touched the floor first

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
It's been really disappointing seeing Stokes bat like this. He used to be our talisman, the one a captain could throw the ball to and bowl a marathon spell when required and pick up key wickets.

The guy who would dig in for his side and bat situations by knuckling down when needed and then counter attacking at the right moment with good but powerful cricket shots. He can gobble up catches and produce sensational fielding.

I get you want to be positive and give the guys the right mindset that you're going to be backed by playing the way you play. Crawley, play your shots, Bairstow, go and treat this like a one day game etc. It feels like the more he is questioned, the more ridiculous he gets. As Ramprakash said on comms though, McCullum will probably just tell him to go harder next time and smash it over the field.

Hopefully Billings can build a good partnership and then when he feels set, attack the older ball but take the easy singles when on offer as well.
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I'm facking fuming with Stokes again, as you will no doubt expect.

Bairstow is the man who's often caught cross-batting it and trying to overhit the ball. Stokes usually plays with beautiful control and a straight bat. They've completely flipped around. Stokes is batting like an utter moron.

You watch every big shot Bairstow played today and they were all hit with supreme control. No hurling his hands through the shots, the bat is completely rigid in his hands and there's no unnecessary flourishes or heaving. Just well controlled, well timed shots.

Stokes is just trying to be a big manly man and he's making himself look like an idiot. Flailing wildly at everything, premeditation and lack of control on every big swing. Horrible.

I'm fairly sure what Bairstow is doing is what they mean when they talk about Bazball, and I'm all for that. Fack the way Stokes is playing though, what an absolute kknob.

You have to laugh at the cheating of the 3rd umpire..
Jadeja was more out than that on about 10 and he went onto an 100..
Pure cheating

I thought there was clear evidence that it hit the floor first there.

It would have rolled up his hands if he had caught it. was obvious bounce motion

Jimmy gets a wicket second ball.

What a man

Seriously the guys a freak....

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 24 minutes ago
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
It's been really disappointing seeing Stokes bat like this. He used to be our talisman, the one a captain could throw the ball to and bowl a marathon spell when required and pick up key wickets.

The guy who would dig in for his side and bat situations by knuckling down when needed and then counter attacking at the right moment with good but powerful cricket shots. He can gobble up catches and produce sensational fielding.

I get you want to be positive and give the guys the right mindset that you're going to be backed by playing the way you play. Crawley, play your shots, Bairstow, go and treat this like a one day game etc. It feels like the more he is questioned, the more ridiculous he gets. As Ramprakash said on comms though, McCullum will probably just tell him to go harder next time and smash it over the field.

Hopefully Billings can build a good partnership and then when he feels set, attack the older ball but take the easy singles when on offer as well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm facking fuming with Stokes again, as you will no doubt expect.

Bairstow is the man who's often caught cross-batting it and trying to overhit the ball. Stokes usually plays with beautiful control and a straight bat. They've completely flipped around. Stokes is batting like an utter moron.

You watch every big shot Bairstow played today and they were all hit with supreme control. No hurling his hands through the shots, the bat is completely rigid in his hands and there's no unnecessary flourishes or heaving. Just well controlled, well timed shots.

Stokes is just trying to be a big manly man and he's making himself look like an idiot. Flailing wildly at everything, premeditation and lack of control on every big swing. Horrible.

I'm fairly sure what Bairstow is doing is what they mean when they talk about Bazball, and I'm all for that. Fack the way Stokes is playing though, what an absolute kknob.
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Yes me too, its not what I want to see from the captain of England, he needs to be told about his responsibilities if indeed he feels he has any

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 1 hour, 1 minute ago
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
It's been really disappointing seeing Stokes bat like this. He used to be our talisman, the one a captain could throw the ball to and bowl a marathon spell when required and pick up key wickets.

The guy who would dig in for his side and bat situations by knuckling down when needed and then counter attacking at the right moment with good but powerful cricket shots. He can gobble up catches and produce sensational fielding.

I get you want to be positive and give the guys the right mindset that you're going to be backed by playing the way you play. Crawley, play your shots, Bairstow, go and treat this like a one day game etc. It feels like the more he is questioned, the more ridiculous he gets. As Ramprakash said on comms though, McCullum will probably just tell him to go harder next time and smash it over the field.

Hopefully Billings can build a good partnership and then when he feels set, attack the older ball but take the easy singles when on offer as well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm facking fuming with Stokes again, as you will no doubt expect.

Bairstow is the man who's often caught cross-batting it and trying to overhit the ball. Stokes usually plays with beautiful control and a straight bat. They've completely flipped around. Stokes is batting like an utter moron.

You watch every big shot Bairstow played today and they were all hit with supreme control. No hurling his hands through the shots, the bat is completely rigid in his hands and there's no unnecessary flourishes or heaving. Just well controlled, well timed shots.

Stokes is just trying to be a big manly man and he's making himself look like an idiot. Flailing wildly at everything, premeditation and lack of control on every big swing. Horrible.

I'm fairly sure what Bairstow is doing is what they mean when they talk about Bazball, and I'm all for that. Fack the way Stokes is playing though, what an absolute kknob.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Stokes said something along the lines of his inspiration was when Morgan took over the one day side and when were in trouble, the sensible thing would have been to get yourself in, build a partnerships and the attack. However he slop swept his second ball and got caught on the boundary and made a statement that if we are in trouble, everyone is going to come in and play this brand of cricket to get out of it.

Fair enough with field restrictions, against the not moving white ball with limited time in the game. However its a lot of pressure for the fielding side if you're conceding 5 an over which means you don't need to bat at more than a run a ball. Bairstow was starting to accelerate and Stokes had the field spread. I used to think his awareness of the game situation was one of his greatest strengths but now he's just top gear from ball 1 for every delivery. I would seriously question what the point of Baz is if he doesn't have a word with "the skipper" on his approach. No one else seems to be wildly swinging at everything.

Vihari caught by Bairstow off Broad. Kohli in,

Sensible batting from India just showing that it doesn't always have to be crash bang wallop. They could easily lead by 500 with 4 sessions to go and say go and chase that then.

Also we have to bowl Leach at these guys as Pant will take him to the cleaners.

Kohli gone. Good ball from Stokes, Billings should have caught it but Root takes the rebound.

The pitch is definitely not flat so we aren't chasing a score in the 290 region especially against this Indian attack. Something ridiculous will need to happen tonight for us to stand a chance. Can we take like 5/30 in the final hour?

Wow. That was closer to being out than I thought.

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 15 minutes ago
Kohli gone. Good ball from Stokes, Billings should have caught it but Root takes the rebound.
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It's been a good spell from Stokes. He's a good bowler so needs to ensure he bowls regularly even as captain.

They need to stop this ball changing nonsense. Unless it becomes a cube, get on with it.

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 6 seconds ago
They need to stop this ball changing nonsense. Unless it becomes a cube, get on with it.
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Agree 39 overs and four new balls. Cricket was played for 120 years without a single change of ball, except after the 80 over rule.

Nonsensical.

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 8 minutes ago
They need to stop this ball changing nonsense. Unless it becomes a cube, get on with it.
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From what I’ve heard the bloke who made the Dukes balls normally has died, and now this years batches have all been made with flatter seams. Not ideal.

I'm probably wrong but from what I've seen in the county championship, there isn't nearly the same amount of ball changing going on. I know Broad has spoken a lot about the quality of the balls throughout the year but if they're not up to standard, why don't we get in a load of kookaburras or something?

I thought the seam had to be damaged for the ball to be changed rather than the ball being slightly out of shape, perhaps it is due to the flatter seam. Seems a shame for the crowd who have had rain delays and then get a requests for ball changes every 30 minutes along with drinks breaks which aren't really needed when there are constant breaks in the game anyway.

Yeah this batch of Dukes are just poor for some reason, I believe County have had similar issues.

Pain but not not anything can be done.

Pujara gone.

Pant gone, caught off Leach.