Cricket

154 consecutive deliveries without a run ... and they still lost.

hurrah

Kraigg Brathwaite becoming the first opening test batsman to not lose his wicket in either innings is an extraordinary statistic.

Was reflecting on how it's sad Tony Cozier didn't live to witness this, might have restored his faith a bit

Current state of the board of governors won't though

Anyway, Hameed! Looking absolutely the part. His career path unfolds like a far more elegant Cook now

Oh, SV, you're about - what do you do with a problem like Dave Cameron?

a tenner on Hameed getting 10k runs for England in Tests seems a reasonable punt

um

SV there probably isn't much you can say but um

it gets worse every time i watch it

For those who didn't see it, an astonishing shot to lose a test: #WIvPAK pic.twitter.com/7EtpChUwfi

— Paul Dennett (@the_summer_game) May 14, 2017

not great, but also hard to begrudge Younis and Misbah a win in their final test & series #ServantsOfTheGame etc.

Hat trick for Moeen Ali! First England spinner to take a hat-trick since 1938-39, first ever Test hat-trick at the Oval.

hero

love Moeen, makes up for Stokes missing the century/hat trick double yesterday

Nice day to be at the Oval today - wasn't sure it would be worth it, definitely was in the end.

https://www.facebook.com/testmatchspecial/videos/10155565558424904/

Good day for statisticians.

Match ending Test hat-tricks:
G Lohmann Eng v SA Port Elizabeth 1896
H Trumble Aus v Eng Melbourne 1902
M Ali Eng v SA Oval 2017

what would we do with mo

better than we'd do without

I was pleased they were making a game of it for a while there

really hard to think of many close Tests England have been involved in recently

basically because nobody can play test cricket any more.

I hate 20-20

Thoroughly enjoyed the West Indies victory earlier this week.

Also enjoyed Gareth Batty's response to the crossbow bolt being fired into the Oval on Thursday:

"Someone saw it in flight, there was a noise when it landed but it happened so quick. It is a deadly weapon for sure, if it had hit someone it would have caused some serious damage. It just shows the world we live in."

feel crossbow bolts being fired into county cricket grounds don't really represent 'the world we live in'? actually a bit more representative of the medieval period than 21stC Vauxhall?

Everyone banging on about it being a really serious incident amused me somewhat

i know. pictures of umpire looking seriously at an arrow. i mean it probably could have seriously injured someone, but response was v 'terrorist incident' and they seem to have boarded up the box windows in the OCS stand when i cycled past yesterday - those dangerous corporate hospitality insurrection bloc.

Tempting to say ‘lol Scotland’ but, really, the lols are on us for having to rely on such a massive slice of luck.

the lbw just beforehand as well

robbed

MEANWHILE...

!!!!!

that's the kind of news that really kickstarts your day

I wondered if there was a cricket thread! Jesus Christ, that's quite some news to wake up to.

Root out

Luckily for us, there's some excellent, tense cricket to watch, by way of therapy

(...I'm talking about Zimbabwe vs UAE! For now at least)

the next test in the current SA v Aus series is shaping up nicely as well

that was the implication haha

hah sorry yes!

I'm SHELLSHOCKED after England's HUMILIATION it would would appear

i am actually watching Zim vs UAE though

and at this point my reaction to team england is 'lol'

Instinctively, the shape of the side feels better with Root at 3 and Stokes at 5/Bairstow 6, but I'm not convinced about Stoneman or Malan, and we're totally seamer top-heavy. And that 'best tail in the world' tag is fast becoming a joke.

I kind of think that if Root wants to bat 4 he should bat 4. Malan did enough in Oz, he was our best batsman there, but Stoneman needs runs. Re. the tail, it's amazing how the "engine room" can suddenly look like a team full of bits and pieces players, but I think Stokes and Mo will both come good again

I think Mo needs a break. He looks frazzled.

Oh Zimbabwe! Oh the choke! We might get Mrs SV's lot on the WC too now! Although I'm probably rooting for Afghanistan

Bloody hell! doesn't that open it up for Ireland and Scotland again?

Ireland yes, Scotland no I see. C'mon the Afghans!

they did it!

Woo!

I claim (potentially spurious) Afghan heritage so they're my joint second team. Delighted they beat Australia's B squad today.

Shade thrown