The New Cricket Thread That Is Not The Old Cricket Thread

[rjd2]

Shafiq at three and Azhar opening is the way to go for Pakistan. I wouldn't be confident about the future of Ahmed though, his bowling was piss, put down catches and his shot to get out was horror.

England poor, and Pakistan for the most part obviously better, however like the Aslam/Azhar partnership in the second test, Pakistan have not got away whatsoever and with that lower order, England still very much in it.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yeah, not unthinkable we could roll them tomorrow. The fight truly is on now though. Terrific test series.

[rjd2]

Domination from Pakistan today, Younis in beast mode with excellent support from the tail.

Vince has to go, his shot to get out tonight was horror, will be destroyed in India. Hales not bothered about one way or the other, probably never going to be a great test opener, but few alternatives. Ali should bat in the top seven and Rashid as the frontline spinner for India. Its not going to scare Kohli that much, but not sure what better options they are, Ansari I suppose, but a bit of a gamble.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

They seem to like Ansari so I wouldn't be surprised if he plays. Or the ever average Samit Patel will get another trundle.

It's similar to the late 80s early 90s side where if you were black and bowled anywhere near fast medium you could pretty much count on being selected for England in a pathetic attempt to try and recreate our own West Indies style pace attack.

My personal view? Yes, he hasn't done much for years but India will fear Panesar, and Panesar has almost never been hit out of an attack in test cricket. Pick him.

[leighhart]

holy christ what a massive batting effort from England!
is that the highest international odi total ever?
Riaz 10 overs -110

[Ian Drunken Smurf]

Yes - beats the record by Sri Lanka vs Netherlands. 10-0-110-0 is a shocker - but apparently not the worst...

[Quote]

Pity Stokes got out there, felt like he was just about to go on the rampage.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Gone a bit wrong. England will have a tough job defending it but in fairness our bowlers need to be tested.

[rjd2]

A lot to admire about England's cricket these days, but their obsession with Dawson an average as heck spinner is infuriating. His 20 or 30 runs he may add with the bat, won't compensate for the fact that he has been an mediocre county spinner for so long and will be decimated by international spin bully batsman as Malik and Sarfraz are demonstrating here.

The mail are suggesting he may make the test squad, I'd take Batty before him, yep I know he is 120 , but he might actually take wickets now and then.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Ooh, wicket.

Long tail but a piss easy chase from here.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2016-17/engine/match/936135.html

A few absences and odd selections but Australia's bowling looks not so good anymore.

What makes it even worse was S.A had a very unthreatening batting lineup barring De Kock who has usurped Kohli as the ODI king, I think.

[billyandthecloneasaurus]

Carnage.  England 5 down.

[thraxx]

I'm biased because I've spent many a happy day at The Oval watching county matches being the only spectator in the park, but I'm really looking forward to seeing Ansari make his overdue debut.

Got a good feeling about him.  If he can have a career at least as good as Ashtray Giles, he'll have been a great servant for England.  It would be nice if a spinner can cement a proper place in the team, not just he squad.  Chances are he'll be counted on as a genuine all-rounder and will prove not to be good enough with either bat or ball.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

If he starts outperforming Ali then perhaps, otherwise outside of the subcontinent I can't see where he gets a game. An upgrade on Samit Patel though,  let's hope.

You've got a good feeling about him but think he's odds on to not be good enough?

[Bobby Treetops]

I really have no idea how Ansari or Rashid are anywhere near the Test team when they've left proven spin bowlers with good averages at home e.g. Rayner and Leach.

England selectors seemed to go for spinners who despite being all rounders, aren't good enough to be Test players in the either the batting/bowling department.

It's like picking a team of Derek Pringle's.[nb]Not a spin bowler, but you get my point.[/nb]

[iamcoop]

Great to see Englands pursuit of being the most successful 30/3 team in the world finally coming to glorious fruition.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

More eye openingly shit batting from England this morning.

Finn and Ansari are spare parts, I agree. If we concede a first innings lead here I think we're done for.

[Ian Drunken Smurf]

Amazed we managed to eke out a first innings lead. Don't fancy us to chase anything over 220 - especially if Root is not fully fit.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Looks like they're keeping him isolated - even a theory that he picked up the stomach bug from licking his fingers after cleaning the ball (no-one else in the squad has fallen ill this time).

I can't see us getting out of this one. I really disagreed with the changes to the side and thought it was pretty arrogant. Our batting was fucking dreadful and sadly Duckett and Ballance are dead weight right now.

[Harry Badger]

Bit harsh on Duckett - it's madness opening with him when Hameed is in the squad. Should have had him in Ballance's place in the middle order.

We could be looking at 0-5 in India, lads.

[Shay Chaise]

DUCKETT NUCLEAR WINTER BANGO FUCKBOY

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I only said 'dead weight right now' ;)

What a difference a day makes. And what a terrific series. Probably be 190-7 or something by close, that's just how it's going.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

There we go. Look at that.

And back to looking like an artist's impression of the village idiot.

[Shay Chaise]

Flipping tea. Bugger it. One more wicket and two new starts, we could still be effed.

Root will be feeling horrendous in this heat with the shits, dehydrated, woozy, weak in a Bango furnace. Cook needs to make a ton, really, or it's a coin toss.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Root gone.

Y'see.

[Shay Chaise]

Bango roar is absolutely terrifying. Imagine playing in that. Sweat, dust, humidity, pitch like a bag of broken biscuits, terrorist threat in the back of your mind, shit dripping down your whites, last night's poached chicken and rice repeating on you, saliva pooling under the tongue, feeling like your head is being held together by your helmet, picked up an AID from licking your fingers, some kid coming in tossing fireballs like he's possessed by the crowd.

Three down?

Edit: NO

[Shay Chaise]

Someone really needs to dig in hard here, and if not, carry on the Duckett onslaught. Go out swinging rather than tucking it up inside and waiting to be consumed by the cleansing fire. Ballance is literally playing for his Test career here. I have no confidence in him at all. Cook is Mr. England. Kills animals, boring, hard worker, wears jumpers. This is what he's built for but it's just random whether he's in or out, he never plays any different. You look at who we've got left, JB, Stokes, Moeen, Woakes and you think these lads can knock off anything but you picture that sweat glistening and the lifeforce ebbing away with every breath you have to forcibly swallow, gaining less than the effort each one takes out of you.

[Shay Chaise]

LEGEND GARY

[Shay Chaise]

LEGEND ALI

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Fucking Hell