Proper Mannies Cricket

[StandfreeFM]

Sick of these one sided test matches tbh. I want England to win but ffs it's dull as sh!te for folk with day 3, 4, or 5 tickets if the result is pretty much known. Nae fight in these batting (unts. I blame 20/20.

[57vintage]

I blame 20/20.

Never a truer word typed. Even Amla looked like a baseball striker in his two dismissals by Toblerone.

[Mason89]

20/20 is horsesh!t & ruining test matches. If you can't win one, you should try not to lose it but they just all go into big bash mode. They should be forced to watch endless re runs of Michael Atherton leaving a ball

[StandfreeFM]

They should be forced to watch endless re runs of Michael Atherton leaving a ball

That sounds like quality Saturday Night viewing to me tbf.

Deal Elgar waltzes his way to a century, well played sir. Posh sounding bowling discovery Toby Roland-Jones takes 2 wickets in 2 balls to inch England to victory. Saffers 213 for 7, 67 overs remaining

[57vintage]

20/20 is horsesh!t & ruining test matches. If you can't win one, you should try not to lose it but they just all go into big bash mode. They should be forced to watch endless re runs of Michael Atherton leaving a ball

Fill yer boots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3BBoGguhFg

Of course, for 40 minutes, until Allan Donald was knackered, this was the most attritional, gladitorial sporting telly of 1998 whn it was still on BBC (**** off Murdoch).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JojnoSO4MDc

[StandfreeFM]

Fill yer boots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3BBoGguhFg

Of course, for 40 minutes, until Allan Donald was knackered, this was the most attritional, gladitorial sporting telly of 1998 whn it was still on BBC (**** off Murdoch).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JojnoSO4MDc

Will watch a bit of that when I get home. That whole test series was quality. I'd forgotten about the last test but reading the Guardian article on it was quite enjoyable. Never knew Boucher was a racist


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...-1998-the-spin

[StandfreeFM]

All over. England win by 239 runs, Moeen Ali with a hatrick to wrap things up. Schloppy batting, particularly in the first innings cost the Saffers.

[57vintage]

All over. England win by 239 runs, Moeen Ali with a hatrick to wrap things up. Schloppy batting, particularly in the first innings cost the Saffers.

Ah well, **** cutting the grass and hairsting the ingins tonight then. Channel 5 highlights at 7pm, with the sound turned off and Paul Jones's Blues and Soul Show providing the soundtrack.

[Jupiter]

Geoffrey Boycott really got stitched up on test match special today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05b5j5t

[StandfreeFM]

Hopefully we get a close game at Old Trafford because the last three tests of the summer will be against as weak a Windies side that have ever toured here. Hey ho

Anyway, to matters at hand. England win the toss and bat. Another injudicious stroke from the callow Jennings sees him caught of an edge by the wicketkeeper for 17. He has that haunted look of soon-to-be-punted England openers, an Adam Lyth look so to speak.

Currently 66-1 in the 26th over, pitch looks nae bad.

[StandfreeFM]

Not sure how I feel about day/night tests. Hard to assess the conditions/pink ball etc because the Windies were predictably awful.

Last three hours looked like a stag-do in the Eric Hollies stand, funny for the guys in the commentary booths, probably less funny if you were there trying to watch the cricket. I've been at tests near the Barmy Army, rivaled only by the Tartan Army in their sanctimonious self satisfaction. I like a p!ss up as much as the next man but a little goes a long way when its stockbrokers and IT consultants boasting loudly about how much lager they've consumed (often not that much tbh), chiding folk for not joining in with their "banter" and singing the same daft songs over and over.

Good centuries for Chef and Roooooooot I suppose. Eng will start day 2 on 348-3, Cook 153*

[StandfreeFM]

Nae bother min

59-3, typically useless start fae England.

According to TMS:- "Over the last three years, in 64 innings, England have lost their third wicket at 55 or lower 23 times." That's absolutely appalling cricket.

Nae great today either. England currently 44-3. Roooooooooooooot just dropped on 8 so could have been worse.

[StandfreeFM]

Ooooohhhh the Stokey Cokey.

Him getting on the bowlers board reminded me to recommend Lord's tour.
If you've not been and were ever tempted, I'd highly recommend it. First class couple of hours - well worth it.

Now come on James...

Lords tour is excellent. Especially when you sit in the away dressing room and the auld mannie tour guide tells you you're sitting where Sachin Tendulker normally sits

Bowlers day yesterday. Normally want the test matches to last 5 days, in part for the benefit of the counties as well. But Lords/MCC are so rich and get double the tests of any other ground, they can go fu(k themselves. Wee Stokesy ton would do nicely today.

[xtrmntr75]

Looks like Wee Stokesy is out of the Ashes after the shenanigans in Bristol. Massive blow for Guff

[StandfreeFM]

Well, the least anticipated Ashes series in recent memory starts tonight. Two poor unsettled teams (each of the 2005 sides would have won 5-0 against a combined 2017 XI) begin at the Gabba in Brisbane, where England's record is total sh!te. On BT Sport so I personally will be listening to the radio instead.

Predictions:-

Aus will probably win 3-1 but there is plenty of weaknesses in the Aus lineup. If you can get Warner and Smith out cheaply, they don't really have much else. But they have home conditions going for them and a more balanced bowling attack (if they can stay healthy) which looks more likely to take 20 wickets than England's bowlers.

Most runs:-

Warner (A), Roooooooot (E)

Most Wickets

Starc (A), Woakes (E)