*Official* 1st Test at the SWALEC Stadium

[GIMH]

Ali bowls a lot of **** with some good deliveries in between

Could turn out to be a fair bowler with more experience

On his better days it's the other way round IMO, but yeah can only see him getting better

 

[dfrinku]

This Steve Waugh Ashes promo. Reads like a Jarrod Kimber article.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Ali bowls a lot of **** with some good deliveries in between

Could turn out to be a fair bowler with more experience

He does, at least the wickets he does get are usually from good ones and not rubbish ones caught in the deep that were miss hit. We just have to accept he will bowl more bad balls than our previous offie used to.

 

[Riggins]

Would you prefer margins to be decided and perhaps certain ones are benefit of the doubt to the batsman?

I'm sure we've all been through this before, but yeah, pretty much. I don't even care who gets the benefit of the doubt though. I just want the same situation to be treated the same way all the time.

 

[morgieb]

Ali bowls a lot of **** with some good deliveries in between

Could turn out to be a fair bowler with more experience

Yeah this is where I stand. Realistically shouldn't be honing his bowling in Test cricket as he was mainly a batsman before about 2012, but he does have ability.

 

[uvelocity]

On the basis of the score, Australia's session. But they were utterly clueless to Broad and Warner played the worst fifty in the history of cricket.

worst posting in the history of cw

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I'm sure we've all been through this before, but yeah, pretty much. I don't even care who gets the benefit of the doubt though. I just want the same situation to be treated the same way all the time.

but it is, the benefit of the doubt goes to the umpires original decision. That's as consistent as you can get without giving an arbritrary advantage to one discipline.

 

[social]

On his better days it's the other way round IMO, but yeah can only see him getting better

People need to remember that he was just a reasonable 2nd division batsman who bowled a bit

Gets good work on it

Cant see Oz getting close as bowling is good and pitch not great

Smith, as usual, looks to be batting on a different track to everyone else

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Moeen has got a lot of stick this year, some of it deserved and some of it a little harsh (he was rushed back too quickly in WI after injury for a start) but he is probably our best bet as a spinner and we have seen in this game that as a number 8 he is probably the best one in the world with the bat so that adds to the package with him. Obviously we don't know what Rashid would do until he is given a chance but i'd not really want him making his debut in an ashes unless it was to be as a 2nd spinner on a real dry bunsen burner if we needed a 5th test win to win the series and I don't see that happening.

 

[social]

but it is, the benefit of the doubt goes to the umpires original decision. That's as consistent as you can get without giving an arbritrary advantage to one discipline.

Not that I am a fan of Watto but he was ridiculously stiff compared to 2 * Lyth and none will be regarded as an umpiring error

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Smith, as usual, looks to be batting on a different track to everyone else

Bit like Root for us and Williamson does for NZ. All three are going to be fun to watch in the next ten years.

 

[uvelocity]

jono put the 9 logo on blewies mike obvs

 

[uvelocity]

jono put the 9 logo on blewies mike obvs

haha they fixed it

 

[social]

Moeen has got a lot of stick this year, some of it deserved and some of it a little harsh (he was rushed back too quickly in WI after injury for a start) but he is probably our best bet as a spinner and we have seen in this game that as a number 8 he is probably the best one in the world with the bat so that adds to the package with him. Obviously we don't know what Rashid would do until he is given a chance but i'd not really want him making his debut in an ashes unless it was to be as a 2nd spinner on a real dry bunsen burner if we needed a 5th test win to win the series and I don't see that happening.

Moeen's fine whilst you have Root to pick up the slack when he gets tap

Can see him routinely going for 5 an over and picking up a few poles which is all you need

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Not that I am a fan of Watto but he was ridiculously stiff compared to 2 * Lyth and none will be regarded as an umpiring error

I don't agree with the current exact margins which they work with so I don't disagree, but I agree with the notion of placing weight on the umpires original call. It's the only fair way imo.

 

[dfrinku]

omg this smith promo is so cringey. just let the man speak.

 

[Son Of Coco]

This is a great PowerPoint presentation Steve Smith is giving on 9 about his evolution as a test cricketer. The main points that are flashing up on the screen aren't too wordy and he elaborates on them beautifully. 9.25/10.

 

[Riggins]

but it is, the benefit of the doubt goes to the umpires original decision. That's as consistent as you can get without giving an arbritrary advantage to one discipline.

Yeah that's exactly what I want - give the arbitrary benefit of doubt to one discipline. I don't care which discipline as long as the rules are consistent. As it stands we can have a Test match or Test series decided based on two identical situations resulting in opposite outcomes for completely subjective and essentially random reasons

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Grumpy is right.

Yup.

Expect it to be continued after lunch and more noticeable throughout the summer. Stokes only seemed to remember what he was meant to do in his last two or three deliveries. Might be best to leave it to Wood and Broad. Short legs, leg slips and silly mid ons. Not even subtle. Just need the bowlers to execute.

He looks a million dollars when the ball is out side off, even when he pulls it to the leg side from outside off.

 

[grecian]

Bit of a golden arm our Moeen

Just don't understand that comment Fred, when Social is giving a more measured view of an England player then you, you should be worried.

Bowls bad balls, but get's serios revs so he's always going to take wickets, it's just how many he'll get slaughtered for.

Oh and well done Cook for putting him on last over before lunch, because even I'll admit the last over he bowled was diabolical.