Cricket fred

[Puja]

They're giving cricket a Bash over the pond at the moment with a new 'Major League Cricket' series - 6 teams from LA, SanFran, Seattle, NY, Washington and Dallas ('Texas')
The round-robin stage has been completed and running through the play-offs for the final.

The Orcas became the first side to reach the final of Major League Cricket, meanwhile, the Super Kings will take on MI New York in the Challenger on Friday for a place in the summit clash. The Major League Cricket Final will be held on Sunday.

https://www.majorleaguecricket.com/home
( some glitches on reporting scores it seems !..)

A lot of sell-out matches, albeit at smallish stadia, and some good matches and performances from familiar globe-trotting names. Jason Roy was there with mixed scores (his LA team finished bottom of the table.)

(ICC are keen to set USA up as genuine co-hosts for next years T20 World Cup with Windies, but there have been financial issues reportedly.)

Looks like it'll be at the 2028 LA Olympics as well: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... mpic-games

Puja

[Banquo]

Brook bowling seems a tad soft tbh

[Banquo]

Yjb cocks up badly- beyond parody

[Puja]

Bairstow has fucked a run-out of Smith by knocking the stump before catching the ball. Unbelievable.

Puja

[Banquo]

Bairstow has fucked a run-out of Smith by knocking the stump before catching the ball. Unbelievable.

Puja

Fair to say yjb has had a pretty negative impact at key moments.

[Banquo]

Weird passage of play.

[Banquo]

Now smith hits consecutive 4’s anyone surprised. So poor from Bairstow unbelievable

17 byes.

[Banquo]

Bairstow has fucked a run-out of Smith by knocking the stump before catching the ball. Unbelievable.

Puja

Just seen the replay terrible keeping- wrong side of the stumps

[Puja]

Bairstow has fucked a run-out of Smith by knocking the stump before catching the ball. Unbelievable.

Puja

Just seen the replay terrible keeping- wrong side of the stumps

I have to say I think he's a touch unlucky not to've been given the runout anyway, as I'd've said the second bail was off the stump before Smith got back, but even so, that's yet another missed chance. Every keeper screws up sometimes and it's important to remember that not all of the ones that Bairstow has muffed would've been taken by Foakes, but the sheer volume is overwhelming.

Puja

[Puja]

I did say that we got about par for this pitch on day 1. Now it's basically a one-innings shoot-out and all depends on how big a total we can set up.

Puja

[Galfon]

A full day batting will bring 350-400 the way Eng. bat, which should be enough. 2- 2 would be a fair reflection of the series...
Depends on the pitch staying true enough tomorrow of course.
D@mn the OT weather, what a climax it could have been

[Banquo]

I did say that we got about par for this pitch on day 1. Now it's basically a one-innings shoot-out and all depends on how big a total we can set up.

Puja

meh, Oz got at least 60 too many today.

[Banquo]

Bairstow has fucked a run-out of Smith by knocking the stump before catching the ball. Unbelievable.

Puja

Just seen the replay terrible keeping- wrong side of the stumps

I have to say I think he's a touch unlucky not to've been given the runout anyway, as I'd've said the second bail was off the stump before Smith got back, but even so, that's yet another missed chance. Every keeper screws up sometimes and it's important to remember that not all of the ones that Bairstow has muffed would've been taken by Foakes, but the sheer volume is overwhelming.

Puja

thats the laws...break the stumps before the ball arrives and can only get a run out by uprooting a stump whilst holding the ball.

[Puja]

Just seen the replay terrible keeping- wrong side of the stumps

I have to say I think he's a touch unlucky not to've been given the runout anyway, as I'd've said the second bail was off the stump before Smith got back, but even so, that's yet another missed chance. Every keeper screws up sometimes and it's important to remember that not all of the ones that Bairstow has muffed would've been taken by Foakes, but the sheer volume is overwhelming.

Puja

thats the laws...break the stumps before the ball arrives and can only get a run out by uprooting a stump whilst holding the ball.

I thought that was only if you took both bails off? So if one bail remains in place, you'd have the option to then remove that one? I reserve the right to be wrong - I don't have the same depth of knowledge of cricket laws that I do rugby ones.

meh, Oz got at least 60 too many today.

You're probably right, although Smith and the bowling to Murphy were the only two things which we got drastically wrong. And those two probably cost us about 60 runs, so yeah - on second thought, I agree.

Puja

[Banquo]

I have to say I think he's a touch unlucky not to've been given the runout anyway, as I'd've said the second bail was off the stump before Smith got back, but even so, that's yet another missed chance. Every keeper screws up sometimes and it's important to remember that not all of the ones that Bairstow has muffed would've been taken by Foakes, but the sheer volume is overwhelming.

Puja

thats the laws...break the stumps before the ball arrives and can only get a run out by uprooting a stump whilst holding the ball.

I thought that was only if you took both bails off? So if one bail remains in place, you'd have the option to then remove that one? I reserve the right to be wrong - I don't have the same depth of knowledge of cricket laws that I do rugby ones.

meh, Oz got at least 60 too many today.

You're probably right, although Smith and the bowling to Murphy were the only two things which we got drastically wrong. And those two probably cost us about 60 runs, so yeah - on second thought, I agree.

Puja

Have checked the laws and you are correct....in which case, I think he was out tbf.

But YJB should have been in position not for it to be an issue.

[Banquo]

lol 40 off 4 overs. maaad

[Banquo]

fckit dckit

ball starting to swing. danger time.

[fivepointer]

Virtually perfect morning for England. 1 wicket down and a 100+ run lead.

[Puja]

Two quick wickets will always change the perspective, but we are in a very solid position. This is the best of Bazball - the high scoring rate is discombobulating the bowlers and making them chase us, which gives more bad balls to hit. There's probably as much life in the pitch as there was for Australia's second innings, but the difference is that they got 54-1 in their morning while we got 130-1 - same number of dangerous balls and strokes of luck, but we took advantage inbetween them. Australia felt like they lost their morning session while we very definitely won ours.

If we can see off the first 5 overs after lunch, get Crawley and Stokes back into the groove, then we can tuck in for the afternoon. Ideal would be to bat the day out, maybe even a little of Sunday morning, give our bowlers (and especially Moeen) the best chance to rest and recuperate, and then get the Aussies in to chase 400+ when there's cloud and frequent breaks for rain on Sunday and Monday.

The "If" at the start of that paragraph is the big bit though.

Puja

[Puja]

And, there it is. Crawley never looks the same player after an interruption and this was his vulnerable period.

Puja

[Banquo]

And, there it is. Crawley never looks the same player after an interruption and this was his vulnerable period.

Puja

still, he has had a good series.

Stokes goes.....doh. Bit daft.

[Puja]

And, there it is. Crawley never looks the same player after an interruption and this was his vulnerable period.

Puja

still, he has had a good series.

Oh, undoubtedly. Fine series and he's absolutely made me eat my words about him.

Puja

[Puja]

Bairstow out cheaply playing a loose shot.

Well, it's not happened yet, but it's absolutely going to happen, so I may as well beat the rush and get my comment in early.

Puja

[Banquo]

great ball to get Brook. makes stokes poor shot worse, sans Ali not ideal.

[Banquo]

sure aint dull