The Cricket Thread 2013

[bertlambshank]

The England batsmen have left their brains at the airport.Come on the Root.

[hipkiss92]

So we learnt how to play on the subcontinent and suddenly can't deal with a slightly swinging ball on almost perfect batting conditions

[Warren Aspinall]

We seem to have forgotten the golden rule when playing New Zealand, you have to battle hard at first then take advantage in the 2nd half of the test. Can't believe how bad we've batted in our owqn conditions.

[tomd2103]

Heard it mentioned on the radio over the weekend that we haven't won the first test of an away series against one of the major test playing nations since 2004.  Is that right? 

[OzVilla]

Yes, South Africa in 2004 I think.  Amazing to think we've done as well as we have in that peroid when you consider that record of First Tests results, it's appalling.

[Villan For Life]

What a shocking performance.

[PaulWinch again]

That was as bad a first day's performance as I can remember, absolutely disgusting on every level. The batsmen were complacent and the bowlers were hopeless. We looked horribly unprepared against a team we should be beating comfortably, utterly embarrassing. Our preparation and attitude needs to be looked at. They are probably going to be 1-0 down in a three match series now.

[Dave Cooper please]

Looks like the ECB still haven't learned how to balance the tough International schedule with giving players time off, we look horribly unprepared and have done now in the first Test in three overseas series in a row.

[PaulWinch again]

Quite, not giving Anderson and Finn at least one 4 day game was madness as well. Really really poor, and we're now up against it in this series after one day of cricket.

[Jon Crofts]

What the f**k do they do before test matches to prepare? 

[PaulWinch again]

I don't know, but whatever it is it doesn't work. Cook's shot was the worst of the lot for me, and set the tone for the rest.

[Chris Smith]

Looks like the ECB still haven't learned how to balance the tough International schedule with giving players time off, we look horribly unprepared and have done now in the first Test in three overseas series in a row.

There's just too much cricket. At one time they'd have a few weeks acclimatisation before an overseas series, now they're just on the go all the time and the first test acts as a warm up game.

[john e]

abysmal

i though supporting Villa was hard enough without Cricket joining in as well

[PaulWinch again]

This is truly terrible, we don't look threatening here.

[PaulWinch again]

This bowling is bloody horrible.