Cricket

He's a big unit, Pollard.

Meanwhile, England hopeless again.

I think I'll spend the weekend watching the cricket! Oh, wait.

Mollocated.

jfc Tuffnell and Vaughan on the radio just marked the passing of Joey Benjamin by reminiscing about his big gleaming smile

India absolutely deserve to lose for this fielding. Unbelievable.

Great match and excellent death bowling from Natarajan yet again.

Bishop and Ambrose on comms is simply glorious stuff

Is there any pleasure more profound than watching Cornwall bat?

might this slowest of burns be catching light

it might

don't hold the WTC final in England they said, forgetting that English pitches produce better Tests than most other nations'

It's a superb game and I'm firmly team Kiwi. I guess it's largely (partly?) down to luck that they have such a settled side with each piece fitting almost perfectly - and to have them fit all at the same time - but it's a hell of a thing to watch. Other Kiwi factors: clear planning and management, not a total shitshow of a schedule.

Tbc, India are also great but the resources thing makes it less impressive.

LOLz

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/09/australia-thrashed-by-bangladesh-after-collapsing-to-62-all-out

What a win for the Windies!

LOL England royally fucking this up. Sibley and Burns are utter shite.

That was almost thrillingly terrible

Times probably up for Burns, Sibley & Buttler. Root fucked up his tactics this morning and really isn't a good captain. I thoroughly expect England to get whitewashed in oz as usual.

Complete gutless shambles again and again, but what do expect when there's no red ball cricket in the months leading up to tests. ECB needs to be gutted too.

OTM on Root's captaincy.

I was there yesterday, it wasn't pretty. Root is an okay captain IMO (probably as good as Kohli tactically) but he got it wrong in the morning, it was utterly bizarre. Burns will stay and Buttler will definitely too (who else would keep?) but time is up for Sibley, I think they might go Burns, Hameed, Malan.

Kohli is not that good a captain either tbh.

yes, I sort of agree with that- he's a much better leader than a tactician. His reviewing is consistently terrible.

Foakes or Bracey will come in for buttler if he keeps failing I think. I really really want Buttler to come good as he's one of my fave players, but he's just not doing well enough.

I hope I shall never again have to gaze in horror at the hideousness that is Dom Sibley's batting technique.

I don't suppose we'd give a shit about his technique if he was Steve Smith or Chanderpaul but, well, he isn't.

I'd happily see Root pass the captaincy on, but with Stokes out of the picture, who on earth would take it? Buttler is the only current option and he's not certain of his place. It's a shitshow.

Using the royal 'we' there, ofc.

I think Buttler is certain (or as certain as anyone can be) of his place, but shouldn't be given the captaincy. Bracey they like but see as a batsman long term, Foakes is a utility man but won't ever be a pick ahead of Buttler.

Stupid suggestion but I wonder if they could convince Morgan to do it for a couple of years? Bat at 6...

It worked for Mike Bearley but those days are gone, but honestly, I do wish they had went down that road. Captaincy has definitely hampered Roots batting most of the time.

I just meant that Buttler will be dropped for Australia if he has a bad series,

buttler will never be dropped ever

that's the kiss of death, you've sealed it now!

Yorkshire batsman Dawid Malan has been recalled to the England squad for the third Test against India, with Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley both dropped from the 15-man squad.

Malan, 33, played the last of his 15 Tests in August 2018.

Seamer Saqib Mahmood is included, while spinner Jack Leach misses out but will be on standby as back-up to Moeen Ali.

Crawley is a decent player, and will get another chance once this lot of spoiled their second chance, but not sure we will see Sibley again.

When I left for hospital to visit my dad who has been seriously ill for a few weeks on and off (hes currently getting better again but they cant identify the infection as its come back once before) it was 30-3.
I expected India to be 130-3 when I get home, only to find out they were all out for 78 , after winning the toss too.

What a great weird game test cricket can be.

Rory Burns just hit a six!

An opening century partnership! What a strange day.

3 wickets this morning inc Jimmy's 400th wicket at home.

Another one bites the dust. Pant gone for 1. Robinson looking like a pretty good find.

All out. What an hour of bowling.

Fifth test cancelled. India unable to field a team due to COVID numbers in the camp.

Bollocks, none of the players have covid, it's a physio. They were more worried about losing IPL money and don't want to play.
The game should be forfeited. But the ECB don't want to lose £30m either, so they want it rescheduled. But it's ruined a classic test series.
No way should India be allowed to win the series and the rescheduled test be a standalone test next year.

Spectators have lost money because of this. Nobody thinks of them. An absolute disgrace.

Wanindu Hasaranga
9/1
Sri Lanka Top Runscorer
England vs Sri Lanka

lol the bookies offered me a two quid free-bet on the 20/20 so I not very discerningly put it on this and it won!

that is pretty discerning tbf

I only mainly looked at the odds, but sort of have a little awareness that he's a shit hot batsman playing very well in a side that keeps losing

he's better at bowling than batting! but he is their best T20 cricketer by miles and miles so yeah it was a good call

lol that's probably wrong, see what I mean?

that seems a generous 9/1 then

anyone who bats at 6 or lower in the batting order in a T20 will be long odds to top score due to the statistical unlikelihood of it happening. SL have a hella flimsy top order tho, hence discerning

ah I see, mid-order batters will always be a bigger price.

lol Cronje would have made a killing if the 20/20 game had happened in his era!