[Cricket] The 'Especially for Billy the Fish' 2nd Test Eng v India at Lords thread

[Seasidesage]

Except they have already tried everyone else, and they were equally

Everybody else

We'd be better off playing our one day openers than this pair...

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think the biggest mistake was sending our top 3 for an inspirational ted talk in resilience under pressure from the Afghanistan Defence force

 

[jakarta]

Well done ECB, you have set us up for this ever since you decided County Cricket should be played in April and September and that a format no-one except the Media wanted got put in its place..

 

[Simster]

Well done ECB, you have set us up for this ever since you decided County Cricket should be played in April and September and that a format no-one except the Media wanted got put in its place..

So Sibley is shit because you don't like The Hundred? Er, righto.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

So Sibley is shit because you don't like The Hundred? Er, righto.

Possibly the point they are making is the disregard for county cricket (4 day) means we have such a dearth of suitable county openers (England qualified) that Dom Sibley is even an option.

 

[zefarelly]

someone on the BBC TMS txt feed asked if Root has any brothers . . . . I think his mum would be better than our openers.

 

[Gwylan]

It's seems to be an entirely different wicket that Joe Root is batting on

 

[Titanic]

It's seems to be an entirely different wicket that Joe Root is batting on

The same one as Sharma, Shami and Bumrah.

 

[Simster]

Possibly the point they are making is the disregard for county cricket (4 day) means we have such a dearth of suitable county openers (England qualified) that Dom Sibley is even an option.

They should certainly make changes to the 4 day format - I'd suggest fewer games separate by an extra "backup" day - but T20 and The Hundred are the formats that pay the bills. Regardless, I just don't believe Sibley is the best we can do.

 

[Titanic]

Hameed

(a little unlucky - bail trimmer - umpires call - and Gough doesn't get much wrong)

 

[hans kraay fan club]

someone on the BBC TMS txt feed asked if Root has any brothers . . . . I think his mum would be better than our openers.

Billy Root currently has a First Class career average of 35.

Worth a shot!

 

[Titanic]

JB heads his first ball to the boundary.

Seemed a bit slow reacting... is that an extra jumper, or is he carrying a bit of timber ??

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Hameed

(a little unlucky - bail trimmer - umpires call - and Gough doesn't get much wrong)

Pretty high that - definitely unlucky to be given out. I know the technology (just) backs up the decision, but in honesty there HAS to have been guesswork involved. There's not a chance any umpire could be sure that wasn't going over.

 

[jakarta]

So Sibley is shit because you don't like The Hundred? Er, righto.

No, not individual players obviously but the whole way the First Class game is now set up players like him prosper but cant play the proper version.

Or maybe we should all agree to just play T20?

 

[Simster]

No, not individual players obviously but the whole way the First Class game is now set up players like him prosper but cant play the proper version.

Or maybe we should all agree to just play T20?

I was being facetious, I'll admit.

But really, there HAS to be a place for the limited over stuff - it's what pays the bills. The problem is indeed the way the whole game is set up - there appears to be no coherent strategy that accommodates both the long form and limited over stuff. To be fair though, people moaned about T20 when that first made an appearance nearly 20 years ago for this reason, yet plenty of quality test opening batsmen have come through across the globe, including England. Here's a list of Alistair Cook's opening partners:
https://metro.co.uk/2018/09/11/all-...artners-over-his-england-test-career-7933103/

Not much rubbish there, and nothing remotely as rubbish as Sibley.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Just need the Indian quicks to sling another 50 balls down leg side for 4 byes, and we'll be home.

 

[Titanic]

Review... last ball before tea... and JB is a goner.

Gough got that one wrong - first successful review of the match.

Tea on the final day

England 67-4

A minimum of 36 overs remaining.... could be a few more.

England facing a nasty spell after tea... and Root continues to carry the team.

 

[studio150]

67/4 need the rain to arrive

 

[Gwylan]

I was being facetious, I'll admit.

But really, there HAS to be a place for the limited over stuff - it's what pays the bills.

The T20 may pay the bills but it's doubtful whether The Hundred will. It cost £40m to stage the event and we've not seen any figures as to whether it's made any profit or not. Last year, the ECB was expecting to make about £11m on it but I'd be very surprised if it were anywhere near that - lot of tickets were given away. And I don't think that takes into account the bribe, er contribution, that The Hundred is making to the non-participating counties.

TBF, the ECB is happy with the losses if it encourages more kids to play and watch cricket. I think the jury's out on that. But if they want more kids to play it, it was bonkers to start the competition just as schools were closing for summer and the clubs' junior leagues are wound up.

 

[The Wizard]

Joe Root vs India, ridiculous