*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[BoyBrumby]

I don't like watching Hughes, but at the same time I do. Not sure how to describe it.

Think you've summed it up pretty well. He's (durr) unorthodox, but in a horrible way. Lara was equally so, but where I used to purr watching the great man Hughes looks like some batting savant. Plays some great shots tho, for all that. Great nose as well, best opener's snout since Lawry.

Also, why are we giving him width? I'm just some **** who watches a bit of cricket and talks shyte on the interwebs and even I know he's a fairly useful cutter. FFS.

 

[GIMH]

Why not? One ordinary day from Jonson and everyone was saying the same thing.

I bloody didn't

 

[pasag]

Graeme ****ing Swann.

Would take him in a second.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I don't like watching Hughes, but at the same time I do. Not sure how to describe it.

Yeah, totally with you. Every time he moves towards leg to a ball on off-stump I cringe, and then he drives it through cover off the back foot and it's a thing of beauty. He's a remarkable cricketer.

 

[GIMH]

There's probably a case for Swann to bat above Broad tbh

 

[crickets]

hughes is so jumpy when its bowled down leg and yet has no foot work or makes any attempt to move to play them on the leg side. dont they know this?

 

[wfdu_ben91]

I guess two bad overs from Stuart Broad prove that everyone is right all along and he's crap?

Don't worry, if this was a Twenty20 game then he'd be doing just fine.

 

[Burgey]

Watching Swann today, he looked a right handed Trescothick under the lid. Not the way he played, he actually looked a bit like him. Bats better though.

Then again, I'm coming off a late night and a few scotches. Think I'll have another.

 

[stephen]

Well Hughes certainly had a good half hour. It might just be that aggression is the order of the day on this pitch - it's only going to get worse as the match progresses.

 

[Woodster]

Fair play to Hughes in what can be a tricky half hour period before a break. He played his natural game, played to his own strengths, but England's attack did help settle him down by feeding him a number of deliveries outside that off stump, but fair play, he nailed virtually every one.

Flintoff will be the key against Hughes, his aggressive style of bowling, and control of his line will no doubt cramp Hughes, Prediction - TKO in the 2nd round as Hughes nicks one to Strauss.

Swann was a touch full before lunch, but will play a big part in this afternoon session, should be intruiging viewing. Sadly I have a feeling that Katich will be a thorn in our side today.

 

[GIMH]

Watching Swann today, he looked a right handed Trescothick under the lid. Not the way he played, he actually looked a bit like him. Bats better though.

Then again, I'm coming off a late night and a few scotches. Think I'll have another.

Hope he has the same ability for, um, ball-shining as Tresco

 

[iamdavid]

Is Broad a bit dense?
They've no doubt spent hours upon hours analysing the way Hughes batted against South Africa and for Middlesex, and like everybody else who has been even vaguely following the build-up to this series would have deduced that giving him room outside off stump isn't bright....Broad then proceeds to play him in with a barrage of short, wide crap. Clearly wasn't a plan either, it's not like they were tying him down then throwing him some wide bait to try induce an edge....just poor bowling.

 

[Uppercut]

Is Broad a bit dense?
They've no doubt spent hours upon hours analysing the way Hughes batted against South Africa and for Middlesex, and like everybody else who has been even vaguely following the build-up to this series would have deduced that giving him room outside off stump isn't bright....Broad then proceeds to play him in with a barrage of short, wide crap. Clearly wasn't a plan either, it's not like they were tying him down then throwing him some wide bait to try induce an edge....just poor bowling.

The thing about Hughes is, he can cut absolutely anything. I'm convinced at some stage he'll somehow play a leg-stump half-volley through point for four. I reckon Broad just didn't realise how little the margin of error is when bowling back-of-a-length to Hughes.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I think his problem is that he doesn't actually have any noticeable weapons. Yeah he's tall, but not accurate, doesn't move it and isn't remotely intelligent as a bowler.

 

[Hoggy31]

Can Matthew Prior get a warning for over-appealing? seriously.

MacGilla making me cringe, it's hard to watch. Is this some secret ploy by Foxtel?

 

[Burgey]

agree with this... some shots he plays look gorgeous and than the ugliness comes out as well.

I had forgotten how terrible it is to watch Katich dance around the pitch.

Yep. Neither of them can match the purity, or indeed brevity, of Ian Bell that's for sure.

 

[iamdavid]

The thing about Hughes is, he can cut absolutely anything. I'm convinced at some stage he'll somehow play a leg-stump half-volley through point for four. I reckon Broad just didn't realise how little the margin of error is when bowling back-of-a-length to Hughes.

Yeah well Anderson could use that excuse for the way he bowled before lunch, he had an inswinger headed straight for middle slashed through point for a couple and he looked as though he had some idea what he was trying to achieve..

 

[Burgey]

Hope he has the same ability for, um, ball-shining as Tresco

He'd be [thinks about it before posting - hmmm, ok] .......






nuts to try that, surely

 

[iamdavid]

Can Matthew Prior get a warning for over-appealing? seriously.

MacGilla making me cringe, it's hard to watch. Is this some secret ploy by Foxtel?

Haha agree, I've noticed a couple of times tonight SBS has cut him off mid-sentence to cross to the proper commentators....trying to cut their losses

 

[Burgey]

Haha agree, I've noticed a couple of times tonight SBS has cut him off mid-sentence to cross to the proper commentators....trying to cut their losses

Mate, that fella in your avatar looks like Michael Jacskon, only black