irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 5, 2016 15:49:27 GMT
Well this has all peetered out. Pretty awful Test Match all things considered. Never mind though, we're still 1 up. Should be moving to protect our bowlers now ahead of the next Test.
Meanwhile a youngster in India has obliterated one of Bristol Sports only claims to international fame by wanging up 1009 not out in a school game thereby achieving the highest ever officially recorded innings. This obliterates the previous record of 628 by AEJ Collins of Clifton College in 1899. One of the most famous, longest standing (yet at the same time most utterly pointless) records in cricket. Rickshaw driver 1 - Posh Public Schoolboy 0 or alternatively Mumbai 1 - Bristol 0 depending on prejudice of choice. Collins (who, in mitigation did tragically lose his life in World War 1) has always sounded like of those bloody annoying kids who was good at everything but also wanted to make sure everyone knew it. That record was set in a 'house' match (so in other words not really a proper game) where he was Captain, won the toss and opened the batting. You could possibly question the sportsmanship of batting to 628 in that context.......But then to be fair this guy apparently scored it against a side that was a year younger than the age group he was meant to be playing against because the headmaster of the opposition school had refused to allow the proper team to play in the game as they were sitting exams. Still probably put up more of a fight than the England attack did though when Lara ran up his original 375.
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 5, 2016 18:15:50 GMT
Also, pity the poor bloody spinners in this game. 97 Overs sent down between them without a wicket!
I don't think this is a turning pitch......
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Bridgeman
Alfie Biggs
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Post by Bridgeman on Jan 6, 2016 7:07:43 GMT
At least we have a day to pummel their bowlers again, I hope we bat as long as we can however pointless it might be. I know it's been said many times before but only the English could invent a game that lasts for 5 days and still there's no result at the end of it ! No wonder the Americans fought for independence from us and invented baseball  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2016 12:02:51 GMT
What on Earth is going on? We're in danger of losing here!
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 6, 2016 12:05:55 GMT
What on Earth is going on? We're in danger of losing here! Test Cricket is an amazing game sometimes. This time yesterday this game was as dead as WG Grace, now we're holding on by our finger nails! |
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brizzle
Lindsay Parsons
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Post by brizzle on Jan 6, 2016 15:19:10 GMT
Match drawn.
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 6, 2016 15:40:21 GMT
So having wanged up 600+ in the first innings we end up being sort of saved by the weather! Had South Africa turned it around I'm guessing it would be close to a record for the highest 1st innings score for a losing team. Kind of shows that it's hard to be completely safe with modern scoring rates. |
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brizzle
Lindsay Parsons
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Post by brizzle on Jan 6, 2016 15:56:10 GMT
So having wanged up 600+ in the first innings we end up being sort of saved by the weather! Had South Africa turned it around I'm guessing it would be close to a record for the highest 1st innings score for a losing team. Kind of shows that it's hard to be completely safe with modern scoring rates. That's true enough. The last that I saw was the bad light had stopped play, and rain was a possibility, so you could say that things worked out quite well for England in the end. I see that Hashim Amla has resigned as the captain of South Africa. What would he have done if England had won I wonder, commit hara–kiri? |
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Bridgeman
Alfie Biggs
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Post by Bridgeman on Jan 6, 2016 19:43:52 GMT
Phew !  |
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 6, 2016 20:35:22 GMT
So having wanged up 600+ in the first innings we end up being sort of saved by the weather! Had South Africa turned it around I'm guessing it would be close to a record for the highest 1st innings score for a losing team. Kind of shows that it's hard to be completely safe with modern scoring rates. That's true enough. The last that I saw was the bad light had stopped play, and rain was a possibility, so you could say that things worked out quite well for England in the end. I see that Hashim Amla has resigned as the captain of South Africa. What would he have done if England had won I wonder, commit hara–kiri? Yes it does seem a bit bizarre doesn't it? Score 200, then almost turn the game around 180 degrees with the ball. Most people would think that a job well done but the story seems to be that he never really wanted to be Captain in the first place. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2016 21:31:21 GMT
I think he's grabbed the chance to go out on a minor high because he was desperate to get away from the job.
Bonkers that one minute De Villiers is saying he needs to lighten his workload and then the next minute he's made captain!
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Post by Nobbygas on Jan 7, 2016 14:57:05 GMT
I still think Cook declared too early. He should have batted on for the rest of Day 2, racked up 750 runs, and then declared. At that point, SA were down and out.
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Post by lostinspace on Jan 7, 2016 20:43:49 GMT
I still think Cook declared too early. He should have batted on for the rest of Day 2, racked up 750 runs, and then declared. At that point, SA were down and out. right on the money, he got carried away with the way that SA had just been beaten up, never took into consideration that "that" innings pushed the game on by almost two sessions or more, but on that pitch someone was going to make it good, fair play to SA for grinding out their total ,but the next test should get jimmy's arm twitching with more "air " movement. will see how much their confidence has been restored then,...... take England to win the 3rd test |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 20:53:10 GMT
I thought my hindsight was good, but you guys are awesome  |
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 8, 2016 14:42:29 GMT
I thought my hindsight was good, but you guys are awesome I think it's pretty harsh to criticise Cook for that as well. At the time we'd put ourselves in a dominant position on a flat wicket. We knew it was going to take a lot of time to take 20 wickets and I felt it was the right call to maximise that time. If he'd batted on he'd have been crucified for giving ourselves less time to win the game. It was also fair to back an attack that had Anderson returning with Broad and Finn having bowled brilliantly to do the business. I'm tempted to say that if nye on 650 isn't enough on the first innings then what is?! I feel that the truth is that this was a rubbish cricket wicket but we almost paid for a lapse in concentration on the final day. First place to look to should surely be the people responsible for that - we flat out batted poorly in the second innings. I'm not sure any other scenario would have forced a result in our favour. 650 or 750 South Africa would have batted exactly the same way, I don't feel it would have made any difference to their mentality. Amla was pretty much batting for himself as much as the team anyway - then Bavuma was able to plunder a tired attack very sensibly. All the extra 100 runs would have done is take away the possibility of that Day 5 disaster but that should never have been on the card anyway. That Amla innings has turned the momentum of this series though - SA now get Steyn back and with 2 matches left this is looking a competitive contest again. This is a good thing - our Test series have been pretty dull lately as contests. Fun though winning the Ashes back and see Australia embarrassed none of those games were particularly good - one side or the other was crushed. I'd like to see more proper contests that ebb and flow a bit. Amla just seems like a decent bloke who knew he wasn't really suited to Captaincy but knew they were lacking in options because De Villiers long term commitment is questionable because he could easily retire and have 8-10 years cashing in on the T20 circuit. As is the sad reality of modern international cricket (SA players are not really paid all that well comparatively). |
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Post by tenniscourtgas on Jan 10, 2016 14:49:58 GMT
We are still far too prone to collapses, and this has been going on for some time.
Not a great Hales fan, but he obviously needs to be given a run of games.
Have seen quite a bit of him on TV, and for me, he does not come off often enough.
In all forms of the game, he seems to get to 20 or 30, then hit the ball up in the air, too often.
With Compton, you know he will always fight, but he seems more of a short term measure to me.
Not sure about any other real alternatives, unless you go back to Bell, or give Ballance another go in the summer.
Taylor seems to have a bit more about him, with lots of scoring options, although he does seem a bit of an lbw candidate as he walks across his stumps at times.
Facing bowlers of the calibre of Steyn and Morkel, or Philander if he comes back, will be a real test for some of our batsmen, if they can show the progress that appears to be the case with Bairstow, this tour will be a definite bonus.
We need to be putting up regular 400 plus scores, which has not really been the case enough lately, despite the first innings at Cape Town.
The number of dropped catches was incredible in the last test, if you give the likes of Amla and De Villiers two or three innings,per innings ,200s will follow.
Good to see Finn making his mark again, and Broad has been back to his best.
Really looking forward to the next test.
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Post by lostinspace on Jan 14, 2016 20:59:06 GMT
3rd test.. rather indifferent day, when neither Broad or Anderson "got into it" but overall to get SA to where they are now to where they were at lunch is pretty good, not as hot as expected but some underlying damp,according to Geoffrey so if they remove the last few before lunch on Day 2 could be intersting
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irishrover
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Post by irishrover on Jan 15, 2016 0:31:08 GMT
3rd test.. rather indifferent day, when neither Broad or Anderson "got into it" but overall to get SA to where they are now to where they were at lunch is pretty good, not as hot as expected but some underlying damp,according to Geoffrey so if they remove the last few before lunch on Day 2 could be intersting I think one of Geoffrey's much repeated phrases applies here 'you can't judge the pitch until both sides have had a go on it'. Not sure what to make of today really. A bit odd - on the one hand the wicket clearly was a bit tricky and we were causing problems. SA commentators seem convinced that 300 is a good score. On the other hand, most of the batsman managed to get themselves in and there was no flurry of wickets at any point despite England's seamers basically bowling pretty well by all counts. A lot of those batsmen also went and got themselves out too with some very ordinary shots and a needless run out. Think both teams will think they're in the game - big morning ahead and we should have it in us to wrap it up with a fresh attack. I thought it was quite a decent days cricket though - seemed to swing one way and then the other. |
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Bridgeman
Alfie Biggs
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Post by Bridgeman on Jan 15, 2016 21:45:22 GMT
Should have wrapped SA innings up a lot sooner than we did, just couldn't seem to get a consistent line and length to our bowling again.
We struggle to 91-4 and then all hell breaks loose when Stokes come to the wicket and Root decides to join in.
What an absolutely superb innings by Root though, saw the shine off the ball with some great leaves but then as Stokes took their bowling apart Root then benefitted from the flagging bowling display.
Looking good for a further disciplined batting display from Root and co to go into the 2nd innings with a decent lead.
I think we are just edging it with the batting about to put us firmly in pole position.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2016 22:22:17 GMT
We're 80 odd runs off edging it, anything could happen in the morning; Stokes and especially Root have put us in a position where a lead is possible, but its definitely in the balance overnight.
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