Idle cricket musing

[rendelharris]

A non-cricket-loving friend has loaned me their password to BT Sports...whereas before I was happy to go to sleep listening to TMS, I've now been up all night two nights straight, my work is suffering...it's bloody great. Two quick wickets this morning and we'll have 'em right on the back foot...

[Alan Medic]

1900......not out

[Loz]

From CricBuzz: "ECB Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss has jumped to the defence of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, clarifying that the alleged 'headbutt' is his way of greeting his mates and there certainly was no malice in his action or intent."

KP on Twitter: "Strauss says ok to a head butt greeting. Can?t wait to see him again!"

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Morning all!

[Loz]

Aussie selectors, eh - what do they know?

[Emski]

Does anyone know if there?s a local pub showing the cricket from 9ish tomorrow?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Bit tense, what?

One wicket / 46 runs required

[Alan Medic]

This is a sadly underused thread.....

[carlafindle]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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> This is a sadly underused thread.....

It is indeed, especially on this day that a oaf is installed in No 10 and the Ireland cricket team is shellacking England at Lords... How ironic...

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I hear you're getting good at golf too!

[triumph]

Ireland shellacking England at Lord's? Mmm, very unwise to slag off a cricket team until the last ball has been bowled.

Agree about the 'oaf' though!

[Alan Medic]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> I hear you're getting good at golf!

I've corrected that for you PGC.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Ha!

Well, it was a jolly good shake up on the first day. And anything that ignites a passion for cricket is a good thing.

[Alan Medic]

Should be a doddle for England given they got the difficult one out of the way!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

G'day Declan. Don't apply for a position at TMS.

Exciting times ahead...

[V511]

Hello all,

New to this thread but thought I'd jump in after the first test has played out it's exquisite torture.

I'm not too despondent though. England were a player - and such a crucial player - down, and if they can find a solution to limiting Smith, the sides are fairly evenly matched on paper. Still plenty to play for.

[JohnL]

Spin didn't look good to me either. That 4th day was a killer.

[TheCat]

V511 Wrote:

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> if they can find a solution to limiting Smith

Perhaps they could try booing him....im sure that'll work...

[V511]

Maybe the way to deal with Smith is not to deal with him. Just factor in that he will score a big chunk of runs every innings and don't spend your energy and focus trying all kinds of tactics on him. Instead, give him singles so that the strike keeps rotating to the other players and focus your energies on getting them out, because the rest of the aussies batting line up isn't firing reliably. They are vulnerable.

And then sort our own batting out of course...!

[peckman]

Its only 1 nil . If anderson was fit he would of probably taken 3 or 4 wickets per innings and the game would of been completely fifferent. Losing him also meant our biwling atrack was knackered in second innings . . 3.1 england

[malumbu]

Why don't I care about England any more? Is it because I am getting old and grumpy. Or I've lost interest in cricket since it was lost (live) from terrestrial telly? Or a reaction to the superiority complex of the media and many of the fans. Perhaps I was far more bothered when we were underdogs. Open question, discuss....

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Not having it on TV does make a difference, I think.

I'm working somewhere that I can't listen to TMS and can only snatch the odd glance at Guardian OBO which has the effect of making it less vital. Also no-one at work understands or likes the game. I am in cricket purdah.

I think it is safe to say (notwithstanding the world cup) that we are deep in underdog territory.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Oh wow. That is the beauty of test matches. Imagine if that was shown live on terrestrial television.

[malumbu]

Spoke a bit too soon. But on reflection say compared to 2005 and 1981 where I'd dip in fairly often, and was glued to the telly with Botham's innings and Willis's bowling it's not the same. But there again sport (jumpers for goal posts) isn't. Just to show I am not a total grouch I was down at Beckenham a few weeks ago, and as well as TMS from time to time listen to my county on local radio (with a few farmers and retirees I expect).

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Anybody else notice Flock & Herd had a mention in dispatches in the Guardian's OBO?