Test Cricket: England manage a draw but lose 1-0 to New Zealand; Australia crush Pakistan 2-0

[McGrain]

Though it would have been great to see Warner erase all the records, I'm glad Paine declared. The priority is to win Test matches not individual records. It all goes to waste if we don't win the game.

That's hard to disagree with but Pakistan was in the toilet. No way they were going to mount a defence, although I admit that's easy with hindsight. Hindsight bares it out though: Pakistan are 96-6. For me they were beaten before they took the pitch, and I did kind of say so after day 1.

As for the man himself, I haven't heard him interviewed yet, but i'll bet he'll toe the line, to his credit.

 

[McGrain]

Still, passing Taylor and Bradman in a day isn't bad.

 

[McGrain]

Also in this test, Smith became the fastest ever to 7,000 test runs. It's incredible.

9 tests quicker than Sobers
10 test faster than Hammond or Sehwag.
15 tests quicker than Sachin

It's absurd and berserk.

 

[Haggis]

Also in this test, Smith became the fastest ever to 7,000 test runs. It's incredible.

9 tests quicker than Sobers
10 test faster than Hammond or Sehwag.
15 tests quicker than Sachin

It's absurd and berserk.

And still eighteen Tests slower than Bradman.......

 

[WaltzingMatilda]

New Zealand were professional and clever in reaching 375. Lots of contributions, most impressively from debutante Mitchell who landed himself a score in the seventies, wonderful for a first innings. There was a little spell where it looked like he and Wattling might really take it away.

As it is, England came to the crease in the game but with lots to do. Sibley took a great catch to end the NZ innings which makes you wonder if he's not going to kick on, a wee boost, it was a catch that bedded him in in the last game...but he did not look a test batsman today. Hit in the head, hit in the box, not in control of himself (big target in fairness!) and dismissed, looking rattled, playing across one he would normally go nowhere near. It was an atrocious dismissal.

Burns is still there on 24 but has not looked good. Dropped twice, and should have been out for 10. Denly is out, not his fault, just a beauty of a ball from Henry who was zipping through. Better being lucky than good. So Root is at the crease with Burns. Burns needs to just do what he can, but Root needs a century or something like it. If he goes in the twenties, say, England are in bad trouble.


Jofre Archer: It's not going great, is it? One wicket for seventy-five runs yesterday. More importantly he looks pissed off. He's asking for field changes and not getting them. Root's had at least one hard word with him on the pitch in New Zealand. His identity isn't clear in the team - enforcer? New ball specialist? English plans for him feel unclear. Rumours breaking in cricket are weird. Nobody says anything on podcasts/tv/radio, but they're all saying it to each other off air. Once they said it to each other x number of times off air it starts to creep on air - but in a weird light, like we already know about it and they're conferring with us. And the word is that Archer isn't that happy with England and England aren't that happy with Archer. This is interesting.

Archer might be like Warner in reverse, bowls well on a moving deck, but when he hasn’t got much to work with he loses his way, seems he doesn’t have the kind of intestinal fortitude to be an all round good test bowler, will be interesting to see in the future how he plays in Australia, if he makes it that far

 

[WaltzingMatilda]

Why oh why oh why oh why didn't Warner go for the record? He was within spitting distance of 400, based on the highlights he was rocketing along - and the pin gets pulled. Pakistan, in absolute pieces, the series won - should have let him have a dig. Paine just up and declares on him on 335. The way he was going it was an hour.

Weather forecast not great next couple of days, ok, but get fucked. It's not like he was grinding these runs out - strike rate of 80. Faster than Lara. Great stamina.



He's done, yeah?

im fine with the way it went, it might be a sign of Australia getting back to that old ruthless win at all costs, team comes first mentality, it’s what they need to beat India, England at home & teams like South Africa away, you can’t deviate from that stance, you have to be ruthless 100% of the time, it seems like the team as a whole is really taking shape

 

[DB Cooper]

And still eighteen Tests slower than Bradman.......

The comparison is fastest to 7,000 Test runs. Bradman didn't get to 7,000 Test runs. Though plainly he would have got there quicker if had have.

 

[McGrain]

And still eighteen Tests slower than Bradman.......

He never made it. 3 short I think, something like that, some tiny number.

 

[McGrain]

Very "now" for England. They're 115/2 with Burns on 59, an undercelebrated 50, good for him, and Root on 40. Both of these guys need to make reasonable scores I think and they both look set, and they both, for the first time, look like they can live up to the pre-series English promises. NZ are not getting a huge amount from the pitch and have turned to spin/Wagner, Wagner especially looking set for the long haul.

Next session will be key I think.

 

[McGrain]

Rory Burns got 101 for England last night before being run out by the barest of margins - he was impressive in his run-scoring, especially the pull shot which seems to be a new addition, at least with this level of confidence. He was lucky the day before but there was a sense of levelling-up with this innings. He was quite happy to blame his captain for the run out, laid it right at his door I like that.

Root himself was the headline though - 114 not out overnight having scored the slowest century of his career. England's captain manifesting the "new strategy" they have been talking about and probably saving a test match in the process.

Fair bit to go though - England still trail by 100 and for all that the talk is of taking a lead, that doesn't look particularly likely. Still, the draw has become the overwhelming favourite as far as results go. Hopefully Burns and especially Sibley get another chance at proving themselves. Pope's up first though, not out 4 overnight.

 

[McGrain]

The most awesome thing to happen last night though occurred in Australia where Pakistan fought a brave (but probably doomed) rear-guard action spearheaded by Yasir Shah. That's a bit mad. His previous high score was 42; his average is twelve - last night against a primed Australian attack he made 113.

What a shot to bring up the 100

Just goes to show, there's always something to play for, even when it's nothing. And tbf, he's given Pakistan a fighting chance. All out for 302, Australia enforced the follow on and overnight they trail by 248 - with the disastrous score of 39/3, Hazelwood looking on fire. Worse Babar is out. So their chances of rescuing the test are slim but considerably more than nil.

 

[McGrain]

This unplayable mother fucker:

 

[Jack]

This is an atrocious advert for cricket. 760 runs scored so far by both teams, a lifeless flat wicket, no spin and a tediously slow pairing in, with strike rates of 46 and 30.

It just feels like the meaningless event that it is, there's no effort to instill some drama into this. Neither side really cares about winning or losing, the players are happy to plod along whilst the game just withers away, painfully slowly developing, one way and then the other. Test cricket can be dramatic and exhilarating but this is woeful entertainment.

I look forward to eight months time, when after one decent test match in England, every pundit is baffled as to why the format is dead. How can people genuinely argue that test cricket should be on terrestrial when this is the sort of nonsense that gets delivered? Nobody wants to watch this pathetic effort, both teams and the groundsmen should be admonished.

 

[DB Cooper]

Lyon doing the honours in the 2nd innings for Australia. Only 2 wickets to get in the final session and have it over with with a day to spare. Perhaps Paine should have waited until Warner reached 500 before declaring?

 

[DB Cooper]

All done. 2-zip. Next.

 

[dmt]

This is an atrocious advert for cricket. 760 runs scored so far by both teams, a lifeless flat wicket, no spin and a tediously slow pairing in, with strike rates of 46 and 30.

It just feels like the meaningless event that it is, there's no effort to instill some drama into this. Neither side really cares about winning or losing, the players are happy to plod along whilst the game just withers away, painfully slowly developing, one way and then the other. Test cricket can be dramatic and exhilarating but this is woeful entertainment.

I look forward to eight months time, when after one decent test match in England, every pundit is baffled as to why the format is dead. How can people genuinely argue that test cricket should be on terrestrial when this is the sort of nonsense that gets delivered? Nobody wants to watch this pathetic effort, both teams and the groundsmen should be admonished.

I don't think test is dead. But this NZ-England pitch has been rather poor.

 

[WaltzingMatilda]

I don't think test is dead. But this NZ-England pitch has been rather poor.

we just have to accept that tests will always end in draws, some pitches will turn out to be veritable roads
its just the way it is, it’s not a perfect science preparing pitches, draws have always happened, probably more prevalent than today, the advent of one Day games & T20 have made batsmen in General more aggressive, players now score faster than they ever have, I wonder if the younger generation are just fucking impatient? We need to just enjoy test match cricket for what it is, along with all its little quirks & nuances

 

[DB Cooper]

Man of the match and series really picked himself. Nearly 500 runs for once out.

Bring on those Kiwis.

 

[McGrain]

Test cricket has produced, in recent times, more consecutive results than any time in its history.

The record for consecutive tests without a draw was established in 1892 with 22 consecutive results in tests. 120 years later this record was approached in early 2017 with 20, and then equalled by the end of that year with 22. In other words, this decade has produced more decisive test results than any other decade and 2017 has produced more decisive test results than any year, ever.

This decade has produced more decisive results than any other decade, ever, where more than ten tests were played in a given year.

Cricket's problem is that crushing defeats have become more common than draws. If England can get the draw in NZ - and there's a small chance they'll win - that would be a fine result.

 

[Arka]

After that dropped sitter by Root* off Archer's bowling , I'd say this one is definitely heading for a draw.


*Denly