creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Prufrock]

Only been dipping in and out (reckon two live texts at work would lead to negative output), has the young lad been bowling himself over Moeen and Rashid?!

[Enoch]

Over Moeen, Rashid, Broad and Anderson.

[Prufrock]

Christ! Who was at the other end? As much as I'd love to see Cook get a wicket, I don't think he should risk that test bowling average of 7!

[TANGODANCER]

And Rashid nails Rahul.....yeah....

[Enoch]

Having shared the first 9 overs of the day Broad and Anderson weren't reintroduced til the 70th over, with the new ball available after 80 overs.

[TANGODANCER]

Having shared the first 9 overs of the day Broad and Anderson weren't reintroduced til the 70th over, with the new ball available after 80 overs.

Broad apparently has a cracked rib.

[Enoch]

Wimp.

[TANGODANCER]

Now Pant gone....getting warm out there....

[Prufrock]

Scenes.

[TANGODANCER]

I'll be watching an hour of highlights at 7-0'clock on Channel 5. Great speech from Kohli and terrific sportsmanship all round. Superb test series.

[Enoch]

Probably the best test series in England since Vaughan's ashes, a great summer. Thank you to the Home Service.

Of course some will think beating the top ranked test side 4-1 deserves no credit.

Also, if The Spitfires can polish off 52 runs without losing 6 wickets tomorrow it's Division 1 for the first time since 2000!

[TANGODANCER]

I've played, watched and been inerested in cricket for many a year ( I saw Cyril Washbrook at Old Trafford on a school trip back when Methuzalah was alive) but that Ball of Rashid's turned more than anything I've ever seen. It must have come back about three or four feet. Amazing.

[Enoch]

Methuzalah was long gone before I got to see Deadly Derek carve through Northants before lunch at the Bat & Ball, he could get it to wobble a bit.

Mind you, I also witnessed Milburn notch up a pre lunch ton at the same venue, with one eye!

I miss those summer days when you could fall asleep in your deckchair for a couple of hours and wake to find you'd missed f*ck all.

Stick your 20/20 up your arse, cricket is a gentleman's game.

[jimbo]

It’s been a good win. 4-1 probably flattered us slightly as the majority of games were very close until quite late in the game.

Giving India the label of ‘best team in the world’ is slightly misleading however. They’ve got there due to having a relatively easy run of fixtures. The benchmark for any good side is winning in England, South Africa and Australia. India got to the top of the rankings without touring these. They’ve now lost their last 2 series, firstly in SA, then obviously here. They go to Australia next. Lose that, and it’ll be knives out for Kohli and co in India.

Whilst winning and winning well, we’re still far from a vintage England side. We still don’t know our top 3, we still don’t know which of our allrounders to pick and in what order, and we are still heavily reliant on Broad and Anderson. Fairly amazing that a team who have won so well in a home series can have so many uncertain selections for the coming trips to SL/WI.

[BWFC_Insane]

Not sure there are many greater sporting achievements than what Jimmy Anderson has managed. McGrath's record looked pretty untouchable at one point. Think where Jimmy might have been without all those early injuries?

[TANGODANCER]

First test, England v Sri Lanka. England at close of play 321-8 after a very poor start.

[jimbo]

Standard England batting performance! End up 100-5 and then rely on the lower order to bail them out. It’s so frustrating having such a lack of top order players.

[BWFC_Insane]

Standard England batting performance! End up 100-5 and then rely on the lower order to bail them out. It’s so frustrating having such a lack of top order players.

Good recovery this time though! Top order is so broken its unreal!

[jimbo]

Great news to wake up to - Foakes completing his hundred and Sri Lanka 40-4. Time to turn the screw....

[TANGODANCER]

Second innings equivalent of 177-0 at close of play after skittling Sri Lanka out for 203. Keep it up.