Cricket Thread

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trott goes.

:rose:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

And Prior.

88/7

:lol:

BBC are pretty crap too.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Could be over by day three. :doh:

Swann is still in though, on appeal.

[Syn]

My prediction hit rate is getting worse than Joker's atm.

[Syn]

Come on Gul, lets have some beamers at 'Swanny's' face. Send the fucker to hospital.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Broad and Tremlett go in consecutive deliveries.

Still trail by 11.
:popcorn:

[Syn]

England&SA have avoided an innings defeat. Well done to them. Heroic effort.

If Gul doesn't stick one in the batsmen's head soon, I'm going to have to switch over. Sickening viewing, this.

[Cripps_orig]

England lead :bow:

Pakistan will have to bat again

[Syn]

Should be a tough chase.

[Cripps_orig]

Pakistan need 15 to win :popcorn:

Bet England wish Pakistan fixed it to lose this Test now dont they?

Cunts

Pakistan :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

A maiden over...wtf

Just whack the cunt out of the ground

Tests :doh:

[Syn]

Always been a fan of Pakistan. :bow:

They know their limits tbf. Sensible team.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan win by ten wickets. Competitive total for them to chase down too.

[Syn]

"At home, everyone is king" -- Syn (02/07/11)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan aren't at home though, well, not really.

[Cripps_orig]

Ian Botham after the summer series "Can see England going on to dominate for many a year, no real challengers"

That lasted long :haha:

Stupid drunk glorified Fat Flintoff. Should STFU and stick to drinking himself to death

Great day for Cricket this.

After all the BS Pakistan had to go through, to come out and destroy the so called best team around is just satisfaction

Winston Churchill :haha:

John Terry :haha:

Wayne Rooney :haha:

David Gower :haha:

Andrew Symonds :haha:

Your boys have taken a pounding

[Boss]

Syn :rose:

You're having a shocker.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ian Botham after the summer series "Can see England going on to dominate for many a year, no real challengers"

That lasted long :haha:

Stupid drunk glorified Fat Flintoff. Should STFU and stick to drinking himself to death

Great day for Cricket this.

After all the BS Pakistan had to go through, to come out and destroy the so called best team around is just satisfaction

Winston Churchill :haha:

John Terry :haha:

Wayne Rooney :haha:

David Gower :haha:

Andrew Symonds :haha:

Your boys have taken a pounding

The batsmen need to sort themselves out, Strauss especially, along with KP. Apparently putting Panesar in for Tremlett is going to solve it - there's nothing wrong with the bowling, whatever combination they come out with, the bowlers usually produce. Also, England requested the long break between tests too. :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Agreed. Bowling from what i saw was fine.

Restricted Pakistan to around 300 in the first innings and only 15 in the 2nd.

Batting was piss poor. Who did they take on tour that can come in? Strauss has been a bit shit for a while. His place in danger? KP as well? Bell, Trott and Cook have scored enough runs over the past year or so to merit a place. Not convinced with Morgan either. Needs to play his natural game and not be Testified

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bopara? :lol:

Perhaps changing the order of where they come in is the best thing to try first but they can't just keep getting away with being poor.

[Syn]

Syn :rose:

You're having a shocker.

India :haha:

Pakistan :bow:

We've got it the wrong way 'round all these years.

Our ancestors come from the wrong side of the Ind-Pak borders but it's not too late for us to convert.

Wasim Akram :bow:

Javed Mia...nah, can't do it, he is genuinely a cunt.

Shaqlain Mustaq :bow:

Inzamam ul-fat faq. :bow:

They might've lost 2 wars but they're beating us in the only battle that counts.

Come on cricket.

And come on Pakistan.

[Syn]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/141500/141559.jpg

http://www.epakistannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Inzamam-ul-Haq-died-it-just-a-rumors.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/5/4/1304516098747/osama-bin-laden-hideout-007.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wucz2ECa9Lc/TZYJ4UX1f3I/AAAAAAAAAK8/FeZ-Wx9rbTE/s1600/pakistan1.jpg

[Boss]

Even Ach hasn't sunk to such despicable and offensive levels in quest to be the biggest wum on here.

Shocking stuff.

[Syn]

Virat Kohli doesn't keep his emotions to himself - it is a dangerous route and leaves him open to many judging eyes

Virat Kohli (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/current/player/253802.html) doesn't keep his emotions to himself. He abuses - directed at nobody in particular - when he scores a century or takes a match-turning catch or even when he misfields. He flips the bird (http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/story/548089.html) to fans that abuse his mother and his sister. He rages, and suppresses a lump in the throat, when he is asked if he feels the pressure of keeping his place in the side.It is a dangerous route. It leaves you open to many judging eyes. Go to any message board that has discussed Kohli's incident with the fans at the SCG, and all you see is people saying Kohli should be the last person complaining about abuse because he is seen speaking the choicest of Hindi profanities on the field. No allowance is made for the fact that Kohli abuses neither the fans nor the opposition, neither his team-mates nor the umpire. It is just a release of the pressure building up - granted it doesn't look pretty, and he will surely realise it when his children watch highlights of daddy's first international hundred, or hopefully before that - but it is somehow supposed to deserve direct abuse from the crowd.
The fact is, we hate us these cocky little punks. We wait for the smallest possible slump from the likes of Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen, so that we can pass overall judgements. On their IQ, their appearance, their romances, their smoking, their drinking. If we don't spare Warne and Pietersen, who is this Kohli, we think - this 23-year-old from Delhi who wears tattoos and studied stubbles, who has been in more advertisements than Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman put together, who top-edges bouncers and is yet to score a Test century?
I have scored eight ODI centuries, he says. Most of them, I have scored in tall chases. Often I come to bat at No. 3. I am a World Cup winner. I reached 1000 ODI runs faster than any other Indian. I scored more ODI runs last year than anybody else ... Ravi Shastri says he is a better batsman than Dravid and Sourav Ganguly were at his age. He has done squat in Tests, the real format, we say. I need time, Kohli says.
"I don't know why people were after me even after the first game [in Melbourne]," Kohli said (http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/story/549283.html) in Perth. "I had scored two fifties before that in the match against West Indies [in Mumbai], and suddenly I was on the verge of being dropped after one match.
"Scoring eight hundreds in one-day internationals can't be a fluke. It's international cricket as well. I don't know why people have been questioning my technique or temperament so much. I have been playing at No. 3 in one-dayers, and I have not gone in to bat in very good situations in all of the 70 matches I have played. All of this is a learning curve for me. I am playing on difficult wickets, in Australia."
Again, nothing is held back. There is emotion in this quote. There is anger, there is slight sense of entitlement, there is a reiteration that after all he is just a 23-year-old still coming to terms with international cricket, that he is unsure of himself like most 23-year-olds are. After his Test debut, in the West Indies, he told ESPNcricinfo that he was overawed by Test cricket, that he thought it was "a huge, huge change". A huge, huge change it has been. Almost to the tune of the one who went to the finest school all right, but was never taught how to live out on the street.
Kohli, though, has stuck it out through this emotional tour. On one of the first days of the tour, fans of Indian origin heckled him in the nets, "We have taken five days off, make sure they don't go waste." Then the MCG Test was almost a sleepwalk. And it is true his was the first head asked for. Sydney was a horror show too, not just with the crowd.
The captain, though, didn't want to kill his confidence, and persisted with him. If the fear of being dropped bore such rage in Kohli, one can only imagine what not being considered good enough for a team that has lost seven away Tests in a row must be doing to Rohit Sharma. That story is for another time, though. Some of those keeping the youngsters out had to fight harder and longer to break in.
In Perth (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/518952.html), though, Kohli top-scored in both India's innings. You could see he had been getting better every day. You could see him punching his bat in frustration, when, stranded on 75, he saw the tail disintegrate at the other end, in a matter of one over. This was his chance to show he belonged, to be the first Indian to score a century on this trip, but it wasn't to be. You were left wondering how he would have emoted had he got there.
Not that that would have mattered to the result. Cricket, though, allows you to follow these little personal journeys too. And it has left us wondering what Adelaide will bring for him, how this emotional rollercoaster will end.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/story/550136.html

A great read.

[Dennis Bendtner]

bhenchod

[Syn]

bhenchod

Racist.

:AndrewSymonds:

[Rors]

Bopara? :lol:

.

Has it really come to this? The man who - by his own admission - uses tours for "games of FIFA"? :lol:

[Rors]

If that show-pony 'KP' isn't going to get the boot, then at least have him change places with Bell. Bell has always been dodgy against spin - although much much better against seam than I had him pegged for seven years ago - , so restrict the chances of him facing too much of it. In fact, move KP even further down the order - give him the crowd-pleasing Swanny role :rolleyes:

[Syn]

Has it really come to this? The man who - by his own admission - uses tours for "games of FIFA"? :lol:

He'd score big on these dustbowls - he plays spin very well. Should've been picked in the first Test instead of the Irish guy.

[Rors]

He'd score big on these dustbowls - he plays spin very well. Should've been picked in the first Test instead of the Irish guy.

Good point. Can barely bring myself to agree with him, but Boycs is spot-on about Morgan. Good ODI player, doesn't haave the discipline to be a consistent test one.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Hatin on Pietersen is a bit harsh, IMO. He's had a very good run of scores. Admittedly against pub team attacks at home. This was a terrible shot, though. The Irish guy doesn't cut it. Good for a breezy 35 and that's it. That's the malaise of a lot of no.6 batsmen these days, to be fair.

[Cripps_orig]

Dont have a problem with the way KP got out.

Rather that than playing to block/leave the ball and still getting out :doh:

Now that is embarrassing

[LDG]

Stauss needs to man up and bat no.4 for the good of the team. He's consistently shite as an opener, and either needs to get his head right and do a no.3 shift, or continue being shit and go no.4.

Great captain, no doubt. But he's not good enough as an opener.

[Cripps_orig]

Do we have any other openers?

[Syn]

Injuns vs the Aussies tonight. Can India avoid the 8th successive away Test defeat? I doubt it.

But more importantly, will Sachin get his 100th ton? I doubt it.

But even more importantly, will Kohli silence his critics? I think so.

[Cripps_orig]

Need Sachin to get that 100 100s asap now.

The test run is embarrassing for a nation such as ours and we need to concentrate on ebing the best in the world again so need all distractions dealt with

[Syn]

Need Sachin to get that 100 100s asap now.

The test run is embarrassing for a nation such as ours and we need to concentrate on ebing the best in the world again so need all distractions dealt with

:blink:

It's not embarrassing for the our great nation of Pakistan. It's hilarious.

Sachin :haha:

No Saeed Anwar, is he?

Wish we had that Virat Kohli though. What a great player he'll turn into.

[Cripps_orig]

Saeed Anwar :bow:

He has family living on my street so used to see him quite a bit back when he used to tour England and had Tests in London. Seen him and Saqlain Musthaq countless times.

[Syn]

If I ever met him, I'd remind him of the game he scored the ODI world record of 194 and India still ended up winning the match by chasing down 314. Amazing match that was - probably the day I got into cricket. Shame the India-Pakistan matches don't get played any more - they used to be incredible viewing.

[Cripps_orig]

SL beat SA by 2 wickets

SA 312-4

SL 314-8

2 balls left.

ODIs :bow:

Dilshan has quit as captain of SL

[Syn]

Australia win the toss and bat first on what is an absolute belter of a pitch.

Might as well call it now....

India :rose:

8th successive away Test defeat. A second away whitewash in a row. And they aren't playing another test for 7-8 months.

BCCI are more destructive than the Arsenal board.

[Cripps_orig]

Aussies 97-3

Top 3 all gone

Ashwin with 2. Zaheer with the other

CLarke and Ponting are in the middle

Ponting in the 40s

[Cripps_orig]

335-3 at the close

Ponting and Clarke both got centuries

Ponting passing 13,000 Test Runs in the process

[Cripps_orig]

Looks like Tremlett will miss the 2nd Test

Calls for Monty and to play 2 spinners are rising

[Cripps_orig]

Clarke has 200 off 255 balls

Ponting has 190 off 329 balls :sleep:

[Cripps_orig]

469-3 at lunch

Was waiting to see if Ponting made his 200 before lunch

He didnt

on 198 and i cba staying up

Hope Aussies dont declare and bat on til they are all out. 1000 runs in an innings is a possibility imo along with Laras record going for Clarke or someone. Series is already done and dusted. They'll never get a better chance

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan are 105-4 currently. Monty got a wicket. :bow: Broad with two, Swann with the other.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Quite the recovery by Pakistan, 193-4 now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

203-5, Swann gets Shafiq!

[Syn]

New ball taken by England.

I think England will take a couple of wickets in these last 10 overs.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Strauss drops a dolly. What a tit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

216-6, Broad gets Akmal. :bow:

[Syn]

Misbah's a bit of a maverick, isn't he?

He's usually always there with the tail.

[Syn]

WTF :blink:

90 overs have been bowled and they're still continuing? Don't think I've ever seen that happen on the first day of a Test. Usually if they play over 90 overs, it's because they're making up for lost time due to rain/bad light.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

243-7, Swann gets one right at the end!

And it's just because of a great over rate that means they can go to time.

[Syn]

Big wicket.

Not much in the rest of this long tail. Misbah might try a few shots tomorrow morning too. England should wrap it up under 270.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Misbah smashes two for six in a row. :blink:

[Syn]

Misbah smashes two for six in a row. :blink:

And then takes a single with 3 balls remaining.

The guy's genuinely a nutter. His antics in the one-day games are just as weird.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

256-7 at stumps.

[Syn]

256-7 at stumps.

Not sure who's day this is. Not exactly a bad score but it was a good toss to win and I think Pakistan would've liked a few more at 7 wickets down. All depends on Misbah getting some quick runs tomorrow morning - would be a big morale boost for him to add another quick 50 tomorrow.

[Syn]

Cricinfo:

"Well most of us would have expected a run-fest on this "placid" track, but we've been treated to something more absorbing. The turn with the new ball perhaps surprised both teams and the first two wickets certainly kept everyone interested. Pakistan realised that they had to fight a lot harder after winning the toss. The England seamers also posed questions by getting the ball to nip back in regularly and trouble the batsmen with the odd short delivery. Perhaps we all misread the pitch?"

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Not sure who's day this is. Not exactly a bad score but it was a good toss to win and I think Pakistan would've liked a few more at 7 wickets down. All depends on Misbah getting some quick runs tomorrow morning - would be a big morale boost for him to add another quick 50 tomorrow.

Like we said earlier, England's bowlers can usually be relied upon. I wouldn't call it England's day though until we've actually seen them bat.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Looking forward to Mudhsuden's batting.

[Cripps_orig]

Aussies 604-7 declared

Ponting got 221, Clarke got 210

India 61-2

Tendulkar is in the middle with Gambhir

[Dennis Bendtner]

You were right in a way Ach. Only thing this series is good for now is Tendulkar getting you know what. Might make him retire. If he goes, there's no way Dravid and Laxman can stick around without looking silly. Dravid has been bowled in 9 of his last 11 innings. The wall is made out of paneer.

[Syn]

The wall is made out of paneer.

:haha:

[Cripps_orig]

78-3

Tendulkar gone and with him, all interest in the test.

Well until 2nd innings if he has one

[Syn]

Waiting for one of these pub teamers to get out so Kohli comes in. Why the fuck is Laxman still above him in the order, I really don't know. #Shitcaptaincy #shitperson #shitwag #Ollieisstillsuchafuckingbender

[Cripps_orig]

Forgot Dhoni wasnt playing in this.

So Sehwags the captain?

Best captain in Indian history imo

[Syn]

Gambhir out to a short ball. Jesus. He needs to grow a pair. He earns millions (in pounds) a year. He earns more than any of the England players are earning. And what for? He's an absolute fanny. Dravid's reaction speeds have gone and he has been bowled almost every innings of this tour. But I'd take him any day over the complete faggots playing for the country right now. Dravid has probably taken more hits than any batsman in Test history. He actively drops his bat and lets the ball hit his chest. He is almost always hit on the forearm and the wrist. He'll walk away, shake it off and get the fuck on with it. Because he's a fucking man. Where did these new breed of pussies come from? Actually, fuck that. Why the fuck don't these 'experienced' shitheads like Dhoni, Sehwag and Gambhir learn something from Dravid instead of just sitting there doing fuck all with their thumbs wedged firmly up their arses. Stupid cunts.

[Cripps_orig]

113-5

Laxman gone

[Syn]

India 225/6

Kohli 91*
Ashwin 0*

[Syn]

Tendulkar, 143 vs Australia - Sharjah 1998
Tendulkar 241* vs Australia - SCG 2003
Kohli 116 vs Australia - Adelaide 2012

Important moment in Test match history - because the batsmen who will re-write it has just scored his maiden Test ton.

India 272 a.o.

[Syn]

England skittle Pakistan out for 257. Top effort this morning.

[Syn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZlcqymNU5w

O (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZlcqymNU5w)ne for DSL there.

13 seconds in...he just can't resist the temptation to shout out 'Sister fucker'. What a man.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England are 162-1, Strauss failed with the bat again. Cook on 75, Trott on 74. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Straight after, 166-2. Trott goes on 74.

Me. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

198-3, Cook goes for 94.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

203-4, KP fails with the bat again. :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

207-5, Morgan goes for 3. :rolleyes:

[Syn]

Cook is prolific. Fantastic player.

I'm surprised with Pietersen not scoring. I thought he'd be good against these attacks. Likes playing against sub-continent teams.

I just don't understand Morgan's inclusion.

I hear Pakistan keep failing to refer wicket-taking decisions. That's a bit silly. If they were more switched on they might've had the upper hand. As it stands, England are edging it - another 100 runs or so will make for a very interesting game.

[Cripps_orig]

207-5 at the close

[Syn]

"(Ben) Hilfenhaus said something to me that was totally unnecessary out of the blue, he wasn't even bowling or anything," Kohli said."I survived that run out and he said something I can't repeat, I gave it back to him, saying 'you didn't even have anything to do with it, why would you say that?'
"Then Ishant (Sharma) and me both started saying stuff to them and they got really pissed, I guess. I like to play my cricket like that. I like to give it back."
Kohli claimed the Australian players were trying to put him off his game through their sledging.
"They sledge when they get frustrated, and obviously it was hot out there, and they were sledging us to ruin our concentration and during that partnership, they were really, really low," he said.
Kohli also criticised the behaviour of the boisterous 35,000 crowd on the Australia Day national holiday.
"In Sydney, they were after me because I hadn't scored any runs, and today they were pissed because I got a hundred. It hasn't changed but the reason has," he said.
Kohli was fined 50 percent of his match fee after making a finger gesture to the crowd during the second Sydney Test over the New Year period.
"It is really, really frustrating at times, they say things which shouldn't be said on a cricket field.
"If they come here to enjoy a game of cricket, they should do that and not get drunk and abuse cricket players. It's not fair, if the players say anything they're fined and banned."

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/chunk-ht-ui-indiavsaustralia2011-topstories/Virat-Kohli-slams-really-low-Australia-after-Test-ton/Article1-802444.aspx

[Dennis Bendtner]

He's a hothead...but whatever works for him. No one wants a team of midgets with gay voices. Very good innings from what I saw of the highlights. It's a rare positive from this tour, but at least a young batsman is finding his feet. Progressively improved his innings' each time. It's just a shame that no one was proactive enough to give Rohit Sharma a go too.

Eoin Morgan is a waste. That's one spot which someone from the Lions squad should be filling. Guess they were worried about playing spin.

[Cripps_orig]

He's a hothead...but whatever works for him. No one wants a team of midgets with gay voices. Very good innings from what I saw of the highlights. It's a rare positive from this tour, but at least a young batsman is finding his feet. Progressively improved his innings' each time. It's just a shame that no one was proactive enough to give Rohit Sharma a go too.

Eoin Morgan is a waste. That's one spot which someone from South Africa should be filling. Guess they were worried about playing spin.Just corrected your little mistake there

[Dennis Bendtner]

:lol:

True enough.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Mudhsuden is doing the job. Pakistan three down and still a deficit. Should be a comfortable win from here.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monty gets Misbah. :bow:

56-4 currently.

[Syn]

Pakistan worked their way to around a 60 run lead. But England firm favourites from here.

Panesar has done the trick.

Funny how multiculturalism works for cricket. Panesar feels right at home with these subcontinent pitches.

Impressive work by England&SA.

[Cripps_orig]

Aussies win by 298 runs

Sehwag scored a quick fire 60 odd in the innings of the Test though

[Rors]

Monty finishes with a six-fer. Going to be hard to drop him for the rest of this tour now.

England needing 145 to win, I think they'll take that with the time left. If I had been typing this three hours from now then I think they might have been a bit more pensive about it.

[Rors]

That is of course Pakistan don't try and both Ajmal from both ends...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I hope Strauss doesn't balls it up again.

[Syn]

Turbanwala's torn Pakistan a new hole. Nothing new there then.

[Syn]

If Pakistan didn't throw a hissy fit and get independence, Both teams would only be half as shit. #shouldvelistenedtoGandhi

[McNamara That Ghost...]

21-1, Cook goes.

[Dennis Bendtner]

39-4. Trott has the shits apparently, so hasn't batted yet. Still think England will do it, but the Irish guy has to go.

[Syn]

37-4

[Rors]

And there goes Strauss. Lbw, shockingly... 56-5. Trott out next.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:rose:

[Rors]

All over the shop here. Trott giving it the full Dean Jones treatment

[McNamara That Ghost...]

68-6, Trott goes. At least somebody might have a swing at it now.

[Rors]

Back to the bathroom cabinet for Trott. Again, trapped going back to one. Stop bleedin' doing it!! 68-6

[Rors]

England. Press 'B'. That is all.

[Rors]

Erm, but not like that :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Or not. Broad goes for a duck. What a ball.

[Rors]

Or not. Broad goes for a duck. What a ball.

8-degree cut-in. Unplayable (to use a word I hate :lol: )

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Used far too often but true in this case.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

71-8. :rose:

[Rors]

STOP FUCKING PLAYING BACK.

[Syn]

STOP FUCKING PLAYING BACK. Lesson 1 in playing spin. Andy Flower can't be happy with this. He knew how to get a good stride in.

[Rors]

Jimmy and Monty now. Cardiff '09 lads, Cardiff '09 (and yes, I know that was just for a draw..)

[Cripps_orig]

England :haha:

[Rors]

I've got a cracking quote for yous all, which I will bring you when the coup de grace is applied.

[Rors]

And here it is - "Oh England are going to win this test match, there's no doubt about that. In fact I will put my house on it". Geoffrey Boycott, TMS 'Close Of Play' Podcast. 27th January 2012

[McNamara That Ghost...]

STOP FUCKING PLAYING BACK.

Merlin must have malfunctioned.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And here it is - "Oh England are going to win this test match, there's no doubt about that. In fact I will put my house on it". Geoffrey Boycott, TMS 'Close Of Play' Podcast. 27th January 2012

Homeless Boycs. :haha:

Pakistan win by 72 runs. :rose:

[Syn]

At home, everyone is king. Let them learn to win away consistently before overhyping these arrogant cunts. There's nothing special about this team.

[Rors]

At home, everyone is king. Let them learn to win away consistently before overhyping these arrogant cunts. There's nothing special about this team.

And this is why we need a proper Test World Cup. But we have to wait three rather than just one year for that now, thanks to it otherwise "clashing with the Champions Trophy" :doh:

[Rors]

Highlights from yesterday on ITV now. You can actually make out the pitch! :faint: Atrocious commentary, but hey...

Good header there Screech

[Rors]

Kenny :haha: :haha: :haha:

[Dennis Bendtner]

Thing is these pitches are not exactly dustbowls. Collapsing like that is lame. Pakistan probably have the best spin attack around, but going by that, most Asian teams would do for England at home. Still a lot to prove.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rors. :bow:

Posting in the wrong thread is in the McNamara blood.

[Rors]

:haha: I learnt from the best alright

[Rors]

So apologies if I worried anyone there with the idea of ITV having test match highlights...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It won't be far away now.

[Rors]

BBC Test Match Special's Geoff Boycott
"England didn't seem to have a clue where they were going to get a run. There was more chance of them getting an edge, or getting byes or leg byes. They may be the number one side in the world, but they haven't won on the subcontinent and on this evidence, they're not going to."

:haha: Nice try..

[Cripps_orig]

At home, everyone is king. Let them learn to win away consistently before overhyping these arrogant cunts. There's nothing special about this team.Pakistan arent at home...

[Syn]

Pakistan arent at home...

Being pedantic doesn't make you clever. It actually tends to be the opposite, from what I've found.

It's the subcontinent - Pakistan are more suited to the conditions. They don't play in Pakistan for security reasons but this is their home series. And, more to the point, it's definitely an away series for England.

[Cripps_orig]

Is Abu Dhabi in the sub continent?

Anyway more importantly, are England the worst number one ranked Test team ever?

At least India were number one for a couple of years before turning shit. England? A matter of months :lol:

[Syn]

India lost again in the Twenty20.

More interestingly: Amir has been released from prison. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16844004

I really hope he is allowed to play international cricket eventually. As the judge said, Amir is "unsophisticated, uneducated and impressionable". This country is relatively safe from things like that but in Pakistan there is a silly amount of power held by gangs and criminal organisations. It's very easy to be blackmailed into doing this. It's also easier to get your head turned when you are as young as Amir is and coming from a very poor family background. I'm not saying he's blameless, or that there shouldn't be a punishment. He has already had a big punishment, his credibility has been ruined and he won't play cricket for a while. But maybe, say, after a year or so - let him back in IMO. Michael Holding's views are surprisingly fair on this issue. Damn talented bowler.

[Syn]

Amazing response from England today. They've bowled Pakistan out for 99. But are now 12-2 :lol:Is there a Sabina Park in the sub continent?(sTFU cripps)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

64-3, KP goes from left arm spin, again. :rolleyes: He managed 32 this time though.

[Syn]

India win a game :faint:

Just beaten the Aussies in the second and final Twenty20. They'll meet on Sunday for the start of the ODI series.

[Syn]

Alan Tyers: Talk like an England Cricketer

Don't worry if you haven't got time to listen to the England cricket team fulfil their media obligations. Just pick one from each section of our automated interview response generator.









Introductory remark
To be fair
Obviously
Very much so
For me
Look
As I say
Being honest
In all fairness
I'd be lying if I said
We acknowledge
Of course
Individual
Monty
Straussy
Cooky
Trotty
Poor old Ravi
Belly
Finny
Priory (wicketkeeper, not depression place)
KP
Morgs
Broady
Jimmy
Swanny
Andy Flower
Giles Clarke
Acknowledgement
Is struggling with
Is suffering from
Is finding difficulties
Acknowledges he has a weakness with regards to
Is working hard on
Has done fantastically with
Puts an enormous amount of work into
Practices night and day on
Trains as hard as anyone with
Would be the first to admit that he's isn't
Is holding his hand up and admitting he's
Has recently developed a problem with
Issue
Picking the doosra
Picking the straight one
Scoring against spinners
Hitting the ball
Missing Goochie
Drinking the water
Eating the food
Keeping anything down
Adapting to the hot weather in the UAE
Adapting to the cold weather in the UAE
Rushing to the loo every five minutes
Missing his family
Missing his dog
Missing EastEnders
Travelling poorly
Being out of the side
Being in the side
Dealing with depression
Undergoing an existential crisis
Being unable to catch
Finding Swanny's banter a bit trying
Thinking KP should pipe down
Bantering on Twitter
Plugging his sponsors' products
Having nightmares about mystery spinners
Understanding the DRS
Dealing with the media
But on the positive side…

Group
The guys
The bowling unit
The batting unit
The fielding unit
The bathroom unit
The batters
The bowlers
The coach
The captain
The senior players
The leadership group
Our friends and families
Cricket as a whole
The sporting community
The staff at the hotel
The medical staff
The Ashley Gileses of this world
The whole team
The whole squad
The whole squad and the backroom staff
The whole squad and the backroom staff and everyone connected with Team England
…is/are…

Action words and phrases
Communicating
Focusing
Being aggressive
Being supportive
Encouraging
Supporting each other
Concentrating hard
Being decisive
Working together
Sticking together
Concentrating on the basics
Hitting the right areas
Not allowing themselves to get sidetracked
Doing the simple things well
Relaxing on the golf course
Relaxing with the Xbox
Getting away from the game
Enjoying a night out
Visualising success

…to…

Dynamic closing statement
End this tour on a high
Take a long hard look a ourselves
Go into the one-day series with some momentum
Silence a few critics
Help him get over this bad patch
Realise that we have not become a bad team overnight
Take the positives from the situation
Iron out what we are sure is just a blip
Support our team-mate in this tough time
Show him that we are right behind him
Put these bad results behind us
Play with a smile on our face
Rise to the challenge
Show why we got to number one in the first place
End the Test series with a win
Restore some pride
And give ourselves something to build on
Example one
Look
Morgs
acknowledges he has a weakness with regards to
hitting the ball
but on the positive side
the whole squad and the backroom staff and everyone connected with Team England
are
working together
to
iron out what we are sure is just a blip
Example two
In all fairness
Cooky
is holding his hand up and admitting he's
missing Goochie
but on the positive side
our friends and families
are
working together
to
show that we are right behind him
Example three
Of course
Belly
puts an enormous amount of work into
rushing to the loo every five minutes
but on the positive side
the bathroom unit
is
being supportive
to
help him get over this bad patch

http://www.espncricinfo.com/page2/content/story/551906.html


:bow: :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:haha: Brilliant.

Flintoff's staple "score some runs and take some wickets" needs to be there though.

Bell is gone. :rolleyes:

[Syn]

Fantastic wicket-keeping. :lol:

It was more of a run-out than a stumping. If he properly collected it, Bell would've been home.

Good bowling though.

[Syn]

"If the ECB had the power that the BCCI have, they would outlaw spin bowling." -- ESPN. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fantastic wicket-keeping. :lol:

It was more of a run-out than a stumping. If he properly collected it, Bell would've been home.

Good bowling though.

Pub team wicket keeping. :bow:

Morgan smacks one for six. About time we saw someone be positive against Ajmal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Reverted back to being defensive and Morgan is out (lbw Rehman). 88-5. This is stupid.

[Syn]

This could be over by the end of day 2.

[Syn]

98/6, Prior bowled by Rehman.

[Syn]

England send in James Anderson as nightwatchman. They're 6 wickets down ffs. Does Stuart Broad need protecting?

[Cripps_orig]

What a piss poor Test series :lol:

2 shite ass teams going at it.

More importantly, India won :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan are 120-2, England were bowled out for 141. :rolleyes:

[Syn]

143-2 now, hundred partnership :faint: , both guys have reached 50. Somewhat naively they seem to have shut up shop and are playing for the close...with 14 overs left. Not a wise move - runs were coming freely; they should've carried on with their natural game.

[Syn]

I don't think I've seen Younis Khan without a smile plastered on his face. Doesn't do the stupid "Inshallah" shit at every interview either. Deserves respect tbf.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Should declare and have a crack at them this evening.

[Syn]

Should declare and have a crack at them this evening.

:haha:

[Cripps_orig]

Why is that stupid?

[Syn]

Younis Khan gets a century :bow:

[Rors]

Even with the ball Jimmy gets the night-watchman role :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England's batsmen. :doh:

I'm sure a bowling change for the next test series will make all the difference though.

[Rors]

:lol:

If you end up relying on the same old faces - and that includes that humper Morgan - will come back to bite you in the end. Hubris can only get you so far.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's reminiscent of the post 2005 Ashes come down. :rose:

[Syn]

I am kinda glad that England are getting battered because I never thought they were as good as the media were making out and some perspective was needed. But will they be the best side in the world right now even if they get white-washed by Pakistan? Yes, I think so. They're still a very strong side with, by far, the best bowling line-up. The true test of a good team is always away from preferred conditions. India's stay as no.1 for 18 months was impressive because they winning and drawing almost everywhere - even in South Africa. Australia and South Africa are nearly on the same level right now. Australia have improved a lot since their Ashes defeat. But even they can't win away to New Zealand. Nobody can win away these days.

If people are hoping for England to dominate world cricket in the same way West Indies did in the 80s and Australia did in the 90s, it's not going to happen. There just isn't enough money devoted to bringing up talent on the grassroots level. I don't see any team dominating now. Maybe in a year time, someone else will be no.1 and it'll keep fluctuating between England, Australia, South Africa. Maybe India and Pakistan can pose a challenge - but in India's case, they've got the balance all wrong by piling money into the rubbish Twenty20 format that doesn't really favour Test technique.

The recent Australia-South Africa Tests were amazing. But I don't think there will be an interesting Test series for a while now. Maybe England in Sri Lanka will be close. Then West Indies are coming here which is a complete waste of time. The next Ashes should be great if Australia can keep improving at the rate they are.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Not to discount the series before that, but England-SA this summer could be a key indicator. If South Africa could win that, it would be a marker laid down. They won a few years ago, but obviously the England side was a lot poorer. I think South Africa are better equipped than most to try and nudge ahead of the pack. They have had tremendous success abroad before, and nearly won in India last time. England have some way to go in that regard. SA have been quite ordinary at home, though. That's really where England have been brutally efficient. Good test this summer. I've applied for the ballot thing for the Lord's Test.

[Syn]

Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with cancer.He's off in the states for cemotherapy. :yikes:Some sort of tumour in his lung. Optimistic of full recovery and doctors have described it as 100% curable.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I guess they must have found it quite early in its formation then. Get well soon though to him regardless.

Pakistan are 345-6, Monty has four-for!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

346-7. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan are 350-8 at tea.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Azhar Ali 157 off 442 balls. Misbah 31 off 115. These guys are something else. Ach is on suicide watch.

Anyway England need 324 to win.

[Syn]

Gettable.

lol.

[Syn]

Azhar Ali 157 off 442 balls. Misbah 31 off 115. These guys are something else.

Misbah's a maniac. I don't think I've ever seen anyone accelerate and stop as frequently as he does. He got 31 off 115 but he could've been on 61 off 123. And then 62 off 176.

Weirdo.

[Dennis Bendtner]

He is weird. Only has two gears. Does it in the ODIs and T20s too.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on England FFS.

[Syn]

India lost the opening ODI against Australia. Rain-affected.

Kohli top-scored for India with a majestic 31.

Tendulkar out for 2 :haha:

You'll get your 100th century when Rosicky scores.

[Syn]

Cook dropped. Simple chance.

Has Taufeeq dropped the Ashes?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England close on 36-0. Should be a good day tomorrow. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

116-3, Pietersen fails again, goes for 18.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

159-6. :(

[Cripps_orig]

246-9

Prior and Panesar to win it

[Cripps_orig]

Pakistan win it

England :haha:

Worst number one ranked team of all time

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monty nearly outscored Bell. :lol:

[Syn]

India in Bangladesh Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/282687.html)
2007

India
1-0 (2)


Pataudi Trophy (India in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/258452.html)
2007

India
1-0 (3)


Pakistan in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/297429.html)
2007/08

India
1-0 (3)


Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/291348.html)
2007/08

Australia
2-1 (4)


South Africa in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/332905.html)
2007/08

drawn
1-1 (3)


India in Sri Lanka Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/343728.html)
2008

Sri Lanka
2-1 (3)


Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/345667.html)
2008/09

India
2-0 (4)


Pataudi Trophy (England in India) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/361039.html)
2008/09

India
1-0 (2)


India in New Zealand Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/366620.html)
2008/09

India
1-0 (3)


Sri Lanka in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/430870.html)
2009/10

India
2-0 (3)


India in Bangladesh Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/434248.html)
2009/10

India
2-0 (2)


South Africa in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/441824.html)
2009/10

drawn
1-1 (2)


India in Sri Lanka Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/456660.html)
2010

drawn
1-1 (3)


Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/464518.html)
2010/11

India
2-0 (2)


New Zealand in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/464521.html)
2010/11

India
1-0 (3)


India in South Africa Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/463137.html)
2010/11

drawn
1-1 (3)


India in West Indies Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/489202.html)
2011

India
1-0 (3)


Pataudi Trophy (India in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/474459.html)
2011

England
4-0 (4)


West Indies in India Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/535996.html)
2011/12

India
2-0 (3)


Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/series/518945.html)
2011/12

Australia
4-0 (4)






Last 20 Tests: W12 L4 D4
Away record: P11 W5 L4 D2










Pakistan in England Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/224903.html)
2006

England
3-0 (4)


The Ashes (England in Australia) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/249190.html)
2006/07

Australia
5-0 (5)


The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/258446.html)
2007

England
3-0 (4)


Pataudi Trophy (India in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/258452.html)
2007

India
1-0 (3)


England in Sri Lanka Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/291207.html)
2007/08

Sri Lanka
1-0 (3)


England in New Zealand Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/300415.html)
2007/08

England
2-1 (3)


New Zealand in England Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/296892.html)
2008

England
2-0 (3)


Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (South Africa in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/296893.html)
2008

South Africa
2-1 (4)


Pataudi Trophy (England in India) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/361039.html)
2008/09

India
1-0 (2)


The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/352660.html)
2008/09

West Indies
1-0 (5)


The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/380710.html)
2009

England
2-0 (2)


The Ashes (Australia in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/345968.html)
2009

England
2-1 (5)


Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (England in South Africa) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/387554.html)
2009/10

drawn
1-1 (4)


England in Bangladesh Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/426379.html)
2009/10

England
2-0 (2)


Bangladesh in England Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/426351.html)
2010

England
2-0 (2)


Pakistan in England Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/426355.html)
2010

England
3-1 (4)


The Ashes (England in Australia) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/428731.html)
2010/11

England
3-1 (5)


Sri Lanka in England Test Series (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/474456.html)
2011

England
1-0 (3)


Pataudi Trophy (India in England) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/474459.html)
2011

England
4-0 (4)


Pakistan v England Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) (http://stats.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/series/531617.html)
2011/12

Pakistan
3-0 (3)






Last 20 Tests: W12 L7 D1
Away record: W3, L5, D1



Winning at home is not difficult. England have had one (very) impressive series victory - that was winning 3-1 in Australia which nobody really does. They caught them at a fortunate time though when the team was in transition. Since then Australia have won in Sri Lanka - something England haven't done. Australia drew in South Africa and Australia drew in New Zealand. (3 away series against good opposition unbeaten). And obviously now they've crushed India at home. This Australian side is good - if anyone's the best team right now, it's them.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2021719/Is-best-England-team-Sportsmails-panel-experts-join-debate.html

:lol:
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2021719/Is-best-England-team-Sportsmails-panel-experts-join-debate.html)
Lets wait until they start avoiding defeat away. England have had an easy run of tours. The only other away tour they've won recently was in Bangladesh. Lets see them win in West Indies. Lets see them win in New Zealand. Lets see them draw in Sri Lanka. They won't. India had done all these things and drawn in South Africa - having a good record in all conditions, on all sorts of pitches.

Until any team - Australia, England, South Africa, India, Pakistan, whoever...starts not getting hammered against a good team away from home quite consistently, begin the hype. One good away series isn't enough.

Can't wait for England's Sri Lanka trip. Sri Lanka will be stronger than Pakistan in their real home.

[Syn]

ICC Test Championship

6 February 2012
Team-------------Matches--------Points--------------Rating
England ---------41------------4830--------------118
South Africa---------28------------3277--------------117
India --------------46------------5111---------------111
Australia------------42------------4655---------------111
Pakistan------------35------------3781---------------108

The ranking system is stupid. If England were to play against West Indies and the 3 matches were called off for rain, England would lose a lot of points - which makes no sense. If England beat Australia 4-0 at home, that counts for more than winning 1-0 in India. Silly.

Upcoming tours:
New Zealand v South Africa, Feb - Mar 2012
Sri Lanka v England, Mar - Apr 2012
West Indies v Australia, Mar - Apr 2012

Top 3 are all away. Aussies, on current form, should win in WI. England will almost certainly lose. And SA-NZ will be close.

[Cripps_orig]

SRI LANKA legend Muttiah Muralitharan has told England their ranking as the ICC's number one Test team "means nothing".

And the bowling hero insists they must master subcontinental conditions before they can be compared to the best teams in cricketing history.

England are on the verge of losing their crown in the Test rankings as they head towards a 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan in Dubai, only a few months after taking on the mantle from India.

But Muralitharan claims he is not surprised by England's struggles on the current tour as the subcontinent has long been their Achilles heel.

He said: "I was not surprised because England always struggle coming to the subcontinent.

"On the subcontinent you have to learn to play spin very well and in that department they are lacking so you can see the results now. Pakistan are dominating with spin."

The only solution, Muralitharan said, is to play more often in the region, and play longer tours with more warm-up matches.

He added: "They are not used to the conditions. The conditions are always very important in cricket.

"They need to play here more often, and get used to the conditions better."

England head to Sri Lanka next, and Muralitharan believes the Pakistan tour could stand them in good stead.

He said: "They might play well in Sri Lanka because they have now played so many matches (in the United Arab Emirates) before coming here, but in the Pakistan series they did not have enough time to play matches."

While much has been made at home of England's No1 status, Muralitharan questioned the value of the ICC rankings, saying the great teams in cricketing history were measured by an ability to dominate for long periods in any conditions.

He said: "England are No1, but they have more to do to become a No1 like Australia were for a period of time.

"They have to be the team to beat.

"A few months ago, the ICC ranking system said India was the No1. Then England, and now it will pass to South Africa.

"It changes every few months, so that means nothing."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/cricket/4109441/Muttiah-Muralitharan-says-Englands-struggles-in-Dubai-against-Pakistan-are-no-surprise.html

[Syn]

I would say that Murali can STFU and that the only reason that chucker had a career was due to a deformity at birth but he's kinda backing my point up, so I won't.

[Dennis Bendtner]

I think you are basically right re. Syn's first post. Too many people went gaga over England basically winning a lot in familiar conditions. The Ashes win was most impressive. To be fair, the manner of victory in most of England's series has been very impressive. Shitting out innings wins regularly. Not much in unfamiliar conditions, though.

I would expect a closer series against Sri Lanka. The batting this tour was embarrassing, but Sri Lanka were Murali + 10 others at home. They definitely don't have a great bowling attack. I dunno, though...maybe even ordinary spinners could trouble them. The fact that that needs to be questioned shows that they have a great deal to prove yet.

[Cripps_orig]

Murali should come out of retirement for this one Test series and get 30 odd wickets and the fans get a few more lols at England

[Syn]

Could be the day of the 100th 100. Tendulkar looking good on 47. Joined by the impressive Kohli; India 88/1 chasing 234. Sehwag went early but what else is new?

[Syn]

Tendulkar bowled for 48.

Me :bow:

[LDG]

:haha:

[Syn]

Injuns win by 4 wickets. Kohli top scores for India for the 4th match in a row with a lovely 77.

[IBK]

Tendulkar bowled for 48.

Me :bow:

:lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Batsman Kohli set India up for victory with an impressive 77 off 94 balls, but he ran himself out at a crucial stage and injured himself in the process.

What a dumbass

[Syn]

Chris Gayle scores a 100 off 44 balls in some pub team game. :haha:Do that in tests in south africa or new Zealand and you have my respect. Until then, he's the WI sehwag.

[Syn]

Gangster dhoni has been promoted to the godfather after today's innings. Reckless and heroic. Michael Beven had nothing on this guy. The coolest finisher in limited overs history.

[Dennis Bendtner]

This one was pretty ridiculous. He didn't pace the innings well at all. But he has a propensity to pull the rabbit out of the hat, and he knows it...he turned down a second run the previous ball. Must be an aura, in ODIs.

[Syn]

This one was pretty ridiculous. He didn't pace the innings well at all. But he has a propensity to pull the rabbit out of the hat, and he knows it...he turned down a second run the previous ball. Must be an aura, in ODIs.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK5JcV_3418

:bow:

That was an epic hit. He was playing so far away from his body that it's difficult to generate that much power. 112 metres is phenomenal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Afridi is on a hat-trick in the first ODI against England...

57-2.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Doesn't get it but spin causes havoc for England again. :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cook moves on to his half century. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And he has gone to get his century. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

137 for Cook in the end. England made 260-7 off their 50 overs. Decent total this time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Finn is on a hat-trick now!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ah didn't get it. 12-2 though. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Finn has four-for. :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan are 96-7. England might win one :dance:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

109-8.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

113-9. :d

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England win! :bow:

Cook as captain. :bow:

Strauss. :wave:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great finish to the ODI between Sri Lanka and India. India need four off two balls, Malinga just ballsed up a chance to run out Dhoni.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They get the run out this time! 233-9. India need a boundary.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's a tie! :haha: What a finish.

[Syn]

Forgot about the game today - thought it was tomorrow.

Gambhir out in the 90s again :lol:

The godfather delivers again :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

ODIs :bow:

Last 2 have been awesome

Best format in the business tbh

After T20s

[Cripps_orig]

Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, has tweeted that he is feeling "better" after receiving a message of support from cycling legend Lance Armstrong."Go Yuvi! Livestrong," said the message, which Yuvraj put up on his Twitter account.
Armstrong, who was treated for testicular cancer, runs a foundation called Livestrong for cancer survivors.
Yuvraj is being treated in the US for a rare form of cancer, which is curable.
"I want you to know that the entire Livestrong team is here for you. We say it all the time, and truly believe in it. Knowledge is power, unity is strength and attitude is everything," said the message from Armstrong.
"Please know that we are here to help you and your family in any way possible."
Yuvraj tweeted that the message "makes me feel better".
"Thank you Lance, means a lot, hope we can meet," he said.
Earlier, Yuvraj had said he was reading the autobiography of Armstrong, who recovered from testicular cancer, and that he would like to meet the cyclist.
The 30-year-old cricketer is being treated for a rare form of cancer, called seminoma.
Yuvraj's health first deteriorated during the World Cup last year, in which he was the man of the tournament and helped India win the trophy for the first time since 1983.
Against Ireland, Yuvraj became the first player to take five wickets and score 50 in a World Cup match.

Lance :bow:

Yuvi :bow:

Need him back asap

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second ODI between Pakistan and England is on soon. England have won the toss and will bat first.

[LDG]

Cook's 50 is up as England go to 108-1 half way through their innings.

Cook :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

116-2 at the moment, Trott just went. KP went for another sterling 26.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Cook really is a special player, no one wanted him to skipper ODI let alone play in them yet he has come out, led from the front with around 4 tons and several 50s.

Essex players :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another century for Cook. :bow:

[LDG]

England finish on 250-4 :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

BBC's live text commentary had died again. :rose:

[LDG]

F5 all the way :(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's like how it was back in my uni days.

Finding out Vieira had scored to make it 2-1, when I was thinking we were going to balls it up on the last day of the season. :bow:

[Syn]

It was scary how similar the last two India games have been (Very similar team totals, Gambhir getting out in the 90s, the godfather being a maverick..) and now it's happening for England-Pakistan (Very similar team total, Cook scores a century)...just need Pakistan to get bowled out relatively cheaply.

[LDG]

Pakistan currently 132-3 off 31

Could be a close one this....

[Syn]

Fucking Indians winning the game for England again.

Why don't you fuck off and have another Samosa, Samit? You fat fuck.

[LDG]

4 down now....Azhar bowled by Patel

Though Pakistan starting to swing...142 in the 32nd

[Syn]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01360/samit-patel_1360101c.jpg

Stop eating!

[Dennis Bendtner]

Looking forward to Afretard's 13 (5) cameo.

[Syn]

Looking forward to Afretard's 13 (5) cameo.

:haha:

Bank on it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

179-5, Umar Akmal out!

It's Boom Boom time. :popcorn:

[Syn]

Fatarse takes a good catch. Two wickets and now this. Patel's game tbf.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Finn has developed a lot in 18 months. By developed I mean become pretty fucking fast. I'm a fan. He ought to be playing more Tests now. Hope he destroys Boom Boom's stumps.

[Syn]

Afridiculous trying to play sensibly :lol:

He's on 4 off 10 balls. He won't resist for long.

[Syn]

Hit a 6 then 4, then a sensible single. Has he turned the corner? Got it down to a run-a-ball...no need for the big shots now. Maybe he has realised?

Next ball: Anderson to Shahid Afridi, OUT, swing and a miss and Anderson strikes middle and off, that's a pretty miserable end for Afridi, looking to heave into the leg side, missed by a long way. There really was no need for that just yet...he's handed the initiative back to England after a great previous over

You fucking moron. Worse than Sehwag.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

207-6, Afridi went for 16 off 16. :lol:

[Dennis Bendtner]

Bowled after a hack across the line? That's not typical at all. Still, at least his S/R was 100...solid day's work.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Dear god. That's even worse. This guy Rehman has got out for 1 off 12 balls, including no runs off a free hit.

[Syn]

Now Misbah gone.

So Pakistan were in an excellent position - something like 44 needed off 39 with a settled Afridi and Misbah at the crease. Then Afridi pisses his wicket away and his team collapse?

Great stuff.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Finn. :bow:

England win by 20 runs!

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

He's only gone and Finn-ished them off. Ha!

[LDG]

:dance:

[Cripps_orig]

England may have won but problems remain.

They only lost 4 wickets so you'd expect 320+ but they got a laughable 250

Fortunately for them, bowlers got them out of jail

[Cripps_orig]

Andrew Symonds retires from cricket

[Xhaka Can’t]

Who?

[Cripps_orig]

A Cricketing GHEL

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/cricket/4134084/Andrew-Symonds-quits-cricket.html

[Xhaka Can’t]

Reminds me of that dude in that thing that had the local shop for local people.

If what I posted makes sense to one person, it'll be Charlie.

[GP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2F4ZWTjwTU
Reminds me of that dude in that thing that had the local shop for local people.

If what I posted makes sense to one person, it'll be Charlie.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pakistan are 97-5 in the third ODI, Boom Boom is in. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Afridi is 35 off 35.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

176-6.

[Syn]

Boom Boom :bow:

Always been a fan.

DSL :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

180-7, Afridi goes for 51. Anderson. :bow:

[Syn]

Afretard :haha:

Never been a fan.

DSL :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

208-8.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sorry 209-9. :lol: