The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

We are under the impression that Test cricket is still played at a slow pace. It's not, the top teams play an aggressive fast paced style now. If you're not scoring at 4 an over on a regular basis you're behind the times. We are miles off it now.

[aj2k77]

A more one paced, atritional, defensive top 5 I haven't seen for a long time for England.

[aj2k77]

How stubborn are the selectors as well? The shambolic way in which Cook was ditched just before the world cup because they didn't want to be proven wrong despite the overwhelming evidence, well it looks like it's going to go that way in the tests as well. Don't be surprised if they manage to let Cook hang on until weeks before the Ashes. He looks shot right now and has done for a while.

[PaulWinch again]

Improved second session so far.

[PaulWinch again]

Bell needs a big score here.

[PaulWinch again]

The West Indies bowlers have lost their discipline here.

[Villan For Life]

The West Indies bowlers have lost their discipline here.

They're running out of ideas and their heads are dropping.

Once the early-session liveliness of the pitch wore off, batting got easier. There are several big scores to be had here if they bat sensibly.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep it's very flat and to be honest Root, Buttler and Ali are the only positives of the last year so let's hope a couple of them dig us out.

[hipkiss92]

Yep it's very flat and to be honest Root, Buttler and Ali are the only positives of the last year so let's hope a couple of them dig us out.

Ali would be doing well, get your point though, these are the players we should be building around next 5-8 years

[tomd2103]

We are under the impression that Test cricket is still played at a slow pace. It's not, the top teams play an aggressive fast paced style now. If you're not scoring at 4 an over on a regular basis you're behind the times. We are miles off it now.

Not sure about that Paul.  The last couple of times we have come across South Africa, they have shown us how to bat in test matches.  The likes of Kallis and Amla gave a master class in how to bat in test matches - solid defensively yet able to put the bad balls away. 

Thinking about it on the way home though, I'm not sure I like the look of that Trott and Cook opening partnership.  One of them needs to be partnered with someone a little more adventurous. 

[Villan For Life]

A much better session with the scoring rate back up where it should be.

Joe Root's back problem is a cause for concern though.

[Villan For Life]

We are under the impression that Test cricket is still played at a slow pace. It's not, the top teams play an aggressive fast paced style now. If you're not scoring at 4 an over on a regular basis you're behind the times. We are miles off it now.

Not sure about that Paul.  The last couple of times we have come across South Africa, they have shown us how to bat in test matches.  The likes of Kallis and Amla gave a master class in how to bat in test matches - solid defensively yet able to put the bad balls away. 

Thinking about it on the way home though, I'm not sure I like the look of that Trott and Cook opening partnership.  One of them needs to be partnered with someone a little more adventurous. 

The Saffers adapt to the match situation though and are masters at it. Most top test sides score at 4 an over. The Aussies started it and others followed suit.

Trott and Cook are too staid to be an opening partnership. Neither of them will dominate an attack. We have tried so many combinations since Strauss retired and haven't found a stable pair of openers who compliment each other.

[paul_e]

We are under the impression that Test cricket is still played at a slow pace. It's not, the top teams play an aggressive fast paced style now. If you're not scoring at 4 an over on a regular basis you're behind the times. We are miles off it now.

Not sure about that Paul.  The last couple of times we have come across South Africa, they have shown us how to bat in test matches.  The likes of Kallis and Amla gave a master class in how to bat in test matches - solid defensively yet able to put the bad balls away. 

Thinking about it on the way home though, I'm not sure I like the look of that Trott and Cook opening partnership.  One of them needs to be partnered with someone a little more adventurous. 

putting away the bad balls is part of it but amla in particular is excellent at rotating the strike so bowlers rarely get chance to set him up.  That our biggest problem, a bit of aggression and we withdraw and let the pressure build.  Look at Ballance today, he just stopped trying to score and then got out having not scored for about 20 balls, that's just getting yourself into trouble.

[PaulWinch again]

Root turned around this innings, he brought tempo to us.

[PaulWinch again]

We are under the impression that Test cricket is still played at a slow pace. It's not, the top teams play an aggressive fast paced style now. If you're not scoring at 4 an over on a regular basis you're behind the times. We are miles off it now.

Not sure about that Paul.  The last couple of times we have come across South Africa, they have shown us how to bat in test matches.  The likes of Kallis and Amla gave a master class in how to bat in test matches - solid defensively yet able to put the bad balls away. 

Thinking about it on the way home though, I'm not sure I like the look of that Trott and Cook opening partnership.  One of them needs to be partnered with someone a little more adventurous. 

putting away the bad balls is part of it but amla in particular is excellent at rotating the strike so bowlers rarely get chance to set him up.  That our biggest problem, a bit of aggression and we withdraw and let the pressure build.  Look at Ballance today, he just stopped trying to score and then got out having not scored for about 20 balls, that's just getting yourself into trouble.

Indeed it's not all about hitting boundaries. It's about keeping the score board ticking.