It's just not cricket

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:00 Sun 13 Jul 2014

That was a dolly. Beautiful. Well done Cookie. And a positive attitude to the game. Excellent. Excellent.
(Agreeing with Botham is not a sign of genius, by the way. Call your GP.)

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 16:02 Sun 13 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:That was a dolly. Beautiful. Well done Cookie. And a positive attitude to the game. Excellent. Excellent.
(Agreeing with Botham is not a sign of genius, by the way. Call your GP.)

Cook! Bowled!

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:03 Sun 13 Jul 2014

LGTrotter wrote:
djewesbury wrote:That was a dolly. Beautiful. Well done Cookie. And a positive attitude to the game. Excellent. Excellent.
(Agreeing with Botham is not a sign of genius, by the way. Call your GP.)
Cook! Bowled!

We aren't disagreeing about how beautiful that was to watch and listen to. Cook's antics are just the tonic at the end of a day like this.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:05 Sun 13 Jul 2014

No contest for the Brian Johnston champagne moment surely.

Post by **DRT** » 16:08 Sun 13 Jul 2014

That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.

Where is that sack...

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 16:12 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.

As deputy moaner-in-chief I would concur.

What says the bright eyed optimist?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:13 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.

Where is that sack...

Total rubbish. He got a wicket, the game was finished and the people who'd paid good money to turn up and sit in their seats enjoyed it immensely. Did you hear the crowd? That was as good day's cricket, tight and close, it was a shame it was a draw but it was nonetheless a good day. Well done Cook for ending it on a high.

Post by **DRT** » 16:13 Sun 13 Jul 2014

LGTrotter wrote:
DRT wrote:That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.
As deputy moaner-in-chief I would concur.

What says the bright eyed optimist?

He's off looking at his Captain Cook sticker book.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:15 Sun 13 Jul 2014

Broad, Plunkett, good wickets, Ali too, a close run thing for a good period, in the end it was a draw. Big deal. Go and watch T20 if that's all you can appreciate, they have fizzy beer and loud music and bright costumes too so you won't fall asleep. This was an interesting match, I'm disappointed but I enjoyed it.

Post by **DRT** » 16:18 Sun 13 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:
DRT wrote:That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.

Where is that sack...
Total rubbish. He got a wicket, the game was finished and the people who'd paid good money to turn up and sit in their seats enjoyed it immensely. Did you hear the crowd? That was as good day's cricket, tight and close, it was a shame it was a draw but it was nonetheless a good day. Well done Cook for ending it on a high.

The ground was approximately 75% empty all day and no one made a sound until the last three overs. That is not an entertained crowd. Watching Cook lampooning around like an arse at the end made those that were left laugh for a few minutes, mostly explained by the amount of beer they had drunk up to that point.

What happened from lunch onwards did not look like sport to me. It was a complete waste of time, but got me out of doing some gardening so it wasn't all bad.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 16:21 Sun 13 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Broad, Plunkett, good wickets, Ali too, a close run thing for a good period, in the end it was a draw. Big deal. Go and watch T20 if that's all you can appreciate, they have fizzy beer and loud music and bright costumes too so you won't fall asleep. This was an interesting match, I'm disappointed but I enjoyed it.

Ooooh, get her, saucer of milk for table five...

I think that it is very hard to tell much about the Indian or English bowling from this. I could say quite a bit about English batting but am reluctant to take the stick from Daniel about whingeing. You are right about Cook doing the right thing by lightening it up a bit by bowling.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:21 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:
DRT wrote:That (as in all of it today) was awful to watch. An insult to those who paid good money to not turn up and sit in their seats.

Where is that sack...
Total rubbish. He got a wicket, the game was finished and the people who'd paid good money to turn up and sit in their seats enjoyed it immensely. Did you hear the crowd? That was as good day's cricket, tight and close, it was a shame it was a draw but it was nonetheless a good day. Well done Cook for ending it on a high.
The ground was approximately 75% empty all day and no one made a sound until the last three overs. That is not an entertained crowd. Watching Cook lampooning around like an arse at the end made those that were left laugh for a few minutes, mostly explained by the amount of beer they had drunk up to that point.

What happened from lunch onwards did not look like sport to me. It was a complete waste of time, but got me out of doing some gardening so it wasn't all bad.

No. The pitch was lousy, and neither team could have done anything about that. With a sludgy wicket they managed to get something ought of it, they turned the game around, it moved and it was dynamic. The last wicket partnerships were testament to the terrible pitch, the bowlers did their best but weren't able to complete the task. England did a good job here, they can go to Lord's perfectly happy with their bowling and they still have some work to do on their batting. Great, can't wait for the fourth day when I'll be there.

Post by **DRT** » 16:22 Sun 13 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Broad, Plunkett, good wickets, Ali too, a close run thing for a good period, in the end it was a draw. Big deal. Go and watch T20 if that's all you can appreciate, they have fizzy beer and loud music and bright costumes too so you won't fall asleep. This was an interesting match, I'm disappointed but I enjoyed it.

You are intentionally missing my point. Owen must know how that feels.

The game was interesting for four days and for a brief period before lunch. It was then ended as a contest with neither side attempting to win. That is when they should pack up and go home, mostly so that life-long supporters of the game don't have to pretend it is still interesting.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 16:23 Sun 13 Jul 2014

Spot on about the pitch, less convinced about England doing a good job. And not convinced there ever really looked like there would be a result.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:24 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:Broad, Plunkett, good wickets, Ali too, a close run thing for a good period, in the end it was a draw. Big deal. Go and watch T20 if that's all you can appreciate, they have fizzy beer and loud music and bright costumes too so you won't fall asleep. This was an interesting match, I'm disappointed but I enjoyed it.
You are intentionally missing my point. Owen must know how that feels.

The game was interesting for four days and for a brief period before lunch. It was then ended as a contest with neither side attempting to win. That is when they should pack up and go home, mostly so that life-long supporters of the game don't have to pretend it is still interesting.

England were still bowling to win after lunch. Ask Jimmy. If you think drawn matches should be concluded earlier then fine, don't watch them, go and do the gardening and leave the junkies to crank up.

Post by **DRT** » 16:26 Sun 13 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:go and do the gardening

Shhh!

Post by **DRT** » 16:27 Sun 13 Jul 2014

When is the next test? I can't wait.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:39 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:When is the next test? I can't wait.

Thursday. Richard and I are going on Sunday, and possibly Monday.

Post by **DRT** » 16:46 Sun 13 Jul 2014

Squad announced at 17:30: Cook, Ali, Anderson, Ballance, Bell, Broad, Jordan, Kerrigan, Plunkett, Prior, Robson, Root, Stokes and Woakes.

Who was dropped?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:51 Sun 13 Jul 2014

Nobody.

Post by **DRT** » 17:26 Sun 13 Jul 2014

The message from Sky Sports said that Kerrigan had been added.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 18:20 Sun 13 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:The message from Sky Sports said that Kerrigan had been added.

But nobody else was dropped.

Post by **jdaw1** » 23:07 Mon 14 Jul 2014

The BBC, in an article entitled [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28291281]William Hague quits as foreign secretary in cabinet reshuffle[/url], wrote:Nick Robinson said Mr Clarke has told friends that at the age of 74 he has had enough of red boxes and "enjoyed three days at last week's Test match in anticipation of today's announcement".

…

Mr Clarke told ITV news he had been "demob happy" for some time and had spent more of the past week at the England versus India cricket test match than in his office.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 18:10 Thu 17 Jul 2014

India are 290/9. Dhoni got 1, the openers got 31 between them, one player got a century but nobody else scored above 36 (Kumar - and even that was off 84 balls). So why is everyone moaning? Anderson got 4 wickets for 55. I'm happy.

Post by **DRT** » 21:44 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:why is everyone moaning?

Because I forgot it was starting today.

How was the pitch?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:44 Thu 17 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:why is everyone moaning?
Because I forgot it was starting today.

How was the pitch?

Green.

Post by **DRT** » 21:49 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Helpful.

Flat? Bouncy? Fast? Slow? Helping the bowler? Helping the batsman (unlikely)?

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 21:50 Thu 17 Jul 2014

I have not followed this assiduously today but here are some thoughts:

djewesbury wrote:India are 290/9.

Having been 140 something for seven. England bowled poorly in the first and final session on a pitch which was about as friendly to the England seamers as one is ever likely to see at Lords. Cook once again had men out for the hook against tailenders with a ball that was still moving about, I'm thinking that Derek's sense of his captaincy is about right. Prior dropped at least one (perhaps two?) to go with the three he dropped at the last test. All this against India who do not often flourish in England.

djewesbury wrote:I'm happy.

Me too, but this is unrelated to the England cricket team.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 21:53 Thu 17 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:why is everyone moaning?
Because I forgot it was starting today.

How was the pitch?

Almost laughably cooked up for the England bowlers, very green, a bit of zip, the kind of pitch you don't see at Lords. More like Headingly, but it will wear better.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:53 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Green is a proper description of a cricket square. A wicket that still has grass visible on it will give more turn off the seam and thus be very useful to bowl on, but it will get easier to bat on over five days. I wasn't being facetious!

Post by **DRT** » 21:56 Thu 17 Jul 2014

LGTrotter wrote:Cook once again had men out for the hook against tailenders with a ball that was still moving about, I'm thinking that Derek's sense of his captaincy is about right.

I haven't just been saying it for effect. The guy is useless as a leader of men. Utterly.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:56 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Most Test pitches are not green - they're dry and fairly hard, giving reasonably consistent bounce and seam so the batsmen are able to read the ball accurately. A green pitch will be unpredictable, the ball will move a lot off the seam (Anderson is a seam bowler and got 4) and it will be hard to gauge for the batsmen. But there won't be any spin in it. At least not yet.

Post by **DRT** » 21:57 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Green is a proper description of a cricket square. A wicket that still has grass visible on it will give more turn off the seam and thus be very useful to bowl on, but it will get easier to bat on over five days. I wasn't being facetious!

Apologies, my ignorance of the term to blame. It is now all as clear as mud.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:58 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Not mud. That would be a sticky wicket. No fun for anyone.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:00 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Still you two moan. I'm looking forward to what should be an amazing game. This won't be easy for England to bat on. By the time I get there on Day 4, who will be at the crease when the first session starts? It could be the last day.

Right, that's a quiz, who will be the facing batsman at the start of Day 4?

Post by **DRT** » 22:03 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Not mud. That would be a sticky wicket. No fun for anyone.

It is how I remember it at school sports in Edinburgh. Best moment of my cricketing career was when we hid a small boy named Kevin in the cricket bag and told the teacher he was missing. Apart from that it was all just cold and wet.

Post by **DRT** » 22:05 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Still you two moan. I'm looking forward to what should be an amazing game. This won't be easy for England to bat on. By the time I get there on Day 4, who will be at the crease when the first session starts? It could be the last day.

Right, that's a quiz, who will be the facing batsman at the start of Day 4?

Rahane.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:10 Thu 17 Jul 2014

Ok.. Interesting. You clearly think England are going to bat much longer than them in the first innings if you reckon they'll only have lost 3 wickets by Sunday morning. But there may be some time lost to rain..

I'll say Kumar. Why not, he has the best time at the crease of all the Indians.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:20 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Still you two moan. I'm looking forward to what should be an amazing game. This won't be easy for England to bat on. By the time I get there on Day 4, who will be at the crease when the first session starts? It could be the last day.

Right, that's a quiz, who will be the facing batsman at the start of Day 4?

Daniel you are right that this is an interesting series and a curious pitch a Lords. I do relish the game and come to the close of play debrief with worries about England. There seem to be plenty. Anyway, I like moaning about cricket and it is not a sin for a man to labour at his vocation.

Who will be batting? Well England will get bowled out tomorrow evening or the following morning, so I shall guess a lower order Indian batsman with Dhoni.

Post by **DRT** » 22:21 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:Ok.. Interesting. You clearly think England are going to bat much longer than them in the first innings if you reckon they'll only have lost 3 wickets by Sunday morning.

No. I think England will be skittled for not much tomorrow and India will turn the screw in their second innings by hanging around longer than they did today. Declaration by India at tea on day 4 and England all out by lunch on Monday.

You heard it here first.

Where is my PaddyPower login when I need it?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:24 Thu 17 Jul 2014

'A lower order batsman' is not specific enough. Guess.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:25 Thu 17 Jul 2014

But you have India losing 3 wickets in one day Derek. That isn't going to happen.

Post by **DRT** » 22:26 Thu 17 Jul 2014

LGTrotter wrote:a lower order Indian batsman with Dhoni.

djewesbury wrote:'A lower order batsman' is not specific enough. Guess.

Have you been on the schnapps?

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:26 Thu 17 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
LGTrotter wrote:Cook once again had men out for the hook against tailenders with a ball that was still moving about, I'm thinking that Derek's sense of his captaincy is about right.
I haven't just been saying it for effect. The guy is useless as a leader of men. Utterly.

I think that he just can't get himself out of his tailspin, either with the captaincy or his batting. His determination (a laudable characteristic in most circumstances) is just making it harder for him to accept that he needs to go away.

Post by **DRT** » 22:27 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:But you have India losing 3 wickets in one day Derek. That isn't going to happen.

They could lose 9 and Rahane could still be in. Pay attention.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:28 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:'A lower order batsman' is not specific enough. Guess.

I mention Dhoni, he might be at the non strikers end though...

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:28 Thu 17 Jul 2014

I have been on the Riesling with my pudding in this rather nice cafe. Heading home for a Madeira now.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:28 Thu 17 Jul 2014

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But you have India losing 3 wickets in one day Derek. That isn't going to happen.
They could lose 9 and Rahane could still be in. Pay attention.

True; most unlikely.
But you'll get odds on that one.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:32 Thu 17 Jul 2014

djewesbury wrote:I have been on the Riesling with my pudding in this rather nice cafe. Heading home for a Madeira now.

Picking up the unfounded stereotypical traits of humourless but efficient...

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:33 Thu 17 Jul 2014

LGTrotter wrote:
djewesbury wrote:I have been on the Riesling with my pudding in this rather nice cafe. Heading home for a Madeira now.
Picking up the unfounded stereotypical traits of humourless but efficient...

Hmm. Where is André?