The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

Poor. The middle order is failing again.

[taylorsworkrate]

Really poor batting performance again. We've batted well in one test this summer. Not good enough

Cannot keep relying on the bowlers to get them out of trouble

[Dave Cooper please]

From Cricinfo:

So far no batsman for England has been out for a duck in this series. 35 England wickets without a duck so far.

[paul_e]

We're in a spot of bother here.

I was writing a rebuttal to that and then Bairstow wafted at a nothing delivery, that's a really bad shot.  We need to get around 300 really which means Ballance sticking around and Ali and Woakes offering some support to him.

[taylorsworkrate]

Ali really does have to start contributing with the bat on a semi consistent basis. Needs a score here to make up for the horrific way he got out in the 1st test

[UK Redsox]

Johnners
Blowers
Aggers
Daggers


.......Norcers ?

[taylorsworkrate]

Broads batting over the last 5 years or so has been pathetic

[Villafirst]

Broads batting over the last 5 years or so has been pathetic

That's because he plays too many one day shots. Ali just did the same to lose his wicket. Leave the wide balls alone ffs!!

[Villan For Life]

Really disappointing to lose so many wickets to balls that should have been left well alone.

[Villan For Life]

297 all out. Looks well under par to me.

[PaulWinch again]

Good from Ballance and Mo, less so the rest.

As an aside Broad's batting infuriates me. He puts no effort in. Just playing your shots in some situations isn't good enough.

[tomd2103]

297 all out. Looks well under par to me.

Although conditions were tough, I would agree. 330 plus would have been useful if conditions are to remain the same for a few days. 

[taylorsworkrate]

297 all out. Looks well under par to me.

Although conditions were tough, I would agree. 330 plus would have been useful if conditions are to remain the same for a few days. 

I'd disagree that conditions were tough. The wind stopped the ball from swinging for the majority of the day, and there was little in the way of seam movement.

The majority of our batters just played poorly again

[tomd2103]

Really poor batting performance again. We've batted well in one test this summer. Not good enough

Cannot keep relying on the bowlers to get them out of trouble

Agree.  When we have been a strong international side, we've had five or six batsmen who could produce.  I think back to the number of times Strauss, Trott, KP, Bell or Prior would produce a knock when others had failed.  As it is, we are currently hugely reliant on Cook and Root, and getting runs from the lower order.

I like Hales, but he needs to come out of the side for the next test and get himself ready for the ODIs.

[paul_e]

297 all out. Looks well under par to me.

Although conditions were tough, I would agree. 330 plus would have been useful if conditions are to remain the same for a few days. 

I'd disagree that conditions were tough. The wind stopped the ball from swinging for the majority of the day, and there was little in the way of seam movement.

The majority of our batters just played poorly again

Shall we wait until Pakistan have had a go before going down this road.  In my opinion this was was 300-350 pitch so we're a little short but not alarmingly so.  I think there was a bit of unpredictable bounce which was the main reason for a lot of the wafts.  If that's the case I'd suspect Broad will come into things massively tomorrow.