England Cricket

[GillsBluenose]

"Why didn't Root enforce the follow on? Bloody idiot"

That's why. Can you imagine how England would have fared on that wicket today?

It always amuses me when ex-skippers who are now pundits criticise the current England captain for batting on too long and delaying the declaration.

In nearly every case, England go on win with time to spare and it is never mentioned again.

With India and West Indies both winning recent tests by chasing down over 350 in the final innings, why should you take any risk of losing a test which you have dominated for 4 days?

 

[ramager]

I've played at Folkestone and the Mote. Dressing rooms at the Mote were/are tiny, heaven knows how county players got all their coffins/bats/pads etc in there. They must have changed in shifts.

Spent a few days at Tunbridge Wells for a county game a couple of years ago. It was the wrong time of the year for rhododendrons, but it's a lovely ampitheatre to watch cricket. The weather was nice and warm and the cricket was helped by several pints of Spitfire during the day.

Tunbridge ground is truly beautiful when it's in full bloom and bathed in sunshine. I love the main Canterbury ground as well - even if its appeal has been slightly diminished by the building of the new flats

 

[chris who]

I remember my first visit to the Gillingham Ground. It wasn't my first County game but it was the first time I saw Underwood bowl. I had been assured by my colleague that Underwood was surprising opposition teams and was invariably taking a wicket with his first ball. Derek was bought on to bowl the last over before lunch and duly obliged taking a wicket dead(ly) on cue.

Was also fortunate enough to see Kent play at "The Bat and Ball", Folkstone, Tunbridge Wells, The Moat and of course, Canterbury. Also played the odd game at Gillingham, The Moat, Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and West Malling. I suppose I could add that I also represented Kent, but sadly I have to confess that wasn't at cricket.

I don't remember pitch being that bad but I haven't been past it for many years. NB. I mean travelled past the ground. I have been past it for longer than I care to remember.

I too have fond memories of Derek Underwood. What a player.Many the time he would be totally unplayable. I remember a 40 over game at Hastings where he finished his overs with about as many wickets as runs conceded. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the following days play when against a decent Sussex bowling attack in the county game he score his one and only century. Those were the days.

 

[chris who]

Tunbridge ground is truly beautiful when it's in full bloom and bathed in sunshine. I love the main Canterbury ground as well - even if its appeal has been slightly diminished by the building of the new flats

A beautiful ground. I also used to really enjoy visits to the many grounds both in the county and round the country they all seemed to have their own character much like football grounds .Unlike some I would enjoy the minor grounds more than places like Lords and the Oval.While I did enjoy lunch at the Oval once in the pavilion with the they committee of Surrey and some Yorkshire. A friend of mine got voted on due the Boycott committee rebellion. He managed to take me as a guest .Although meant for wives .I was very uncomfortable but hey not many people can say they have had that opportunity.

 

[chris who]

I remember my first visit to the Gillingham Ground. It wasn't my first County game but it was the first time I saw Underwood bowl. I had been assured by my colleague that Underwood was surprising opposition teams and was invariably taking a wicket with his first ball. Derek was bought on to bowl the last over before lunch and duly obliged taking a wicket dead(ly) on cue.

Was also fortunate enough to see Kent play at "The Bat and Ball", Folkstone, Tunbridge Wells, The Moat and of course, Canterbury. Also played the odd game at Gillingham, The Moat, Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and West Malling. I suppose I could add that I also represented Kent, but sadly I have to confess that wasn't at cricket.

I don't remember pitch being that bad but I haven't been past it for many years. NB. I mean travelled past the ground. I have been past it for longer than I care to remember.

I have never seen this before well worth watching as Geoffrey Boycott explains why Derek was such a difficult bowler to play against.

 

[Gills 58]

I too have fond memories of Derek Underwood. What a player.Many the time he would be totally unplayable. I remember a 40 over game at Hastings where he finished his overs with about as many wickets as runs conceded. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the following days play when against a decent Sussex bowling attack in the county game he score his one and only century. Those were the days.

My favourite cricketer and second greatest sportsman the world has ever seen (after Wilks of course).
Scored 111 in that match. More than double the score of any other Kent player in the match.

Kent heading for defeat with 1st innings deficit, only scored a total of 92. Slumped in 2nd innings too but Deadly and Alderman with a 50 set Sussex 193 to win. They were 186 for 6 and slumped to 192 all out so it was a tie!

What a remarkable match. A tie and Underwood's one and only century. Odds on that surely millions to one.

(thanks to cricinfo for stats).

Nerd fact. The two Wells brothers were very prominent in that match for Sussex. As it happens there is a third brother who didn't reach first class standard but does play for Sussex Over 60's (3rd eleven)

How do I know? He bowled me last summer in a match. We (Kent) won though.

 

[chris who]

Another Boycott video with Kent interest.

 

[Johngill]

Heads up lads, it all starts again 6am tomorrow morning , Channel 4.

 

[SteveTreacle]

Not so good today. I have to say as I alluded to even when we were basking in the glory of our first test win that I simply cannot understand not making all of your best players available for one of your biggest test series. India have gone on record as saying they’ll be playing their best possible team, I can’t understand our policy at all.

I’d also add that the pitch for the first test was excellent - something for the seamers with the new ball and a bit of reverse with the old ball, turn for the spinners and a good batting pitch of batsmen applied themself, got in and batted properly. The problem is that England are a better all round team and better all conditions team than India. I guess India got over confident after their excellent win in Australia and produce a lot fairer wicket than they would usually. After England thrashed them in the first test, they’ve doctored up the pitch and produced the sort piece of dirt we usually see in India.

To be fair, these two batsmen have batted well, but I have to say been very lucky. England’s spinners have lacked control again and we’re sadly missing Jimmy.

 

[RotherhitheGill]

Two quick wickets of the big boys

 

[shotshy]

Two quick wickets of the big boys

Weird review 🤪

 

[SteveTreacle]

Need to get neutral umpires back PDQ - some at best terrible umpiring; at worst old school bias Indian umpiring today.

A clear brilliantly stumping from Foakes - no part of Rohit’s foot behind the crease, very quickly given not out despite close up video replays.

England reviewing a caught pad glove from Rahane which wasn’t given by the on field umpire. They didn’t bother looking at the full replay even through Root emplored them to and gave it not out. Contrast this with Kohli who was clean bowled by Moeen and decided he wasn’t going to walk - instead of telling him to jog on, the umpire looked at the replay, effectively giving him a free review.

Disgraceful.

 

[shotshy]

Need to get neutral umpires back PDQ - some at best terrible umpiring; at worst old school bias Indian umpiring today.

A clear brilliantly stumping from Foakes - no part of Rohit’s foot behind the crease, very quickly given not out despite close up video replays.

England reviewing a caught pad glove from Rahane which wasn’t given by the on field umpire. They didn’t bother looking at the full replay even through Root emplored them to and gave it not out. Contrast this with Kohli who was clean bowled by Moeen and decided he wasn’t going to walk - instead of telling him to jog on, the umpire looked at the replay, effectively giving him a free review.

Disgraceful.

Home advantage ST.

 

[SteveTreacle]

Home advantage ST.

Yes, that used to be the case, but these days we’re supposed to have neutral umpires and DRS to correct any wrong decisions. I get because of COVID, we’re going with home umpires, but the clear video evidence should be beyond doubt.

 

[Bert]

Yes, that used to be the case, but these days we’re supposed to have neutral umpires and DRS to correct any wrong decisions. I get because of COVID, we’re going with home umpires, but the clear video evidence should be beyond doubt.

I don't know if it was the result of an official complaint by England but the Rahane error was admitted and they gave England back their review. Rahane was out shortly afterwards but that doesn't mean England didn't lose by the error, the Ball that finally got Rahame out might also have dismissed the next man in.

I noiced that the third umpire made sure to watch the whole of the delivery and give an English batsman out on an Indian referal when the ball flicked the bat after hitting the pad. OK is was definitely "out" but it should be the same rule for all.

Another disgaraceful decision today effectively giving Rohit his fourth innings in the match. I thought that the referal system had put a stop to batsmen hiding their bat behind their pad and claiming that they were playing a shot, but clearly Indian Batsmen are still allowed to do it. You could see that Root was absolutely seething and he did very well to keep himself in check

 

[Gills 58]

I know I'm tempting fate here but Zac Crawley is looking the absolute dog's bollocks. Pure class.

At the moment it's Crawley and no-balls versus India.

 

[timnolongerinbrisban]

Agreed - when I used to push forward the ball dribbled about 5 yards. His ping to the boundary. These days I just dribble...

 

[SteveTreacle]

Utter toilet batting performance from England today. Another doctored pitch, but England won the toss and will be batting in the best of the conditions and haven't done well enough. I'd also add that neutral umpires can't come back quick enough as these Indian umpires are clearl completely biased with fingers going up any time anything is close with no benefit of doubt for the batsman, which in no way excuses England's batting performances.

 

[Gills 58]

Good spin bowling and some poor batting but to take this much turn on day 1 of a test match is ludicrous. If it were Aust v Sri Lanka with Warne and Murali bowling it would all be over in a day. Farce.

 

[SteveTreacle]

Good spin bowling and some poor batting but to take this much turn on day 1 of a test match is ludicrous. If it were Aust v Sri Lanka with Warne and Murali bowling it would all be over in a day. Farce.

Murali maybe, but Warne never really performed in sub-continent conditions strangely. However, I get your point re the pitch. And if Murali had umpires like this too on these pitches in his favour, it would probably be all over by tea on the first day!

We expect favourable conditions for the home team in all countries, but a pitch that is going through the surface and turning like that on Day 1 isn't just "home advatnage", it's pitch doctoring. I've seen on social media, lots of Indians saying that we do the same and produce "green seamers" in England, which isn't true at all. Groundsmen in England produce good batting wickets (and are told to do so by the ECB as god knows how much money in tickets sales are already received for days 3 and 4 of tests!) Test pitches in England offer a bit for the new ball, are good to bat on, if you get in and offer spin late on. The climatic conditions in England obviusly greatly assist our swing bowlers, but that's home advantage not pitch doctoring. Funnily enough, the only time in recent years that we produced unnatural pitches was when the ICC (who's strings are pulled by the BCCI) prepared the pitches for the World Cup and our usual 350, 400+ ODI wickets where the ball comes onto the bat with bounce turned into sub-continental slow low low scoring grubbers overnight. Thankfully, it did't pay dividends for the ICC/BCCI and India and we went away with the trophy!