I think it's fair to say that David Warner has put the Ashes series behind him. And yes, Pakistan are awful: they went for more than four an over on the first day, when your bowlers ought to be fresh.
Joe Root makes a double-century against NZ, but with four days gone the scores are near enough level with 8 NZ wickets in hand in the third innings of the match. short of something astonishing happening, it's got "draw" written all over it.
Vale Bob Willis. What a great cricketer, a giant of the game and one of the many jewels of English cricket from that era. Get your prostate checked fellas.
I have tickets to Day 3 of the boxing day test with my mate Mat. We are in the Ponsford Stand. Judging by the pitch in the Shield game that had to be abandoned due to uneven and unreadable bounce, the game is either going to be over by then, or they will curate the hell out of the test wicket and Mat and I will be watching an endless parade of runs. I'm hoping for blood, natch.
As 40 degree days loom up here in eastern Australia, I fell for the cricketers who had to play in 4 successive days of it in Perth. My abiding memory of my first trip to Perth decades ago was watching people who weren't used to hot sun in a dry atmosphere (so it doesn't feel so hot at first) keel over with sunstroke. (I'm not kidding!).
I'm dreaming of a hot Christmas,
With Kiwis wilting in the field
Where their bowlers glisten
as they strain to listen
to phantom edges from our boys...
What a great summer of Test Cricket. I believe Australia won every test. Things are coming together for this team. Laberschange is a revelation, a future captain I hope.
What a great summer of Test Cricket. I believe Australia won every test. Things are coming together for this team. Laberschange is a revelation, a future captain I hope.
When you consider his test debut was as an injury replacement, he's definitely made the most of his lucky break.
New Zealand, who were thrashed on the scoreboard in all 3 of their tests, were undermined by bad planning and a spate of injuries/ illness. Bad planning: their only warm up for the first test was a series against England (who they beat!) in the temperate moist conditions of NZ; starting their tour with the first test at Perth in blazing sunshine and 40 degree temperatures on each of 4 days was too big an ask. Then in the lead up to the third test (Sydney) they had 4 players lost to a flu (including their best batter) and another 2 out injured (including their best bowler), which didn't help.
In the absence of Anderson and Archer England got everything right in the Third Test: score plenty of runs, get all your bowlers to do well, and catch just about every realistic chance. You don't do that without a good captain; apart from keeping himself on too long at the end he didn't miss a trick. Given the resources available Root is shaping up nicely.
It did help that some people did better than expected. We now have 2 fast bowlers and Pope finally got his century. Give Stokes some catching practice, and have the openers score better and things are looking positive.
We've only got one fast bowler because sodding Root played too heavily and clumsily with his new toy Archer in NZ and niggled him.
With any luck Chris Silverwood (another Yorkshireman, a former quick bowler and England head coach) will give young Joe some guidance. Archer and Wood both need to be wrapped in cotton wool when they aren't playing.
That said, we did even better in the Fourth Test, and South Africa were in a poor state by the end. It was sad for Big Vern to go out on such a low: injured, fined and on the losing side.
First England v West Indies test was great. The others a bit one-sided (to take nothing away from Stokes in the second test and Broad in the third who were fantastic).
I have been following. The WI series deteriorated after the first Test, which was sad. The ODI against Ireland was ho-hum until today's match, which was well worth following. I have no predictions for the upcoming series with Pakistan. Because it is cricket and the one thing I am clear on: only an idiot would bet on cricket...
[P.S. I feel the same way about baseball (my native game). Only a moron bets on baseball.]
I wish I had watched the 3rd match - this Englishman likes to think he's a sportsman first and foremost, and I was delighted to see Ireland win. It's a shame they didn't win one of the first two and keep the series open, but it will still do Irish cricket the world of good.
I wish I had watched the 3rd match - this Englishman likes to think he's a sportsman first and foremost, and I was delighted to see Ireland win. It's a shame they didn't win one of the first two and keep the series open, but it will still do Irish cricket the world of good.
AG
Morgan being absent during the Irish innings made all the difference.
Am now wondering, in the era of Jimmy Anderson, who are the best batsmen he has never (yet) got out? Am guessing there must have been some players who were close to retirement when Jimmy started and some around now who Jimmy has not had much of a chance to bowl against, mainly because Broad got the wood on them first.
Am now wondering, in the era of Jimmy Anderson, who are the best batsmen he has never (yet) got out? Am guessing there must have been some players who were close to retirement when Jimmy started and some around now who Jimmy has not had much of a chance to bowl against, mainly because Broad got the wood on them first.
I think it's a slim list. He has a habit of getting good batsmen out...
Zak Crawley was man of the match in the test when Anderson took his 600th test wicket. He was 5 years old when Jimmy took his 1st Test wicket.
Just saying.
Test cricket has resumed in Australia. First test v India. "It's all happening" in a day-nighter at at Adelaide. India batted first. Pujara and Kohli both made 50 or more. Kohli on 74 and just warming up was run out by Rahane, and if looks could kill... Aust bowling was generally tight and restricted India to 240. Then Australia batted , with only one of their top 5 batters reaching double figures , and he (Lambuschagne) was dropped 3 times. Paine made 74 n.o. to give the score some respectability, leaving India to weather a few overs before night-time stumps. Shaw duly got out, bowled through the gate again, though he did last more than one over this time. Next day (afternoon) India resumed, but were all out for only 36 (!!) , after inspired bowling from Cummins, Hazelwood and Starc! None ofthem made double figures.
Looks like it could be a 3-day test, which given the batting strengths on paper would be a turn-up for the books.
Test cricket has resumed in Australia. First test v India. "It's all happening" in a day-nighter at at Adelaide. India batted first. Pujara and Kohli both made 50 or more. Kohli on 74 and just warming up was run out by Rahane, and if looks could kill... Aust bowling was generally tight and restricted India to 240. Then Australia batted , with only one of their top 5 batters reaching double figures , and he (Lambuschagne) was dropped 3 times. Paine made 74 n.o. to give the score some respectability, leaving India to weather a few overs before night-time stumps. Shaw duly got out, bowled through the gate again, though he did last more than one over this time. Next day (afternoon) India resumed, but were all out for only 36 (!!) , after inspired bowling from Cummins, Hazelwood and Starc! None ofthem made double figures.
Looks like it could be a 3-day test, which given the batting strengths on paper would be a turn-up for the books.
He may be on the opposition, but I gave a little cheer when Mendis got off the mark - I know what four consecutive ducks feels like! In fact, my worst ever trot was four in five balls - life was falling apart a bit at the time, and my self confidence was so low, Time Team would have struggled to excavate it.
As I type this, Leach has just done for him for 15.
I heard a great call on our sports opinion show Offsiders this morning, in the "what would you like to see" section, one of the Journos said she'd like to see the Australia v India test series have the same status as The Ashes. For me, the Ashes series is the holy grail of cricket, but I'm kid of the 1970's. Even the stand where I used to go to the cricket is gone.
So many of us these days trace our roots to the subcontinent, and India is the undisputed centre of the cricketing world. The series really should be celebrated on the same level as the Ashes.
Also, doesn't this iteration of the Indian tail do well! Bastards.
Yes - Galle is turning out to be far more of a thriller than it looked on day one! Sadly, unless it wallops it down, it'll be long done and dusted by the time I wake up tomorrow.
As for @Simon Toad's point, as an English cricket lover, I should probably disagree, but as a cricket lover and having seen the fervour of subcontinental fans, I really don't see why not - that's where the cricket epicentre is.
Well, what a game is Test Cricket! What an incredible series. I can't believe India was dismissed for under 40 in Adelaide, and win the series by chasing down over 300 in a day.
Comments
I don't know much about cricket* but I don't think you're supposed to kick it.
* understatement of the century
One David Warner. There's only one David Warner. One David Warner. There's only one David Warner.
AG
With Kiwis wilting in the field
Where their bowlers glisten
as they strain to listen
to phantom edges from our boys...
Stokes to the rescue. Again. Only 8.2 overs to go.
When you consider his test debut was as an injury replacement, he's definitely made the most of his lucky break.
With any luck Chris Silverwood (another Yorkshireman, a former quick bowler and England head coach) will give young Joe some guidance. Archer and Wood both need to be wrapped in cotton wool when they aren't playing.
That said, we did even better in the Fourth Test, and South Africa were in a poor state by the end. It was sad for Big Vern to go out on such a low: injured, fined and on the losing side.
Indeed.
Biosecure location, apparently.
Couldn't be more appropriate, really, could it?
AG
First England v West Indies test was great. The others a bit one-sided (to take nothing away from Stokes in the second test and Broad in the third who were fantastic).
And then there was today's one-day match...
[P.S. I feel the same way about baseball (my native game). Only a moron bets on baseball.]
No racial bias whatsoever, of course ...
AG
AG
Buttler did produce something special but his wicket keeping still left him in minus territory.
The ground staff have been working miracles this summer at both sites.
I think it's a slim list. He has a habit of getting good batsmen out...
Zak Crawley was man of the match in the test when Anderson took his 600th test wicket. He was 5 years old when Jimmy took his 1st Test wicket.
Just saying.
AFZ
Easily the best British bowler of the 21st century.
Looks like it could be a 3-day test, which given the batting strengths on paper would be a turn-up for the books.
and the Aussies have easily won.
Labuschange oh Labuschange
Another century to his name
At number three he is aflame
Australian Captain Labuschange.
Before you tell me, he is the Australian captain of my heart, mmmkay?
As I type this, Leach has just done for him for 15.
So many of us these days trace our roots to the subcontinent, and India is the undisputed centre of the cricketing world. The series really should be celebrated on the same level as the Ashes.
Also, doesn't this iteration of the Indian tail do well! Bastards.
Fair play to SL for their awesome fightback but still...
As for @Simon Toad's point, as an English cricket lover, I should probably disagree, but as a cricket lover and having seen the fervour of subcontinental fans, I really don't see why not - that's where the cricket epicentre is.