The Cricket Thread: Second Innings

[JimC]

Now we need Smith not to run out of partners...

[JimC]

7/269

Johnson out for 12, Smith not out on 85. If we reach 300 we will have pulled off a big escape...

[Xamonas Chegwé]

7/269

Johnson out for 12, Smith not out on 85. If we reach 300 we will have pulled off a big escape...

Just a little. Again!

[JimC]

9/325 now, with Smith making another excellent and timely century. Lyon can get a few runs, 350 would be a half-way decent score...

[Xamonas Chegwé]

9/325 now, with Smith making another excellent and timely century. Lyon can get a few runs, 350 would be a half-way decent score...

326 all out. Ought to be a lot less but it's not too intimidating. Of course, with a man down already for just 8 runs, England are going to have to show a little of the batting backbone they have been lacking all series to capitalise. Could be a close one though.... perhaps.

[JimC]

Carberry out to a brilliant catch from Lyon, England 1/8...

[Hermit]

If you look at the test statistics at the SCG, a first innings total of 326 is pretty good. The average is 308.

Notwithstanding the fact that we are ahead by 4 : 0, and a whitewash is a real possibility, this series leaves me a little disappointed. The batting is not - shall we say - what it could be, and the bowling perhaps only looks good because of it.

It's easy to grow nostalgic about the batting prowess of the Chappell brothers and Lord, the fear inducing nature of relentless, accurate 160 k/ph deliveries by the quartet of the West Indian speed attack, the safe hands of Rodney Marsh as wicket keeper, and later on the amazing performances by Border and Tendulka with the willow and Shane Warne with the ball, but there seems to have been either a side that with clearly superior skills, or a showdown between two that were highly competent, and closely so.

There seems to be not a lot of quality about with any consistency this season. Much as I love seeing us winning, the skill levels on both sides seem to be second-grade. It just so happens that England is more consistently incompetent at the moment than we are. Hardly reason to crow about the result.

[JimC]

Certainly some truth in that analysis, Hermit, though there are still enough examples of skill and tenacity here and there to be applauded...

[klr]

Oh dear ... Cook gone, second ball of the day.

[JimC]

And so it begins...

[klr]

C'mon, you want to get a few days entertainment out of this, no?

[Hermit]

C'mon, you want to get a few days entertainment out of this, no?

Indeed. 3 for 14 now. Yes, I love to see us winning, but a onesided affair is not a contest. It's boring. I want us to win against a good side after a tough contest. Following this series is like watching F1 racing some years ago: 24 drivers start the race, then Schuhmacher wins with two haystacks taking the minor placings on the podium before the rest of the field crosses the finish line.

[Hermit]

Oh, fuck. 4 for 17 now. Shall I turn the radio off?

[JimC]

4/17 now; Harris did for Pieterson...

[JimC]

C'mon, you want to get a few days entertainment out of this, no?

Indeed. 3 for 14 now. Yes, I love to see us winning, but a onesided affair is not a contest. It's boring. I want us to win against a good side after a tough contest. Following this series is like watching F1 racing some years ago: 24 drivers start the race, then Schuhmacher wins with two haystacks taking the minor placings on the podium before the rest of the field crosses the finish line.

You'll get that contest when we tour South Africa, I suspect...