The Cricket Thread 2013

[The Left Side]

Well done England, especially Belly

[PaulWinch again]

Brilliant from England, that's a hell of an effort to bat out the day.

[Dave Cooper please]

Calm down James, and there you go appealing for massive inside edge.

yep, what pattinson did there double appealing for lbw on a big edge is just as bad.

Have you ever played the game? I was a spin bowler and it's pretty difficult to tell when a batsman has got an edge on a delivery that is going to hit the stumps, you aren't really looking at the batsman on your follow through, you are running off the pitch. Doubly hard for a pace bowler I'd have thought. Unless I heard the nick I appealed.

Twice?

Unless told by the wicket keeper or slips that there was definitely an edge then yes, until the umpire gives it one way or the other then it's worth the appeal if I thought it was lbw.

[paul_e]

Moving on, massive partnership from Bell and Broad, both did exactly what was needed and the game has swung quite heavily in our favour now.  We should get a lead well over 300, probably closer to 350 now.

[PaulWinch again]

We need to look at 300 + on this pitch.

[curiousorange]

Got to be pleased with that. If Bell and Broad are in 15 minutes after play starts tomorrow, England will cruise past 300.

[Steve R]

Well played to Broad for approaching Test Match batting like Test Match batting and not the John Player Sunday league. He should do it more often.

Great innings from Bell. He must have felt under pressure to produce something and on a difficult pitch did just that. Top bollocks.

150 on this pitch is a tough target. With whatever England can scrat together tomorrow Australia should be out of it.

[paul_e]

Australia look short of a top class spinner to really get the most out of the pitch, we have one of the best around, I confidently predict a Swann 5for over the weekend (with a slight warning that what could scupper this is a wonder spell from Jimmy like the first inning).

[UK Redsox]

Mikey Holding made an interesting point during Sky's analysis; ie how was Broad's failure to walk any different to Ramdin not saying he dropped the ball. The latter was banned for two games for "conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/22846305

My opinion is that its not up to a batsman to say they've hit the ball or for a fielder to say that they've dropped it. That's the Umpire's job.

NB - as I've said before, I'd also ban "appealing". A player's either out or they're not, how convincing the appeal is should not make a difference.

[olaftab]

I guess Aleem Dar "gave back" Trott decision by Erasamus. Very lucky man Broad.

[Ads]

We need to look at 300 + on this pitch.

I don't think the Aussies will gwt anywhere near 220. 300 plus will make us feel very safe, but with the ball spitting and turning for Swanny to the left handers and Jimmy reversing it, we will blitz them.

[Rotterdam]

Brilliant from England, that's a hell of an effort to bat out the day.

Ditto.

[spangley1812]

Mikey Holding made an interesting point during Sky's analysis; ie how was Broad's failure to walk any different to Ramdin not saying he dropped the ball. The latter was banned for two games for "conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/22846305

My opinion is that its not up to a batsman to say they've hit the ball or for a fielder to say that they've dropped it. That's the Umpire's job.

NB - as I've said before, I'd also ban "appealing". A player's either out or they're not, how convincing the appeal is should not make a difference.

There is a huge difference as Ramdin "claimed" the catch......

[curiousorange]

Mikey Holding made an interesting point during Sky's analysis; ie how was Broad's failure to walk any different to Ramdin not saying he dropped the ball. The latter was banned for two games for "conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/22846305

My opinion is that its not up to a batsman to say they've hit the ball or for a fielder to say that they've dropped it. That's the Umpire's job.

NB - as I've said before, I'd also ban "appealing". A player's either out or they're not, how convincing the appeal is should not make a difference.

There is a huge difference as Ramdin "claimed" the catch......

Yeah, that's what I thought too. There's a fine line, as you can say Broad 'conned' the umpire with his reaction, but Ramdin tried to claim credit for something that wasn't true, while Broad stuck with the umpire's call and didn't speak up. One broke the laws, the other followed them to the letter.

[wombat]

Never mind all this walk don't walk business.

Did anybody hear Blowers rapping at lunch on TMS with the Duckworth Lewis Method... it's was priceless....

However, not as funny as later in the day when Blowers was commentating with Tuffers he described his appearance as an MC thusly 'The Duckworth Lewis Method featuring Blow Job!'... I thought Tuffers was going to lay an egg! Brilliant Radio!

England to go onto to a 350 lead and skittle the Aussies for about 180-200. Beautiful.