The Cricket Thread 2017

[PaulWinch again]

It was an extremely impressive innings.

[tomd2103]

It was an extremely impressive innings.

Certainly was.  To be at the crease for that amount of time alone is a genuinely impressive feat. 

[PaulWinch again]

Nothing's going to happen here. This is a draw all day.

[paul_e]

Pitch is completely dead, we should bowl fuller and tempt them to drive.  We'll go for runs but a good length isn't taking wickets and there's no bounce for the short stuff.

[Villan For Life]

Smith has been like a brick wall with the bat in this series.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah he has led from the front for them.

[SteveN]

Someone on the radio, can't remember who, predicted that we would not win a single test as we would be unable to get Smith out for under 20 in 2 innings let alone 10.

[olaftab]

3 things have have led to the 3-0 status in Australia’s favour:
1. Smith’s batting
2. Cook and Root’s form in the first 3 tests
3. Lack of a genuine spinner for England. Ali is ok but he is not a Swan, Murlithrahan or Warne😟🧐🚋🚡🚡

[Villan For Life]

I saw an incredible stat about Smith on Twitter earlier. He became the only player in test history to score more than 1,000 runs and average more than 70 in four successive calendar years.

2014: 1,146 @ 81.85
2015: 1,474 @ 73.70
2016: 1,079 @ 71.93
2017: 1,305 @ 76.76

That's a remarkable feat.

[tomd2103]

3 things have have led to the 3-0 status in Australia’s favour:
1. Smith’s batting
2. Cook and Root’s form in the first 3 tests
3. Lack of a genuine spinner for England. Ali is ok but he is not a Swan, Murlithrahan or Warne😟🧐🚋🚡🚡

Hope you had a good time at the test even though we couldn't quite manage the win.  I'm not sure it's fair comparing any spinner with Murali and Warne!!  I think Ali's problem is that he can't tie up an end and create pressure.  He's proved he can bowl match winning spells, but test cricket affords batsmen the luxury of just waiting for the poor ball to come along and put it away. 

[dcdavecollett]

Don't understand why we didn't bowl more bouncers and Yorkers where a good length ball received zero assistance from the surface.

[OzVilla]

Bouncers would have been a waste of time, the pitch was too slow at the end and it would've been tough for the bowlers on day 5 though, it could only be the odd surprise, effort ball on that pitch. I agree about the Yorkers, also brings more dismissals into play.

Looks likely the Aussies might go with 2 spinners at Sydney.

What's the plan for our new H&V cricket correspondent Olaftab between now and then?

[olaftab]

Just arrived in Sydney Oz so no worries I have it covered😂
Tom I agree with you and also Root went too defensive. For example field setting with one slip at the start of fifth day and almost all day and generally not enough around the bat.

[paul_e]

Bouncers would have been a waste of time, the pitch was too slow at the end and it would've been tough for the bowlers on day 5 though, it could only be the odd surprise, effort ball on that pitch. I agree about the Yorkers, also brings more dismissals into play.

Looks likely the Aussies might go with 2 spinners at Sydney.

What's the plan for our new H&V cricket correspondent Olaftab between now and then?

As I said at the time, bowl full and try to get them driving, that way the length ball (which was staying low) becomes the variation and you get more chance of them chopping on.  On top of that Curran and Woakes in particular are excellent t20 bowlers so get them bowling the wide yorkers, etc and mixing in the slower balls.  We weren't going to lose and they weren't going to risk anything against line and length bowling.  I agree the pitch was too slow for bouncers, Broad tried a few and they barely made chest height.

[Jon Crofts]

The Australian Prime Minister is an ungracious ****** isn't he.