The Ashes 2021/22
- Thread starter RileyOBlimey
- Start date
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
If he doesn’t engineer an early breakthrough it could be a long couple of days in the field for the tourists.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
It does seem to be a bit captaincy by numbers. Got to be flexible and have a feel for who is and isn't doing it. Be strong and whip Jimmy off after three or four overs if he isn't quite there. He won't like it. You should want him not to like it. But you have to make those calls.
Anyway, rain and bed, I think. The joys of waking up to check the score await. Harris 120*, no doubt.
Anyway, rain and bed, I think. The joys of waking up to check the score await. Harris 120*, no doubt.
Jeff Thompson was on commentary at the start and said you should start with your most dangerous bowler, he would have gone with Wood. Being one of the most vicious bowlers in history I guess he would say that but um... it kinda makes sense. Jimmy has a hold over Root I think.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Just looked him up and surprisingly, Thomson didn't always take the new ball. Mostly, yes, but not always.
I would have opened with Anderson and Broad, but I'd be prepared to take either of them off if they hadn't hit their marks after three or four overs. It's harsh to say, but Anderson mostly wasted that new ball. It happens - as the commentators said, they're not robots - but when it happens, you have to be able to react.
RileyOBlimey
Well-Known Member
Broad gets his man. Warner out for 30.
Mark Butcher says that’s the 13th time Malfoy has got him.
Mark Butcher says that’s the 13th time Malfoy has got him.
RileyOBlimey
Well-Known Member
From the Torygraph:
Finally, under an oppressive Sydney sky and with David Warner firmly in his crosshairs, Stuart Broad was in his element. All great bowlers have their bunnies, whose every frailty they are primed to exploit. For Glenn McGrath it was Mike Atherton, whom he prised out 19 times. But for Broad it is Warner, whose pugnacity dissolves whenever he sees his 6ft 6in nemesis, decked out in white headband like the ninja of Nottingham, haring towards him from around the wicket.
His 13th dismissal at Broad’s hands unfolded in near-perfect symmetry with the dozen before, as he prodded nervously at a ball fired in from wide on the crease, one that nipped back to take his outside edge and fall obligingly to Zak Crawley at second slip. Warner, while ferociously competitive, seemed almost wryly amused after departing for 30, the familiarity of his fate bringing him out in a rueful grin. He joked afterwards that it had all been a clever ruse, designed to keep the intrigue around his duels with Broad bubbling.
Broad, for his part, wanted to milk the moment, toasting Warner’s exit by making a bunny-ears gesture to Crawley. Unfortunately, in the wider context of England’s Ashes surrender, it was hardly a cause for mirth. The sight of Broad tormenting his usual foe, who just happens to be one of the world’s most dangerous opening batsmen, rekindled the painful debate as to why he had not led his team’s pace attack from the outset. “Stuart Broad, where were you in Brisbane?” lamented Michael Vaughan.
Where, indeed. Instead, on the greenest of Gabba pitches, Warner was left to face a succession of no-balls from an out-of-form Ben Stokes, eventually making 94. Where was Broad in Melbourne, too? With the Ashes then still in their final twitches of life, Warner was spared any encounter with his arch-assassin, instead combining with Marcus Harris for a 57 partnership that proved vital in a low-scoring game. Such an oversight has left many of Australia’s past legends incredulous.
“I just can’t believe he hasn’t played more,” said Shane Warne. “He would have bowled beautifully in Melbourne. He would have been hard to play in Brisbane. They played him in one Test on a flat wicket in Adelaide. For me, it’s just James Anderson and Broad, then, “OK, who’s next?” I don’t know they’re not playing Broad – I must be missing something there.”
Finally, under an oppressive Sydney sky and with David Warner firmly in his crosshairs, Stuart Broad was in his element. All great bowlers have their bunnies, whose every frailty they are primed to exploit. For Glenn McGrath it was Mike Atherton, whom he prised out 19 times. But for Broad it is Warner, whose pugnacity dissolves whenever he sees his 6ft 6in nemesis, decked out in white headband like the ninja of Nottingham, haring towards him from around the wicket.
His 13th dismissal at Broad’s hands unfolded in near-perfect symmetry with the dozen before, as he prodded nervously at a ball fired in from wide on the crease, one that nipped back to take his outside edge and fall obligingly to Zak Crawley at second slip. Warner, while ferociously competitive, seemed almost wryly amused after departing for 30, the familiarity of his fate bringing him out in a rueful grin. He joked afterwards that it had all been a clever ruse, designed to keep the intrigue around his duels with Broad bubbling.
Broad, for his part, wanted to milk the moment, toasting Warner’s exit by making a bunny-ears gesture to Crawley. Unfortunately, in the wider context of England’s Ashes surrender, it was hardly a cause for mirth. The sight of Broad tormenting his usual foe, who just happens to be one of the world’s most dangerous opening batsmen, rekindled the painful debate as to why he had not led his team’s pace attack from the outset. “Stuart Broad, where were you in Brisbane?” lamented Michael Vaughan.
Where, indeed. Instead, on the greenest of Gabba pitches, Warner was left to face a succession of no-balls from an out-of-form Ben Stokes, eventually making 94. Where was Broad in Melbourne, too? With the Ashes then still in their final twitches of life, Warner was spared any encounter with his arch-assassin, instead combining with Marcus Harris for a 57 partnership that proved vital in a low-scoring game. Such an oversight has left many of Australia’s past legends incredulous.
“I just can’t believe he hasn’t played more,” said Shane Warne. “He would have bowled beautifully in Melbourne. He would have been hard to play in Brisbane. They played him in one Test on a flat wicket in Adelaide. For me, it’s just James Anderson and Broad, then, “OK, who’s next?” I don’t know they’re not playing Broad – I must be missing something there.”
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
More rain. boo.
It's endlessly fascinating watching Smith bat. Bowlers barely dare aim at off stump, let alone middle. But if you go too wide of off, he's totally capable of smashing you into the off side as well. And then he's a bit of an impulsive hooker, but he hooked Wood like he was a medium pacer.
Geoff Lawson on comms had it right. It's not even worth trying to analyse it. You'd never teach it to anybody. Just sit back and wonder.
It's endlessly fascinating watching Smith bat. Bowlers barely dare aim at off stump, let alone middle. But if you go too wide of off, he's totally capable of smashing you into the off side as well. And then he's a bit of an impulsive hooker, but he hooked Wood like he was a medium pacer.
Geoff Lawson on comms had it right. It's not even worth trying to analyse it. You'd never teach it to anybody. Just sit back and wonder.
Why the fuck doesn't the ICC just say 'harden up' to these umpires. I've been watching cricket for almost 40 years now and this still fucks me off. I've played cricket in a little bit of rain as well, it's really not that hard. They spend so much money marketing the game around the world and then they turn off prospective fans with shit like this. It's drizzling. Why do they carry on in much heavier rain in T20 tournaments but Test cricketers can't handle getting slightly wet.
Yes, I agree, I love watching him bat. He's nuts. Totally nuts. You can't teach that.
I'm watching the Aussie feed on Fox (which is far preferable to Gower mumbling away on BT). The commentators are rightly pointing out the bowling side should be asked if they want to go off, not the batting side. The only danger is the bowlers' footing. They're actually laying into the Aussies for trying to come off.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Lawson is making the same point. Gower saying he'd be tempted as ump to calmly invite the batsmen to return to the middle.
Don't mind the Lawson/Gower combo tbf. At least there's no Botham.
I've worked in the public sector. He's got a point.The Aussies were slightly more critical of Smith trying to walk off than Mr Gower. But the same sentiment. More along the lines of 'it's disgraceful'.
Vaughan is on Fox. He's actually a lot more entertaining and insightful than Butcher and Gower.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Stokes doing his Wagner impression now. Ok. Worth a try.
Well yes but he was huffing and puffing after his first ball. Wagner does 15 over spells and still looks pissed off when he's taken off.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yeah Wagner loves it. Stokes perhaps agrees to doing it slightly reluctantly. Got to keep at it, though. Wagner's shown that. You might not induce the mistake until your seventh or eighth over.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
All looking very comfortable. I don't dislike turning to the short stuff with Stokes leading up to the new ball, but as I said above, he's got to stick with it for a bit if it's going to stand a chance.suddenly they're 175-3
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
They're not just going to leave these bouncers either. Don't mind this at all.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Oh fuck's sake.
That's it I'm going to bed.
Sorry but this is the main reason why England are being thumped. Forget everything else. Nothing happening at all, suddenly a chance, and it goes down. Can't do that.
That's it I'm going to bed.
Sorry but this is the main reason why England are being thumped. Forget everything else. Nothing happening at all, suddenly a chance, and it goes down. Can't do that.
