Odd but nice to see the women wearing whites.
I’ve had the stuff I was planning to do at the weekend rearranged to Monday/Tuesday, I’M tempted to head to Lords, but my Celtic skin would be at serious risk in the sun. I’m looking forward to this Test, whether I’m watching from the safety of my chair or whether I’m baking in St John’s Wood. Bell’s looked not quite in form, similar to the last 2 matches of the WC.
I thought Salt had 2 good games, his early overs looked bad, he really couldn’t seem to play any shots, but when he got his eye in he played what I’d think of as one day shots really well. I don’t expect batters to middle everything in short form and the balls went where he aimed pretty consistently.
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Typically she took a wicket while I was posting.
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Looks like a pretty disappointing crowd unfortunately.
I wonder how the MCC have priced tickets? Saturday hopefully better.
Bruce
I think that was the ‘on the stumps, surprise delivery’. I didn’t see the drubbing in Australia, but if they bowled like they have so far today against the Aussies, it’s hardly surprising they got tonked. Was talking to a friend earlier who is involved with women’s county-game cricket, and his ‘roughly hewn’ view is that there’s far too much emphasis on hitting the ball (e.g. throwing the hands), rather than developing technique as a means to doing this, so much so, that playing 50-over games can be like watching a longer version of T20, which invariably finishes well before the 50 overs are up.
In this Test both teams are showing how hard it is to play an innings against a moving red ball when you pretty much only ever play white ball cricket and are dropped into a Test. And India, mainly Gaud, has shown that if you bowl the right line and make the batter play you’ve got more chance of getting them out. Excellent bowling from Gaud who’s really deserved her Michelle.
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It seems that England Women, as well as the men, are not able to bat for long periods. Not able or willing to leave or defend decent deliveries. ( But it is easier from the armchair).
I felt it was more technique against the moving ball than mindset, not quite able to judge where the ball was going leaving them getting tied up.
Meanwhile on the South Coast who’d be a bowler?
Most conservative prediction I’ve ever heard on the radio. England 189/1 from 15, Carberry says “they could be powering towards 220”. A run a ball gets them to 219!
Played Jos!
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Should get 250 ish.
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257 for 3, who would have thought it ?
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Our women are sadly not doing as well. Can’t see a way out from the position they are in.
I suppose it would be easy to say the English women just don’t play enough tests. Yet part of the blame must rest with the MCC. It beggars belief that this was the first women’s test at Lords. Even the old buffers of the cabbage patch at Twickenham managed to move into the 21st Century before the bacon and egg brigade.
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Not just Tests, I’m pretty sure there isn’t a domestic red ball competition. So they go straight from white ball (whether domestic or international) to the occasional Test with no other red ball matches.
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Why do people retire in the middle of a match? Completely out of order in my book. Disrespectful to the match and team mates. Imho.
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I think we have to call it what it is/was, it’s just very poor quality cricket at times, whether this be batting absent solid technique and/or spraying the ball around when bowling. Let’s not overlook that they’re playing on the best strips going (with obvious rider re Lord’s), where movement is much less than a grassier club strip…and some of them still cannot keep out a straight(ish) ball.
To @Camphuw 's point, I question whether they’re worthy of a Test at Lord’s on quality grounds. They should play at Bristol and other similar venues and build to Lord’s IMHO, keeping the latter for finals. The Red Roses are a totally different kettle of fish, being akin to the Aussie cricket team.
What really pains me is that notwithstanding so much investment in to the game, they’re still not a patch on the Aussies, and there doesn’t seem to be a path to get there. You can increase participation levels all you want, but developing real talent from this means intensive training & coaching, not just playing a lot.
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I think there is a core of players (about six) who can match the Aussie and the Indians , but we are a few key players short.
As Bell is showing this morning. It seems to be a feature of English bowling in men’s and women’s Tests to bowl either short or wide for the first gew sessions of an innings before they start to bowl at the stumps and make the batters play. Are they coached to do this? It seems impossible that the coaches think this is a good idea, but it’s been a common pattern this year.
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I think India have more than enough. Waiting for Bhatia’s century?