creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[jimbo]

No denying he's our best player. He's absolutely brilliant and I don't think there's anyone in the world who scores as efficiently as him in all 3 formats.

Where Smith has the edge over him is getting the big daddy hundreds that win games. Root has more natural talent, but when smith gets in he goes big. Root has got to 50 three more times than smith in test cricket, yet smith has 8 more hundreds.

It's nit picking, but that's the only real area for him to improve. If he cracks it he'll be our best ever by a country mile.

[Prufrock]

I think that's fair when it comes to evaluating him in terms of "best in the world". The knobheads I've seen are making it in the context of him playing for England with the rest of that top order!

Small sample size but Cook looks good sans captaincy.

[Worthy4England]

I think that's fair when it comes to evaluating him in terms of "best in the world". The knobheads I've seen are making it in the context of him playing for England with the rest of that top order!

Small sample size but Cook looks good sans captaincy.

Quite. I think the point Jimbo makes is valid enough, but like you say, they're talking about whether he needs dropping. Oh and Cook too! lolz.

[TANGODANCER]

Meanwhile, at the cricket ground with the unmentionable name, 362 all out and Jimmy nails Elgar for 12-1 at lunch. Won't tempt providence by commenting more, but good start.

[TANGODANCER]

Jimmy's on a roll. 132-5 and he's got three of them...

[TANGODANCER]

72-4 and sounding like the bowlers are well in charge. Sure hope somebody digs in pretty quick.

[Worthy4England]

Mitchell's Johnstone will be laughing his cock off at the thought of our top 6.

[Worthy4England]

Seems strange to be a bit put out after a 3-1 series win. We've just beaten the 3 best ranked team in the Test rankings, to become the top ranked team in the Test Rankings, with the Aussies in 4th spot. So why am I so nervous about the Ashes?

Moeen probably Man of the Series for me.

[TANGODANCER]

Five men went to Mo... What a class act he really is.

[BWFC_Insane]

Seems strange to be a bit put out after a 3-1 series win. We've just beaten the 3 best ranked team in the Test rankings, to become the top ranked team in the Test Rankings, with the Aussies in 4th spot. So why am I so nervous about the Ashes?

Moeen probably Man of the Series for me.

I'd fancy us against the Aussies here, even with our issues. On Australian pitches....don't fancy us much at all.

[Bruce Rioja]

I did wonder how this was going to work. The players went off for lunch at around 16:00. Not sure as to what time they'll go off for tea.

[jimbo]

Everything's just been pushed back 3 hours Bruce, so lunch at 1600, tea at 1840, close of play 2100. In Australia they changed the name of the breaks and made the later break the longer one. I really don't buy the need for day night test cricket in the UK. We've not got the climate for it for a start.

Anyways, Cook and Root look decent as per usual. The current incumbents of 2 and 3 less so.

On another note, ive just realised that Sky haven't got the rights for the ashes this winter - you'll need BT sport to be able to see any of the tour. The sports rights issue is starting to piss me off a bit. Used to be the case that Sky (while being expensive) had everything I wanted to watch. In the last 12 months more and more has gone to BT meaning I either miss out or fork out extra for BT sport - the result of which is I'm watching exactly the same things but paying double what I was before............

[Bruce Rioja]

Cheers, Jim. Much appreciated.

I'm with BT but have a Sky add-on. Didn't know The Ashes were going over to them. All round to mine it is then. Bring Tempranillo and nibbles.

[BWFC_Insane]

Everything's just been pushed back 3 hours Bruce, so lunch at 1600, tea at 1840, close of play 2100. In Australia they changed the name of the breaks and made the later break the longer one. I really don't buy the need for day night test cricket in the UK. We've not got the climate for it for a start.

Anyways, Cook and Root look decent as per usual. The current incumbents of 2 and 3 less so.

On another note, ive just realised that Sky haven't got the rights for the ashes this winter - you'll need BT sport to be able to see any of the tour. The sports rights issue is starting to piss me off a bit. Used to be the case that Sky (while being expensive) had everything I wanted to watch. In the last 12 months more and more has gone to BT meaning I either miss out or fork out extra for BT sport - the result of which is I'm watching exactly the same things but paying double what I was before............

Totally agree with this. Annoys me greatly.

[TANGODANCER]

215-2 at tea. Great stuff from these two.

[jimbo]

This bowling attack is dreadful! Never seen a test side bowl so many 4 balls. Easiest runs cook and root have ever made. Fill your boots boys!

[Prufrock]

Free markets fix everything.

[Bruce Rioja]

This bowling attack is dreadful! Never seen a test side bowl so many 4 balls. Easiest runs cook and root have ever made. Fill your boots boys!

Chuffed for Cook making his ton, but will he ever / has he ever score(d) an easier one?

I fancy myself tapping a good few against this attack.

[jimbo]

I don't think I've ever seen 2 batsmen look so comfortable. The West Indies have literally nothing going for them. No one with express pace to cause trouble on a flat pitch, no one who can bowl tightly and build pressure, and no reliable spinner who can hold an end up. It's just like a net session against the under 19 bowlers.

[Bruce Rioja]

I don't think I've ever seen 2 batsmen look so comfortable. The West Indies have literally nothing going for them. No one with express pace to cause trouble on a flat pitch, no one who can bowl tightly and build pressure, and no reliable spinner who can hold an end up. It's just like a net session against the under 19 bowlers.

It comes to summat when an Englishman feels quite glad that the Cook / Root partnership's been broken in the hope of WI making a game of it.

When I think back to the WI sides of my childhood in which even Sylvester Clarke struggled to get a game in their attack?! 4uck me!