2nd Test, Lord's, London

[trundler]

Has Paine hilariously outdone Root's terrible captaincy?

 

[Uppercut]

There really hasn't been a huge amount of consistent movement, and yet we're 4 down.

It's fair enough if you're not missing many then suddenly nick one, but if it's hitting the stumps and you don't get anything on it then you're out. You only get to make that mistake once.

 

[Cabinet96]

The actual scientific evidence on the relation between clouds, lights and swing is very far from certain.

What about humidity? I find a lot of cloudy days in England are too cold for the ball to really swing. Warm day after overnight rain or whatever and it really hoops.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

There really hasn't been a huge amount of consistent movement, and yet we're 4 down.

Yeah it hasn't done anything like as much as in the Ireland game the other week though that pitch had far more grass on it.

 

[Starfighter]

Has Paine hilariously outdone Root's terrible captaincy?

Likely. Don't forget how bad Paine was in England's first innings at Birmingham.


Our running has been shocking today.

 

[TheJediBrah]

So you're a doctor? Or am I way off here

nah I wouldn't have all day to post on cricketweb if I was a junior doctor

those ****s are busy as ****

 

[trundler]

So you're a doctor? Or am I way off here

If JediBrah is a doctor I'm about to rethink my life

 

[mr_mister]

nah I wouldn't have all day to post on cricketweb if I was a junior doctor

Pharmacist?

 

[Spark]

What about humidity? I find a lot of cloudy days in England are too cold for the ball to really swing. Warm day after overnight rain or whatever and it really hoops.

It likely doesn't help that the pitch is so dry. Microclimate definitely has a little to do with it.

 

[Burgey]

Depends on if they get Smith out....or when the rain hits. Our 6-11 looks really unconvincing in this case.

Frustratingly I think we've played the better cricket, but have blown it by the decision to bowl when the skies were clear.

Nah we haven’t blown it at all with that decision. Seriously - 260 AO day two and 1/30 in reply of a four day test is fine. As much as it’s a semi-regular occurrence, you can’t assume you’re going to collapse all the time

 

[stephen]

England have bowled very well since about 8:30 tonight.

Head was always going to be found out in swinging conditions. I have absolutely no faith that he has the footwork to survive the swinging ball.

Watching Smith leave is so entertaining.

 

[Starfighter]

What about humidity? I find a lot of cloudy days in England are too cold for the ball to really swing. Warm day after overnight rain or whatever and it really hoops.

There's some theories, and possibly a combination of factors may be at play, but there's actually no confirmed mechanism to make the ball swing more when it's cloudy, cool, humid, under lights, whatever, at least in any of the papers I've read. It's one of cricket's semi-mysteries. And the idea that it will seam more when cloudy or under lights is obviously silly.

 

[morgieb]

Has Paine hilariously outdone Root's terrible captaincy?

It feels like a **** era for captaincy IMO. Obviously it's difficult to truly know what makes a great captain but I feel like only Faf and maybe Kohli seem above average to me. And the latter has just as much (if not more) down to galvanisation and leading from the front rather than good tactics.

 

[Compton]

Awesome first ball from Stokes

 

[Burgey]

There really hasn't been a huge amount of consistent movement, and yet we're 4 down.

The movement doesn’t have to be consistent to get you four down.

 

[Spark]

England have bowled very well since about 8:30 tonight.

Head was always going to be found out in swinging conditions. I have absolutely no faith that he has the footwork to survive the swinging ball.

Watching Smith leave is so entertaining.

It's not swinging at all, that's the thing. All the movement is off the pitch.

 

[TheJediBrah]

How the hell did you arrive at this conclusion?

This. We've definitely got the worse of conditions but I wouldn't say we've played the better cricket

 

[flibbertyjibber]

It feels like a **** era for captaincy IMO. Obviously it's difficult to truly know what makes a great captain but I feel like only Faf and maybe Kohli seem above average to me. And the latter has just as much (if not more) down to galvanisation and leading from the front rather than good tactics.

Yeah, lots of them are doing the play by numbers craptaincy book and look ordinary.

 

[aussie tragic]

how could you not find this entertaining? he's also arguably your second best bat ever, that's something every aussie tragic should want to watch

You're right, I'll stick around to watch Wade get his 2nd 100 on the trott

 

[stephen]

Paine's long periods without cricket probably mean he's not as experienced as his age would suggest. Certainly he's not been to England much.