The Cricket Thread 2016

[taylorsworkrate]

Root and Morgan playing this beautifully at the moment (obviously that will be a curse!!)

Not taking many risks, but still scoring at an excellent rate.

[paul_e]

In a good position here, the innings from Hales was utterly brilliant, scoring that quickly at the top has made it comparatively easy for this pair who have looked comfortable and have just played nice flowing shots without ever chasing after anything.  Morgan is back to his very best in this series and it's a massive plus.  I wonder how long it will be before he's talked about in relation to the test side.

[aj2k77]

Another brilliant game this. England scoring 300+ at will, the way others have been playing for a few years now.

[Chris Jameson]

Can we not bother with all the unpleasantness that comes with Australia and just keep playing New Zealand? Cracking matches, brilliant cricket and all played in a wonderful spirit. Never seen so many players with smiles on their faces.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Yup

[aj2k77]

Root could be the best English batsman for a very very long time.

[PaulWinch again]

Brilliant performance.

[aj2k77]

Destruction. We would have gone over 400 again. Incredible to compare this to the ambling, bore-athon we produced at the world cup.

[aj2k77]

We are hitting sixes as often as we used to hit fours.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

You do wonder though, with the pitches so run-friendly and the ball not swinging, we might as well just use bowling machines and see who can biff the ball further.

Still, mustn't complain, great to be competitive.

[paul_e]

Root could be the best English batsman for a very very long time.

Root is right up there with the best batsmen in the world and has been since the last ashes, his record in ODI and Tests since is superb.

Hales and Morgan were also utterly brilliant today and Roy looked better, still looks uncomfortable though.

[Chris Jameson]

We've really missed that Surrey batsman haven't we?

[PaulWinch again]

Morgan is fully back to his brilliant best.

[paul_e]

Whisper it quietly but this series has shown that less tests to fit in ODIs can work out well, I still love test cricket and I'd like to see all test series be 3 or 5 games but I'll be damned if this hasn't been the best ODI series I've ever watched, it really is utterly enthralling seeing 2 teams go all out at each other and do it with smiles on their faces and all played in a great spirit, I'd say this is the best home series for years, we should play NZ much more often.

[adrenachrome]

You do wonder though, with the pitches so run-friendly and the ball not swinging, we might as well just use bowling machines and see who can biff the ball further.

Still, mustn't complain, great to be competitive.

Very good point WTWD, and the very balanced and knowledgeable Kiwi commentator on the BBC opined that is was not a game of bat against ball, but bat against bat. During the last game Alex Tudor tweeted that watching that match would not encourage any young aspiring bowlers to get involved with the game.

On the other hand, in the County Championship, the whole equation appears to have swung(not sure if the pun is intended) the other way.