Cricket fred

[Banquo]

Have to slightly temper our enthusiasm over the result given NZ have just racked up 600+ in Pakistan (tho Pakistan scored 400 + themselves)....albeit much more slowly than us.

[Banquo]

'sporting declaration' from Babar. Good to see, and good to see NZ having a crack.

[Galfon]

Eng such a tease.Smashing start chasing a big target, then 3 go in 2 overs...hopefully a few older heads will steady the ship.

[Galfon]

Although a red dubber, good to avoid a whitewash and play some good stuff - Buttler can turn any game on it's head, and Archer looks like he's back in the groove with a sixfer and best economy.
Moeen may have started something with his tennis shot..

[Banquo]

Although a red dubber, good to avoid a whitewash and play some good stuff - Buttler can turn any game on it's head, and Archer looks like he's back in the groove with a sixfer and best economy.
Moeen may have started something with his tennis shot..

Definitely need to get our bowling sh*t together and was unfortunate that Brooks and Duckett didn't do much. Buttler is such a class one dayer, annoying he never managed to really translate that to tests a la Gilly.

[cashead]

Don't support any team with Scott "Rapist" Kuggeleijn in it.

Ergo, fuck the NZ cricket team.

[Banquo]

Bazball max today

[Banquo]

Blundell huge thorn in side again....Anderson and Robinson carrying the attack again. Leach again under pressure.

[Galfon]

Off at a lick, but pity about the late wickets.
Keeps the contest near the balance but Eng in a good place.
The 'owd fai'fulls continue to deliver, ball in hand

[Puja]

Looks like it's a really well-balanced test, which is encouraging against one of the best teams in the world.

Puja

[Galfon]

Shiver-me-timbers, Broad !..
Even Root embracing the let's-go mindset earlier.
Emphatic stuff (again).

[Banquo]

Shiver-me-timbers, Broad !..
Even Root embracing the let's-go mindset earlier.
Emphatic stuff (again).

Broad irrestible when he gets on a roll.

[Puja]

Hadn't realised that these games were on BT - had assumed they were on Sky, which I do not have - and was pleasantly surprised to see an advert during the Prem rugby earlier in the day. This was my first chance to watch Bazball in anything other than highlights and it was fascinating. Brook still has glaring holes in his game and rides his luck a lot but, whereas previous regimes would've seen him make a scratchy 18 before the bowlers picked him apart, this made use of his strengths and made the bowlers scared about coming in to him. He probably lasted the same number of balls and got out the same way he would've done under the old regime (a duff fiddle outside his off stump that he would've been better leaving well alone), but the freedom to attack meant he belted a 50 and changed the complexion of the innings.

Puja

[Banquo]

Hadn't realised that these games were on BT - had assumed they were on Sky, which I do not have - and was pleasantly surprised to see an advert during the Prem rugby earlier in the day. This was my first chance to watch Bazball in anything other than highlights and it was fascinating. Brook still has glaring holes in his game and rides his luck a lot but, whereas previous regimes would've seen him make a scratchy 18 before the bowlers picked him apart, this made use of his strengths and made the bowlers scared about coming in to him. He probably lasted the same number of balls and got out the same way he would've done under the old regime (a duff fiddle outside his off stump that he would've been better leaving well alone), but the freedom to attack meant he belted a 50 and changed the complexion of the innings.

Puja

The whole difference in this team is that they play to their strengths and stick with it even when its difficult. So far, so good!

On Brook, its only his 5th test I think, so untainted by previous regimes. It will however be interesting to see what occurs if he/they have to play in a tighter way.... big IF .

[Mellsblue]

The whole difference in this team is that they play to their strengths and stick with it even when its difficult. So far, so good!

So simple yet so effective… and true in every part of life, imo.
Ol’ Hazza B is Mellsblue Jnrs’ favourite player after watching him in The Hundred. He’s been retained by Super Chargers along with Stokes. Let’s hope they get to see them - watched six of eight home games and yet to see Bez S.

[Puja]

On Brook, its only his 5th test I think, so untainted by previous regimes. It will however be interesting to see what occurs if he/they have to play in a tighter way.... big IF .

Ah, I more meant hypothetically what previous regimes would've done to him.

Puja

[Banquo]

On Brook, its only his 5th test I think, so untainted by previous regimes. It will however be interesting to see what occurs if he/they have to play in a tighter way.... big IF .

Ah, I more meant hypothetically what previous regimes would've done to him.

Puja

cool

[Galfon]

jimbo cleans up.

It gives England their first Test win in New Zealand for 15 years and a 10th win in 11 matches since Stokes took over as captain at the beginning of last summer. (beeb)

Can't argue with that.

(Oz also getting pasted again in Ind - not such a formidable bunch on their travels it seems..)

[Banquo]

Great win and Anderson is phenomenal still.

Mitchell and Blundell again the only batters putting up resistance in this test, as they did in the summer

[Banquo]

Jimmy back to no1 in the world....amazing

[Banquo]

Good to see Root get runs, and playing in his own style, which is fine when you lose three quick wickets! Harry Brook…wow

[Galfon]

Good to see Root get runs, and playing in his own style, which is fine when you lose three quick wickets! Harry Brook…wow

Under the circumstances early on, to keep playing those shots in this format is absoloute top-drawer.
To have yer man at that level with JR at his stage in career, is a great thing for the team (and the game, tbf)
Must be something in the tea or maybe the rhubarb !

[Puja]

I don't see how we can persist with Crawley though. I do see why they have - he's definitely got something under there and they've done well out of trusting players and giving them time so far. However, I just don't see it coming out regularly enough.

Problem is that, while we'll have a log-jam of middle-order batsmen waiting for a space when Bairstow comes back, I don't rightly know who we'd bring in to open if we do ditch Crawley.

Puja

[Stom]

I don't see how we can persist with Crawley though. I do see why they have - he's definitely got something under there and they've done well out of trusting players and giving them time so far. However, I just don't see it coming out regularly enough.

Problem is that, while we'll have a log-jam of middle-order batsmen waiting for a space when Bairstow comes back, I don't rightly know who we'd bring in to open if we do ditch Crawley.

Puja

Move everyone up one? Pope to open? Or just bring Bairstow in to open? Tough one.

[Puja]

I don't see how we can persist with Crawley though. I do see why they have - he's definitely got something under there and they've done well out of trusting players and giving them time so far. However, I just don't see it coming out regularly enough.

Problem is that, while we'll have a log-jam of middle-order batsmen waiting for a space when Bairstow comes back, I don't rightly know who we'd bring in to open if we do ditch Crawley.

Puja

Move everyone up one? Pope to open? Or just bring Bairstow in to open? Tough one.

I'd be wary of disrupting what's working so well with our middle order right now. Baristow to open possibly, but he's not really got experience there in first class cricket and it's asking a lot of him to take on an entirely different role than the one which he was finally seeing sustained success in.

Puja