The Cricket Thread

[BlueLion. 21,491]

This is fucking ridiculous from India. All they had to do was bat out the day. 60 overs. Just don't lost 10 wickets. Even if you're 8 down overnight, frustrate England. The weather tomorrow means Day 4 is effectively a write-off. Frustrate England on the final morning, where more rain is forecast, and you've somehow rescued a draw. Instead they've been too cavalier again against a bowling attack whose best seamer is down on pace from last summer, whose second best seamer is at hospital, and consists of a part-time spinner and two young, immature all-rounders who have 7 Test wickets between them.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Cricket is becoming a fucking joke .. Today had some rain and hours later play abandoned for the day ,,

USA golf had a torrential downpour ,, play stopped for less than an hour .

Football has learned how to produce pitches to survive the English winter ,

years ago The Bridge was bad and the Baseball ground at Derby was always awful ..

Other sports are able to produce pitches to be useable in adverse conditions Cricket is run by IDIOTS in Blazers ,,

are The MCC and the FA twins

Have you ever tried bowling a cricket ball with a saturated seam? When the seam is wet, you're more likely to bowl someone out with a banana. It was a heavy downpour on an outfield whose drainage system is screwed because of rebuilding work.

Comparing it to sloped golf courses isn't the best of comparisons, either. Cricket wickets are delicate and heavy rain would affect the surface on the topsoil, and can cause the ball to sink into the surface and render a wicket unplayable. Plus there's the issue of a rain-soaked wicket sucking up the ball and causing uneven bounce. The outfield being wet is a fielding nightmare. Also consider visibility. Red balls are hard enough to catch on a sunny day. Imagine trying to catch a steepler on the boundary, or try and take one at leg gully when the visibility is low and rain is lashing in your face. It's just not cricket.

They'd call a rugby game off on a pitch like that, let alone cricket. Even a fast-drying pitch with world-class drainage and ground staff like Trent Bridge couldn't cope with that deluge.

[Madmax 9,219]

Wait, what ... I left home when it was 15 without loss, attend a mate's party for a bit, come back and we're 105 for 7.

Probably for the best I didn't watch this; I think I would've put my fist through the TV screen. Fucking shambles. JFC.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Wait, what ... I left home when it was 15 without loss, attend a mate's party for a bit, come back and we're 105 for 7.

Probably for the best I didn't watch this; I think I would've put my fist through the TV screen. Fucking shambles. JFC.

Without mini-contributions from Dhoni (again) and Ashwin, it could be even worse. Your upper order is utterly terrible, and this is coming from someone whose nation's opening pair are Cook and Robson, both of whom horrifically out of form.

[Madmax 9,219]

Without mini-contributions from Dhoni (again) and Ashwin, it could be even worse. Your upper order is utterly terrible, and this is coming from someone whose nation's opening pair are Cook and Robson, both of whom horrifically out of form.

Far from 'utterly terrible' - they are blessed with natural talent but the 3rd and 4th test struggles are difficult to explain for me. Maybe they're not built for the demands of a long test series (considering the amount of LOI cricket we play), maybe they let the win get to their heads. They're certainly treating Ali with disdain, which is ill-advised and immature. I'm leaning towards a young side lacking in character and temperament - ironic because the best batting performance of the series so far was after all given by these very players on the most challenging wicket of the series - first day at Lord's.

[Ankit 3,176]

This is embarassing, just plain embarassing.

How many times will we go 1 up in the series and then go on to lose the series. Its absolutely cringeworthy this, i hope someone is sacked. I wont mind dropping Kohli from the team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I'm angry, disappointed and upset with this India team. We have an endless pool of talent at our disposal, some of the best young players in the world with the right mix of experience and we continue to find a way to be below under expectations.

Many of these players are now under the spotlight because their name is beginning to tarnish. Shikhar, Kohli, Pujara etc must really have a look at themselves and the selectors must ask whether these guys have the mental capability to withstand pressure and rise through bad spells. Kohli is particularly alarming, he's proved himself internationally already and everyone knows he's got the talent, heir to Tendulkar we all said, but this series has exposed him badly.

Dhoni, for a man with his experience and his big game character, made one of the most obvious mistakes from the beginning. On an already delayed, overcast day, with predicted rain through the weak he chose to bat. With the swing capability of Kumar and the pace of Aaron, everyone knew Monday morning was going to be a bowler's paradise.

There must be urgent reviews of this team by selectors. Players must understand they are droppable and the selectors must send a message. Drop Virat, drop Jadeja. Why Ashwin had disappeared from this side until this match is a mystery. The bowlers have been outstanding, even Ishant. The batsman just let this side down tenfold, Ghambir should've stepped up to the plate this match. Maybe Raina is ready for test match?..

[BlueLion. 21,491]

You have to say we bowled beautifully and batted with competence, but India contributed to their own downfall. How many of your wickets were avoidable? As Madmax says, it is immaturity on the part of out-of-form batsmen who are desperate to score runs.

[zolayes 14,489]

has any game looked more like a FIX than this .. not even Germany v Brazil

[Alee. 182]

has any game looked more like a FIX than this .. not even Germany v Brazil

Not really. Just another example of India's inability to play spin, it's nothing new. India have a good young side but they've had trouble with it since ages. Plus, that was a typical South Asian batting collapse.

[Madmax 9,219]

This shit only hurts because we know we're much, much better than this. Fuck's sake, pull your fingers out you twats.

[EBH 283]

I am loving this new Sri Lanka team under Angelo Mathews. I don't know how he does it but he has inspired the squad so well, he's a colossal Drogbaeseque figure of influence, who can make an entire team lift through sheer force of personality, and that's the only captain of the sort we've had other than Arjuna Ranatunga. The team enters every match believing it can win and sticks to that belief right across the five days, and in that sort of mentality we would probably beat Australia in Australia right now. The improvement of the pace bowling under Mathews has been unprecedented. Dhammika Prasad has somehow turned into a slower, right armed Mitchell Johnson; and even Eranga and Lakmal are quality these days.

[boshman 1,073]

After all that has been said about the Indian team after the match I have to say i did have a smile on my face when Pankaj Singh got his wicket. I think he has bowled fantastically well and been so unlucky. I was pleased for him. He deserved it.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

After all that has been said about the Indian team after the match I have to say i did have a smile on my face when Pankaj Singh got his wicket. I think he has bowled fantastically well and been so unlucky. I was pleased for him. He deserved it.

He will probably be replaced for the 5th test though, words is Ishant is ready to return. If we go into that match with Ishant and Aaron, we stand a very good chance not to lose this series. The batsman will have to deliver this match though, they got away with it at Lords because of Bhuvi, but they've been far too exposed over the last 4 matches. Dhoni's biggest test of his captaincy could be upon him right here, right now. I'd personally drop Jadeja and bring in Rohit. As off form as Virat is, he seems like the type that needs to play through this to rise above it. Jadeja is struggling to prove his undroppable status, particularly with Ashwin finding form with the bat.

[boshman 1,073]

Do not understand how the balance of power can shift so drastically in such a short space of time. 28/4.