....very fab day....love the smell of a Manchester track in the morning after....smells of ....Victory....
....Pope will be dreaming of that ball that took him out....
....Pope will be dreaming of that ball that took him out....
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Just been announced that Stokes will miss the remainder of the Test series. He is travelling to New Zealand for family reasons. The ECB states that ‘The England and Wales Cricket Board, along with the Stokes family, requests that all media respects the family’s privacy at this time.’
Let’s hope they do.Comment
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As I was saying... Agnew’s view, with some interesting stats: “mistakes a Test keeper cannot continue to make ... when England are due to play Sri Lanka and India, the specialism of Ben Foakes is needed behind the stumps and Buttler has to earn his place through runs alone.”
Now without Stokes, do they retain Anderson or bring in another batsman? All-rounder Woakes is currently closest to a Stokes substitute; who are the others?Comment
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600 Test wickets ..... a not inconsiderable performance ........Comment
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Well, that’s the end of Test cricket for this season, to be resumed - who knows when?
The Pakistan series did not live up to its initial promise, principally because of the appalling sequence of monsoons that scoured Southampton. Pakistan never repeated the blistering attack after tea on the second day of the first Match, Test cricket at its best. Pakistan are to be applauded for agreeing to tour in such unusual and challenging conditions. And indeed the England squad who can finally return to their nearest and dearest.
For all the interruptions and the drawn result, this last match will nevertheless go down as being of note in the records. First we saw Zak Crawley’s magnificent double century, an innings that ebbed and flowed with the evolving situation. A future England captain in the making? It also marked James Anderson’s 600th Test wicket, a remarkable achievement. I feel fortunate in watching him throughout his international career, especially at Lord’s and Trent Bridge where he has been particularly successful (and even enjoyed his 81 (sic) against India in the Trent Bridge Test of 2014, killed stone dead by a newly laid but inadequate surface from very the first over). He’s a bowler with amazing technique, adaptability and variation, a pleasure to witness. Honours seem to be dispensed like sweeties nowadays, but he has to be the worthiest of sporting recipients.Comment
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Yes, the cricket has indeed been intriguing. fascinating and so different - WIndies and their skills, and Pakistan and theirs.......some real tests for England.
BUT I'm afraid that TMS this season has been a giggly, flirty mess, 'what did you eat last night, which pub did you go to?' mess - and if I hear that ***&**&*&ing Andy the Statman interrupting YET AGAIN..or laughing aloud off mic ..............Grrrrrrrr!!!
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For all the farrago over the rain, it’s been incredibly touching to follow this season’s tests (some pyjama games to come yet), because like a lot of things let’s face it we’d miss test cricket if it wasn’t there. I want the background crowd noise on an app I can set my sleep timer to. The TMS team have been mostly fantastic imho, the odd cringe aside, and highlights on free to air tv a great bonus. I’d pay plenty for another month of heatwave and another test series.Comment
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....well the myriad mic jockeys did talk some technical and tactical sense too....a lot of dead air to fill....the only 'constant' that got up my nose was "hello blaa - how are you?"...."I'm very well thank you"....and all the time they are talking how they are all in the same bubble ;so tripping over one another ALL DAY....
WHATEVER or why ever does Root make Archer bowl in such a stupid unproductive way WHY??....these ball he is bowling are designed for tall men not small Pakistanis....a variety of the same ball with no surprise ball thrown in....it certainly was not 'softening them up'.....(as commemtators said Root has organised the field for short stuff....)....I love a Yorker and very few bowled in these matches....
....Made the summer for me generally after lockdown rubbish....bong chingComment
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Not exactly Test Cricket but ..... the Old Enemy 98-0 and ahead of the required rate ...... it was all over wasn’t it ........ ?????Comment
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Talk about self-destruction.........crikey!! had to slip out for 20 minutes, came back to discover...............!!!
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[QUOTE=Keraulophone;804257]As I was saying... Agnew’s view, with some interesting stats: “mistakes a Test keeper cannot continue to make ... when England are due to play Sri Lanka and India, the specialism of Ben Foakes is needed behind the stumps and Buttler has to earn his place through runs alone.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/53713800 ...
Well I too wasn’t a believer but the boy has done good this mini-series ......Comment
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....nice little series that was eh? and well done TMS for making it interesting....Butler I think somewhat essential for dressing room morale....I like him....but TMS saying he will not be playing much in India....bong chingComment
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An encouraging debut by Lawrence, although he played some very rash shots from the off today, and paid for it. Sri Lanka not very good in truth, but any cricket is a bonus. The ECB have announced a further Test series to be played in June against New Zealand at Lord’s and Edgbaston. I wonder if this is scheduled too early to realistically consider it going ahead in front of spectators? I’d have thought playing them in the proven secure conditions at Old Trafford and Southampton would have been a better bet.Comment
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