snowychap Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Goodbye, Brian Close:Former England, Yorkshire and Somerset captain Brian Close has died, aged 84.The Yorkshireman is the youngest player to have won a Test cap for England, making his debut as an 18-year-old against New Zealand in 1949.Close, who was known for his brave batting, captained his country seven times in 22 Tests, and led Yorkshire to four County Championship titles.Former England captain Michael Vaughan, who was coached by Close at Yorkshire, called him "a true inspiration".Close, who lived in Baildon, West Yorkshire, died on Sunday. He leaves a widow, a son and a daughter....more on link 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veloman Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Yep, very sad to hear of his passing. I remember that innings against West Indies, where their fast bowlers, particularly the now avuncular Holding, seemed to think the stumps were somewhere near Close's face. Realise that bouncers are part of the game but I thought that display was excessive; seem to think even the umpire called a halt to it eventually. A fabulous cricketer IMO -don't know if we will see the like of him again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Sad news. Not old enough to have seen him play, but obviously aware he was a talented player. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 More butterfingers from Bell and another wicket off a no ball for England today. Tits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 More butterfingers from Bell and another wicket off a no ball for England today. Tits.Wicket sounds like a road too. Not going to be many chances, so need to take the wickets when they come. Some big scores on offer to the batsmen, if they get in. I do wonder why they bother playing in the UAE (obviously I'm aware of why they can't play in Pakistan), in conditions like this. It's not even as if they're doing it to get 5 days ticket. There's no one there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 already sense it's going to be a draw or a home win here if we collapse - but without Shah bowling for them, we ought to be able to ensure a draw though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Yes I agree Rodders. The Bell drop and the Broad no ball could cost us any chance of winning this game. Need to get Younis early on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 pitches like this are just pathetic. Obviously scoreboard pressure helps Pakistan so they can still win it as we will be tired when we bat later, but it's no contest at all. I think the cumulative score on this pitch lately is around 1400 / 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Yeah, I just read Malik's 200 is the 5th double ton, in 8 test matches played there. Pretty pointless playing on wickets like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 said during the Ashes, test cricket is way too favourable to the home team these days and its putting people off. Maybe ICC need to bring in impartial groundsman to put in the wickets for Test matches 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 yep, in fairness it's not an issue exclusive to here. We've been guilty of it too. It's tough - you want to balance variety of conditions, with an actual fair contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) In fairness Pakistan aren't really at home but its what it is, you cant drop catches and get wickets with no balls and expect to bowl teams out over there. This one will be the flattest of the three. Well played Malik. He was at Warwickshire for a bit two years ago. Edited October 14, 2015 by PaulC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 England will lose this test. The Ashes taught us that they bottle it in the face of scoreboard pressure and will do so again here. The openers will scratch around for a few runs before getting spun out, the knobheads in the middle order will swing the bat about like its a 20/20 game and the tail will wag just enough to highlight how bad the rest of the batting line up is just in time to be all out for 200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 not even England can collapse on this pitch. Lifeless. Passed the follow on - on day 4. Hope once Cook get's his 200, they really try and drive on and score quickly, they can afford to lose a couple of wickets. Playing at 2.5 an over for the rest of the day is overly conservative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 not even England can collapse on this pitch. Lifeless. Passed the follow on - on day 4. Hope once Cook get's his 200, they really try and drive on and score quickly, they can afford to lose a couple of wickets. Playing at 2.5 an over for the rest of the day is overly conservative.It appears I did underestimate just how awful this pitch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 (edited) Yes its a truly awful wicket, but I have to give immense credit to Cook for this innings of the ultimate concentration, without it England would have lost this game. Best opener we have ever had I think.He's closing in on Compton's record against Pakistan set as far back as 1954 Edited October 16, 2015 by PaulC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted October 17, 2015 Moderator Share Posted October 17, 2015 Surely not?England may be about to have a mad 15 over chase of about a hundred - this Test could be won yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Can we do this?Pakistan 168 for 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Well well well. All out for 173 leaving us 99 to win in about 50 minutes or so?Come on, England (and let's not get bowled out, please!).Do we change the batting order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted October 17, 2015 Moderator Share Posted October 17, 2015 Is it 17 wickets today and 17 on the other four days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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