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Bit crappy today but the next four days look good for full days of cricket. Getting progressively warmer and sunnier into the weekend. In fact the perfect weekend to be sitting with a couple of beers and a jug of Pimms with your mates at a Test match

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:38 am Bit crappy today but the next four days look good for full days of cricket. Getting progressively warmer and sunnier into the weekend. In fact the perfect weekend to be sitting with a couple of beers and a jug of Pimms with your mates at a Test match

Even sitting by the ropes at a local club would be lovely at the moment

Slick wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:43 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:38 am Bit crappy today but the next four days look good for full days of cricket. Getting progressively warmer and sunnier into the weekend. In fact the perfect weekend to be sitting with a couple of beers and a jug of Pimms with your mates at a Test match

Even sitting by the ropes at a local club would be lovely at the moment

Yeah, I saw a father and son with a bat and ball on the artificial strip in the park the other day and almost stopped to watch

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:02 am

Slick wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:43 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:38 am Bit crappy today but the next four days look good for full days of cricket. Getting progressively warmer and sunnier into the weekend. In fact the perfect weekend to be sitting with a couple of beers and a jug of Pimms with your mates at a Test match

Even sitting by the ropes at a local club would be lovely at the moment

Yeah, I saw a father and son with a bat and ball on the artificial strip in the park the other day and almost stopped to watch

I got annoyed when I saw a non-cricket playing family having a picnic in the nets at our local ground.

Sandstorm wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:04 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:02 am

Slick wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:43 am

Even sitting by the ropes at a local club would be lovely at the moment

Yeah, I saw a father and son with a bat and ball on the artificial strip in the park the other day and almost stopped to watch

I got annoyed when I saw a non-cricket playing family having a picnic in the nets at our local ground.

At least they weren't on the square...

Good point.

We've had juniors training for weeks at our village club, in small groups. Full return expected this coming weekend, subject to arranging fixtures and getting the pitch prepared beyond danger-levels. It should be a bowler's summer.

Don't like Broad's New Look. He's become the bully in The Karate Kid.

I was wondering why it was raining this morning

I'll miss Bob Willis presenting his verdict on sky tonight.

Sandstorm wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:04 am

Biffer wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:02 am

Slick wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:43 am

Even sitting by the ropes at a local club would be lovely at the moment

Yeah, I saw a father and son with a bat and ball on the artificial strip in the park the other day and almost stopped to watch

I got annoyed when I saw a non-cricket playing family having a picnic in the nets at our local ground.

For the first time in lockdown we've had to put up signs saying that it is a private ground and have put in CCTV to stop people:
- letting their dogs shit everywhere
- Putting up football goals on the square
- leaving litter everywhere
- shagging on the pavilion verandah (genuinely)

Seems to have done the trick in the end.

Not shocked at the rain in Soton, club wise we have over 50 people available Saturday and raring to go. The ECB are continually delaying giving out the club guidelines, the rumour being that they are very worried about the backlash that they're about to get. Cricket Ireland's guidelines have not been popular by all accounts. But our bar is ready and cricket clubs are ideally placed for people to have a few beers in the sun, none of us are exactly short on space...

And 1 guest wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:57 am I'll miss Bob Willis presenting his verdict on sky tonight.

'Not a great batting performance from England today Bob?'
'Weeeeeee'llllllll Charles...'

Could’ve played in Edinburgh this morning.

Stokes wins toss and decides to bat - cue journos up in arms at close of play

Broad and Woakes out, Archer and Wood playing - pretty risky given the conditions

duke wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:38 pm Broad and Woakes out, Archer and Wood playing - pretty risky given the conditions

If the weather does improve after today and the pitch is flat and dry the batsmen need a decent total. Did Holder say what he would have done if he had won the toss?

And 1 guest wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:43 pm

duke wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:38 pm Broad and Woakes out, Archer and Wood playing - pretty risky given the conditions

If the weather does improve after today and the pitch is flat and dry the batsmen need a decent total. Did Holder say what he would have done if he had won the toss?

Holder said he would have bowled to make use of the overhead conditions.

A minute silence in an empty ground seems pointless.

Oooohhh...I like the new Cricinfo Live Scores font and layout.

Oh dear, that doesn't sound like a good wicket

Burns survives an lbw referral then Sibley bowled by a ball that did next to nothing. Neither playing a shot.

Burns survives an lbw referral then Sibley bowled by a ball that did next to nothing. Neither playing a shot.

England's search for an opener continues

I think we can go easy on the guys who've barely played any cricket for months tbh

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:19 pm I think we can go easy on the guys who've barely played any cricket for months tbh

Watching the wicket again it came back more than I first thought. Good bowling to be hitting top of off in the first over by both quicks.

This is going to be a tricky session against a classy attack

And 1 guest wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:40 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:19 pm I think we can go easy on the guys who've barely played any cricket for months tbh

Watching the wicket again it came back more than I first thought. Good bowling to be hitting top of off in the first over by both quicks.

This is going to be a tricky session against a classy attack

Far too close to off stump to be leaving it though - misjudgement.

Weather all around here is quite threatening - fairly warm though and the ground is still very dry. I'd be surprised if they didn't see some more drizzle before the close. Not ideal for the batting side but the ball isn't moving around prodigously - as I type that Gabriel gets one to seam back quite markedly........

And they're off again

Must be a nightmare for the batters, all this on and off business. In these conditions when the top order are all playing for their places, with no recent form behind them.

Ovals wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:51 pm And they're off again

English "Summer"

12/1 after 9 - Gabriel getting Sibley

And 1 guest wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:40 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:19 pm I think we can go easy on the guys who've barely played any cricket for months tbh

Watching the wicket again it came back more than I first thought. Good bowling to be hitting top of off in the first over by both quicks.

This is going to be a tricky session against a classy attack

Was going to question the “ball that did nothing” comment. It was a great ball that seamed back in from a good wide angle when the others had straighted.

Burns is a staggeringly ugly batter - the flourish at the end of his square cut is horrid.

Looks like Holder is moving it from good areas too. Difficult for the batsmen.

Mahoney wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:33 pm Burns is a staggeringly ugly batter - the flourish at the end of his square cut is horrid.

Dean Elgar says: "Hold my beer, Rory"

Its been doing a fair bit off the pitch, but nothing in the air. A real Stuart Broad wicket

I reckon it will continue to be hard work tomorrow. Lots of cloud about and chance of light rain in the afternoon. However, the ball is 17 overs old now, so the bowlers will also have to work a bit harder.

I'll get yelled at for this but Sky's half hour of giving Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent space yesterday to talk about racial issues in cricket and elsewhere is well worth watching.

Not by me you won’t JM. It was hugely powerful and certainly helped my understanding of what some of the behaviours we talk about actually mean. Rarely have I felt such raw emotion through a TV screen. Nasser too. I’m going to watch it again.

Holding is an exceptionally powerful speaker.

Denly did well again...

51-3 is a familiar score. Ahh England cricket, how I've missed you.

Time for the lower middle order and bowlers to rescue us again.

Do you think we could negotiate with the opposition to simply allow us to start at a random number between 40 to 60-3 and pick three decent fielders to sit on their hands until we bowl?