The Cricket Thread 2016

[paul_e]

Someone needs to wind Ballance up, I like him but this isn't the job he should be doing, 2 an over suits them much more than us.

[Monty]

I agree, Paul. Root has gone out there and shown that quick scoring is possible on this pitch. Ballance is set now - he needs to up his run-rate.

More shots like that will do.

[paul_e]

Can we have a few more overs from blackwood, you'd be looking at t20 batting then! For anyone who missed it 14 from the over makes it look better than it was. The first 5 could all have gone to the rope.

[paul_e]

Better since the new ball, putting a lot of pressure on now but we're still probably 40-50 runs behind where I'd have liked.

[PaulWinch again]

Not great for Moeen.

[PaulWinch again]

Moeen doesn't look mentally match fit, if that makes sense. He's making really poor decisions.

[paul_e]

Hopefully the pitch breaking up will give him a bit of encouragement with the ball in the 2nd innings, 2-3 wickets there and it will make the world of difference.  That said I agree, he look a bit undercooked, maybe flying him out wasn't the best idea.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah hopefully. Root is absolutely brilliant, I think he could go on to be our top run scorer.

[Villan For Life]

It's hardly surprising Mo looks undercooked. He's just back from injury and had one game for Worcester where he hardly bowled. Also since last August he's played nothing but short format cricket.

Root was magnificent yesterday. His record since he was dropped for the Sydney test last year is remarkable and he averages over 100.

I thought Cook and Trott were set for tons and it's a pity they didn't get them. That said I did detect a return of some confidence, particularly from Cook.

The first session today will be interesting. Buttler could cause some serious damage and allow us to declare before lunch leaving five and a bit sessions in which to bowl them out. It's a big ask and I do wonder if we will pay for the "safe" selection of only one spinner. Two spinners on this pitch would cause real problems to the batsmen.

[Chris Jameson]

Root looks understandably pissed off with a pathetic bit of cricket from Anderson.

[Monty]

Very sloppy from Anderson. Get your bat down, for goodness' sake.

That said, what a pleasure that Root innings was to watch. We have a hell of a player here - 2000 runs in tests already! - so how long do we think it'll be before we ruin him by making him captain?

[Villan For Life]

Let's hope Cook gets his mojo back before that happens!

[PaulWinch again]

Really struggling here now.

[Villan For Life]

Our bowling in the afternoon session was poor. We seem incapable of making something happen, instead we toss the ball to the Umpire, moaning that it's not reversing and wanting a change.

At times it resembled the last 10 or 15 overs in Antigua, an attack that does not know what to do when the ball isn't swinging.

[paul_e]

I take responsibility for that one, had a fiver on paddy power and decided to bet on the next wicket, flipped a coin to pick a batsman and he went down 2 balls later.  Not going to tempt fate by trying again.