Cricket

[Nemo]

Good win from here

[Robinz]

What is worse...
Watching Swindon or England in India

[Qunk]

What is worse...
Watching Swindon or England in India

Definitely watching Swindon x infinity billion. This test aside there’s still plenty to be proud of when it comes to the England cricket team. Plus I still want to see their next match.

[Qunk]

Really disappointed to lose in the crushing manner we did. But it’s always a possibility with the style we play and I don’t lament it in the slightest. We lost it yesterday with one particularly poor batting collapse, which can happen to any team, and used to happen to us almost without fail. Bring on the next test.

[Nemo]

Never chasing that target but that effort was pure 'get another day off' stuff.

[Nemo]

Cracking recovery today. Hope we win this test and go into test 5 at 2-2. Bit of a pre-Bazball day today, reliant on Root but Root being reliable no problem.

[Qunk]

Excellent from Rooty and Foaksey. We were in real trouble for a while!

[McGurk's Missus]

I still think the ability to play traditional test plodding and bazball would work best. Like a 30:70 blend. Occasionally a player needs to just plod along and get a double century over the course of near all day innings, other times a quick rush of T20 style powerplay thrashing is needed.

I honestly think several years ago, Kevin Pietersen was that type of pioneering cricketer. His face didn't fit {even though he was a bit of a dick but the likes of Strauss or Gooch didn't want him around}, mostly because he didn't think Alastair Cook should have been Captain {there's no doubt Cook was a great Cricketer, but like many who take on a Captaincy - it impacted his form; similarly with Root too} and English cricket, whilst somewhat peaking at test level, wasn't really progressive in style. People used to be shocked/excited/unsure whenever KP decided to let the shackles off and reverse sweep every third ball.

I think the difference today is, KP knew with applying that approach that there was consequences but today with ''Bazball'', the team are allowed to play almost without consequences. Pietersen would have thrived in this environment

[RedRag]

I still think the ability to play traditional test plodding and bazball would work best. Like a 30:70 blend. Occasionally a player needs to just plod along and get a double century over the course of near all day innings, other times a quick rush of T20 style powerplay thrashing is needed.

I honestly think several years ago, Kevin Pietersen was that type of pioneering cricketer. His face didn't fit {even though he was a bit of a dick but the likes of Strauss or Gooch didn't want him around}, mostly because he didn't think Alastair Cook should have been Captain {there's no doubt Cook was a great Cricketer, but like many who take on a Captaincy - it impacted his form; similarly with Root too} and English cricket, whilst somewhat peaking at test level, wasn't really progressive in style. People used to be shocked/excited/unsure whenever KP decided to let the shackles off and reverse sweep every third ball.

I think the difference today is, KP knew with applying that approach that there was consequences but today with ''Bazball'', the team are allowed to play almost without consequences. Pietersen would have thrived in this environment

Pietersen had many admirers.  Everyone on occasion.  But he was Marmite and whenever his attempts to reverse momentum failed, there were plenty of detractors waiting to pounce.  And a number were in positions of influence.

But yeah, Pietersen and Bazball...a shame they never overlapped.

Let's hope Root can remain appreciated in a reverse scenario.  He does in this Test!

[Qunk]

I still think the ability to play traditional test plodding and bazball would work best. Like a 30:70 blend. Occasionally a player needs to just plod along and get a double century over the course of near all day innings, other times a quick rush of T20 style powerplay thrashing is needed.

I honestly think several years ago, Kevin Pietersen was that type of pioneering cricketer. His face didn't fit {even though he was a bit of a dick but the likes of Strauss or Gooch didn't want him around}, mostly because he didn't think Alastair Cook should have been Captain {there's no doubt Cook was a great Cricketer, but like many who take on a Captaincy - it impacted his form; similarly with Root too} and English cricket, whilst somewhat peaking at test level, wasn't really progressive in style. People used to be shocked/excited/unsure whenever KP decided to let the shackles off and reverse sweep every third ball.

I think the difference today is, KP knew with applying that approach that there was consequences but today with ''Bazball'', the team are allowed to play almost without consequences. Pietersen would have thrived in this environment

Gonna go a bit ‘stream of consciousness’ now (something you know well 😉).

I believe the concept of Bazball is going to evolve from now onwards, with a constant nod to how it started. It began as a reaction to the constant negative performances of the team, where we dull, predictable, and almost always nailed on to lose. When Bazzy and Stokesy took over we had to go all out aggression, regardless of the circumstances, because we were and had to be willing to lose while swinging because it was better to lose that way than by being timid. But as it happened, we started to win playing that way, a lot.

But somewhere in between, Root got stuck. He was not playing his natural game, which was fine while it was working, but he got in a rut and started to lose confidence and was getting out consistently playing Bazball shots at the wrong time. Then it clicked. He realised what Bazball is actually about is not being aggressive when it isn’t warranted, instead it’s about being confident playing your natural game knowing your peers, your captain and your coach will back you to play that way 100%. Lo and behold, he makes a remarkably ‘Rooty’ century and put us in a great position to win this test.

Bazball is a phenomenon. Players in that system will make mistakes while it evolves, but they’ll know that’s absolutely fine, and it’ll work for them when the time is right. That’s what we’ve seen during this series. Long may it continue.

[Qunk]

Just realised that hardly anything I just said was relevant to the post of yours that I referred to. But I suspect you’ll appreciate it anyway!

As for KP, he’s my most favouritist English batsman ever. Bar none. When he was in form, he was something else. I love him, despite his missteps. He’d have absolutely thrived in this team. Fortunately, I think we have a replacement, in terms of batting style if not personality, in Harry Brook. That boy is the future of English batting. Really wish he was a part of this tour.

[Nemo]

England making a bit of a Horlicks of this. Pitch is tough, but it's not as bad as we're making it look and you'd fancy Jaiswal will get half of these on his own.

[Qunk]

Great opportunity here for Foakesey to cement his place as England’s unsung hero. By which I mean he should become our sung hero. Wait, what? Not sure where I’m going with this.

Go Ben Foakes.

[Quagmire]

Great opportunity here for Foakesey to cement his place as England’s unsung hero. By which I mean he should become our sung hero. Wait, what? Not sure where I’m going with this.

Go Ben Foakes.

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

[Robinz]

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.