Test Cricket thread

[McGrain]

Hello.

Welcome to the Test Cricket thread.

We all know the rest of cricket is a little bit silly, so we won't bother with any of that in here, instead here's a thread dedicated to the long form of the game. Anyone's welcome to pitch in but keep it Test.

It's a busy schedule now, so there's always some sort of test cricket in the offing or being played. Anyone should feel free to pitch in and I reckon we got enough cricket fans to make it work.


"Test cricket is the main course and always will be. The other versions are like starters and desserts. If you asked ten cricketers I wouldn't be surprised if eight said that test cricket is the top and then comes the rest." - Sachin Tendulkar.

"I'm kinda surprised that it had to be said." - @rjjfan

"Fuck footy, this is where it’s at." - @Trail

"A close Test match still shits on any other form of the game." @DB Cooper

"As long as the purest form of the game stays alive cricket's in a healthy space. Test cricket is the most important form of the game." - Virat Kholi

"Test cricket is a ruthless environment." - Keaton Jennings

 

[McGrain]

India-West Indies 2nd Test

West Indies-India second test in India starts today. The Indians will be heavily favoured to batter the ever declining Windies, though we live in hope. Hard to think of anything that would be better for the long-form game than a resurgent WI.

Teams:

Windies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Sunil Ambris, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich(w), Jason Holder(c), Devendra Bishoo, Jomel Warrican, Shannon Gabriel

India (Playing XI): Prithvi Shaw, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur

The man to watch for India is opener Prithvi Shaw, the latest latest Tendulkar. Prithvi is 18 years old and looked like a veteran in his test debut last time out putting WI to the sword. He is now the youngest Indian to make a century on test debut as well as the seventh youngest player to score a century ever. Highlights of his batting here:

In fairness he looks a bit like Tendulkar? Stays still plays late and is not fearful of any single shot.

For the Windies, as ever, the future looks a little less bright but the return of captain and all-rounder Jason Holder is going to be crucial to their chances.

 

[McGrain]

Windies win the toss and bat on what is said to be a road.

Braithwaite and Powell have made a skilful start, not sure the Captain is getting the patience he's called for, but 31-0 after eight overs is a lovely read for Windies. I'd love to see them make lunch for no loss. We shall see.

 

[McGrain]

56-2 after twenty-five overs, both openers have been removed, Windies probably and unfortunately on the way to another beating; that may sound wildly premature but I think that they needed at least one of the openers to dig in and last given that this is a batter's wicket and given India in India.

Windies need to be batting tomorrow morning IMO.

 

[rjjfan]

Hello.


"Test cricket is the main course and always will be. The other versions are like starters and desserts. If you asked ten cricketers I wouldn't be surprised if eight said that test cricket is the top and then comes the rest." - Sachin Tendulkar.

I'm kinda surprised that it had to be said. Test cricket is comparable to the World Cup friendlies of cricket.

 

[dmt]

Thanks for starting the thread

Great effort from Khawaja and Paine vs Pak. This is why I love test cricket

India will best WI silly. And India is far from a great team. However, WI have regressed to unbelievably low levels in tests. Don’t get me wrong, s competitve test match is the best sporting event there is in any sport IMO. But a one sided test is remarkably boring

Looking forward to the next test between Aus and Pak

 

[Trail]

Great thread. Fuck footy, this is where it’s at.

 

[McGrain]

I'm kinda surprised that it had to be said.

It really does. India will drive the next ten iterations of cricket and India loves T20.

 

[McGrain]

Windies struggling to 196 for 6.

Bring on Shaw, if this is going to have the flavour of an exhibition, get the heavyweight prospect in the ring.

 

[Trail]

Where you watching the game McGrain? I can’t get anything on Sky.

 

[McGrain]

Tremendous fight back by the Windies today. Roston Chase overnights on 98 as WI battle to 295/7; their goal should have been tomorrow and they're doing that. I'd love to see them add another 60 but the main thing is for Chase to get to the second beautiful battling hundred we'll have seen this week.

Great day's play.

 

[McGrain]

Where you watching the game McGrain? I can’t get anything on Sky.

Hail.

I've got it on the radio kid.

Tomorrow, though, is Saturday i believe and i'll be hunting streams which I, er, won't share or that.

 

[Trail]

Hail.

I've got it on the radio kid.

Tomorrow, though, is Saturday i believe and i'll be hunting streams which I, er, won't share or that.

Cricket on the radio is so ace.

 

[Dana]

How come the Windies have fallen off so badly and for such a period of time? Not as arsed for it over there these days? Shame since they always had such swagger and verve. Always the team i enjoyed England playing the most as a kid...

 

[dmt]

How come the Windies have fallen off so badly and for such a period of time? Not as arsed for it over there these days? Shame since they always had such swagger and verve. Always the team i enjoyed England playing the most as a kid...

WI never had a good domestic system. However, they had an abundance of talent in the 70's and 80's and a lot of their great players (Viv, Greenidge. Haynes, Holding, Garner, Marshall etc) and these guys developed their game in county cricket in England.

Now, WI have a greater American influence in sports, their domestic system remains terrible, they don't have as many guys playing county cricket, and you can't produce 7-8 great players every decade. It was a mere coincidence that they had so many great players at one time. But to maintain greatness, you need a strong domestic system.

WI have been terrible since the late 90's. Only Lara's brilliance and the determination of the aging fast bowling duo of Walsh and Ambrose kept them competitive. But following these guys going, they just haven't produced a single all time great test cricketer.

Decent fightback by WI vs India. However, i am still not that optimistic.

 

[McGrain]

Cricket on the radio is so ace.

It really is. It's the only sport that's just about as good on the radio as on on the telly.

 

[McGrain]

How come the Windies have fallen off so badly and for such a period of time? Not as arsed for it over there these days? Shame since they always had such swagger and verve. Always the team i enjoyed England playing the most as a kid...

This is a really good article:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/dec/08/for-west-indies-test-cricket-to-be-saved-from-extinction-major-reform-is-needed

In addition to what dmt says i'd add that everyone there is playing football and that the game is terribly, terribly officiated there.

 

[McGrain]

Windies were dismissed for 311, which is pretty good.

India are currently on 111 for 3, including a lovely 70 from young Shaw (still mad, an Indian called Shaw). Run machine the wee man.

By all accounts Shannon Gabriel is bowling beautifully, line and length, took Pujura for 10, but now Kohli comes in...

 

[Trail]

It really is. It's the only sport that's just about as good on the radio as on on the telly.

I always wanted cricket on TV but with radio commentary, unfortunately TV was a second or two ahead of radio so you couldn't sync the pair.

74-5 now in Sri Lanka.

 

[Trail]

Windies were dismissed for 311, which is pretty good.

India are currently on 111 for 3, including a lovely 70 from young Shaw (still mad, an Indian called Shaw). Run machine the wee man.

By all accounts Shannon Gabriel is bowling beautifully, line and length, took Pujura for 10, but now Kohli comes in...

There are strong arguments to suggest Virat Kohli is the finest active cricketer on the planet.