creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Prufrock]

Ah yes, the famously legal fist fights in the street!

[TANGODANCER]

Ah yes, the famously legal fist fights in the street!

All men are equal in the eyes of the law. Or, if you wish it in legal terms, "The belief in equality before the law is called legal egalitarianism. ... Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law."

Except usually/mainly in a section of society of where citizens of somewhat lower intelect (shall we say) who don't reside in stockbroker belts, and where fist fights in the street don't even raise eyebrows, despite being as illegal as those amongst a bunch of pxssed up members of higher intelect (shall we say). Difference being the media don't tend to hang around pubs and clubs that said members of higher intellect (read rather as having more money generally so that we can include sportsmen etc) don't frequent, and the police don't do "domestics" wherever possible particularly around housing estates....even generally if CCTV cameras that work can be found...... but equality rules,we're told, it's the law.

What do I know? If we should ever meet, I'll tell you a story I wouldn't put into print on a media outlet

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ah yes, the famously legal fist fights in the street!

A fist fight in the street between consenting adults is, strangely, not illegal.
The only reason that Stokes, Hales, Hale, and Ali were even considered by the law was because an 'interfering busybody jobsworth off-duty policeman' called the 'law' in.
Unlike God who sees every fallen sparrow, the Law has to have the sparrows pointed out to him.

[Enoch]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

[TANGODANCER]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

Having beaten them comfortably and humiliatingly last test I'd say it is a surprise. In that they've come back strong and we've wilted.

Both sides seem to lack a real backbone.

[TANGODANCER]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

Having beaten them comfortably and humiliatingly last test I'd say it is a surprise. In that they've come back strong and we've wilted.Both sides seem to lack a real backbone.

So India are rubish then and not capable of matching us? Why on earth do they lack backbone? Why do you always need perfection unless you have a wail? Why not two good sides just doing their best to win?

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

Having beaten them comfortably and humiliatingly last test I'd say it is a surprise. In that they've come back strong and we've wilted.Both sides seem to lack a real backbone.

So India are rubish then and not capable of matching us? Why on earth do they lack backbone? Why do you always need perfection unless you have a wail? Why not two good sides just doing their best to win?

These are not two good sides. Both have had embarrassing collapses. And England since 2016 have a string of shocking collapses. They’ve been 4 down for 100 or less in over half their innings in that time.

Australia at their best, England at their peak in 2012 ish are both better. This isn’t even the best Indian side in the last decade.

These are two very average sides at best.

[TANGODANCER]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

Having beaten them comfortably and humiliatingly last test I'd say it is a surprise. In that they've come back strong and we've wilted.Both sides seem to lack a real backbone.

So India are rubish then and not capable of matching us? Why on earth do they lack backbone? Why do you always need perfection unless you have a wail? Why not two good sides just doing their best to win?

These are not two good sides. Both have had embarrassing collapses. And England since 2016 have a string of shocking collapses. They’ve been 4 down for 100 or less in over half their innings in that time.

Australia at their best, England at their peak in 2012 ish are both better. This isn’t even the best Indian side in the last decade.

These are two very average sides at best.

Seriously, I'm not actually sure why you bother watching sport at all. It's about COMPETITION, not facts and figures!. It isn't 2012 or 2016, it's now!, and our divine right to win disappeared sometime around W.G.Grace and co. If we win this it will hint of the miraculous, but we won the two previous ones so I'm surprised you didn't e-mail the Indian selection board and tell them not to bother coming.

[Prufrock]

They're the number 1 team in the world!

They were poor in the first test and got stitched up by the weather and the toss in the second. On the other hand we're a work in progress but probably the best bowling attack in the world when conditions suit (which they have).

[BWFC_Insane]

They're the number 1 team in the world!

They were poor in the first test and got stitched up by the weather and the toss in the second. On the other hand we're a work in progress but probably the best bowling attack in the world when conditions suit (which they have).

And one of the poorest when they don't.

And we must have one of the weakest batting line ups in our history as a test nation.

Forget the rankings, neither India nor England are a "good" test side not even judging in relatively short history.

[BWFC_Insane]

Looks to be set up for a grandstand finish. Something around 600 to get and two days to do it, piece of piss.

I hope not, but this one looks like a loss. Not our finest hour although no big surprise.

Having beaten them comfortably and humiliatingly last test I'd say it is a surprise. In that they've come back strong and we've wilted.Both sides seem to lack a real backbone.

So India are rubish then and not capable of matching us? Why on earth do they lack backbone? Why do you always need perfection unless you have a wail? Why not two good sides just doing their best to win?

These are not two good sides. Both have had embarrassing collapses. And England since 2016 have a string of shocking collapses. They’ve been 4 down for 100 or less in over half their innings in that time.

Australia at their best, England at their peak in 2012 ish are both better. This isn’t even the best Indian side in the last decade.

These are two very average sides at best.

Seriously, I'm not actually sure why you bother watching sport at all. It's about COMPETITION, not facts and figures!. It isn't 2012 or 2016, it's now!, and our divine right to win disappeared sometime around W.G.Grace and co. If we win this it will hint of the miraculous, but we won the two previous ones so I'm surprised you didn't e-mail the Indian selection board and tell them not to bother coming.

We have no divine right to win. Absolutely. We do have a right to expect England's batting line up to be far better than it is. It is absolutely pathetically bad.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spor ... 51182.html

Take a look at this. All in the last two years. A shocking record. You cannot, in good faith describe that as a "good team".

Buttler here after our latest collapse acknowledges the problem and says we need to "improve". When the players are saying it you know its a huge problem.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/201 ... far-often/

This is not a good England test side. We have the best one day side in the world, or very close to it. Certainly the best English one day side ever. But the test side? Way below the standards we've set this decade alone. Way, way below.

[BWFC_Insane]

Cook and Jennings should have played their last innings for England now.

Jennings averages 23. Cook can barely make a score anymore....how many times is he out reaching outside offstump.

Can't see anyway back for either of them now.

[BWFC_Insane]

66-4. Again. None of the top 4 make 20.

But we're apparently a "good side".....do me a favour!

Since the start of 2016 England have been 100-4 or less 31 times out of 62 innings.

[TANGODANCER]

66-4. Again. None of the top 4 make 20.

But we're apparently a "good side".....do me a favour!

Since the start of 2016 England have been 100-4 or less 31 times out of 62 innings.

Mr Insane: The English selection board must have heard of you as they would like you to attend a meeting to show them the way forward. Apparently, you believe the players they selected as our best to represent England are all rubbish. India too are rubbish, including Kohli and a couple of bowlers described in the match commentary as "top shelf", according to you and should receive "a damn good thrashing" in the best Monty Python tradition. Have they forgotten Gunga Din and our British superiority? Give them another damn good thrashing for that. Anyway, the board are sure you will come up with a way to not be rubbish . They have indicated one or two players might like a word with you when you arrive. I have the greatest confidence we will then win the next two tests and give those Indian chaps....well, a damn good thrashing of course.

[BWFC_Insane]

66-4. Again. None of the top 4 make 20.

But we're apparently a "good side".....do me a favour!

Since the start of 2016 England have been 100-4 or less 31 times out of 62 innings.

Mr Insane: The English selection board must have heard of you as they would like you to attend a meeting to show them the way forward. Apparently, you believe the players they selected as our best to represent England are all rubbish. India too are rubbish, according to you and should receive "a damn good thrashing" in the best Monty Python tradition. Have they forgotten Gunga Din and our British superiority? Give them another damn good thrashing for that. Anyway, the board are sure you will come up with a way to not be rubbish . They have indicated one or two players might like a word with you when you arrive. I have the greatest confidence we will then win the next two tests and give those Indian chaps....well, a damn good thrashing of course.

Do you even read what I've written. Or just repeat the same banal nonsense all the time? Should we thrash India? In England? You can debate that. But the facts are that not just in this series but for a good few years our batting has been abysmal.

We've been 100-4 OR WORSE in HALF our last 62 innings. Whether we are picking the best players we have or not, that is still complete failure of our top order in half their innings. And of course being 120-4 (which isn't in those stats) is also failure. So we're failing well over half the time in our batting.

You cannot say that is a good side. You cannot make a case for it. There is simply no answer to it. If Jennings is the best we've got then I feel sorry for us.

Our top 4 is failing the majority of the time. End of.

[TANGODANCER]

Do you even read what I've written. Or just repeat the same banal nonsense all the time?

Rarely, to be honest, or at least I maily ignore it as defeatist wallop. There's honest for you.

Here's some more banal nonesense: Do you even vaguely understand the meaning of the word "support"? It has little or nothing to do with buying a season ticket expecting your chosen team to win every time they play, then wailing to anyone that will listen as to how let-down you are or what rubbish the players are. That's something fans of Manchester United and City do, even Liverpool in the main, although they are at least tribal to their home town. Supporters, even those who crouch over a radio weekly, keep cheering their team on, be it cricket, football, golf or whatever, when they are losing, not dash off for pitchforks and bedsheets and take out a life membership from Samaritans when the opposition have the audacity to beat them. In short, they "support". Look the word up. Understanding and practising it will allow you a better life, believe me.

[BWFC_Insane]

Do you even read what I've written. Or just repeat the same banal nonsense all the time?

Rarely, to be honest, or at least I maily ignore it as defeatist wallop. There's honest for you.

Here's some more banal nonesense: Do you even vaguely understand the meaning of the word "support"? It has little or nothing to do with buying a season ticket expecting your chosen team to win every time they play, then wailing to anyone that will listen as to how let-down you are or what rubbish the players are. That's something fans of Manchester United and City do, even Liverpool in the main, although they are at least tribal to their home town. Supporters, even those who crouch over a radio weekly, keep cheering their team on, be it cricket, football, golf or whatever, when they are losing, not dash off for pitchforks and bedsheets and take out a life membership from Samaritans when the opposition have the audacity to beat them. In short, they "support". Look the word up. Understanding and practising it will allow you a better life, believe me.

Only a few days ago you were rubbishing our efforts at big spending Leeds whereas I was commending them on a good showing.

Am I not very supportive of our manager and players? Compared to you. Or most on this forum. That is before we get beyond this and look at the absolute negative tripe spouted on social media.

However, the England cricket team currently is not very good. I've given you the stats to back that claim up. I didn't say I wasn't "supporting them". I simply am saying they aren't very good. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that is the case. And precious little evidence to suggest the batting in particular is close to being "good". Instead of acknowleding that or discussing it, you repeat the same banal tripe about "no divine right to win". Which doesn't address the fact that our top order is failing the majority of the time. Do we have a divine right for our top order to be the best? No. Do we have a right to expect them to be better than abject failures? Yes. I'd say so, given the investment in the game. If you think their failure over what is now a long period shouldn't be discussed then fine. I have no problem with that. But don't try to tell me they're a good side. They aren't. Do I wish they were? Yes. Do I support them? Yes. But the basic stats on offer show how poor our batting line up is.

[TANGODANCER]

Only a few days ago you were rubbishing our efforts at big spending Leeds whereas I was commending them on a good showing. Am I not very supportive of our manager and players? Compared to you. Or most on this forum. That is before we get beyond this and look at the absolute negative tripe spouted on social media.

Just this before I surrender to you superior knowlege: I did actually see the Leeds game in its entirety (I never comment on games I don't see apart from commentary relaying, that would be pointless), so my opinion might be considered as good as yours on that one. I'd hardly call commenting on a lack of midfield "rubbishing our efforts", but hey ho, there you go. Exagerate, you..never! As for supporting the manager and players, compared to me you're a Manc.

[BWFC_Insane]

Only a few days ago you were rubbishing our efforts at big spending Leeds whereas I was commending them on a good showing. Am I not very supportive of our manager and players? Compared to you. Or most on this forum. That is before we get beyond this and look at the absolute negative tripe spouted on social media.

Just this before I surrender to you superior knowlege: I did actually see the Leeds game in its entirety (I never comment on games I don't see apart from commentary relaying, that would be pointless), so my opinion might be considered as good as yours on that one. I'd hardly call commenting on a lack of midfield "rubbishing our efforts", but hey ho, there you go. Exagerate, you..never! As for supporting the manager and players, compared to me you're a Manc.

Nonsense. I've been behind Parky since day 1. I've spent half my time arguing with the naysayers on here. Including you at times.

I recognise the positions we've been in and how well we've done.

But this is off topic. My point was simply showing why this isn't a good England team. Especially batting wise. Are you going to discuss that or not?