We have some other sports threads, but I dont think we have had one on cricket!
Any other fans on here ?

I of course follow my native Yorkshire and England. Yorks have had a disappointing season, despite having on paper a particularly good bowling line up (Shahzad, Bresnan, Sidebottom, Rashid) but their batsmen have let them down. But today they are playing Hants, and having amassed 532 in their own first innings Hants have almost knocked them off for the loss of two wickets ! Must be a flat pitch !

England are terrific just now, much of their success due to the seam bowlers, and with several other good ones in reserve. Anderson Bresnan Tremlett Broad, then also Finn, Dernbach, Onions, Shahzad waiting in the wings and all capable of playing at Test level.
Swann has been disappointing. If Tremlett is fit for next test, they might go with four main seamers. It would seem cruel to drop Bresnan, who is also the best batter of them (Well Broads not bad either, but Bresnan the better first class average)

I have some worries about the consistency of the batting, not least Strauss. All of the current sqaud are capable of making lots of runs, but they are not consistent.

I used to follow cricket all the time - I come from a cricketing family on my mother's side so it was never off the TV during the summer. I haven't watched as much of late, but have seen bits and pieces of both Test series this summer. I was impressed with Bresnan and felt he was unlucky not to get the MOM award but he was playing in a match with several other brilliant performances.

County-wise I used to follow Kent because it was my Dad's county (he was from the London part!) and now have a vague affiliation to Hampshire because I live there.

Strauss has been disappointing as have some other of the England openers from time to time. However they do have to face the new ball, so those batting at 3 and 4 might well find the job a bit easier.

I thought Broady was excellent, and yes Bresnan too. Good to see that our bowlers can also wield a handy bat.

And great to see Scott Elstone as 12th man taking a couple of catches.

I see you are Derbyshire, I watched them a bit when I worked at Spondon in 1969-70 , after leaving Nottm Uni ( Garry Sobers was also at Nottm whilst I was a student). But my childhood hero was Fred Trueman.

Kent, but they're not very good at the moment Bit like Charlton really...

OH is a Lancashire card holder.

oooooooo

I love watching cricket! However, I've struggled ever since the Ashes series of 2005 when every moment (well, that's the way I remember it) seemed to be key and full of drama!

My husband and I spent a fabulous summer in 2005 lounging around watching each test waiting for our first child to be born. He now proudly sports the name Vaughn (we dropped the second "a" to give him an out later in life!) as his middle name.

This last series against India has got me watching again - the idea of being the number 1 in the rankings has done it for me again!

As for county affiliation I spent a lot of my younger days in the 1990s watching Warwickshire win everything in sight but I now live in Yorkshire and don't really get to see too much live cricket - too much teaching and two small children have all but put paid to that!

Nice thread btw!

Catherine x

I can't be doing with test cricket but given that we know someone who works at Lancashire Cricket Club and it's right round the corner we have been to a few Twenty20 matches in the last year or so. That's quite fun, I like the blow up things you can bash, very entertaining. Also an experience to be in the members area and walking back to the bar to get food and literally bumping into the players walking out. Very different to football.

Gee, Hants have declared at 599 for 3 after Yorks made 532. Thats a lot of runs on that pitch !

There must be some pretty tired bowlers there.

I notice that Surrey are winning everything in the CB40 but doing pretty badly in everything else!

I used to go to the t20 games at the Oval but I don't go so much now as Surrey keep losing in that format. I did go to 1 day of their last County game though.

Live in Derbyshire now but a Notts lass at heart

another Yorkshire follower here

and England are indeed doing very well at the moment. The last couple of test matches have been great

This might only be village cricket an the youth game too but the Burwell U13 (aka 13s and under) the side MatthewD plays for one their Division and the County Championship this year. He might have only played in one match, but he was part of the squad, trained with them and everything. They did not loose a game (until the regionals)

The coach was delighted, what is more the lads staying in the side next year are some of the decent players and the ones coming up from th U11s are not too bad either. If MatthewD has a decent season in the nets this winter and keeps improoving his batting at his current rate he should be getting a more regular outing next season.

I was greeted at the clubhouse by the coach after the first practise session with 'your son can bat!' needs a bit of coaching, but he's going to be a good'un!

Mum has been a life-long Essex supporter so Cricket is in the blood.

If ever I get fit enough to play (i.e the fibro relents enough) I'll start training. The club would like to start a Ladies 11.

Well it looks like the test match will start tomorrow unless theres trouble in Birmingham tonight.
Tremlett is still unfit, so Bresnan will keep his place ( ). Bopara in for Trott.
Finn is also in the squad but I cant see him playing unless they drop Swann and go in without a recognised spinner.

Fair number of Counties represented...
Dad was Middlesex
Mum Essex
I'm Essex too after a couple of school friends got selected for the County. It is the closest First Class County to Cambridgeshire.

I don't count the University XI, although Fenners is very pretty. The ground at Valentines Park is pretty apparently both Gedall40 and mum used to attend games there at the same time, but they don't remember meeting each other despite being in the same year at school and the Girls and Boys Grammar Schools meeting up for debating, country dancing and tennis!

My Dad's a Yorkshireman, my Mum's a Lancastrian! Cricket season is interesting in our family! I chose the red rose!

Test Match has started. India 17 for 1 Sehwag ct behind off Broad for a duck.

YAY!!

Is Bopara back in the side now?

Yes he is playing. 32 for 1 now.

47-1...

India 65 for 3 now

Bresnan bowled Gambhir, who looked well set. Then Broad got his second -Tendulkar !!

75 for 4 at lunch. Bresnan has now clean bowled Dravid !

It was a good decision by Strauss on winning the toss, to put India in !
We could get them all out by tea, must get Laxman out first.

Anderson now in on the act, he bowled Raina. 92 for 5
Just need Laxman out now and the rest will crumble...... Well there's Dhoni as well

100 for 6. Bresnan removes Laxman

111 for 7 Bresnan and Broad now 3 wkts each

Dhoni is really having ago , and has taken 20 in 2 overs of Anderson and Broad. They are bowling too short.
Bring back Bresnan !

151 for 7 now

They did bring back Bresnan, and also forced England to bring fourth bowler Swann on. Kumar joins the fun by hitting him for two 4's 170 for 7. The scores looking more respectable now.

I am a bit worried they may keep hitting and hitting and be 500 all out

No Bresnans now removed Kumar ! 201 for 8

Fancy yourself as the next Richie Benaud, f#m?

Nice win for Yorkshire yesterday over Middlesex. Young Jonny Bairstow is a real prospect.

The Test Match has a delayed start , but the drizzle has cleared up now and some blue sky appeared. They hope to start at 11.30.
England on 84 for 0 in response to Indias 224.

Good to see Strauss getting some decent runs on the card this innings. Hopefully he has turned the corner and is now out of his bad patch. Lets see if he can stay in this morning and up his half century to a full one.

106 for 0

England scoring rather slowly.

Only the second day... I'd rather see a large total built in two days and India bowled out in short order again.

Runs are flowing again and wickets are not falling.

LUNCH England 157 for 0 Strauss 84no Cook 51 no

The 22 overs this morning yielded 73 runs.

167 for 0
Mishra , a slow bowler, has just managed 3 no balls in a single over.! Dhoni is absolutely livid ! Particulalry as Sreesanth did the same a couple of overs before lunch.

A wicket has fallen. Had almost forgotten what a wicket was.

Oh dear ! Strauss b Mishra for 87 ............ 186 for 1 now
Strauss misses the sweep and his leg stump is exposed !

Later edit, looks like it might have ben a no-ball that the umpire didnt spot.

First innings lead now 231 for 1. Bell was dropped by Dravid ...... Cook 87 not out now.
Bell has 33 from 34 balls.
This will be my last update today, as I'll be travelling shortly.

Are you travelling East Anglia wards?

Never thought I'd be saying this regularly...but England have been absolutely dominant. 456-3 at close. Cook on 182 n.o.

No Jod, in fact we will be coming down less now. We have had to take mother-in-law in to live with us now up here on the Wirral. Shes at that stage where we cant rely on her to look after herself, but she barely needs a nursing home yet. I will be down sometime on business though - because of my Easy Anglia connections, I handle all of our companys accounts in that area (2 in Sudbury, 1 in Bury, 2 in Thetford, 2 in Haverhill and a few others) . I will retire next March.

Three overs then stopped play......468 for 3.


Edit, only off 10 minutes, started again now.

Scoring rather too slowly this morning 476 for 3. Cook 194no Morgan 52no
Away from computer for a bit, back after lunch.

522 for 3 Cook 210 Morgan 77

Consensus seems to be that they'll declare at 600-620, and get a few Indians out this evening.

Bad light stopped play, but Cricinfo commentators say its not dark enough. Power problem with floodlights.
They came on briefly then went off again.

563 for 3 Cook 233 Morgan 89

Morgan is out caught off Raina at cover for 104, tries for an elevated drive over cover and does get the elevation.
Sehwag manages to hold it
Cook is 247 no

Total now 596 for 4. Bopara will finally get to bat !