4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester

[hazsa19]

If we get as much luck as the Aussies there’s no reason we can’t pile the runs on and take it to the Oval.

 

[zaremba]

irrelevant but ok

Interesting take.

 

[OverratedSanity]

They'll probably belt us over there next time.

Annoying that we had to wait a century to get to win down Under only to lose the bragging rights within two years.

Im just glad they were dumb enough to open the door for us. In a way, it makes it better how it happened. It's arguably less satisfying that it took two players getting banned but undoubtedly more funny.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Is that next year? ****, the last one just happened. Seems like the WTC schedule is well planned for India.

Doesn't help India at all. Wouldve been sweet if the win earlier this year had been part of the WTC.

 

[zaremba]

It is over from the POV of England winning it. Say they bat a full day today (lol I know) they’d still be 150 minimum behind with two days to go, and Australia won’t bleed runs like England’s hapless attack did over the first two days because they’re nothing if not disciplined.

England just need to get past the follow on, and given the rain around the game should be drawn for them. They’ve been blessed all series. The idea these teams are closely matched is a complete myth.

Agree with your match analysis, and that you're the better side. Better bowling, plus Smith. We've certainly had our jammy moments but it's a stretch to say we've been blessed all series: Anderson.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Anyway is it just me or did burns look less bad yesterday? Could still get embarrassed by the short stuff though.

 

[Victor Ian]

Smith should go past Sachin's mark of 51 hundreds comfortably, even if he retires at around 35 like a normal person. That's astonishing.

He is 30. Give him another 5 years at his current level, equal to his last five, he'd be on...

[B]span	matches	runs	average	50	100[/B]
10-14	20	1361	40.02	4	6
14-19	47	5427	76.43	22	19
19-24	47	5427	76.43	22	19
[B]total	114	12215	69.40	48	44[/B]

tendulkar finished on
[B]89-13	200	15921	53.78	51	68[/B]

Just makes you realise that Tendulkar played so long that even if you go cheat mode it is still hard to get past him. Though, his last 5 years should really include another years worth of runs that he missed out on.

 

[Burgey]

Im just glad they were dumb enough to open the door for us. In a way, it makes it better how it happened. It's arguably less satisfying that it took two players getting banned but undoubtedly more funny.

That’s fair enough. It’s some redemption for us laughing at Indian cricket since 1946.

 

[Burgey]

Agree with your match analysis, and that you're the better side. Better bowling, plus Smith. We've certainly had our jammy moments but it's a stretch to say we've been blessed all series: Anderson.

True that, and no doubt he’s been missed a lot. I think on balance that either side losing their best bowler - Anderson for you guys over there, Cummins for us - is les of a los than either of thee teams losing a form/ their best batsman.

On another tour that could be the other way about tbf, but the discrepancy in both sides’ respective disciplines has rarely been wider in my time watching. In the 80s we stank at batting and bowling, you guys did likewise in the 90s. But to have two teams both with such crap batting and good bowling at the same time is a pretty rare occurrence.

 

[Woodster]

It is over from the POV of England winning it. Say they bat a full day today (lol I know) they’d still be 150 minimum behind with two days to go, and Australia won’t bleed runs like England’s hapless attack did over the first two days because they’re nothing if not disciplined.

England just need to get past the follow on, and given the rain around the game should be drawn for them. They’ve been blessed all series. The idea these teams are closely matched is a complete myth.

Yes, I wouldn't say we've been blessed, we have played some pretty poor cricket on occasions much of our own making, other times the Aussie attack and Smith have been too good. We have also played some mind blowing cricket, thinking solely of the herculean Stokes effort. Yet despite our poor periods, this series is still level, a better side would have drilled us for sure.

 

[Victor Ian]

Anyway is it just me or did burns look less bad yesterday? Could still get embarrassed by the short stuff though.

Is it just me or is it common to feel like his head is going to twist a full circle like on the Excorcist when he takes his stance. Something in his eyes when facing also makes him look possessed.

 

[Second Spitter]

Martin McCague, what a bowler!

 

[Burgey]

He is 30. Give him another 5 years at his current level, equal to his last five, he'd be on...

[B]span	matches	runs	average	50	100[/B]
10-14	20	1361	40.02	4	6
14-19	47	5427	76.43	22	19
19-24	47	5427	76.43	22	19
[B]total	114	12215	69.40	48	44[/B]

tendulkar finished on
[B]89-13	200	15921	53.78	51	68[/B]

Just makes you realise that Tendulkar played so long that even if you go cheat mode it is still hard to get past him. Though, his last 5 years should really include another years worth of runs that he missed out on.

Makes you realise how long the little bloke payed for

 

[Burgey]

Yes, I wouldn't say we've been blessed, we have played some pretty poor cricket on occasions much of our own making, other times the Aussie attack and Smith have been too good. We have also played some mind blowing cricket, thinking solely of the herculean Stokes effort. Yet despite our poor periods, this series is still level, a better side would have drilled us for sure.

They’re still going to cop a flogging, it’s just instead of 4-0 or 5-0 it’ll be 2-1 or 3-1 owing to weather and the concussion rule.

 

[Woodster]

They’re still going to cop a flogging, it’s just instead of 4-0 or 5-0 it’ll be 2-1 or 3-1 owing to weather and the concussion rule.

4-0 or 5-0 is a flogging, 2-1 not quite so much, if that is indeed the case.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

They’re still going to cop a flogging, it’s just instead of 4-0 or 5-0 it’ll be 2-1 or 3-1 owing to weather and the concussion rule.

We'd have won at Lord's if the weather hadn't caused us to lose so much time. You got lucky there.

 

[social]

He is 30. Give him another 5 years at his current level, equal to his last five, he'd be on...

[B]span	matches	runs	average	50	100[/B]
10-14	20	1361	40.02	4	6
14-19	47	5427	76.43	22	19
19-24	47	5427	76.43	22	19
[B]total	114	12215	69.40	48	44[/B]

tendulkar finished on
[B]89-13	200	15921	53.78	51	68[/B]

Just makes you realise that Tendulkar played so long that even if you go cheat mode it is still hard to get past him. Though, his last 5 years should really include another years worth of runs that he missed out on.

Smith’s default mode is cheat mode

5 years = 50 tests +

He will be around 50 centuries by that time

Have doubts that he will play that long

 

[zaremba]

True that, and no doubt he’s been missed a lot. I think on balance that either side losing their best bowler - Anderson for you guys over there, Cummins for us - is les of a los than either of thee teams losing a form/ their best batsman.

On another tour that could be the other way about tbf, but the discrepancy in both sides’ respective disciplines has rarely been wider in my time watching. In the 80s we stank at batting and bowling, you guys did likewise in the 90s. But to have two teams both with such crap batting and good bowling at the same time is a pretty rare occurrence.

Losing Anderson from the 2nd Test onwards is a blow, but to lose him 4 overs into the 1st was really massive. Left us depleted and you just can't say what course that game would have taken if he'd been there (or if we'd had another bowler playing in place of him).

Agree about the batting/bowling balance. Pretty well illustrated by the two teams' opening partnerships in this series:

Brum
2
22
13
19

Lord's
0
11
9
13

Leeds
12
10
10
15

Swamp
1
10

Total: 156, av 10.43, highest 22

 

[Burgey]

We'd have won at Lord's if the weather hadn't caused us to lose so much time. You got lucky there.

Lol you only drew Lord’s because Smith got concussed.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Lol you only drew Lord’s because Smith got concussed.

So, you only won first test as Anderson got injured. That near session we lost on day 5 at Lord's cost us the win.