Cricket

[Strat-tastic]

And that's "breaking" news? Wow. I'm on tenterhooks
Let me know when something actually happens.

 

[DelW]

And that's "breaking" news? Wow. I'm on tenterhooks
Let me know when something actually happens.

Indeed, that's partly why I put it in inverted commas

But it is significant for anyone who's planning to follow this series, despite the apparent lack of media interest in it. Unfortunately ball by ball commentary seems only to be on Talksport 2, whose style I'm not really a fan of.

 

[Whistler40145]

Dan Lawrence has been called up to replace Harry Brook

 

[HST43257]

Bairstow not keeping in recent training, where Foakes kept for entirety. Who should take each of 5 and 7 out of Bairstow and Foakes, assuming Lawrence is just reserve batter?

 

[Harvester]

Bairstow not keeping in recent training, where Foakes kept for entirety. Who should take each of 5 and 7 out of Bairstow and Foakes, assuming Lawrence is just reserve batter?

England have confirmed that Foakes will play, with Bairstow playing as a specialist batsman. Full team is yet to be announced.

 

[DarloRich]

who is this kid Shoaib Bashir? he has played 3 games of county cricket and has a bowling average in the late 60's. What am I missing here? Is he some kind of prodigy?

 

[HST43257]

who is this kid Shoaib Bashir? he has played 3 games of county cricket and has a bowling average in the late 60's. What am I missing here? Is he some kind of prodigy?

Nope

A long shot for ”experience” - though that’s what Lions tours are for. I’ll never know how he and Tom Hartley were preferred to Liam Dawson, who I assume rejected a place as he wouldn’t be first choice to play in their eyes. Heck, even Leach is worse than Dawson!

 

[Whistler40145]

I see England are picking three spin bowlers and only Wood as the only Fast Bowler

 

[HST43257]

I see England are picking three spin bowlers and only Wood as the only Fast Bowler

Risky, but I’m glad they’re not burning Robinson and Anderson out too early. Who to take the new ball? All of the finger spinners in contention I reckon. Shame we won’t even get any Harry Brook medium pace!

 

[Whistler40145]

Is Stokes playing as a batsman?

 

[HST43257]

Is Stokes playing as a batsman?

Indeed. Only had surgery 6ish weeks ago so not bowling as yet. In the past few days, looked great batting in the nets but struggled in the field.

 

[Harvester]

Three spinners (two with one Test between them) plus Root, and one seamer is extremely risky. Wood is the most injury prone of England’s seamers, and I would have thought Robinson or Atkinson would have been a safer choice to bowl around 20% of England’s overs in the match!

 

[DarloRich]

Three spinners (two with one Test between them) plus Root, and one seamer is extremely risky. Wood is the most injury prone of England’s seamers, and I would have thought Robinson or Atkinson would have been a safer choice to bowl around 20% of England’s overs in the match!

Atkinson is very raw. i suspect they have picked Wood in the hope he can reverse the older ball. Pace bowling isn't a winner in India so i suspect all the fasts will rotate in and out of the side.

 

[Harvester]

England 246 all out in 64.3 overs, on a turning wicket. Stokes last man out, top scoring with 70.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Bazball has fallen.

 

[DarloRich]

Bazball has fallen.

it is quite good total considering our last few trips to India!

 

[Busaholic]

Oh dear, oh dear!

 

[Harvester]

Wood and Hartley opened the bowling. Hartley has been hit for 39 in 4 overs.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Meanwhile in the D/N Test at the Gabba West Indies are 5/198 in the last session of day one.

 

[Busaholic]

Meanwhile in the D/N Test at the Gabba West Indies are 5/198 in the last session of day one.

Six wickets down now, but Australia have used eight bowlers, including three spinners. England, by contrast, have gone into their first test with what must be their weakest and most inexperienced bowling line-up ever, or since the 1880s anyway. Perhaps Ahmed will give them some inspiration, or Root will get another Indian five-fer!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Stumps Day 1

WI 8/266.

Credit to the Windies. They have fought well.

 

[SteveM70]

Poor old Hartley looked terrified. 4-0-39-0 would be a bad spell in a t20 game, let alone opening the bowling in a test match

Stokes was then left in an impossible position - keep him on and risk him getting battered all round the ground, or take him off and potentially destroy any remaining confidence

 

[Whistler40145]

Would England have been wiser picking two spinners with Root being the third?

 

[SteveM70]

Possibly. But it’s a question of quality as well. And the other elephant in the room, a complete lack of competitive preparation

 

[Purple Train]

who is this kid Shoaib Bashir? he has played 3 games of county cricket and has a bowling average in the late 60's. What am I missing here? Is he some kind of prodigy?

Apparently he's been picked because he's tall enough to get some bounce (both he and Hartley are 6ft 4). Although, if that was their rationale, it wouldn't have made sense to pick 5ft 8 Rehan Ahmed (same height as Dawson), come to think of it.

Basically, I don't know, and I'm not sure the selectors do either. It's baffling.

 

[Whistler40145]

Apparently he's been picked because he's tall enough to get some bounce (both he and Hartley are 6ft 4). Although, if that was their rationale, it wouldn't have made sense to pick 5ft 8 Rehan Ahmed (same height as Dawson), come to think of it.

Basically, I don't know, and I'm not sure the selectors do either. It's baffling.

How tall was Tony Greig?

 

[Purple Train]

How tall was Tony Greig?

Apparently, he was 6ft 6.

 

[75A]

Apparently, he was 6ft 6.

I'd agree with that, i'm 6 feet 7 and was a member @ Hove when he was there and we were about the same heght.

 

[Harvester]

India are 350-5 with England’s spinners struggling to take wickets on a turning pitch. Their lead is over a hundred, and the match is slowly slipping out of England’ reach!

 

[75A]

Oz declared @ 289-9 - Smithy out for 6, after gettiing 12 & 11 n.o. in the 1st Test.
W.Indies 5-0,