In message <XnsB31CB781CD198whhvans@157.180.91.226>, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk> writes
On 12 Jul 2025, John Hall wrote
-snip-
On the subject of delays, the public have been short-changed in
this match through both sides only bowling their overs at about 12
overs an hour. There have been multiple changes of the ball as
well as failed attempts to change it, injuries to players, drinks
breaks lasting longer than they should, drinks being brought on
for the batsmen when it's not an official drinks break,
replacement batting gloves being brought on, play restarting after
an interval a minute or two late, and even players being massaged
by the physio. The umpires seem to have no interest in trying to
keep things moving.
Not only that, the umpires added a completely unnecessary delay
yesterday (day 4), when they waited until the drinks break had ended
before taking another few minutes to select a replacement ball (the
pre-drinks-break ball having failed the "ring" test), which they
surely could have at least started doing during that break.
Yes, the Sky commentators were unimpressed by that.
They-a opened up 3 or 4 boxes of old balls and dithered over which
ball to use, trying a number of the reserve balls through the ring.
A number of those balls failed the "ring" test, and they had to
reject them and look for other balls.
Just think about that for a second:-a a number of used balls, held in
reserve to replace balls which had gone out of shape, were themselves
found to be out of shape.-a In which case, WHY THE HELL WERE THEY IN
THE RESERVE BALL BOXES IN THE FIRST PLACE??
The number of times the ball needs replacing nowadays. I wonder there's
a problem with finding enough balls of the right sort of age.
Apparently the regulations require that when a new ball is taken it
should fit through the rings, but there's no requirement for it to do so after it's had some use. Maybe the match referee has reminded the
umpires of that, and also reminded the players that the umpires are
supposed to be the sole judges of whether a ball has become unfit for
any reason and that they should stop chivvying the umpires. At any rate,
for whatever reason Stokes didn't try to get the ball changed today, as
far as I noticed, even though by the second session of play it had
clearly become very soft (as most of this summer's batch of Dukes balls
have done).
Anyway it was a terrific match. It's strange how such an unsatisfactory pitch should produce such a gripping contest. The final two Tests are at
Old Trafford and The Oval, which normally produce pitches with good pace
and bounce, though I suppose this extreme summer weather means that's
not guaranteed this time.
The Old Trafford Test doesn't start till a week on Wednesday, which is
just as well as it will give the players time to recover from exhaustion
and some minor injuries. Hopefully Pant will be fit to keep by then. If
not, I suppose Pant might play as a specialist batsman with Jurel
keeping, but that would disrupt the balance of the side. It's anybody's guess if Bumrah will play or be saved for The Oval.
Since India are 2-1down, In think he ought to play. I also think they should bring in
Kuldeep, maybe for Reddy though that would lengthen the tail. As well as having pace and bounce, the Old Trafford pitch normally turns later in
the game.
If Atkinson is fit, England will probably bring him in to give one of
the other quicks a rest - maybe for Woakes, as Old Trafford isn't really
his sort of pitch. Of course the bowler who could really do with a rest
is Stokers. Though he's clearly very fit, he's no longer young, and if
he keeps on flogging himself into the ground I'm afraid that before long
he will pick up another serious injury.
England will also need to find a replacement for Bashir, since I think they'll need a spinner at Old Trafford. I'd pick Dawson, who is the best England-qualified spinner in the country as well as a proper batsman,
but I rather suspect that England won't choose him.
On 15/07/2025 11:19, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
India MUST PLAY Bumrah at Old Trafford because he is getting a WEEK of
REST and India MUST at least DRAW or WIN the test to keep the series
alive.
... although ironically they have lost the two matches that he played,
and won the one that he didn't.
On 15/07/2025 16:55, John Hall wrote:
In message <78ec786e-38f9-43a5-8aac-917ac7b438c6@america.com>, >>FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer <FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer@america.com>
writes
Bashir is NOT playing the next two tests according to cricinfo reports.I'm sure he was considered, but Dawson has been so good at county
What happened to experienced Jack Leach?
Why is he not even being considered for England tests?
level over the last couple of seasons that it would have been hard to >>overlook him.
Leach has a better CC bowling average than Dawson this season (26.5 vs
40.0) and last season (22.8 vs 25.1). He has more wickets than any
other spinner this season.
Obviously batting is a very different matter.
From a Somerset POV, I'm pleased that they've picked Dawson. ;)
Regarding the Lord's pitch, my newspaper has an interesting interview
with the head groundsman, Karl McDermott, of which I think the most
important part is this:
rCLThe question for us at LordrCOs is this: are we ready to re-lay
pitches? That would be the ultimate commitment to changing things,rCY he says.
Re-laying a pitch takes it out of action for three years, so you could
never re-lay the whole square at once, and doing so would cost MCC
around -u10 million, because they would have to give up a major match
for three seasons. It seems that at this stage, they are not prepared to
do that, although this is a cricket club, so the cricket pitches are
pretty important.
rCLMy predecessor Mick Hunt always had a pitch up his sleeve that he
could re-lay and not have any cricket on,rCY McDermott says. rCLBut we donrCOt have that luxury now, because of the rise in cricket: The
Hundred, thererCOs more womenrCOs cricket, which is fantastic, but
nothing has given way.rCY
McDermott and Rob Lynch, the director of cricket operations, want to try
a drop-in pitch. That would see it prepared in a tray away from the
square, then transplanted permanently. rCLRisky,rCY is McDermottrCOs assessment, especially as they would need to work the slope in.
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