11 wickets in the day & there's still 26 overs left today. 1st ever Test match at Lords in September & good job there is rain tomorrow otherwise the game could be all over before sunday.
Don't you just love cricket in England in the autumn.
It's not the first ever Test at Lords in September, it's the first to start in September. The 1980 Centenary Test started in August but finished in September. I know, because I was there.
11 wickets in the day & there's still 26 overs left today. 1st ever Test match at Lords in September & good job there is rain tomorrow otherwise the game could be all over before sunday.
Don't you just love cricket in England in the autumn.
It's not the first ever Test at Lords in September, it's the first to start in September. The 1980 Centenary Test started in August but finished in September. I know, because I was there.
I think I've drunk more today than any other day I've seen at lords. And I've Seen a fair few day ones! £22 awesome tickets in grandstand. Restricted view. Couldn't see about an inch of the outfield.
Each time we drop a batsman we have an unerring ability to find a worse player as his replacement. Kudos to the selectors for going on an such an incredible run.
11 wickets in the day & there's still 26 overs left today. 1st ever Test match at Lords in September & good job there is rain tomorrow otherwise the game could be all over before sunday.
Don't you just love cricket in England in the autumn.
It's not the first ever Test at Lords in September, it's the first to start in September. The 1980 Centenary Test started in August but finished in September. I know, because I was there.
So was I.
I reckon I got around 60 or 70 former player autographs over the three days I was there. Half of them were Australians, including Bill Ponsford, Bill O' Reilly, Jack Fingleton, "Stork" Hendry and Ray Lindwall.
11 wickets in the day & there's still 26 overs left today. 1st ever Test match at Lords in September & good job there is rain tomorrow otherwise the game could be all over before sunday.
Don't you just love cricket in England in the autumn.
It's not the first ever Test at Lords in September, it's the first to start in September. The 1980 Centenary Test started in August but finished in September. I know, because I was there.
As a game it was crap....sadly not a patch on the 1977 classic in Melbourne. It was spoiled by the weather but also by England's timid approach on the final day.
But it was not without some good bits. The most memorable for me was, sitting square on and seeing Kim Hughes come down the wicket to either Chris Old or Mike Hendrick to hit a fantastic straight six down the gap between the Nursery End Stands. Sensational footwork and I've since heard a recording of the Test Match Special commentary of the moment, by Lindsay Hassett. He too, was enthralled by what Kim Hughes did.
11 wickets in the day & there's still 26 overs left today. 1st ever Test match at Lords in September & good job there is rain tomorrow otherwise the game could be all over before sunday.
Don't you just love cricket in England in the autumn.
It's not the first ever Test at Lords in September, it's the first to start in September. The 1980 Centenary Test started in August but finished in September. I know, because I was there.
As a game it was crap....sadly not a patch on the 1977 classic in Melbourne. It was spoiled by the weather but also by England's timid approach on the final day.
But it was not without some good bits. The most memorable for me was, sitting square on and seeing Kim Hughes come down the wicket to either Chris Old or Mike Hendrick to hit a fantastic straight six down the gap between the Nursery End Stands. Sensational footwork and I've since heard a recording of the Test Match Special commentary of the moment, by Lindsay Hassett. He too, was enthralled by what Kim Hughes did.
Hughes also majestically lifted Chris Old into the pavilion. Hughes played beautifully in both innings. It was repayment for me as I'd suffered his debut at The Oval 3 years earlier when he batted for about an hour for 1 or 2 runs. Hughes was a fantastic player and really could and should have become an all time great. The poor lad though had "greatness" thrust upon his shoulders at the age of about 12. Many only remember his tearful resignation press conference but his story runs deeper. He was so badly treated by his senior players, both when they were playing and when they retired. If you're interested in this period of Australian cricket like I am may I suggest reading the book Golden Boy:Kim Hughes and the bad old days of Australian cricket by Christopher Ryan, not the bloke from the Young Ones. The match also marked one of many returns for my favourite batsman, David Gower. After some poor scores against the Windies earlier that summer he had been dropped but was recalled for this match. He confirmed his place on the winter tour to the Caribbean with free flowing 40's in both innings. I clearly remember him whipping Lillee quite a few times off his legs through midwicket. It was the second time I'd seen the great Greg Chappell play his last Test in England as he had announced his retirement from Test cricket before the Oval Test in 1977 but of course he came back after the Packer/ABC truce. Chappell then spent the first half of the 80's picking and choosing when and where he played for Australia, which was usually at home only and he often reassumed the captaincy after his successor Hughes had done the hard yards abroad. Both Greg and his brother Ian were instrumental in Hughes sad decline as a Test player. Also there was controversy when one or two MCC members abused the umpires for not resuming play during a rain break.
Well that was different. Going to a September Test Match felt strange on the way there and it felt strange all day. We were in the back row of the Grandstand and it was very chilly. I'm not sure how they continued playing that last half hour, it seemed far too dark to me (even with floodlights) with a red ball. I've not seen worse batting conditions in terms of bad light. We retired to the inside bar for the last hour before we froze. Very strange day.
The famous 5th Test v Australia in 2005 didn't start till 8th September. I was there on the last day and it was very warm but then it was in South London and the weather is always better there.
Westley and Malan both failing again. Surely Sam Northeast starts to get a look in now?
only issue is that NE gets his runs against Division 2 bowlers .. just like Ben Duckett
His century the other day was in conditions similar to Lords currently (up in Durham) and against a bowling attack of Mark Wood, Graham Onions and Chris Rushworth. That has to make the selectors take a bit of notice.
The problem with the two divisions, is that if Div 2 is significantly inferior to Div 1, and you don't pick Div 2 players as a result, you'e automatically excluding 10 out of the 18 counties, only leaving 8 to find England players from!
The problem is with county cricket as a whole in this country, not much difference between Div 1 or 2 really but an unmeasurable gap between county and international cricket.
slender lead at the moment - anything above a lead of 50 would be priceless , but with the ball still swinging I think we could be all out for under 150.
slender lead at the moment - anything above a lead of 50 would be priceless , but with the ball still swinging I think we could be all out for under 150.
Comments
Northeast deserves a callup?
I reckon I got around 60 or 70 former player autographs over the three days I was there. Half of them were Australians, including Bill Ponsford, Bill O' Reilly, Jack Fingleton, "Stork" Hendry and Ray Lindwall.
But it was not without some good bits. The most memorable for me was, sitting square on and seeing Kim Hughes come down the wicket to either Chris Old or Mike Hendrick to hit a fantastic straight six down the gap between the Nursery End Stands. Sensational footwork and I've since heard a recording of the Test Match Special commentary of the moment, by Lindsay Hassett. He too, was enthralled by what Kim Hughes did.
The match also marked one of many returns for my favourite batsman, David Gower. After some poor scores against the Windies earlier that summer he had been dropped but was recalled for this match. He confirmed his place on the winter tour to the Caribbean with free flowing 40's in both innings. I clearly remember him whipping Lillee quite a few times off his legs through midwicket. It was the second time I'd seen the great Greg Chappell play his last Test in England as he had announced his retirement from Test cricket before the Oval Test in 1977 but of course he came back after the Packer/ABC truce. Chappell then spent the first half of the 80's picking and choosing when and where he played for Australia, which was usually at home only and he often reassumed the captaincy after his successor Hughes had done the hard yards abroad. Both Greg and his brother Ian were instrumental in Hughes sad decline as a Test player.
Also there was controversy when one or two MCC members abused the umpires for not resuming play during a rain break.
We were in the back row of the Grandstand and it was very chilly.
I'm not sure how they continued playing that last half hour, it seemed far too dark to me (even with floodlights) with a red ball. I've not seen worse batting conditions in terms of bad light.
We retired to the inside bar for the last hour before we froze. Very strange day.
By the way, NORTHANTS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD