England V India

Caught the last few hours earlier. Maybe just me, but it was a surreal experience and certainly didn't have the 'feel' of the 5th day of a Test Match. To play out for a draw was always going to be a difficult task for England but the last 5 wickets all fell to batsmen trying to hit the ball out of the ground. I know you need to keep the scoreboard moving even when batting the game out, but after the 5th wicket there was barely any effort to grind out a draw - which at that stage was still a distinct possibility. Maybe the modern cricketer just doesn't have that in his game any more..

They've put India into bat now twice. Got away with it once but not again. Putting them in on that wicket was crazy.

It's a big 6 months for Stokes.

The Ashes are very winnable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Caught the last few hours earlier. Maybe just me, but it was a surreal experience and certainly didn't have the 'feel' of the 5th day of a Test Match. To play out for a draw was always going to be a difficult task for England but the last 5 wickets all fell to batsmen trying to hit the ball out of the ground. I know you need to keep the scoreboard moving even when batting the game out, but after the 5th wicket there was barely any effort to grind out a draw - which at that stage was still a distinct possibility. Maybe the modern cricketer just doesn't have that in his game any more..

---

I called England’s fourth innings performance “pathetic “ in a post I put on the Glamorgan thread and said they should remember how many titles have been won by points gained from draws. A draw has always been worth more than a defeat in sport and everyone knew it until this England cricket team came along with their “drawing is for wimps” attitude - Bazball has been responsible for some absolutely brilliant wins, but there’s also plenty of utterly feeble losses in there where England offered no resistance whatsoever.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Caught the last few hours earlier. Maybe just me, but it was a surreal experience and certainly didn't have the 'feel' of the 5th day of a Test Match. To play out for a draw was always going to be a difficult task for England but the last 5 wickets all fell to batsmen trying to hit the ball out of the ground. I know you need to keep the scoreboard moving even when batting the game out, but after the 5th wicket there was barely any effort to grind out a draw - which at that stage was still a distinct possibility. Maybe the modern cricketer just doesn't have that in his game any more..

---

I also found this really strange to watch. They were swinging the willow like they were in sight of a win with a few balls to go, not playing for a draw with 4 wickets in tact and only a few hours to see out. Just block it or leave it. Bizarre.

Bazball will be consigned to the history books soon. Test cricket is not a five day slugfest despite what Stokes and co have tried to make it over the past couple of years. Today summed up the current England team's total disregard for top level first class cricket. To bat out the day for a draw would have been as good, if not better than many of their crash bang whallop victories against lesser countries.

Flat track bully boys who were given a lesson in how to play test cricket by a young inexperienced Indian team

Well done India.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Prophet of Doom

Bazball will be consigned to the history books soon. Test cricket is not a five day slugfest despite what Stokes and co have tried to make it over the past couple of years. Today summed up the current England team's total disregard for top level first class cricket. To bat out the day for a draw would have been as good, if not better than many of their crash bang whallop victories against lesser countries.

Flat track bully boys who were given a lesson in how to play test cricket by a young inexperienced Indian team

Well done India.

---

Can’t disagree sadly. It’s the utter arrogance - especially from the captain - that I don’t like.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Worcester

Can’t disagree sadly. It’s the utter arrogance - especially from the captain - that I don’t like.

---

Cheers M'Lord - it is rare that people agree with me! I am too miserable for most !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Prophet of Doom

Bazball will be consigned to the history books soon. Test cricket is not a five day slugfest despite what Stokes and co have tried to make it over the past couple of years. Today summed up the current England team's total disregard for top level first class cricket. To bat out the day for a draw would have been as good, if not better than many of their crash bang whallop victories against lesser countries.

Flat track bully boys who were given a lesson in how to play test cricket by a young inexperienced Indian team

Well done India.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Worcester

Can’t disagree sadly. It’s the utter arrogance - especially from the captain - that I don’t like.

---

Too many forms of the game with too many matches and too much money being paid to the players.
The England balcony near the end when a couple of fours and sixes by the tailenders was full of smiles and laughter ffs. There was a time when players'd be ashamed to show their faces at all let alone be seen laughing and joking after such an inept performance.
They are lucky Boycott is now too old to have his say on TV!
"Never give up your wicket" is a phrase rarely heard these days in commentary.
The sky team, with the exception of Atherton, bigging up the Indian players (quite rightly) but few having a go at the English players demonstrates how internatiinal cricket has degenerated into little more than a meaningless knockabout in the park.
The "arrogance" views aired I agree with and personally I am very pleased India won this test match. I shall be cheering them in the next three.