Loving Lees' attitude here, blocking solidly and played some lovely aggressive shots so far. Hope he can keep cracking on.
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
It's a pretty dramatic change, innit? New regime comes in and all of a sudden he's Marcus Trescothick.
i heard silverwood made them practice forward defensive shots for an hour for every 4 they scored previously.
I never saw this player in him. Fair play to the lad he’s played well this year.
Crawley however is totally infuriating. He’s never an opener in the memory of man.
It’s probably more beneficial to bowl Root and play an extra batter at this point. I’m sure they won’t do that but you’re right, it’s a waste.
Why are England wearing such awful colours?
I wasn't aware they were?
All over 
NZ favourites now.
feck this
oops
hundreds of runs in the last innings to21 between them
hundreds of runs in the last innings to21 between them
WinViz is probably one of the worst prediction tools I’ve ever seen in all sports.
I've cursed Lees here haven't I? Hasn't scored since I said what a good job he was doing 
Yes Alex, class shot.
Made my comment he was 24 off 17, 7 off 37 sinceI've cursed Lees here haven't I? Hasn't scored since I said what a good job he was doing
I think England's hopes went with Root. It would be some effort for Stokes to come in and repeat his World Cup heroics and the more dot balls/ maidens that are bowled the more work he will have to do.
220 runs in a session and a half feels like a step too far right now.
220 runs in a session and a half feels like a step too far right now.
I wonder whether Bairstow decides to play cricket, rather than trying to reach the target off 1 over.
Yeah, think so too. Root was key.
Don't mind a period of consolidation though, rather than gift silly wickets trying to chase it down. We are 1-0 up after all.
It's great to have a 5 day test with loads of ups and downs and the momentum changing constantly to be ended by what is effectively a one-day international on the last day (although one that can end in a draw). Test cricket really can't be beaten.
More changing of the ball. If the batters have hit the ball hard enough, and to the boundary enough, to cause it to lose shape, should they not reap the rewards of it?
I’ll disclaimer by saying this is not because England are batting, I can’t stand it when they constantly ask about it as well.
I’ll disclaimer by saying this is not because England are batting, I can’t stand it when they constantly ask about it as well.
Well... 160 runs in a session is surely too much? But Stokes has been the hero against NZ before, in the 2019 WC Final and of course his knock against Australia at Headingley the same summer is the stuff of legend.
I don't fancy NZ to take 6 wickets in the final session of a Trent Bridge match that's already broken the record for runs scored in a Test there, but I also don't see 160 runs. However the way this match has gone, I also daren't call a draw just yet!
I don't fancy NZ to take 6 wickets in the final session of a Trent Bridge match that's already broken the record for runs scored in a Test there, but I also don't see 160 runs. However the way this match has gone, I also daren't call a draw just yet!
You never know. Depending on wickets they could well extend the day another half hour and then the timings is more doable.
Draw definitely most likely at this stage, mind.
This is pretty much where I thought the game might be at the start of the day, but I said at the time that England would need wickets in hand to go for it in the last session and I don’t think they have enough. Put Buttler and Woakes into that line up and there would be a good chance.
Amazing approach by England so far. Stokes is something else.
And just as I say that Bairstow smokes two sixes. Amazing!
What is going on
As starts to your captaincy reign go, starting with a win at Lord's against the World Champions then chasing down 300 in 2.5 sessions would take some beating!
Especially if you were one of the stars of the show...
Especially if you were one of the stars of the show...
Last 10 overs 87/0
Wtf!
whatever happens from here on in i’m down for it. we just won 1 from 17 tests previously. i’d rather see us lose trying something stupid than lose by being abjectly pathetic.
Rate down to 3 now, which means even if one of them gets out, the rate is now achievable with a bit less risk.
it’s amazing to see a proper batsman go at it in a test match. Normally yous re the odd flurry of 30/40 runs from a tailender with nothing to lose.
Bairstow is fantastic when he gets in the swing of things.
Bairstow is fantastic when he gets in the swing of things.
As long as we don't lose our heads. We should take it a bit more easy now though.
Greatest win in a long time!
Are you just trying to jinx England?
Well played Bairstow
wow
bairstow proving me so so wrong
bairstow proving me so so wrong
This is absolute class from the boys, shame Bairstow couldn't quite get the fastest England Test ton but he won't care
No sure I dont care one way or another - just an interested spectator
At what does Bairstow decide he needs to be the one in at the end and milk singles? I would have said about 30 runs ago.