England vs India Test Series

Andy Roberts would have been in his prime

 

I was lucky enough to see him play a Sunday League game for Hampshire in 1975. I’d just been posted to a little Unit near Salisbury called JWE Old Sarum and read that Hants were at home to Surrey that same week. The chance to see players like Roberts, Gordon Greenidge and Barry Richards up against John Edrich, Geoff Arnold and Pat Pocock, to name just a few of the stars on show, was too good to miss.

I made the short drive to Southampton for the match and it was just fantastic seeing international cricketers like these up close. Roberts bowled so fast it was virtually impossible to track the ball from one end to the other.

I’ve seen a few more like that over the years and I’d place another West Indian just behind Roberts - Courtney Walsh during his Gloucestershire days. This was at another small ground when Glos set up camp at the College Ground, Cheltenham for one week every summer. Living down there it was always a pleasure to visit the Festival whenever I got a chance.

 

nah they don’t think like that anymore and it’s all the better for it

 

for you yes, not for him.. sure he’s disappointed but go ask any player… play the shot, don’t change, it’s the way nowadays, be the best every ball

(I know the caveat is there’s always personal price in reaching a milestone and some players will play for it)

 

We were sat at midwicket Micheal Holding bowling ran up from 10 yards inside the boundary delivered the ball 22 yards the wicket keeper was at least 20 yards back from the stumps an in a nano second you heard the ball smack into his glove I've no idea how the batsmen saw it ,then again not many did .

 

Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall etc

 

I once worked on Portway in Old Sarum; stopped in Salisbury shortly after the novachok business.

 

It’s all changed down there now. Housing estate where RAF accommodation used to be and Salisbury FC have a new ground there as well. The four years I spent there were brilliant. A proper education for a young airman working in a joint service environment. My favourite part of England, definitely.[/QUOTE]

 

Meanwhile in the Caribbean after winning the toss in the first test and deciding to bat the Aussies are all out for 180.

 

The fact that Headingley isn’t getting an Ashes Test next time the Aussies are here is bordering on the insane.
The number and frequency of unbelievable games of Test cricket there should weigh so heavy on the ECB that it should be a “shoe-in” just like Lords and The Oval.
Southern bias anyone?

 

Ageas Bowl is to have a Test replacing Headingley

 

Not to mention the fact that we tend to win!

 

Roll on Archer, Wood and Atkinson being back.

 

Shubman Gill.certsinly hasn't let his captaincy detract from his batting. Hope he does get his triple century, he's class to watch.

 

Rooooooot!

 

I would fancy myself to get some runs on this flat wicket. Way boring compared to Headingley. Five sessions in and already one of the three options is out of the window because even England cannot win this.

 

And Anderson !

 

And that in a nutshell is why Ollie Pope won’t ever get the record his ability might afford him as a test three. He just hasn’t got the mentality.

Brain dead shot, closed face to a pitched up fifth stump delivery. Nothing special about the ball, hardly a ripper. Just a woeful shot. You can’t play like that first drop against good teams in red ball cricket. Especially not first ball before you’re in.

He’ll get runs on his day of course he will - but a technique like that will get found out more often than not.

 

Our bowling attack is really poor. Dint look like taking wickets. Nearly 600 agsinst us. Awful performance. 13 for 2. Did stokes actually put them in at the toss?

 

Yes he did and it worked last time but this will be 1-1 in the series. Unless we somehow grind out a draw, but that’s not how they play these days.