Cricket

[Qunk]

He’s so bloody good, I’m very much of the opinion we would have won the Ashes with him behind the stumps.

Agreed. He’s a brilliant player.

[Nemo]

There no substitute for skill.
Australia and India are currently so far ahead of the rest.
Went and witnessed Australia give NZ a real doing over in a 20 over match the other night at Eden Park... just so professional.

Full strength India are sure. The team for this test is missing Kohli, Rahul, Pant, Bumrah and Shami and I think it's pretty well matched with England. This series has been competitive!

[Ides of March]

Full strength India are sure. The team for this test is missing Kohli, Rahul, Pant, Bumrah and Shami and I think it's pretty well matched with England. This series has been competitive!

Maybe more competitive than previous tours, but it still includes a 100 run loss in Visag and a mauling in Rajkot. Shows how good India are at home

[Nemo]

It was going fairly well when I woke up at 130/2... I might go back to sleep.

[JoeMezz]

Middle order is not good enough. If he wasn't captain, I would say Stokes place in the side is under threat. I think it's time for Bairstow to move on too.

[Qunk]

Watched today’s action in spurts and just watched the highlights. We have a very special player in Harry Brook. He is something else.

Great test match overall, England should win from this position.

[Nemo]

Brook is a phenomenal fielder as well. Some of the catches he's taken in this test alone that he just makes look easy are something else.

I played briefly with someone who played with him in the age groups and just said he was so far ahead compared to everyone else. A fair few of that group are now pros, he's now a star.

[Qunk]

Brook is a phenomenal fielder as well. Some of the catches he's taken in this test alone that he just makes look easy are something else.

I played briefly with someone who played with him in the age groups and just said he was so far ahead compared to everyone else. A fair few of that group are now pros, he's now a star.

I swear down bruv, he invented a new shot today. That ramp-esque shot he played but with the bat so close to his body and the absolute minimum effort. I’ve never seen that before.

[Nemo]

Glamorgan are playing Wiltshire at the County Ground today, if anyone is around and fancies a nice day out. Free entry, game starts at 11.

[Qunk]

A fifth test hundred for Brook (first in England) in just 14 matches. What a talent

[Quagmire]

I bloody love watching Mark Wood.

He’s bowled absolutely brilliantly this test, deserves more wickets than he has actually taken. Great to see how much he enjoys playing too, always got a huge smile on his face.

[Nemo]

He does seem the absolute loveliest guy who just happens to also be the fastest bowler on the planet.

[Pericardinho]

Can somebody (who's a bit more than a casual cricket fan) explain to me how Ben Stokes seems to escape criticism?

I understand he's the captain and a key reason behind the more aggressive play style of the test team. He might be absolutely vital to our future success. But just to play devils advocate:

When you're averaging barely 30, bowling less and less each year (often not at all) then when does there become a time where you promote Pope to captain and look for somebody else to come through? because his performances are rarely there anymore.

Almost feels like he's in the side because he *can* win a game by himself. But does the potential of one magical innings out of 20 justify the consistently disappointing performances with the bat?

[Nemo]

Well, it's an interesting one. I definitely see why you'd say that, but I think X factor and leadership are things valued incredibly highly in English cricket - Mike Brearley is absolutely revered in English cricket and he averaged 22 in test cricket and didn't bowl.

Stokes is a human highlight reel - he can do things nobody else can, and clearly inspires people around him. His averages absolutely don't reflect that, but he seems to pull it out of the bag when it really matters. It's absolutely vibes over pure stats, but that's almost traditional for the England all rounder- Flintoff's stats are pretty middling overall. Botham's aren't much better either. Stokes fits the mould.

[Wobbly Bob]

15 wins from 24 tests as captain, lost 8, drawn 1. 60% win rate or thereabouts.

Only the third player to reach 6000 runs and 200 wickets in test cricket.
World class.