leicsmac

Ah, that rule rather than the ridiculous pitch inspection one then. I don't see how they can decide it another way if it's washed out and there's no reserve day tbh.

Assuming I know what you're talking about, the Beeb reporter agrees.

Might not be the worst thing to have the rain bring on the England innings now. 90 in 8 overs (adjusted for D/L) might be easier than 170-180 in 20.

Jordan against the best teams is a luxury this team cannot afford.

Two things: firstly, it may have been a mistake to bowl first, and if we're going to stand a chance here we need Rohit cheaply.

I can sense the frustration here tbh man and I get it - it isn't fair to generalise the vast fanbase and general cricketing structure of India, as some are wont to do (as much as I try to qualify my own remarks, I know I may have strayed into that territory myself in the past). I guess there's just frustration all round from fans in other places and reasonable India fans like yourself at the way both the BCCI and the more unreasonable parts of the fanbase (who by virtue of sheer numbers do make themselves known frequently online) act, but that's no reason to generalise.

A fallacy that is seen all too often, especially when coupled with nostalgia filter.

Well, the last time everything was set up for an India victory the Aussies ruined the party. Perhaps us or the Saffers might be able to oblige this time round. But the Indian team, even absent off field factors, is formidable.

Right, that's a good summation of the issue (I would add that Reform may push the Tories further right or even take their place as an additional risk). So I ask again: what is to be done? I honestly don't know. The greens at least treat the single biggest problem facing the future with the seriousness it deserves. Hopefully they will get a few MPs that can then keep the bigger fish moving on this most important matter.

As much as this sentiment is valid and resonates, I feel compelled to ask the same question in response whenever it comes up. Who within the various ranks would be both more principled and just "better" and (more importantly in Labours case) more likely to have those principles actually mean something by winning the power necessary to implement them? Pointing out problems is easier, giving viable solutions appears to be rather harder.

Pollen count/hay-fever. Can't plants just fvck without spreading their own STI to us, please?

Nah, "out of context". That's the go-to excuse these days. Or just double-down and deflect like their counterparts across the pond.

Fair point. All the more reason to treat their apparent ascendancy with all the seriousness it deserves. The consequences of it could well be serious. Unrelated observation: I hope that Sunak keeps the name of Brianna Ghey out of his mouth. He doesn't deserve that right at all, given the policy platform he's espousing.

Could well be one of those situations where it's not but when the guilty party can afford very good lawyers, you need a lot of time and money to make it stick.

I can't offer advice, but I do offer sympathy. The graduate jobs market is fvcked to pretty much anyone without nepotism right now, unless the idea of being ridiculously underpaid to work in a school appeals.

I hope that forecast isn't true tbh, because it shows that Reform will have had a success way above expectations and will form the idea they can do much better at the next one. Really don't want Years and Years becoming true 5 years after the show projected it would.

The information that his organisation uncovered that shone a light on how a key ally actually behaves in a warzone was of value, though. One of the key things that separates us from the "bad guys" is openness and transparency in matters of public service. Even the nasty stuff.

And the good thing is that Lewis appears to be a well respected public figure that they can't really smear. So when he corrects them, they don't have much of s recourse.

Yep. Welcome to the era where blatant untruth can be believed, voted for, and then applied as policy. I guess it has existed before though, but the advent of social media has really accelerated the concept.

Very much individual-dependent that. Though even as someone who prizes the result above all else, I'll happily admit the performances have been absolutely turgid, much better can be done and I can really see why it's driving people up the walls. This would make for a fascinating PhD study. My own working hypothesis would be that it is uniquely toxic, but I wouldn't be in the least surprised to see it proven wrong by study.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw00029vv9yo A rather sobering look at the necessity for security surrounding MP's today. How can we expect decent people to get involved in public office when stuff like this happens unless they are one of those rare things - a martyr to the cause metaphorically (and sadly sometimes literally)? We get the politicians we deserve. And, dare I say it, a running theme appears to be foreign policy and the Middle East in particular that's driving some of this. NB. This comes from a position of finding Bravermans policymaking views absolutely abhorrent and lacking in any kind of empathy - but I certainly wouldn't want her or her family to come to any harm when there remain better ways to neutralise her viewpoints.

Makes you think...

Fair enough man, we come at it from different directions and that's totally OK. I'm all about the numbers and the results but that's the way my own brain works.

He wasn't dull, he was just shit at the job. Yeah. A lot of recency bias going on.

Bobby Robson is lionised for taking a talented team to one WC semi in a low standard tournament (including two knockout games that could have easily gone the other way) and not a lot else, just saying.