Summer sport 🏏

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Not specifically Norwich related, but then endless threads whingeing about memberships and tickets (and the EU) are getting a tad boring.

I just wondered what people are making of the Ashes - so far pretty ordinary from our side, though missing your premier bowler for all-but 5% of the first test was no help in that game.  I made my feelings about Roy opening in Tests fairly clear during the World Cup and it looks like I am sadly being proved right.  You just need to have the ability to have a look/play yourself in opening in Tests and that is just not his forte...he’d not be bad to try down the order (ie where he’s tended to bat for Surrey - not that he’s played for them at all this season).

[canarydan23 4,762]

There is another forum for this.

Ban.

I'm emailing Ben Kensell demanding he do something about this.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

You’ll have to pay him £50 first!

[Excited Canary 19]

Got Day 4 tickets, so was pretty happy to see yesterday washed out. Just hope there is enough play between now and then, and that the game develops fairly quickly, so that it's not just petering out for a draw come Saturday. Can always rely on England's batting to oblige!

Edited August 15, 2019 by Excited Canary

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

I thought it was worth giving Roy a try, if only because England are hardly spoilt for choice.

Looks like it will fail .... one more innings methinks.

I hope Archer comes of age at test level as he could be blistering.

[AJ 1,359]

Burns and Denly have thankfully rallied a little. But what a dreadful start!

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

There's something either seriously lacking in our batsmen or seriously wrong with our order. 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

2 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

There's something either seriously lacking in our batsmen or seriously wrong with our order. 

I don't understand why Buttler is coming in ahead of Stokes and Bairstow. He's far more of a number seven than a number five at Test level.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Something isn’t ‘clicking’ - hard to know precisely what it is.  

I reckon anything approaching 300 will be a reasonable score....at 202-6 there’s a fair way to go though.  Be interesting to see how Archer does with the ball.

[canarydan23 4,762]

Tail is going to have to wag something special here.

[AJ 1,359]

258 all out, you’d suspect a score under 300 is going to be crumpled given how the Aussies faired in the previous test. Hopefully Archer can grab a few early wickets in Jimmy’s absence

[Van wink 2,994]

Need a couple early ones

 

[Van wink 2,994]

Nice first over from Archer

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Nice from Broad, though it seems odd we have to get Warner out twice each innings!

[Van wink 2,994]

They are being a bit streaky atm

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

We need a good first session tomorrow...

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

.....so, who’s up for some more searing pace from young Mr Archer?!

Edited August 22, 2019 by Branston Pickle

[Aggy 944]

They clearly had a short ball tactic at the end of the last test, but I hope they don’t/Archer doesn’t get too carried away with it in the next test. His last five or so overs in the last test were too predictable, everything was short. He’s at his best when he’s mixing it up, yorkers, bouncers, slower balls. Unplayable.

 

[AJ 1,359]

To be fair I think the pitch at Headingly will be a bit more playable for the bowlers. Looking forward to seeing what Archer can do!

[Excited Canary 19]

Must win game for England and won't get a better chance in Smith's absence. Anyone know what sort of wicket Headingley is known for?

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

By all accounts the Lord’s pitch was actually regarded as quite slow, Headingley is due to be a lot quicker - so if anything Archer ought to be more tricky.  You tend to think it being a bit more seam-friendly for sure.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Branston Pickle

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Headingley is usually a result wicket and it generally pays to bat first with neither side likely to buck that trend should the coin fall in their favour.

However, if it's a nice green top and cloudy conditions (and there is already a slight rain delayed start) then I would be inclined to unleash Broad, Archer and Woakes against the weakened Aussie line-up straight away.

 

The toss is vital as usual.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Great toss to win in the conditions, making putting Aussie in the right thing to do - it’s annoying that it started to drizzle again; the problem is if it now clears up quicker than anticipated.

[WD40 726]

With all this rain, you wonder why we don’t play cricket in the Summer? 🤭

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Forecast is rather decent other than this morning - should get an all-but full match in.

Love the game as I do, (Test) Cricket is still sooo annoying - even with a 70 minute delay they are still going off for (full 40 minute) lunch break after an hour or so....and I’m pretty sure will only add 30 minutes to the end of the day to catch up.  

What’s more annoying is when players play proper footy on the outfield as part of their ‘warm-ups’, on a surface that is apparently not ‘fit for play’...have seen that often!

Edited August 22, 2019 by Branston Pickle

[The Bristol Nest 597]

I agree. It's too set in it's ways. Start at 10.30 and have half an hour for lunch.  Also when the light is ok start straight away!

[AJ 1,359]

Great early wicket, followed by rubbish weather

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Ended up ok - think we’d have settled for getting them out for 179 at the start of play, even if we got there in a roundabout way (didn’t look likely at 130-2!); hopefully the weather will be kind tomorrow and batting a bit easier.

[makham 82]

35 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Ended up ok - think we’d have settled for getting them out for 179 at the start of play, even if we got there in a roundabout way (didn’t look likely at 130-2!); hopefully the weather will be kind tomorrow and batting a bit easier.

Yes it did, Branston.

Jofra superb. Broad's bowled his heart out all series. Back up seamers let things slip today. 

Real pity that Olly Stone (Norwich born, Norwich fan, and part of this season's NCFC's promotional video - will that help keep this thread in this part of the message board?) has suffered yet another injury.

Last season, when he came back from another lengthy injury layoff, he was soon ripping through county line ups. Then he got injured on the eve of the West Indies series last winter, with wickets taylor made for him. Thought he impressed in the Ireland test.  This summer, though,  has essentially proved to be another write off for him. It would be brilliant if he and Jofra could form the core of the test seam bowling group in the future. But I fear for Olly with his injuries. 

Anderson's injury really cost England in the first test, reducing England to a four-man attack that included both Stokes and an out-of-sorts Moeen. And losing Wood and Stone as well has been a real blow to the seam bowling options. Hope Archer and Broad can get through the series unscathed.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting. Think Australia's three pacemen are going to be a handful, even if the sun is shining. 

[Van wink 2,994]

5 minutes ago, makham said:

Yes it did, Branston.

Jofra superb. Broad's bowled his heart out all series. Back up seamers let things slip today. 

Real pity that Olly Stone (Norwich born, Norwich fan, and part of this season's NCFC's promotional video - will that help keep this thread in this part of the message board?) has suffered yet another injury.

Last season, when he came back from another lengthy injury layoff, he was soon ripping through county line ups. Then he got injured on the eve of the West Indies series last winter, with wickets taylor made for him. Thought he impressed in the Ireland test.  This summer, though,  has essentially proved to be another write off for him. It would be brilliant if he and Jofra could form the core of the test seam bowling group in the future. But I fear for Olly with his injuries. 

Anderson's injury really cost England in the first test, reducing England to a four-man attack that included both Stokes and an out-of-sorts Moeen. And losing Wood and Stone as well has been a real blow to the seam bowling options. Hope Archer and Broad can get through the series unscathed.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting. Think Australia's three pacemen are going to be a handful, even if the sun is shining. 

A real up and downer of a day, could only follow short passages of play, but at one point I think the Aussies were scoring at 4 an over, and then pegged right back and wickets tumble. This really is a fascinating series.