The Cricket Thread 2013

[PaulWinch again]

This pitch is easily 400+ our batsmen are completely letting us down again. Bairstow you are never going to have an easier wicket to bat on, so no excuses.

[Chris Jameson]

Bloody hell this thread makes the Villa match threads look positively joyful!

[Dr Butler]

This pitch is easily 400+ our batsmen are completely letting us down again. Bairstow you are never going to have an easier wicket to bat on, so no excuses.

wait until both sides have batted, but still poor shots from Trott and Pietersen.....

[peter w]

I'd back the Aussies to play a few rash shots too, but really this is nothing short of a big scoring track. Poor shot selection has killed us thus far. bell and bairstow need to knuckle down here. no more dismissals tonight.

[PaulWinch again]

Whether the Aussies score big or not does not change the fact that this is a very easy wicket and it should be a big scoring wicket. Flat deck and fast outfield. Our batsmen need to go back to applying themselves and stop playing stupid shots.

[PaulWinch again]

Good fifty Bell, you need to go onto a massive score now.

[paul_e]

As I said in reference to Bresnan being picked, on a wicket like this the surefire way to get wickets is to make the batsmen feel like they're not making the most of it and get them playing 50/50 shots to score.  choke up the runs from 1 end, try to keep the same player on strike and get him not scoring for 15-20 deliveries and most batsmen will get nervous, even if if they're well set.

That doesn't account for any of our wickets really, it was just poor shot selection but they'll do some of those as well but we need to really stifle their scoring.

[PaulWinch again]

Our shot selection has been dreadful, it smacks of misplaced arrogance in places.

[Monty]

Poor shot, he's played across the line there.

Edit: he's a very lucky boy there - his bat was much further from the ball than Siddle's foot was from being behind the line. But thems the rules.

[TheTimVilla]

Phew! That was close. Now score a ton, Jonny!

[PaulWinch again]

Bairstow should learn immediately from that, he was clean bowled playing around a no ball. Keep your bat straight.

[paul_e]

get out of jail free card there.

[PaulWinch again]

Bairstow really needs to knuckle down now, he's been given a life and he has to go on or questions will start to be asked.

[PaulWinch again]

He has to stop playing across the line as he is frequently getting out that way.

[Dave Cooper please]

Now we're buried,

How many times do you this or similar during an England match on this thread?!

And how many times have you been proved wrong by one superb innings or a brilliant spell of bowling?

Have more faith Paul, we'll win this.