Cricket (None Leicestershire County Cricket Club)

[Bert]

1 minute ago, Super_horns said:

Particularly if you play for the county the boss of the ECB spent his career at .

And you’re really good mates with his Dad 

[leicsmac]

13 minutes ago, STEVIE B said:

It's either feast or famine (more often the latter). Pope is similar too. I think Bethell has huge potential to bat anywhere really. 

I don't really follow county cricket closely, are there any potential openers on the horizon, or is it a case of going back to someone like Sibley etc ? 

This is the big question. It's reasonably evident that Crawley is (most of the time) a liability, but that only matters if there's someone for the same position out there who is provably less so. 

[CosbehFox]

My other take from Lords is that whilst the ticket price is high; the ability to take some booze in, a decent spread plus the food/drink being actually reasonable (in particular compared to Headingley), it’s actually about a money neutral compared to the trip I had up to Leeds and the day at Edgbaston 

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, STEVIE B said:

It's either feast or famine (more often the latter). Pope is similar too. I think Bethell has huge potential to bat anywhere really. 

I don't really follow county cricket closely, are there any potential openers on the horizon, or is it a case of going back to someone like Sibley etc ? 

Ben McKinney is the great white hope but I’m not sure he’s ready yet. Tom Haines at Sussex also has a very good record and can open. Truth is though, there’s zero chance of them throwing in someone new before the ashes now. Crawley will be there until at least early 2026.

[Lcfc-1992]

10 hours ago, StanSP said:

Not as bad as you make out to be fair, especially with a new ball. 

 

Archer is frightening in full flight! Woakes on a Lords pitch equally so because of how he gets the ball to move. 

I’ve seen we’ve taken a third of what you have with the new ball.

[dmayne7]

 

11 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Ben McKinney is the great white hope but I’m not sure he’s ready yet. Tom Haines at Sussex also has a very good record and can open. Truth is though, there’s zero chance of them throwing in someone new before the ashes now. Crawley will be there until at least early 2026.

Also throw in the fact that England have gone left field and made players into openers when they haven't really done thar in their careers to date.

 

But your last point is spot on. Too late to be messing around with the lineup unless there was somebody absolutely prodigious.

 

And whilst I'm in the Crawley out camp, i do see the merit in his combination with Duckett as a pair

[dmayne7]

15 hours ago, StanSP said:

 

Both teams knew exactly what they were doing at the end there, and it was great to watch. If it was Gill and Jaiswal there doing the same I think we'd have seen the same from Stokes and Co. It's the heat of the moment, and the heat of the whole day probably all coming to the fore. 

 

Wouldn't surprise me if it just emphasises the respect both teams have for each other and knowing how good each side is. After all they were level after 3 days! 

 

Disagree with that. I think England would have complained for sure and I personally think they should have just added the time on and allowed another over but the manner of it crossed a line. Found it funny at first but then I think India went too far with how they crowded him. Don't forget Pant has already been fined for his conduct (an incident that I've never seen in Cricket), and Gill could be in trouble after his cock up changing the ball and the way he went about it. Whilst both teams have wasted time in the series, India have absolutely done more of that so the hypocrisy made the scenes last night a little bit pathetic.

 

Love a bit of needle and it's why somebody like Siraj is great, even though he's over the top, though doesn't cross a line. So not advocating for India to have just sat there and accepted it, but when you've got 11 guys crowding 1 swearing, shouting etc, it's just a bit silly.

[Super_horns]

Sounds like Bashir might not be involved much from now on unless required .

 

https://x.com/willis_macp/status/1944316708665405566

 

[leicsmac]

There's no spectacle quite like a Test match with a grandstand finish and a bit of needle. 

[StanSP]

Duckett got too excited. 

 

Siraj is passionate and emotion but getting in the players face like that is a tad OTT. 

[leicsmac]

No pressure, Ollie.

[leicsmac]

Just now, StanSP said:

Duckett got too excited. 

 

Siraj is passionate and emotion but getting in the players face like that is a tad OTT. 

Good practice for the winter tbh. You can bet the Aussies will be all like that and more. This team need to be ready for that kind of stuff. 

[ealingfox]

No need for that at all, absolute tosser.

 

[dmayne7]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

Duckett got too excited. 

 

Siraj is passionate and emotion but getting in the players face like that is a tad OTT. 

Just after I replied to you saying he wasn't OTT 

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, ealingfox said:

No need for that at all, absolute tosser.

 

Assuming that you're referring to Siraj here, perhaps a few Archer 90mph+ deliveries into the body line in the fourth innings (if he bats) might help with his manners. 

[StanSP]

Pope very lucky there. 

 

Crawley struggling against Bumrah. 

 

@leicsmac this is why I think it's hard to say only India were lucky in the last innings. There's edges and missed strokes because of the bowling from both sides is so good. The ball is spraying around off the pitch, so unpredictably.

[Sunbury Fox]

6 minutes ago, ealingfox said:

No need for that at all, absolute tosser.

 

He's always like that. Lack of class.

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

Pope very lucky there. 

 

Crawley struggling against Bumrah. 

 

@leicsmac this is why I think it's hard to say only India were lucky in the last innings. There's edges and missed strokes because of the bowling from both sides is so good. The ball is spraying around off the pitch, so unpredictably.

Not sure the England bowling is as good, but yes, do see what you mean, England riding their luck too here. 

[st albans fox]

If crawley’s mindset is representative of the England team then I’d definitely be sticking a few quid on India 

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

If crawley’s mindset is representative of the England team then I’d definitely be sticking a few quid on India 

It's a gamblers mindset, which I don't really mind on a pitch like this and against an attack of this quality when at some point there will be a ball with your name on it. 

 

Just a question of getting as many as possible before you roll snake eyes. 

[StanSP]

2 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

If crawley’s mindset is representative of the England team then I’d definitely be sticking a few quid on India 

But other players of the team are far better at Bazball than Crawley. 

 

When Stokes and Brook and Smith especially swing their bat, the ball goes far. Crawley wafts like it's going out of fashion. 

[Lionator]

Let’s not pretend that this niggle isnt class

Edited 13 July 2025 by Lionator

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, Lionator said:

Let’s not pretend that this niggle isnt class

It really is. England should be leaning into it rather than being genial, it makes them better players too. 

[MaidstoneFox]

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

Ben McKinney is the great white hope but I’m not sure he’s ready yet. Tom Haines at Sussex also has a very good record and can open. Truth is though, there’s zero chance of them throwing in someone new before the ashes now. Crawley will be there until at least early 2026.

McKinney may well tour if he gets runs between now and the end of the season. I'd also throw in Emilio Gay as a younger opener with talent who might be good enough in the next year or so.

[MaidstoneFox]

After yesterday's stand-off over Crawley pulling away at delivery, it's worth recalling this incident between Johnson and KP, where Johnson ends up chucking the ball through the slips.