Cricket: Why are you chirping now mate, you're not getting wickets?

[darko]

Let me guess, you don't like Kohli cause he dared to slegde Australian players, despite the fact that Australia has been sledging everyone for years.

I'd hate Kohli too if he torched my team on so many occasions.

That is exactly why i hate him.

I hate him almost as much as i hate Stuart Broad.

 

[Hurt]

Sri Lanka are in over their heads.

 

[SB164]

2017 Champions Trophy groups have been announced:

Group A: Australia (1), New Zealand (4), England (6) and Bangladesh (7)

Group B: India (2), Pakistan (8), Sri Lanka (5) and South Africa (3)

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/1022313.html

 

[Hurt]

Yup. Pakistan is screwed. Group A is the group of death though.

 

[Hurt]

I hope Amir bowls Cook every match.

 

[Hurt]

Jimmy Jimmy Andersonnnnn may not play the test series vs PAK. Hate to see a person get injured but we may not get destroyed as badly now.

 

[Hurt]

Misbah you absolute beauty!!!

 

[Six Assets]

Yasir Shah is the GOAT

 

[Hurt]

Yasir Shah is the GOAT

What a beauty.

 

[Six Assets]

Really satisfying win. It's great that Amir capped it off.

 

[Hurt]

First win at Lord's in 20 years. So proud of this team.

 

[darko]

First win at Lord's in 20 years. So proud of this team.

That was amazing.

 

[Hurt]

That was amazing.

When Cook and Root went down cheaply, I started having a little faith. In all the Yasir hubbub, Wahab's masterclass bowling needs to be addressed. He had a fiery spell where every ball looked like it could take a wicket - Bairstow didn't have an answer for him.

 

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

Mustafiz 4 for 23, and MOM at his Sussex debut. This guy is a fking beast
http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2016/content/story/1037391.html

 

[Hurt]

And in the very next Test, Pakistani batsmen forget how to hold a bat.

 

[Appleyard]

The Sri Lanka vs Australia game was really awesome.

And thankfully not ruined by the Sri Lankan boards bizarre decision to not allow the lights to be used... just stupid.

 

[Appleyard]

Also, while I do understand the Windies restructure and making the region stronger from the ground up for the future I would love for them to actually be able to field a full strength test team (though ofc pretty impossible after all that has passed)... sad to see them basically have ~5-6 test calibre players in the side with the rest just filler/replacement level.

Ian Bishop summed it all up quite nicely today when talking about the amount of 'talent' still in the region... with stories of Justin Langer surprised by how fast & nasty the net bowlers were from club sides round the region who had never really got foot in first class setup... and about how some 25 year old 6'7 guy from the Jamaican military bowler to some of the Indian's yesterday and was very impressive for a guy who was 'just' a club player... alongside also talk of how good the T20 team still is and the U19 success.

He also talked about how basically as things stand only Jamaica & Barbados produce pitches that are half decent for any kind of pace bowler... and that even those pitches were not as common as they once were... and in turn he felt they were doing a grave injustice to the area of cricket he still sees the most talent in at a younger age group around the islands.


Just to amuse myself I selected my 'ideal' Windies Test line-up as things stand just on ability:

#1: Chris Gayle
#2: Kraigg Brathwaite
#3: Darren Bravo
#4: Marlon Samuels
#5: Jermaine Blackwood
#6: Shane Dowrich
#7: DJ Bravo
#8: Jason Holder
#9: Sunil Narine
#10: Kemar Roach (just banking on him getting back to being World class bowler he was)
#11: Shannon Gabriel

With:
Leon Johnson
Carlos Brathwaite
Kieron Pollard (has performed when he played 1st class)
Andre Russell (was one of best 1st class players in Windies when he played)
Ravi Rampaul
Devendra Bishoo
Jomel Warrican
Roston Chase
Miguel Cummins
Alzarri Joseph
Chemar Holder

as the next few guys who would be rotated in in case of injury, drop in form etc.


Not world beaters on paper... but could give any test team a run for their money on a good day... unlike current squad which really lacks the right mix of experience and youth along with ability. As it stands only Bravo & Samuels have the ability to really dominate attacks on their day... and while Brathwaite, Blackwood & Dowrich have ability none of them should be the ~3rd best batsman in a test team as things stand. All have the ability to average 40 (well, Brathwaite more likely late 30's due to being in the openers spot.) but doubt they get there with environment being developed in...

 

[Hurt]

Whose bright idea is it every year to host Test matches in Sri Lanka during the monsoon?

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Whose bright idea is it every year to host Test matches in Sri Lanka during the monsoon?

I'm guessing the ticket sales are good. Wouldn't make sense if there wasn't money in it.

 

[Hurt]

I'm guessing the ticket sales are good. Wouldn't make sense if there wasn't money in it.

But if it rains out, they have to refund, no?

England bowled out for under 300. I'll take it!

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

But if it rains out, they have to refund, no?

England bowled out for under 300. I'll take it!

Good point.

Maybe the people who run US cricket (mostly into the ground) are making these decisions.

 

[Hurt]

South Asian cricket has always been mishandled across all of the countries. This is just another bumble in a long history.

 

[CycloneLaunch]

 

[Hurt]

Pakistani middle order collapse. Lost a winnable match.

At least Australia is losing as well.

 

[Six Assets]

With all the new Olympics threads, can this thread be stickied?