The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes has got to play his game, but realistically we need these two to put on about 300!

[adrenachrome]

51 partnership.

Well done, chaps.

[aj2k77]

Ian Bell, how many good series has he had over the last 4 years?

Just looked it up, it's not many. He averages 34 over the last 4 years with only 6 tons.

[paul_e]

Ian Bell, how many good series has he had over the last 4 years?

Just looked it up, it's not many. He averages 34 over the last 4 years with only 6 tons.

I'm blaming Delph for his performance today.

[taylorsworkrate]

Ian Bell, how many good series has he had over the last 4 years?

Just looked it up, it's not many. He averages 34 over the last 4 years with only 6 tons.

Problem is there isn't many batsmen knocking at the door in first class cricket. I still think the only one ready to come into the team would be Pietersen.

In fairness, our top order continues to look utterly unconvincing. Lyth just appears a little short of quality at this level at the moment, Ballance is woefully out of form and so is Bell. It's too much to expect Root to save us every time he comes in at 30-3.

Oh, and Fabian Delph is a ******

[PaulWinch again]

Ian Bell, how many good series has he had over the last 4 years?

Just looked it up, it's not many. He averages 34 over the last 4 years with only 6 tons.

Problem is there isn't many batsmen knocking at the door in first class cricket. I still think the only one ready to come into the team would be Pietersen.

In fairness, our top order continues to look utterly unconvincing. Lyth just appears a little short of quality at this level at the moment, Ballance is woefully out of form and so is Bell. It's too much to expect Root to save us every time he comes in at 30-3.

Oh, and Fabian Delph is a c***

I actually think Morgan is an option or Hales at 3 with Ballance dropping to 4.

[PaulWinch again]

We basically need to hope it flattens out tomorrow and we lose no more than two wickets. That would put us at around 450-5/6. Massive ask, but that's what we need.

[OzVilla]

Well this is nice to wake up to, that and Fibian's news.

Arsebuscuits!

[adrenachrome]

Well this is nice to wake up to, that and Fibian's news.

Arsebuscuits!

On the plus side OzVilla, for you it is a done deal, but we had to live to live through it. A double whammy into the solar plexus.

I still think we can put a couple of decent partnerships together on this wicket and avoid the follow-on. We will need the weather to intervene to avoid a defeat now, though.

[aj2k77]

Ian Bell, how many good series has he had over the last 4 years?

Just looked it up, it's not many. He averages 34 over the last 4 years with only 6 tons.

Problem is there isn't many batsmen knocking at the door in first class cricket. I still think the only one ready to come into the team would be Pietersen.

In fairness, our top order continues to look utterly unconvincing. Lyth just appears a little short of quality at this level at the moment, Ballance is woefully out of form and so is Bell. It's too much to expect Root to save us every time he comes in at 30-3.

Oh, and Fabian Delph is a c***

I actually think Morgan is an option or Hales at 3 with Ballance dropping to 4.

I always thought Hildreth would get a look in one day. Scores a lot of tons.

[peter w]

Slightly off tangent but my brother-in-law knows Moeen Ali. Apparently when he walked out to bat chief chatterer was David Warner. He was calling Moeen a 'clubber'. saying he was just a club cricketer. "Why you batting so low"? He was being asked.

Also, and this is already covered. KP is really hated in and around the dressing-room. Not just because of his arrogance but because he said what he wanted to whoever whenever he wanted.

[PaulWinch again]

Started very well, but a lot of work to do.

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes gone for 87 very annoying. It's up to Buttler to turn up now.

[Chris Jameson]

KP is really hated in and around the dressing-room.

A very good friend of mine broke the news to me recently that they are related to him, they don't have a very high opinion of him as a person either.

[aj2k77]

Need innings from Buttler, Cook and Moeen now. If we avoid the follow on I think we will save this test.