Analysis The Cricket Thread 2025/26

[Lach72]

Jacques Kallis has to be top 5

Edit: sorry just realised you said batters.

Kallis should still be in it

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Kallis should still be in it

There will never be another cricketer like him. There have been some great all rounders but he is in the all-time top echelon of batters and bowlers

 

[Piggy Smalls]

There will never be another cricketer like him. There have been some great all rounders but he is in the all-time top echelon of batters and bowlers

Actually, just checked and bowling average of 32 is good but not anywhere near top echelon. Still, best all-rounder.

 

[Chris25]

Roughly 74 overs in a day is disgusting.

There needs to be a serious punishment to stop it.

I think the last half hour was the punishment. They deserved every run against for not getting the second new ball.

 

[BStaff17]

Utter rubbish from Australia tonight

Was not being 1/10 worth giving up 60 runs

 

[Docker82]

Actually, just checked and bowling average of 32 is good but not anywhere near top echelon. Still, best all-rounder.

Kallis wouldn't have made the first choice XI of half the teams he played for if he averaged below 20 with the bat.

If he didn't bowl he'd make pretty much every team in history.

Big difference between his batting and bowling but I'm not sure anyone in history has been a third/fourth seamer averaging less than 30 whilst still averaging 50+ with the ball. That has to be said too.

Tbh I'd rather someone like Kallis than a guy who's a test standard bowler and bats in the top six despite barely scoring more runs than no.8 and no.9. Feel we've been there a bit searching for an all rounder tbh.

 

[mattis117]

I agree with comments regarding the over rate, absolute disgrace. They're an hour and a half behind. Unacceptable and we should be punished for it.

 

[Barnabus]

Isn't there a point when the captain gets suspended for a slow over rate?

 

[go_the_dockers]

I think the last half hour was the punishment. They deserved every run against for not getting the second new ball.

As soon as they moved everyone back to the fence, they deserved what they got.

At least 4 catches went very high and landed safely.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I agree with comments regarding the over rate, absolute disgrace. They're an hour and a half behind. Unacceptable and we should be punished for it.

Isn't there a point when the captain gets suspended for a slow over rate?

The penalties are not enough to change behaviour.

They should increase the penalties until the behaviour changes. I think if you are more than 5 overs behind after the extra 30 mins, then one player misses the next game. (Either captain or oppositions choice)

 

[Lach72]

I’d say we’ll never see four quicks again if they start doing that.

There’s almost no chance of meeting with four guys coming off the long run

 

[Taylor]

Utter rubbish from Australia tonight

Was not being 1/10 worth giving up 60 runs

That discussion point goes both directions, if England declared to bowl at Australia for half an hour in the dark and took a few wickets - is it worth 60 runs?

 

[BarbieITFC]

Not had a chance to get online for 2-3 days to make any comments in the build up (or during yesterday). A really strange days cricket for someone only able to check the scores every 45 minutes or so; but that's the beauty of test cricket - you should never really know who's on top until day 3/4.

Really enjoyed the last hour even though I was imploring us to declare when we got to 275. Very strange tactics to put almost everyone out on the boundary and could end up being big mistake.

Great to finally see a batsman from either side play a test match innings and actually value their wicket - because despite the brutal majesty of Head's innings, that wasn't test match batting.

Feels like the game is very much in the balance and it will only take a similar innings from a Smith or Labuschagne to put Australia on top - and the four ducks in our top seven will come back to haunt us.

Very pleased I might actually get to sit down and watch some cricket on Saturday.

 

[BarbieITFC]

That discussion point goes both directions, if England declared to bowl at Australia for half an hour in the dark and took a few wickets - is it worth 60 runs?

Let's say we put on 25-35 runs and declared/were bowled out for 290-295 then I'm not sure it's worth it (and I was on the sofa shouting at the TV for them to declare when they were on 280) - but I'm pretty happy with it ending up being 60 runs to push us well past 300.

If I was a betting man though I'd be putting a lot on England all out within 10 balls when play resumes.

 

[Cam Payne]

That pitch is incredibly easy to bat on. Australia will be 200 in front on day 3 and you'll all look like a bunch of wee wee's.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I’d say we’ll never see four quicks again if they start doing that.

There’s almost no chance of meeting with four guys coming off the long run

Yeah maybe, but if they don't do something it will get slower and slower.

At the end Australia went deliberately slow and the punishment if any, is not effective in stopping the behaviour.
I think if we pushed yesterday, we could have bowled 5 more overs at least.

 

[poshman]

Yeah maybe, but if they don't do something it will get slower and slower.

At the end Australia went deliberately slow and the punishment if any, is not effective in stopping the behaviour.
I think if we pushed yesterday, we could have bowled 5 more overs at least.

And we want those overs in the evening.

Watching our other three quicks... their isn't much inspiring is there.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Let's say we put on 25-35 runs and declared/were bowled out for 290-295 then I'm not sure it's worth it (and I was on the sofa shouting at the TV for them to declare when they were on 280) - but I'm pretty happy with it ending up being 60 runs to push us well past 300.

If I was a betting man though I'd be putting a lot on England all out within 10 balls when play resumes.

And I would have lost my money by four balls...

 

[largebus]

Gotta give credit to Archer but again these shithouse tactics to the tail, does my head in

 

[go_the_dockers]

And we want those overs in the evening.

Watching our other three quicks... their isn't much inspiring is there.

It really showed the chasm in difference between Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood and everyone else.

Boland looks a level below them despite how good his average is.

 

[poshman]

It really showed the chasm in difference between Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood and everyone else.

Boland looks a level below them despite how good his average is.

Boland is boosted by a couple of great spells. He has looked the same as the other two.

What is the timeline on Hazelwood?

Cummins in next test will be a boost!

 

[go_the_dockers]

Boland is boosted by a couple of great spells. He has looked the same as the other two.

What is the timeline on Hazelwood?

Cummins in next test will be a boost!

Late in the series, so maybe the 4th test.

 

[Dump Truck]

Classic England getting a ball change when things aren't going their way.

 

[#1JohnHuttonFan]

That pitch is incredibly easy to bat on. Australia will be 200 in front on day 3 and you'll all look like a bunch of wee wee's.

100%

 

[go_the_dockers]

Boland is boosted by a couple of great spells. He has looked the same as the other two.

What is the timeline on Hazelwood?

Cummins in next test will be a boost!

Hazelwood just suffered a set back. Achilles soreness, it has pushed him back a bit.