*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[pskov]

I love test cricket, but there's no way this test was a good advertisement for the game.

**** pitch, lots of ****ty batting, and at times good bowling.

That with time-wasting occurring on day 4.

Could be an exciting end, but a good test is enthralling all the way through, not in patches at the start and the end.

Days 1 and 2 were good to watch but 3 and 4 were distinctly poor, mainly due to a less than impressive effort from England, and today has picked up again. Overall a pretty average test really.

 

[superkingdave]

Swann now averaging 57, making him the best bat on either side IIRC

Hughes averages 64

 

[Prince EWS]

Hughes averages 64

And North averages 71.

 

[GIMH]

Clearly their sample sizes are too small to count

(what was I thinking?)

edit, this is dire from Johnson, what's going on?

 

[superkingdave]

The closer England get, the more **** the top order should feel

 

[Jono]

Mitch can be so awful to watch at times.

 

[ripper868]

Harmison off

 

[pup11]

Aarghhh.... C'mon Mitch....

 

[GIMH]

The closer England get, the more **** the top order should feel

So true. Especially Strauss, as on these days it should be your captain playing the Collingwood innings.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Johnson doing his best Devon Malcolm impression here, wide followed by leg-side half-volley. Will bowl a jaffa shortly.

 

[superkingdave]

If England do manage to get in front, wonder who will be the first commentator to spout 'Every run counts double now for England'

 

[ripper868]

Right, thats 20 minutes up now...i should goto bed....SHOULD....gonna be one tired puppy tomorrow...

 

[GIMH]

If England do manage to get in front, wonder who will be the first commentator to spout 'Every run counts double now for England'

One of the most bollocks sayings in all of sport

 

[roseboy64]

Australia doing their best not to win it seems. I should know what that's like.

 

[GIMH]

One of the most bollocks sayings in all of sport

FMD for a second I thought that was going back on to the stumps

 

[BoyBrumby]

If England do manage to get in front, wonder who will be the first commentator to spout 'Every run counts double now for England'

Depending who's on, but sounds like the kinda thing Nass or Bumble would come out with.

 

[pskov]

Johnson's action has been quite variable in this test. Sometimes he gets his arm very high and other times it is almost at a Malinga-esque roundarm angle. Was he like that in Aus and SA 6 months ago too or is it a new problem?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If England do manage to get in front, wonder who will be the first commentator to spout 'Every run counts double now for England'

Bumble, absolutely no doubt. I can hear him saying it in my head right now.

 

[GIMH]

What was that Swann?

edit, that's better

 

[Prince EWS]

What a shot.