Cricket 2018

[StanSP]

They key to this win, given how this innings has panned out, is Sam Curran's 2nd innings with the bat getting all those runs giving England enough of a lead to work with. Without that I think it would have finished by now in India's favour. 

 

Great game for Curran.

[StanSP]

1 minute ago, marko said:

The spike came before the ball passed the bat. Definitely no inside edge.

 

I thought it was as it passed. Was only a very little spike so may not have even been the ball on bat but it looked extremely close!

[marko]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

I thought it was as it passed. Was only a very little spike so may not have even been the ball on bat but it looked extremely close!

On the split screen you could see the ball hadn't passed the bat when ultra edge detected a noise.

[Max Wall]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

They key to this win, given how this innings has panned out, is Sam Curran's 2nd innings with the bat getting all those runs giving England enough of a lead to work with. Without that I think it would have finished by now in India's favour. 

 

Great game for Curran.

You could say the same in England's favour if one of the catches had been taken off Kohli first innings.

[StanSP]

1 minute ago, marko said:

On the split screen you could see the ball hadn't passed the bat when ultra edge detected a noise.

I thought the spike came as it passed the bat. Anyway, England winning this as expected with Kohli gone!

 

1 minute ago, Max Wall said:

You could say the same in England's favour if one of the catches had been taken off Kohli first innings.

true!

[Max Wall]

This just doesn't look done yet does it?

You can just see England start to get desperate, bowl shorter and shorter and get smacked about by Hardik.

[Max Wall]

Whatever happens now, what an engrossing test match.

There's been very few periods of play that haven't had an impact on the state of the game. I guess that happens in low scoring games. Brilliant viewing.

[Max Wall]

Done.

Well played England. Bowlers bailed us out again.

[Bert]

Get in! 

[Max Wall]

So tough for touring teams to bat here. Test cricket, on the right pitches, you just can't beat it.

[marko]

Superb Test match.

 

Give me that over pyjama cricket any day of the week.

[Guest MattP]

Superb. What a match.

 

We could kick on now, that's a big test for India to lose and all their runs look to be on Kohli's bat.

[Voll Blau]

3 minutes ago, Max Wall said:

Done.

Well played England. Bowlers bailed us out again.

Yep, still need to be some serious words had though. India will come back fighting.

[Max Wall]

Just now, MattP said:

Superb. What a match.

 

We could kick on now, that's a big test for India to lose and all their runs look to be on Kohli's bat.

Jeez Matt, let us enjoy this one 

Great start by England though, could so easily have blown it.

[foxy boxing]

Mic Drop

[Max Wall]

1 minute ago, Voll Blau said:

Yep, still need to be some serious words had though. India will come back fighting.

Absolutely no doubt about that. It'll just be nice to approach the 2nd test without the press on their backs.

Plaudits to both teams for serving that up though.

[Osavo]

Fantastic test match. One of the best I've ever watched, actually. Sam Curran and Ben Stokes take a bow, two superb performances from two superb all-rounders.

[StanSP]

Great test to watch. Curran and Kohli the stand-outs for each side. 

 

Pure entertainment and tension from day one.

 

Well done England. Just hope the next 4 tests live up to this one!

[Max Wall]

Just now, Osavo said:

Fantastic test match. One of the best I've ever watched, actually. Sam Curran and Ben Stokes take a bow, two superb performances from two superb all-rounders.

As Stan said, Curran played the biggest part. When Stokes bowls like he has today though, he really looks almost impossible to play. It takes a special bowler or ball to get Kohli out at times and he produced just enough to do that.

Glad there was no real histrionics from either side today.

 

[Guest MattP]

Kumar Sangakkara doing Little Britain jokes in the studio

[Guest MattP]

Just now, Max Wall said:

As Stan said, Curran played the biggest part. When Stokes bowls like he has today though, he really looks almost impossible to play. It takes a special bowler or ball to get Kohli out at times and he produced just enough to do that.

Glad there was no real histrionics from either side today.

 

When he gets those spells going where the balls swings in to the batsman he's as good a bowler with an old ball as I've seen.

 

Was doing it at times last summer as well.

[Max Wall]

8 minutes ago, Osavo said:

Fantastic test match. One of the best I've ever watched, actually. Sam Curran and Ben Stokes take a bow, two superb performances from two superb all-rounders.

We all knew Stokes was capable of it but Curran's performance has been a welcome surprise, especially with the bat.

Very pleased for him. Showed the requisite application and fight in the first innings which some of the senior batsmen failed to show.

Winning whilst having lots you can improve on is possibly as good as it gets.

As said by earlier posters, I expect India to come back hard but you have to be pleased as an England supporter to have beaten such a good team.

[StanSP]

who will replace Stokes for the next test? Bring back a spinner?

[Max Wall]

4 minutes ago, StanSP said:

who will replace Stokes for the next test? Bring back a spinner?

I guess it depends on the pitch on the day as to who will come in. If there's spin in it at all I would reckon Ali will come back in as he can help replace Stokes batting.

Stokes has shown his importance in this test though. When he fails with the bat he often does something with the ball. Genuine all rounders are pretty precious commodities.

[Guest MattP]

5 minutes ago, StanSP said:

who will replace Stokes for the next test? Bring back a spinner?

Give its at Lords I'd imagine Ali. Will spin a bit down there and he offers something with the bat.