Pitch ended up being a road, so the draw was almost a given. But its good to see WI batting with some patience and grit. And to see Stokes back in the runs. Slowly creeping back into form.
Ben Stokes has been announced as the England Test Squad Captain to replace Joe Root who’s stood down.
In conjunction with Rob Key - England Cricket’s new Managing Director - looks like the first thing he’ll be doing is bringing back Anderson and Broad to the team. You do wonder if Root will carry on to be honest.
Ben Stokes has been announced as the England Test Squad Captain to replace Joe Root who’s stood down.
In conjunction with Rob Key - England Cricket’s new Managing Director - looks like the first thing he’ll be doing is bringing back Anderson and Broad to the team. You do wonder if Root will carry on to be honest.
Add McCullum into the mix and its going to be a very interesting few years for the England Test side.
Well.
The England v New Zealand test series has been intriguing so far. Both teams struggling with the apparently minefield pitch at Lords, only for Joe Root to be Joe Root and take it away from NZ.
As for the current test match at Trent Bridge, the pitch is a pancake and the outfield a snooker table - it's been a batter's delight. So, taken in context, it's been a pleasure today to see the English batters properly apply themselves - mostly - to the conditions and bat sensibly and positively towards chasing down the Mammoth NZ total they amassed in the first two days.
Once again Joe Root has been a phenomenon and is currently well on top of the Root - Kholi - Smith - Williamson group of outstanding test batters but special mentions to Alex Lees who actually looks and plays like and opening test match batter, and to Ollie Pope, who after a rather uncertain, injury ravaged start to his career looks to have just cemented a place at No. 3. with a wonderful 145.
It's got a draw written all over it and sneaking suspicion the ECB might have asked the Trent Bridge groundskeeping staff to make the track "a bit more batter friendly" but over all it's not been too bad.
England have won the second test match at Trent Bridge after a remarkable game and a remarkable 4th innings from Johnny Bairstow. England were 93-4 when he came in, with game firmly tipping towards New Zealand.
YJB got about pulverising the New Zealand bowling attack after tea scoring a 77 ball Century, ably abetted by Ben Stokes who finished with 75 off 70. England scored 130 runs in 11 overs that final session, a T20 performance.
An astonishing test match. New Zealand must be shattered.
The IPL just sold five years of media rights for $6.2 billion US, lifting it above the English Premier League for per-game revnue and second overall behind only the NFL.
Knight Riders!
Or is it Knights Rider?
Just watching the highlights of one of the recent IND v SA T20s, and there was a scary moment when Jansen of SA turned his head on a bouncer that hit him on the back of the neck and caused him a good deal of pain. I thought those protective pieces for that area were mandatory - it looked to be almost the same spot where Phil Hughes was hit and died.
BazBall is fantastic isn’t it?!
It can't last, right?
The last four tests have been lunacy.
Jonathan Liew talks about BazBall (don't call it BazBall).
This includes some of the usual work that makes me love Jonathan Liew.
Interviews have long since degenerated into a sort of passive-aggressive nonsense verse, in which various players make various claims of courage and bravado and challenge us to publish them.
Baz thinks we can change the face of cricket. Stokesy wants us to chase down 600 in a day. Leachy punched a swan at drinks. Popey threw a shoe over a pub.
Never mind.
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