Cricket

Jansen is looking good for a beanpole.

All over in three days barring weather issues?

Perhaps – England will play 2 x ODI-style innings, as they’re going at nearly 4 an over before lunch :grin:

And the ECB can’t have the Test side taking attention away from The 100 :scream:

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They took Bairstow from the Hundred for the test team.

Test cricket is attritional cricket :cricket:, it’s not the players , it’s taking the white ball ethos into the red ball game,

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And having watched some of the game yesterday, it’s perhaps the way to go as it’s obvious some haven’t got the technique and/or the temperament to play long-form cricket at Test level.

Where’s today’s David Steele equivalent?

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A very good question , to which I have no answer .

And if Roy is selected ahead of Hales for England’s T20 side, the police need to be called.

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I watched Bairstow’s dismissal 2 or 3 times yesterday. it was a dangerous delivery to get, however he was not defending, he played a shot which involved a swing and follow through of the bat. Outcome not a surprise.

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Well they still pick Crawley in the Test team, so Roy’s place should be secure. He at least used to be good.

I only watched short highlights yesterday but SA appeared to bowl very well. Movement and genuine pace challenging inevitably iffy batting technique.

Of course not helped hugely by all the momentum gained against NZ and India shuddering to a halt by the Test scheduling.

Bruce

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…all the more reason to be circumspect and get your head down (so you’d like to think).

Let’s take a positive in that England are still batting at the end of D1 :grin:

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Didn’t get see much last night (other commitments) but I’m hoping see a little more tonight. Batting seems a little fragile hopefully there might be a bit lower order fight back.

Fragile yes, but swinging the ball at 90+ mph is always going to get wickets. Only Lees out playing a really loose shot?

Bruce

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Just caught up with the highlights as a reminder of how good the bowling was. I hope Pope carries his bat.

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Lovely sunny day for SA to bat later!

‘Later’ :frowning:

I suspect today will also be affected by rain (here’s hoping!).

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BrAnderson look a little rusty. I wonder why?

Bruce

Aussies showing comment to the longer form based on this article.

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Pete - an interesting read (thanks for posting), noting the calendar preferences of many nations.

Also interesting to reflect that when The 100 was announced here, IIRC players like Steve Smith and some other Aussies were flagged as participants but that was thwarted by Covid. The major names aren’t here now (Stoinis is, as one perhaps) and it seems to me The 100 has been internationally down-ranked, not helped by the sandwiching between Test matches and the extent of other Test commitments. The 100 is feeling a bit unloved by others already?

Ravi Shastri the former India team coach is commentating for Sky here and he’s offered insight in to the potential future of the game generally and how it could develop further in the direction of India given the commercial success of the IPL and the extreme popularity of cricket in India. Put another way, India is seen as the cash slot machine of the sport, across all formats.

Cheers, I think India has a huge say in cricket these days. Think us now ranking them with England and playing 5 tests is conformation of that.

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Think about it like this – when India won in Aus a couple of years or so back, they demonstrated how good they were. Now reflect on how poor England are away from home generally, and especially in Aus and India.

England aren’t at the top table any more IMV - and if we come 2nd to SA in the Tests, one more nail will be in the coffin of Test cricket here, Baz-ball or not.