Topic: The England Cricket Thread - 2024

[Robinred]

Somebody needs to tell the Sky TV Director that Kohli's no longer captain. Mind you, somebody needs to tell Kohli as well.

😁

[Yosser0_0]

Yeah, go out there and clog it up again. See if you can undo the damage.

 

[IgorBobbins]

We’ll either win by 5 wickets or lose by 200.

Winning by 5 wickets it is, then 

[Scottymuser]

Good luck Zak. You’re going to need it!

Thought he played pretty well - was able to stop himself from wafting outside off, played some lovely looking drives - hell of a ball from Bumrah to nick the top of off stump - think it was one of them that if he had played it, he'd have edged it and got stick for not leaving it (it swung miles really).  Still think he should go, but showed a maturity that, if he is persisted with for some reason, could end with him being better.  Lees also played the best we've seen - and much more aggresively than ever seen, until the mix up.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Gone boring again

[Elzar]

Great knock from Joe and John

[Crosby Nick]

Great knock from Joe and John

What I like best about the ‘new era’ is the make hay while the sun shines approach. They could play safe for the close but who knows how conditions will be tomorrow? Get as many as you can while the conditions are good and they’re both well set against a tiring attack and leave as little tomorrow as possible.

[Guz-kop]

378 to win

Quite fancy our chances

Absolutely bonkers that this was a reasonable statement  to make earlier in the day. Amazing stuff

[voodoo ray]

it's test match cricket in reverse. you're supposed to get your runs in the first innings not the 4th

[Nick110581]

Been a good day for England.

It’s still finely poised if India have a good opening spell in morning.

119 to win with 7 wickets remaining.

[Robinred]

Very enjoyable day’s cricket. Those who question this new approach’s sustainability may be right, but you have to say it’s invigorated this summer’s viewing.

[Yorkykopite]

Wow, what a day! The Northern Powerhouse at work.

[Original]

Mad the shift in mentality, like McCullum has completely deconstructed the game and told them all just to relax, and enjoy it

[voodoo ray]

not sure how much batting there is to come after these 2 if stokes keeps trying to smash every ball for 8 but the fact that the chase was 378 and it's going into day 5 in the balance is ludicrous in itself.

[Crosby Nick]

Wow, what a day! The Northern Powerhouse at work.

What a duo. Joe Root is just so good to watch. Incredibly reliable but never boring either.

[Yosser0_0]

not sure how much batting there is to come after these 2 if stokes keeps trying to smash every ball for 8 but the fact that the chase was 378 and it's going into day 5 in the balance is ludicrous in itself.

I think your right, if one of these gets out early tomorrow they probably won't get over the line.

[Yosser0_0]

What a duo. Joe Root is just so good to watch. Incredibly reliable but never boring either.

More so than Steve Smith?
 

[IgorBobbins]

Brilliant batting.  Sensible but still looking to score.  Aggressive but pragmatic, not just slogging every ball.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

[Avensis]

The change in attitude of the England Test team under Stokes and McUllum reminds me of our own experience under Jurgen. It’s almost like heavy metal cricket. It may not work all the time, but strap yourself in for the ride, because it will always be a lot of fun.
And I apologise for making the comparison with Jurgen, who is of course incomparable!

[Guz-kop]

Very enjoyable day’s cricket. Those who question this new approach’s sustainability may be right, but you have to say it’s invigorated this summer’s viewing.

1 win in 17 wasn't it? To potentially 4 in a row against the best teams in the world. Just ridiculous. Even managed to get a century opening partnership

They looked mentally destroyed in Australia. It was all a bit dreary before they even went out there with the covid stuff. Would be fascinating to hear what the players really felt at the time

India will be gutted about Ravi shastris book signing last year if they lose this

[Gerry Attrick]

Would be fun to see England having to set a target rather than chase one at some point.

[Yorkykopite]

The change in attitude of the England Test team under Stokes and McUllum reminds me of our own experience under Jurgen. It’s almost like heavy metal cricket. It may not work all the time, but strap yourself in for the ride, because it will always be a lot of fun.
And I apologise for making the comparison with Jurgen, who is of course incomparable!

It's not a stupid comparison at all.

When the cricket is this good I don't even mind them losing. Perhaps England will not make it tomorrow. But it seems pretty obvious to me that a  more conservative approach would definitely have ended in failure. So fair play to the boys for (at the very least) making a game of it.

[Crosby Nick]

Would be fun to see England having to set a target rather than chase one at some point.

In ODIs they seem better setting than chasing so they’ll probably be ok.

[GreatEx]

I don't follow England outside of the Ashes, but why is JB so poorly regarded? He always seems to do well against Australia, and he's a wicketkeeper too, right? So you could drop Buttler and bring in another specialist batsman, assuming you have some brilliant ones out there who have been omitted for some reason.

Well played today by Bairstow and Stokes, nice to see a proper fight.

Told youse so*, bloody poms wouldn't know a cricketer if he cover drove your nuts


* about being a good player, not taking the gloves

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

England are winning this.

Bairstow is in "eyes" mode and Root looks look like he is never going to get out.

All they have to do is negotiate Bumrah.

[PaulF]

England are winning this.

Bairstow is in "eyes" mode and Root looks look like he is never going to get out.

All they have to do is negotiate Bumrah.

That's some mockers.

[wah00ey]

More so than Steve Smith?
 

Definitely.  Smith is a great player but absolutely horrid to watch for me with his fidgeting and unorthodox technique. 

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

England are winning this.

Comfortably.

Over by lunch

[CheshireDave]

What a turnaround it's been! From 1 win in 14 (and even that was in a 3-1 series loss!) to this.

[El Lobo]

We're in a good position.....but its still not done by any stretch. Its a long old tail we've got

[Sangria]

England are winning this.

Bairstow is in "eyes" mode and Root looks look like he is never going to get out.

All they have to do is negotiate Bumrah.

Please STFU.

[Yorkykopite]

What a morning's cricket in store though.

I absolutely love this game.

[Filler.]

Any streams? Usually on a steady diet of TMS but would like to watch this..

[Circa1892]

This dodgy batch of balls is just embarrassing now. Have any lasted 20 overs this summer?

[Hedley Lamarr]

If I were one of those with a ticket but not yet in the ground, I'd get my skates on...

[Gerry Attrick]

This dodgy batch of balls is just embarrassing now. Have any lasted 20 overs this summer?

It's pathetic. Should just be made to play with it come what may.

[Skeeve]

With this current run of form, you have to wonder when teams will start putting England into bat first, even on pitches where batting looks best on day one of a test, just so they don't get the freedom of a run chase in their 2nd innings.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

[gjr1]

They’re changing the ball again!!!

[gjr1]

just said on TMS there have been 9 ball changes in this test