The Cricket Thread 2016

[paul_e]

He's also probably our best fielder and it's the intensity in the field that makes the huge difference.

[tomd2103]

Drawn series is probably a fair result.  We have some issues with the top order to sort out building towards the Ashes next winter.  To be fair, we've probably come across arguably the best all round bowling attack in the world (I think the presence of Shah puts their attack ahead of the Australians and South Africans), but we need to have a look at it.

[olaftab]

That was a disappointing result and clearly we are still a work in progress. What I don't understand with this England side is how they can produce such extreme results. Fantastic wins one week and awful defeats the next. It was the same in last year's Ashes. It does make you question whether the problem is psychological, because most of them are technically very good.

It's been a fantastic series and the sides are well matched. It was the most harmonious series against Pakistan that I can remember for a while. Ultimately Pakistan probably edged it and it's a shame that it's only a 4 test series.

Misbah was man of the series for Pakistan and our own Chris Woakes was man of the series for England. Both richly deserved.

I disagree with that bold bit, we've had the best bowler and the 3 best batsman in the series, our problem is that in 2 matches the rest of the attack have failed to backup woakes and we've had 2-3 of the top 5 who've struggled for form.  They've had 2 fantastic individual batting performances in the matches where we've struggled with the ball and their attack is good enough to take advantage of those.

paul e I think you have agreed with VFL' comments in bold by the very reasons you have mentioned. Plus they were playing in unfamiliar conditions.

[olaftab]

Stokes is a huge miss when he's out for England. He brings an intensity out of the side that just doesn't seem to be there without him.

Yes absolutely correct.

[olaftab]

Fantastic series and as many have said a fair outcome. Good to see a result in all 4 Tests and I particularly enjoyed the 5 dayer at "our place".

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Interesting finish to the Sri Lanka - Aus game. Day five, afternoon session, Aus are 115-4 needing another 209.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

115-5. Henriques run out by a micron.

[Villan For Life]

Thanks for the tip, will follow the game on Cricinfo, which is like watching football on Teletext back in the day!

This has been an intriguing series. The number one ranked test side, Australia being outplayed by Sri Lanka, who at the start of the series were ranked 7th.

it highlights that there is no stand out test side in world cricket at the moment.

[OzVilla]

Fuck me, Australia really are average. Just lost 83-10 to lose this Test. Flat track bully's with all the heart of Kevin Keegan.  When the going gets tough they fold like a cheap deck chair.

Having a shocking Olympics too.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

At lunch they looked in the game - the declaration gave them just enough to go for. Shame.

Mind you, the ball was pitching from the spinners and raising gouts of earth, which was what the Indians did to South Africa last year, and what I fear they'll do to us later on.

[passitsideways]

Fuck me, Australia really are average. Just lost 83-10 to lose this Test. Flat track bully's with all the heart of Kevin Keegan.  When the going gets tough they fold like a cheap deck chair.

Pretty much describes every Test team out there these days, really, providing the conditions are right.

[Villan For Life]

Fuck me, Australia really are average. Just lost 83-10 to lose this Test. Flat track bully's with all the heart of Kevin Keegan.  When the going gets tough they fold like a cheap deck chair.

Having a shocking Olympics too.

They will struggle with that won't they OzVilla? Being successful at sport is part of their national psyche. It will be made all the worse by Team GB doing so well and the small matter of the Ashes belonging to us. Again.

[paul_e]

I think what that, and the performances of most of the test sides in the last few years, shows is that bowling is dominant in red ball cricket.  Personally I'm all for that because the batsman are totally dominant in the white ball game and have been for years.  This is also why I keep saying that 300-350 is enough to be competitive in most conditions and why i think the complaints about our top order are a little over the top.

[dcdavecollett]

Brainless from Cook to bat first on a green wicket with Anderson & Woakes waiting to pounce. Predictable, sadly; Cook must have the worst record of any Test captain if you tot up the final-match-in-a-series stats.

I'd ask Mo to bat at five in India as a way of both strengthening the upper order and as a way of getting Rashid into the side. then Stokes, Jonny, Woakesy, Rashid, who can all bat well then Anderson & Broad (in that order at the moment).

Looks like the selectors need to come up with a new name for no. 4.

[Jon Crofts]

Fuck me, Australia really are average. Just lost 83-10 to lose this Test. Flat track bully's with all the heart of Kevin Keegan.  When the going gets tough they fold like a cheap deck chair.

Having a shocking Olympics too.

They will struggle with that won't they OzVilla? Being successful at sport is part of their national psyche. It will be made all the worse by Team GB doing so well and the small matter of the Ashes belonging to us. Again.

Whitewashed in Sri Lanka at cricket.

Whitewashed at home by England in the rugby.

A very poor Olympics.

Smashed 42-8 by NZ at rugby after being caught bugging the All Blacks team hotel rooms.

Fucking tremendous Bruce.