Opinion NMFC Board Cricket Thread III

[gerry101101]

Gonski….or too soon

Has struggled (at least compared to his previous high standards) in Tests for almost 4 years now. Averaging 31 since the start of 2020.

Still does very well in white ball cricket, but like Smith it’s been a steady decline over half a decade now with the red ball.

Even Tendulkar struggled in his last few years. Very few go out while still on top. Root still has that chance - ageing like fine wine..

 

[Merlin007]

I've been keeping an eye on the Poms in Pakistan, and the home team is having a better Test than the last. One thing I've learnt is that next time there's a pirate movie, the local off-spinner Sajid Khan has to be cast as Captain Bluebeard.

What a moustache.

Give the man a cutlass and a parrot.

Oh, and the celebration when he takes a pole is the best in world cricket.

 

[Hojuman]

India rolled for 46 in lndia v N Z. !
4 ducks
1 golden duck
2 scores of 2
1 score of 1
2 scores of 4

Some good catching.

 

[roo blitz]

2nd match between Paks & the Poms comes down to the toss of the coin. Toss of the coin goes up Heads you win, tails you lose. Thats what this test has amounted to. Fancy playing a test match 3 days apart on the same pitch as it deteriorates . Its getting harder by the hour to play on. Test matches shouldnt be decided that way. Whoever won the toss was certain to win. Pakistan gambled big time on winning the toss which they did by playing 1 seamer and 7 spinners.

 

[KiwiRoo]

India rolled for 46 in lndia v N Z. !
4 ducks
1 golden duck
2 scores of 2
1 score of 1
2 scores of 4

Some good catching.

Nice of the Indians to serve up a seaming track !..wonder if they will do that when the Aussies tour there.....................................................................................................................................................................

 

[Hearts to hearts]

T20 World Cup, maybe a changing of the guard?

 

[Groucho]

Can’t win em all.

 

[Sillygit]

2nd match between Paks & the Poms comes down to the toss of the coin. Toss of the coin goes up Heads you win, tails you lose. Thats what this test has amounted to. Fancy playing a test match 3 days apart on the same pitch as it deteriorates . Its getting harder by the hour to play on. Test matches shouldnt be decided that way. Whoever won the toss was certain to win. Pakistan gambled big time on winning the toss which they did by playing 1 seamer and 7 spinners.

maybe Duckett shouldn't had tried to sweep the third ball of a second innings?

Pakistan didn't even bowl 7 players, just the 2 spinners took all the wicket. Even then a 70 run defeciet on the first innings, that's not a guaranteed winning position.

 

[Marstermind]

maybe Duckett shouldn't had tried to sweep the third ball of a second innings?

Pakistan didn't even bowl 7 players, just the 2 spinners took all the wicket. Even then a 70 run defeciet on the first innings, that's not a guaranteed winning position.

Stop making sense.

England are far from out of this game. But if Pakistan win I'm sure they'll be something beyond England's control that conspired against the better team losing again.

 

[roo blitz]

Stop making sense.

England are far from out of this game. But if Pakistan win I'm sure they'll be something beyond England's control that conspired against the better team losing again.

I think batting in the 8th innings on this pitch may well may have something to do with it. Has this ever happened before ?. Back to back tests within 3 days of each other on the same pitch. Surely not. It was lost at the toss. Imagine if the toss had gone the other way.

 

[Lomas]

Stop making sense.

England are far from out of this game. But if Pakistan win I'm sure they'll be something beyond England's control that conspired against the better team losing again.

See above….

 

[Marstermind]

I think batting in the 8th innings on this pitch may well may have something to do with it. Has this ever happened before ?. Back to back tests within 3 days of each other on the same pitch. Surely not. It was lost at the toss. Imagine if the toss had gone the other way.

 

[Hojuman]

Go the Kiwi's !
KiwiRoo

 

[roo blitz]

Wow, Pakistan won, what a surprise ,based on the toss of a coin on that pitch. An asterisk should be placed next to the scores of that test match. Surely there will be a review of what has happened so it dosnt happen again .

 

[Marstermind]

As exciting as Bazball is (England are easily the most watchable Test team), it's biggest shortcoming is that it completely neglects the importance of time in Test Cricket.

No doubt this was a fantastic toss for Pakistan to win. Fair enough, many Tests give a significant advantage to the winner of the toss. But if England had played smarter in their first innings they'd have given themselves a chance.

Forgetting that Pakistan actually played well and England weren't able to do whatever they liked. What England couldn't afford to be was chasing 250+ on Day 4 or 5. So why not bat with some circumspect? Occupy the crease for 120 overs at around 3 an over (as Pakistan did in their 1st innings) on Days 2 & 3? Pakistan go into bat late on Day 3 with barely a lead at all. Maybe it's them being skittled for 140 today instead of England. England then have 150 or so to get in a Day and a half on a deteriorating pitch. Not easy, not impossible.

But in their haste England cough up an 80 run lead and spend the last two days chasing 300, but barely last a session. I respect the England accept that by living by the sword, they can die by it. But for a talented cricket team, they die too often. Since the start of 2023 they've played 21 Tests. 11 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw. It's pretty meh.

 

[roo blitz]

 

[Marstermind]

View attachment 2146895

Stop making sense.

England are far from out of this game. But if Pakistan win I'm sure they'll be something beyond England's control that conspired against the better team losing again.

That didn't take long.

England, like many a team before it, lost an important toss. Boo hoo. Had they played with some semblance of intelligence, they'd be playing cricket right now, instead of drowning their sorrows (as best you can in Pakistan)

 

[SpiderBurton22]

View attachment 2146895

Boohoo, never seen Tests in England where the result was dependent on the toss of the coin.

Sub continent teams get vilified for turning pitches that deteriorate, yet when they get massive greentops overseas it is totally fine.

 

[Marstermind]

Boohoo, never seen Tests in England where the result was dependent on the toss of the coin.

Sub continent teams get vilified for turning pitches that deteriorate, yet when they get massive greentops overseas it is totally fine.

Precisely. Such stupid cricket to lose a bad toss and say "Fudge it...we play like we play and to hell with it" instead of toughing it out. The toss put them behind the 8-ball, their approach snapped the cue stick in half.

 

[Samsquanch]

drowning their sorrows (as best you can in Pakistan)

They would have permits so they can drown their sorrows with a drop of Murree's. At least, the non-Muslim members of their squad can.