Xray the Enforcer Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 DOH just when it was at least looking like Pakistan would show some backbone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 No fight here from Pakistan. The long tail is not going to help, either. They're going to have to play a heck of a second innings - at this rate scoring 400 in the second innings isn't going to be enough. It's just as well they won the First Test...at least the Third will still be alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 What a way to break for lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted July 24, 2016 Author Share Posted July 24, 2016 England never do now but I can't see why they aren't enforcing the follow on here. It's not like the bowlers have even put that much work in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 I'm also really surprised that England didn't enforce the follow on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Which Tyler Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 22 minutes ago, ljkeane said: England never do now but I can't see why they aren't enforcing the follow on here. It's not like the bowlers have even put that much work in. Bonkers decision IMO. Trying to keep Pakistan in the match. Enforce the follow-on and put boot to throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Inexplicable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 11 hours ago, ljkeane said: England's seamers look a lot better as a unit with Anderson and Stokes back in. I do think Ali as a front line spinner is looking less viable though. Obviously they can't have known in advance how things were going to unfold but in this match situation Rashid would have been a much more useful pick, it wouldn't matter too much if he bowled a few bad balls because the leg spin would be more of a threat, although the seamers would always be the main weapon. I agree it is baffling why the follow-on wasn't enforced. I know Cook's tactics do tend to be very defensive, but this seems excessive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philokles Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Very odd decision to bat. Apparently it was not even to rest Anderson and Stokes, but that maybe covering up for picking two unfit players or for the rain delays nullifying the argument in hindsight. Now when to declare becomes the main issue. England are already 70 or so ahead of the record fourth innings run chase, but I feel Cook will want a few more in the morning to be certain Pakistan won't reach it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 It does seem odd not to enforce the follow-on, especially with the possible threat of rain. I know it's not really in vogue to enforce follow-ons these days, but if you're not going to do it in this situation (fragile batting, bowlers not taxed, possible rain delays), when would you? Anyway, it's probably moot since I expect Cook to declare an hour before lunch, and either way he would probably win the match without too much trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I hope rain doesn't ruin it, but we're set for a good fifth day of the Australia and Sri Lanka First Test. Australia need another 185 runs, Sri Lanka need 7 wickets. On a fifth day with a massively turning pitch, you have to think 185 runs will be a tough ask. But Australia bat deep (O'Keefe at 8, if he's not too injured to bat, has a first class batting average of 30, and Starc at 9 has scored 6 Test fifties in only 25 matches). More importantly Steve Smith is still at the crease and his career Test average is still over 60! He's our best player of spin too. It'll be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 new world record for balls faced without a run. i don't particularly like cricket but i love the idea you can just stand there and frustrate for hours. shame they never quite made it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 8 hours ago, Jeor said: I hope rain doesn't ruin it, but we're set for a good fifth day of the Australia and Sri Lanka First Test. Australia need another 185 runs, Sri Lanka need 7 wickets There are some advocates for the idea that we should have four day Tests, but I think this type of match shows why it would be a bad idea, rather than a dull draw there is an impressive victory for Sri Lanka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 All credit to the Sri Lankans...it would have been heartbreak if they didn't get the win, but for O'Keefe and Neville to keep it together for 30 overs must have been getting them nervous. The Aussie team will be devastated. It's the sort of game where both sides were in sight of the finish line (or at least draw for Australia), great match all round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 4 hours ago, BigFatCoward said: new world record for balls faced without a run. i don't particularly like cricket but i love the idea you can just stand there and frustrate for hours. shame they never quite made it. This is one of the reasons I absolutely love cricket -- that boring the competition into a mistake is a legit strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 31 minutes ago, Xray the Enforcer said: This is one of the reasons I absolutely love cricket -- that boring the competition into a mistake is a legit strategy. I also like the oddity of the result often depending on the performance of people doing something they don't actually claim to be good at, such as tail-end batsmen who usually only make cameos desperately trying to hold out for a draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 That partnership was 4 runs off 178 balls....enough to make Chris Tavare look like Adam Gilchrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 The tense finish flattered Australia really - they would have been steamrolled early on Day 5 (or maybe even earlier in the match) but for the rain/bad light. I'll be interested to see if the Aussies can bounce back, they certainly couldn't manage it on their most recent tours of India and the UAE (both ended in whitewashes). Sri Lanka's batting does look a little shaky to me, so that might offer the tourists some hope. Mathews and Chandimal need to take responsibility and move up the order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 While the bowlers won the match (particularly Herath), that freakish innings from Mendis was what got them there in the first place. Without that, the batting did look pretty suspect. They were always going to struggle when Jayawardene and Sangakarra retired. But on home soil and with two spinners firing, they'll be tough to beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Yeah I think Australia's best chance will be to roll Sri Lanka and then hope beyond hope that the likes of Smith or Voges can post a big score. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but I don't see many other Australian batsmen having success here. The urgent and sometimes arrogant style with which Warner, Burns and Khawaja approached their respective innings does not bode well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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