Surly Cricket Thread

[The Earl of Texas 3,132]

Oi wots dis den

[Vertuzzi 1,369]

Just saw Australia has decided not to tour Afghanistan due to Taliban laws against educating women. I’m new to the sport, so how does this affect their rankings/seeding for World Cup?

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

It won't matter.  They are one of the top three sides in the world and will advance to the knockouts after the round robin portion.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Time to get the best series in test cricket, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy fired up again.  Reports are the Nagpur pitch has strategic dry spots that are just outside the left-hand batsman off stump.  Aus could have up to six lefthanded batsmen so Axar and Rockstar Jaddu can kick some ass with those conditions.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Siraj and Shami strike quick as both Aussie openers are back in the shed.  There is zero bounce on this pitch and quite a bit of swing.

2/2 in the third over.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Fudge Nuggets

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Brohit and Rockstar are dominating this match.  End of day two, India leads by 144 runs with three wickets in hand.

Sharma goes for 120, Jadeja took five wickets and is at 66*.  Axar surprisingly enough didn't get any wickets but is 52* heading into day three.

Western media was whining about pitch conditions leading up to the match and especially after Australia's innings.  If the pitch was that bad then how did Rohit get a century and both Jadeja and Axar score 50's?  People need to STFU about sub-continent pitches since we didn't hear jack shit about the deplorable pitch at the Gabba when AUS played SA.

[Vertuzzi 1,369]

On 2/10/2023 at 8:16 AM, Fudge Nuggets said:

Brohit and Rockstar are dominating this match.  End of day two, India leads by 144 runs with three wickets in hand.

Sharma goes for 120, Jadeja took five wickets and is at 66*.  Axar surprisingly enough didn't get any wickets but is 52* heading into day three.

Western media was whining about pitch conditions leading up to the match and especially after Australia's innings.  If the pitch was that bad then how did Rohit get a century and both Jadeja and Axar score 50's?  People need to STFU about sub-continent pitches since we didn't hear jack shit about the deplorable pitch at the Gabba when AUS played SA.

Was that the pitch in Brisbane back in December? If so, it was dry as shit. Quick playing surface IIRC. 

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

25 minutes ago, Vertuzzi said:

Was that the pitch in Brisbane back in December? If so, it was dry as shit. Quick playing surface IIRC. 

Yes, the Gabba is in Brisbane. 

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Innings break of the second test and its Australia 263 a/o and India 262 a/o.  One run difference through the first innings for both sides is shaping up to be a great match. 

[APMP 688]

I don't trust the Indian batting at all. Anything over 200 and they'll wilt in the 4th innings.

Can they kick Rahul and Pujara to the curb yet? It's ludicrous that Gill isn't in this squad, he's by far the most in form top order batsman.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

No worries, Rockstar took care of things taking 7 wickets in Australia's second innings.  Jaddu and Ashwin took all 10 wickets; the last 8 partnerships only scored 28 runs.  India win by six wickets.  Easy peasy.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

On 2/18/2023 at 7:59 PM, APMP said:

Can they kick Rahul and Pujara to the curb yet? It's ludicrous that Gill isn't in this squad, he's by far the most in form top order batsman.

Gill gets the nod over Rahul in the third test, Umesh Yadav replaces Shami.  Cummins and Warner out for Australia, Starc and Green in.  Smith to captain the Aussie side.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Fudge Nuggets

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

In the very first over, Australia decided not to take a couple of reviews. Both would have led to wickets.  Nice captaincy by Smith.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Seems that Shubman Gill is in some good form. He has three centuries in this year’s IPL including 129 off 60 balls in the qualifier match against MI. Dude reached his century off 49 balls in just over 12 overs. I haven’t seen anything like it outside of some prime Universe Boss innings. 

[APMP 688]

Seems that Shubman Gill is in some good form. He has three centuries in this year’s IPL including 129 off 60 balls in the qualifier match against MI. Dude reached his century off 49 balls in just over 12 overs. I haven’t seen anything like it outside of some prime Universe Boss innings. 

Gilly needs to lead my GT to a title tomorrow.

Then we coming for the Aussies. We may not have Bumrah but we coming anyway.

The squads:

Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Josh Inglis, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner.

Reserves: Mitch Marsh, Matt Renshaw

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadakt, Umesh Yadav.

Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

How the fuck does David Warner make that squad?  He’s ass in English conditions and in general way past his prime.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

India started out bowling pretty good in the WTC final against Australia, but Steve Smith and Travis Head have taken over.  AUS went from 76/3 to 170/3 at the tea break.  Smith and Head have a 93 run partnership going and don't look threatened in the least except a couple of bouncers to Head that he fought off.

Only two sessions in the books and it already looks like India better hope for a draw.

[APMP 688]

So many bad decisions. Ashwin should be in this squad over Umesh, I don't care what the wicket looks like. Pujara and Rahane also don't belong...SKY and anyone else please. And while I like Bharath's glovework, I think Kishan was the pick.

[satyanash 14,473]

Leaving out Ashwin for a completely non-threatening Thakur is exactly the kind of brain-dead decision I'd expect the selectors to make.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

India even let Warner score 43 runs.  Prior to today's innings, Warner has batted 10 times in England since the 2019 Ashes.  He scored a total of 95 runs with one innings of 61 at Leeds and jack shit outside of it.  There were three straight ducks after the 61.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Well, the bowlers took four wickets but are still leaking runs.  AUS 422/7 at lunch break on day 2.

Travis Head 163 off 174 and Steve Smith 121 off 268 did all the heavy lifting for AUS.

[satyanash 14,473]

Gill and Pujara both clean-bowled not offering a shot. Rough start to the chase, three wickets down quickly

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Hard to believe that this team peaked when it played the B-teamers in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.  It's been all downhill since.

Pathetic selections, pathetic strategies, pathetic batting, pathetic bowling for the most part and shit fielding as usual.

[satyanash 14,473]

Interestingly, India has a glimmer of hope tomorrow. But they need to score 280 with 7 wickets in hand.

[APMP 688]

I'm still annoyed at the utter stupidity of Rohit and Pujara's shots getting out.

But if India can have 6 wickets in hand an hour after lunch, shit might get mighty interesting. Of course Starc could also blow everyone the fuck away in the morning.

[Bateshorn 9,927]

11 hours ago, APMP said:

I'm still annoyed at the utter stupidity of Rohit and Pujara's shots getting out.

But if India can have 6 wickets in hand an hour after lunch, shit might get mighty interesting. Of course Starc could also blow everyone the fuck away in the morning.
 

Whelp, I guess it was the latter.  I woke up expecting this thing to be nip and tuck, and it was all over except the trophy presentation. 

[APMP 688]

Whelp, I guess it was the latter.  I woke up expecting this thing to be nip and tuck, and it was all over except the trophy presentation. 

Haha yup, hilariously one sided. Expect the BCCI to throw its weight around and try to get the next WTC final played on the subcontinent so it's more spin friendly.

[satyanash 14,473]

It really is time for India to clean house. Not a single 50 from the top 4 in either WTC final. The team needs a youth movement, they'll struggle for a while but be better for it long-term.

India is ripe for a massive letdown at the World Cup on hone soil this year. Maybe that will generate the outrage needed to start making some hard decisions.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Going into the fifth day I knew there was no way in hell this lineup could score 280 against AUS in one day, but I was hoping they could bat time and steal a draw.  Best case for run scoring was about 150 in my eyes for today.  To see them only scrap together 70 in 23 overs was shitastic.

I think Ruturaj Gaikwad would make an excellent batsman in test cricket.  Yashasvi Jaiswal also has all the talent in the world and should be given an extended chance.  Hell, they would probably be a much better opening pair than anything else India has trotted out there in the last three years.  They would make for a nice R/L combo at that.

Problem with the dumbass Indian selectors is when a youngster gets a chance because one of the old farts is out injured, unless that guy goes for huge runs they get dropped once the old guy comes back.  Brohit, Kohli, Pujara and Rahane all need to be put out of their misery.

[Bateshorn 9,927]

On 6/11/2023 at 8:02 PM, Fudge Nuggets said:

Going into the fifth day I knew there was no way in hell this lineup could score 280 against AUS in one day, but I was hoping they could bat time and steal a draw.  Best case for run scoring was about 150 in my eyes for today.  To see them only scrap together 70 in 23 overs was shitastic.

I think Ruturaj Gaikwad would make an excellent batsman in test cricket.  Yashasvi Jaiswal also has all the talent in the world and should be given an extended chance.  Hell, they would probably be a much better opening pair than anything else India has trotted out there in the last three years.  They would make for a nice R/L combo at that.

Problem with the dumbass Indian selectors is when a youngster gets a chance because one of the old farts is out injured, unless that guy goes for huge runs they get dropped once the old guy comes back.  Brohit, Kohli, Pujara and Rahane all need to be put out of their misery.

I was shocked at the collapse.  I'm not kidding when I say I got up, turned on the coffee maker, sat down to open cricinfo, and thought my wireless had dropped or something. 

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

It was a typical collapse in English conditions for India's top and middle order.  In the 2022 series against England they had a first innings total of 78 runs in the 3rd test.  When they played the 5th match of the series, they scored 245 runs in the second innings on an absolute road.  The top four batsmen scored 101 of those runs with Chester getting 66 of them by himself.  England won the match by scoring 378 runs with the loss of only three wickets. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Fudge Nuggets

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Does anyone give a shit about the Ashes now that ECB has gone full retard with their Bazzball bullshit?

After Day 2, Australia trail by 82 with 5 wickets in hand. 

Who the fuck knows / cares what will happen.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Hey, waste of space David Warner got 9.  Smith and Labuschagne combined for a whopping 16, yet AUS is not out of it.  Just an absolute disgrace of test cricket; but because it's close the Pom media will declare this an all time great test match.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Ok, that actually did turn out to be a classic. Pat Cummings uses his bat to crush Pom souls and take AUS over the line with an unbeaten 44. Usman Khawajah named MOTM. 

[APMP 688]

Man the Bluey cricket episode WRECKED me.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Pujara dropped from West Indies tour and Shami going to sit it out.  The youngsters Jaiswal and Gaikwad make the squad.  Let's see how they do; WI are utter crap lately but show flashes about once a year.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

On 6/22/2023 at 5:18 PM, APMP said:

Man the Bluey cricket episode WRECKED me.
 

Poor captaincy by the bowling side.  Should have fucked him up with hostile fast bowling from the get go, get some shine on one side of the ball before bringing in the swing bowler then waited until the ball looked like a dog chewed it to bring on the leg spinner.

But funny video.

[APMP 688]

Poor captaincy by the bowling side.  Should have fucked him up with hostile fast bowling from the get go, get some shine on one side of the ball before bringing in the swing bowler then waited until the ball looked like a dog chewed it to bring on the leg spinner.
But funny video.

Ha. Rusty vs Bodyline.

The ending is absolute perfection, as Rusty greets an older version of himself walking in to bat at the Gabba.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

It seems the West Indies finds a new low every season lately, but this may be the lowest of the lows (so far).  They lost to Zimbabwe in the ODI World Cup qualifiers.

I haven't been following the qualifiers at all, but they go to the Super Sixes round next and the top two teams from that event make it to the World Cup.  So far, Zimbabwe, West Indies, and Netherlands are through in Group A.  Sri Lanka has four points which is already guaranteed a top 3 spot and a huge NRR advantage.  If not already mathematically through, it's all over but the formalities for them to move on.

Scotland and Oman are at four points in Group B and while Ireland has 0 points so far but they have two matches remaining against Sri Lanka and UAE.  Sri Lanka might mail it in since they are pretty much guaranteed a Super Six spot already.  It might come down to NRR to determine the last spot.

I want the two CWC qualifiers to come from the group of Sri Lanka, West Indies or Zimbabwe.  Give it a 2003 World Cup vibe which was the first World Cup I ever watched.  I'll never forget the absolute beat down Ricky Ponting put on Indian bowlers in that Final.  Dude was in the zone 100%.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Aussie takes 2-nil lead in the Ashes.  Not a great match overall despite being close, but had some chippy moments.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Sums it up quite well...

 

 

[Bateshorn 9,927]

On 6/23/2023 at 6:54 PM, APMP said:

Ha. Rusty vs Bodyline.

The ending is absolute perfection, as Rusty greets an older version of himself walking in to bat at the Gabba.

Good stuff.

Fun fact:  I got to see Shane Warne destroy the English from the hill at the Gabba in 94. Got a hell of a sunburn.   RIP Warnie. 

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Team management finally kick Purjara's old ass to the curb in favor of Jaiswal.  All they young'un does is go for 171 runs in his test debut and picks up MOTM honors.  Maybe he can keep his spot for at least another test.

Now they need to replace Rahane with Gaikwad and get on with it.

[wood 11,225]

PSA: MLC - Texas vs New York live now on CBS SN. 

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

Rain washes out all but 30 overs from the last two days of the fourth Ashes Test leading to a draw.  AUS retains the Ashes despite getting bitch slapped through the first three days of this match.  I love it.

Poooooooooooooor pommies.

[APMP 688]

Team management finally kick Purjara's old ass to the curb in favor of Jaiswal.  All they young'un does is go for 171 runs in his test debut and picks up MOTM honors.  Maybe he can keep his spot for at least another test.
Now they need to replace Rahane with Gaikwad and get on with it.

That catch tho

[Matuka 1,309]

Went to my first cricket games in the past week, MLC being played in Grand Prairie.  It was a hoot, nice crowd.  South Asian fare in the concession stands and they served an Indian style beer.  Before the second game, I watched a video on the league website which explains the rules as compared to baseball.  I still have a ways to go before I fully understand the game, but I'm looking forward to next season.  

[APMP 688]

Wow, just wow. That Asia Cup final is the most dominant Indian team performance I can remember.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,187]

4 hours ago, APMP said:

Wow, just wow. That Asia Cup final is the most dominant Indian team performance I can remember.

Siraj came out with the red ass and wasn't putting up with no Sri Lanka bullshit.  6 wickets, 21 runs in 7 overs... are you fucking kidding me?

[APMP 688]

Opener v Aussies, and of course Pakistan in Amdavad.