The Cricket Thread

[officepest]

The pitch is a total road and I'd heavily back a draw, if I were a betting man.

Robin_L has just gone all in on a SA win

[officepest]

England all out for 323 to lead by 10. SA have been reduced to 70-8 in their second innings and England are closing in on what would be a magnificent series win.

[arseofacrow]

England all out for 323 to lead by 10. SA have been reduced to 70-8 in their second innings and England are closing in on what would be a magnificent series win.

Not long to go Offers me old mate.

50 up, only 24 required.

[northbank123]

Stuart Broad has a devastating ability to win Test matches in half an hour - against any side in the world.

And he is doing it more and more consistently. Did the same at Trent Bridge against the Aussies last summer and bowled out of his skin in woeful conditions for pace bowling in UAE against Pakistan.

Think he relishes stepping up and taking the lead, which bodes well for Anderson's inevitable demise.

[officepest]

The series is won but England are unsurprisingly collapsing in the fourth test rubber. It's becoming quite a tiresome habit.

England 50-3 and will have to bat all day tomorrow to salvage a draw, which ain't gonna happen.

[northbank123]

The series is won but England are unsurprisingly collapsing in the fourth test rubber. It's becoming quite a tiresome habit.

England 50-3 and will have to bat all day tomorrow to salvage a draw, which ain't gonna happen.

Don't think they've been helped much by the pitch which is on a sub-continent level in terms of favouring the side winning the toss. It is also difficult once you have conceded a first-innings deficit of 100+ runs batting second - unless you get 4 or 5 early wickets they are going to have so much freedom and the prospect of winning the game will evaporate pretty quickly.

That said it's no excuse for the batting collapse at the top of the order - Compton's dismissal in particular was brainless in the extreme.

[GranadaJoe]

Cricket is dying on its arse. I used to be upset but now I couldn't give a toss.

[arseofacrow]

Cricket is dying on its arse. I used to be upset but now I couldn't give a toss.

boom boom!

[officepest]

Wow. Even by English standards, that was a monumental collapse.

[OneBardGooner]

[casgooner]

England beat Sri Lanka by 10 runs and go through to the semis.

[nut flush gooner]

Quality result. I would be up for going to the final if England get there, but knowing my luck it would probably rain .

[Perryashburtongroves]

It got a bit nerve-wracking over the last two games but we're in the semi finals and look strong. NZ look good but India and Australia are both beatable.I think we've got a decent chance now.

[casgooner]

Come on England! Can we win the trophy against a team that has already beaten us by 6 wickets? Give it your best shot lads and keep Gayle quiet.

[northbank123]

Gayle is obviously a huge wicket as he can score centuries in this format for fun. That said England probably have more destructive batsmen who are capable at this level - if I was West Indies I would be even more worried.

Think it will come down to how England's bowling attack performs - if they get a decent shackle in West Indies' batting England will win.