.Africa must be hot favourites right now but India just got themselves back in it with the last ball of the day getting Elgar out.. That Keegan Peterson looks a find, playing beautifully, will probably get out early tomorrow now. Which would make it even more tense. S.Africa have a really shit tail. The runs must come from the middle order. Worth watching.

 

[planetgeli]

Kohli went mental yesterday when he didn't get a DRS decision. Screaming into the stump mike "we are playing against the whole country, they are all against us". I wonder if he thinks Pujara is South African after he dropped Peterson.

Keegan Peterson is where it's at. New talent. Great to watch. South Africa jogging towards victory.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

South Africa look to be turning a corner. And doing so with four star black players as well. This will be a fine series victory if it comes, and it will have been built mainly on the efforts of six players - three batters, three bowlers. Out of those six, four are black, and I think I'm right in saying that three are classified as 'black African'. It's horrible to talk in those terms, but that's still where they're at in SA wrt racial quotas. This series might be a first step towards a better place.

ETA: And as I write, Petersen is out. Over to Temba.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Carbon copy of the last test. Well done South Africa, that was an excellent series win. Don't think India did too much wrong - just outplayed in the fourth innings of each of the last two matches.

This will almost certainly be the end of the line for both Pujara and Rahane. Shame for Pujara to end like that, plopping a sitter. But still a very fine career.

For South Africa, perhaps, just perhaps, this is the start of a genuine transformation after all the bullshit of the last 20-odd years.

 

[Petcha]

Maybe now they can get rid of the absurd quota system

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Maybe now the despicable racism of white players in the dressing room is finally at an end.

 

[planetgeli]

Now the idiot (if fine cricketer) QDK has gone? Yes, maybe. But I hope QDK feels proper stupid and left out after quitting the team when they lost the First Test.