*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[pasag]

Must say, commentators not very enthusiastic here. Kinda just going through the motions. Holding (who I can't stand) just goes 'well, well, well what do we have here' with that last wicket. So dreary and lackluster.

 

[GIMH]

Thought you had your own commentators?

 

[Richard]

Bopara's good innings has come to an end.

I'm really not sure what you've been watching, but that was as bad a chanceless knock of that length as you'll see.

 

[Top_Cat]

Nah, that was 100% superb bowling, unlike the previous couple of wickets. Completely duped by the slower-ball.

Haha, what? Was was wrong with Midge's 1st wicket? Was great bowling. Strauss was looking rat**** against the short ones.

 

[wpdavid]

Australia's session then, clearly. Need a cleanup job from Colly here, or things could get very messy quickly. We desperately do not want to be bowling today.

Yup. You could easily see the keeper & bowlers going for not very many at all. Always on the cards that their bowlers would be too good for our batters, but none the easier to stomach for that. At least we won't have to put up with anyone telling us that Vaughan should have been picked ahead of Cook or Bopara.

 

[Andre]

Have to pitch it up to Collingwood early on, and in fact all the time. No money for bowling short as Johnson did 1st ball.

Yep. Needs to be full outside off stump early doors, as he looks to score legside and occassionally his head falls that way to balls outside off stump.

 

[Richard]

Haha, what? Was was wrong with Midge's 1st wicket? Was great bowling.

Harmless short ball that Strauss messed-up completely against. That'd never get him out on about 199 occasions out of 200, if not a much smaller percentage.

Bopara on the other hand completely duped by superbly disguised change-up.

 

[Craig]

Thought you had your own commentators?

Nah just the Sky feed. When the Ashes were down here in 06/07, do you get the Ch Nine feed or did you have your own commentators?

 

[Top_Cat]

Harmless short ball that Strauss messed-up completely against. That'd never get him out on about 199 occasions out of 200, if not a much smaller percentage.

What utter rubbish. Strauss played maybe one short ball well all morning, looked rubbish otherwise.

EDIT: Oh wait, I forgot you don't like wickets from short balls.

 

[wpdavid]

Would love to see Hilf get Collywobbles before lunch.

Is Bopara allergic to leaving the ball?

Not to the extent we saw today. ODing on testosterone in the circumstances imo.

 

[Ikki]

If Pietersen goes in the next few overs say bye-bye to this Test match.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Harmless short ball that Strauss messed-up completely against. That'd never get him out on about 199 occasions out of 200, if not a much smaller percentage.

Bopara on the other hand completely duped by superbly disguised change-up.

It's not harmless when it smashes into the gloves infront of his face. If he had to jump to get a hand on it I'd agree. It was a good ball. Not every bouncer is a **** ball Richard.

 

[GIMH]

Nah just the Sky feed. When the Ashes were down here in 06/07, do you get the Ch Nine feed or did you have your own commentators?

We had our own, although there were regular stints where a guy from 9 co-commentated with the sky guys

 

[Richard]

5 no-balls already and still 10 minutes to go until the end of the opening session.

If every Test were to go to five full days that'd make a projected no-ball total of 375, which would comfortably outdo the 222 bowled in 2005.

Now with the 6th in the opening session that's now up to 450.

And a pretty absurd appeal - way too high and no inside-edge.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Bopara what a pretender...

Cashes in against the West Indies, who have bowlers averaging over 40 with the ball but when he comes up against quality opposition, he looks absolutely clueless.

The same thing is gonna happen to Stuart Broad, as he is going to look very poor when he bowls to batsman like Ponting, Hughes, Hussey, Clarke, Katich, etc.

 

[pasag]

Thought you had your own commentators?

No, thankfully. England's lineup are clearly the best in the business and could listen to Hussain, Atherton and Gower all day but Holding ****s me and Lloyd and Botham can be unbearable sometimes (though Botham has been fine today).

 

[GIMH]

If Pietersen goes in the next few overs say bye-bye to this Test match.

Bit early to say that innit, 4.66 days and 37 wickets left

 

[Richard]

What utter rubbish. Strauss played maybe one short ball well all morning, looked rubbish otherwise.

EDIT: Oh wait, I forgot you don't like wickets from short balls.

It's not harmless when it smashes into the gloves infront of his face. If he had to jump to get a hand on it I'd agree. It was a good ball. Not every bouncer is a **** ball Richard.

Simple fact is good batting makes almost all short balls harmless. Go back over Strauss' career and see how often he's been out to them.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Lobbed a Mitch Johnson slower ball to point. Face palm worthy.

Looked to get out early though and he was successful.

 

[Ikki]

Bit early to say that innit, 4.66 days and 37 wickets left

Call it a hopeful guess .