[Cricket] World Test XI

[jakarta]

Ah, if only ...

This whole game has raised so many questions: how would old time players cope with DRS? Would they wear helmets (I've already commented that Hobbs doesn't)? Even when helmets were the norm, some players (Richards and Richardson) didn't wear them. I couldn't see Bradman, Trumper or Miller in a helmet.

How would they cope with new lbw? I've already mentioned that Hobbs found it hard? Their fielding and running between the wickets would be found wanting.

It's a good game though, isn't it?

Absolute belter, this series is starting to look like the 2005 Ashes. If England motor along (and with that middle order there is every chance they will) do you think they will declare around Teatime tomorrow afternoon? Surely 400 or so is an impossible amount to chase on a final day pitch?

 

[Gwylan]

Surely 400 or so is an impossible amount to chase on a final day pitch?

The 1948 Australians scored 404 for the loss of just three wickets at Headingley (Bradman and Miller were in that team). And England scored around 500 in their first innings too

 

[jakarta]

The 1948 Australians scored 404 for the loss of just three wickets at Headingley (Bradman and Miller were in that team). And England scored around 500 in their first innings too

Thanks a Bunch!

In that case we need a 450 plus lead, can Cape Town Ben Stokes please report for duty?

 

[jakarta]

A new day dawns and England will want to bat long into it...

 

[jakarta]

Morning Gwylan, are you inside the Ground yet or still queuing?

Presume weather is similar to down here in Sussex i.e. hazy sunshine?

 

[Gwylan]

Morning Gwylan, are you inside the Ground yet or still queuing?

Presume weather is similar to down here in Sussex i.e. hazy sunshine?

yes, a bit close and muggy. May be a bit of swing early on

 

[jakarta]

Do you know if the 2 minute silence will be observed at 11AM?

 

[Gwylan]

Late starting this morning after a two minute silence – especially poignant for Miller and Compton who served, of course.
There’s a bit of cloud cover this morning but nothing to frighten the batsmen. Cook and Hobbs are walking out knowing that, if they can survive this session, the hard work’s done and the game should be safe for England.
It’s Thomson to get us under way from the Nursery End and that’s a wild one to start, goes sailing over Gilchrist for four byes – that could almost have been called a wide. And that’s not much better, it’s short and Hobbs clatters it to the square leg fence. That’s more like it, a perfect yorker that Hobbs can only just dig out. The over ends with a single wide of mid-off.
It’s Lillee from the other end and he’s in the groove straight away: Hobbs sees off the over and it’s the first maiden of the day.
Ouch, Cook cops one in the ribs from Thomson – that rose sharply off a length. Cook pushes past square leg- a trademark Cook shot that and he’s off the mark for the day. And that’s one more to Hobbs down to long leg.

England 65-0 (Cook 33 Hobbs 24, overs 20)

 

[LlcoolJ]

Ah, if only ...

This whole game has raised so many questions: how would old time players cope with DRS? Would they wear helmets (I've already commented that Hobbs doesn't)? Even when helmets were the norm, some players (Richards and Richardson) didn't wear them. I couldn't see Bradman, Trumper or Miller in a helmet.

How would they cope with new lbw? I've already mentioned that Hobbs found it hard? Their fielding and running between the wickets would be found wanting.

It's a good game though, isn't it?

I was thinking about that when it was Tommo v Both. Would Botham have bothered with a helmet?

And it's a very good point about the fielding and general fitness. It's something that been discussed before on here when attempting to compare players from different eras, and the main reason that I don't think you really can.

Fitness/athleticism has improved SO much and with that, the standard of fielding.

You see it at junior level. There are no passengers any more. Gone are the days where someone can get away with being a decent batsman but a lazy get in the field, if they want to get anywhere in district/county cricket.

And it's why cricket is such a fascinating sport. Because you have the individual battle of bowler v batsman, but the quality of the rest of the team alters the battle one way or the other.

 

[Gwylan]

And here are the first runs off Lillee today – he overpitches slightly and Hobbs drives sweetly for two. No more off the over. Thommo is steaming in with that javelin launching action of his and that’s a brute of a ball, rising viciously and catching Cook on the shoulder. Time for the physio, but as Cook’s going to be all right. And that’s another lifter, Cook manages to duck this time. The next few balls pass harmlessly wide but Thommo’s building up a bit of pace here.

England 67-0 (Cook 33 Hobbs 26 overs 22)

 

[Gwylan]

I was thinking about that when it was Tommo v Both. Would Botham have bothered with a helmet?

And it's a very good point about the fielding and general fitness. It's something that been discussed before on here when attempting to compare players from different eras, and the main reason that I don't think you really can.

Fitness/athleticism has improved SO much and with that, the standard of fielding.

You see it at junior level. There are no passengers any more. Gone are the days where someone can get away with being a decent batsman but a lazy get in the field, if they want to get anywhere in district/county cricket.

And it's why cricket is such a fascinating sport. Because you have the individual battle of bowler v batsman, but the quality of the rest of the team alters the battle one way or the other.

Botham did wear a helmet towards the end of his career - his reflexes probably weren't what they were. Viv never wore one though, even in his mid-30s.

Fielding has changed in my lifetime - in the 60s, you saw professional cricketers who scarcely moved in the field. Look at Samit Patel, a decent batsman and bowler but chucked out of the England side because his fitness levels weren't up to it. Imagine Flat Jack Simmonds going for a trial at Lancashire these days - they'd take one look and tell him not to bother.

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee to Hobbs and that’s four – but he didn’t know much about it, it catches the inside edge and hits the boundary. He then guides one between gully and cover for a single – Gower’s quickly on to it. And Cook plays the clip shot off his legs to keep the strike.
Thomson steaming in again but Cook can let these go – he can play at that one though, it’s short and outside the leg stump, that’s flicked for four.

England 77-0 (Cook 38 Hobbs 31 overs 24)

 

[LlcoolJ]

Botham did wear a helmet towards the end of his career - his reflexes probably weren't what they were. Viv never wore one though, even in his mid-30s.

Fielding has changed in my lifetime - in the 60s, you saw professional cricketers who scarcely moved in the field. Look at Samit Patel, a decent batsman and bowler but chucked out of the England side because his fitness levels weren't up to it. Imagine Flat Jack Simmonds going for a trial at Lancashire these days - they'd take one look and tell him not to bother.

Yep. It's a different game nowadays for sure.

Samit is a good example. Good player but looked like a complete liability in the field at that level. Which shows how things have changed.

 

[Gwylan]

The players have settled into things now: Lillee and Thomson are both bowling tightly, the ball is doing the odd bit but there’s no massive movement and Cook are happy to keep things moving along with little excitement.

England 92-0 (Cook 44 Hobbs 40, overs 30)

 

[Gwylan]

The first change of bowling and it’s Miller on at the Pavilion End. That’s short to Cook and it’s pulled away for four. Miller keeps things tight after that and there’s no more from the over.
It’s a double change: Warne is on – the field closes in. He’s got a slip (Chappell), a gully (Smith) and a short square leg (Hayden – a brave man after his blow on Wednesday. But that’s not the place to bowl, Hobbs nearly takes Hayden’s head off, it’s brilliantly cut off by Miller running around, saving the boundary, three to Hobbs.
Warne to Cook, that’s the googly and Cook lets it go and lets the next ball strike him outside leg stump. This one’s pushed through a bit quicker, it looks like the top spinner and Cook doesn’t really get forward, it loops up in the air and is caught by Hayden, who’s at silly point for the leftie. Umpire Bowden thinks … and gives it. First wicket down.

England 99-1 (Cook c Hayden b Warne 48)

 

[Gwylan]

Just seen the replay and there was a definite inside edge there: Cook knew it and walked.
Gower saunters to the wicket … and hits the first ball for four … but it’s not convincing, he doesn’t really get on top of that.
England 103-1 (Hobbs 44 Gower 4, overs 32)

 

[jakarta]

Yep. It's a different game nowadays for sure.

Samit is a good example. Good player but looked like a complete liability in the field at that level. Which shows how things have changed.

And our own Monty Panesar of course...

 

[Gwylan]

Miller in to Hobbs again. There’s a push into the covers for two but no fireworks from that over.
Time for drinks

 

[LlcoolJ]

And our own Monty Panesar of course...

Yes I was just thinking about good old Monty. Fielding the ball with his feet......

 

[Gwylan]

And our own Monty Panesar of course...

Yeah, but Monty's batting also let him down. And that's another thing that's changed - it's rare to find a Panesar or a Tufnell in today's game, even tailenders can generally bat a bit. It's especially true for wicket keepers - when I started watching cricket there were a few keepers who could bat a bit - our own Jim Parks was a proper batsman - players like Knott, Murray and Tonker Taylor were decent too. But they stood out: most keepers had little idea of how to hold a bat