#BazBall - WTF

[lemmon]

-506 runs on Day 1 of a test yesterday...and they did it in 75 overs
-The most-ever runs on the first day of a test match
-The second-most runs on a test match day (ever). They were 3 runs off the record and...THEY DID IT IN 75 overs
-The first time a team has ever had 4 centurions on the first day of a test
-The most runs (174) in the first session of a test in 120 years
-The fastest opening 200 run partnership ever and the third-fastest for any wicket
-Three players to make a century at faster than a run a ball - the only time it's ever happened in a test, lest alone in an innings.

Stats from Cricinfo

So my questions are, what the bloody hell are we watching? Is it a cricket revolution? Is it pitches that are too flat? Will it work against a better attack? Will they keep playing this way?

Whether the wheels fall off or not, the way they've played under McCullum is incredible. They've taken the game and flipped it on its head. Have to admire the innovation.

[Bornadog]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

Surely the pitches have something to do with it. They seem to favour the batsmen more and more. Do people really want to see runs, runs, runs, or do they want a contest between bat and ball?

The Perth pitch was meant to favour fast bowlers, but they didn't make any in roads yesterday. Australia's dismissals were from spin and a medium pacer plus Medium fast bowler.

Will be interesting today to see how our fast bowlers go, or will Lyon get the wickets

[Axe Man]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

The same pitch was dead when we played there as well and officially rated poor after the match. Local pitch doctoring backfired it seems.

Bizarre team selections from both sides but England's have paid off so far. They only have 3 bowlers plus Stokes as the 4th so they could also struggle on a flat wicket.

[Axe Man]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

Surely the pitches have something to do with it. They seem to favour the batsmen more and more. Do people really want to see runs, runs, runs, or do they want a contest between bat and ball?

The Perth pitch was meant to favour fast bowlers, but they didn't make any in roads yesterday. Australia's dismissals were from spin and a medium pacer plus Medium fast bowler.

Will be interesting today to see how our fast bowlers go, or will Lyon get the wickets

Sad to see the Perth wicket slow, was always great seeing the pace and bounce of the WACA.

[Sedat]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

England backed up their 6.50 runs an over in the 1st innings with 7.36 runs an over in the 2nd innings, declaring at 264 after only 35.5 overs. It is insane what they are doing to test cricket - I love it and hope they can succeed more often than not.

Their super-fast scoring and sporting declaration has also made a contest of this test, despite the disgusting road of a wicket hardly deserving it. More power to them.

[dog town]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

Interesting to see what this will do to England’s bowlers. They prepared noticeably flatter pitches in the English summer to suit this new style, to me that does take away some of their seam/swing bowling strengths.

[Grantysghost]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

England backed up their 6.50 runs an over in the 1st innings with 7.36 runs an over in the 2nd innings, declaring at 264 after only 35.5 overs. It is insane what they are doing to test cricket - I love it and hope they can succeed more often than not.

Their super-fast scoring and sporting declaration has also made a contest of this test, despite the disgusting road of a wicket hardly deserving it. More power to them.

Should be more bowler conducive early doors in a test match, try to slog a nice outswinger pitched up.

[Bornadog]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

England backed up their 6.50 runs an over in the 1st innings with 7.36 runs an over in the 2nd innings, declaring at 264 after only 35.5 overs. It is insane what they are doing to test cricket - I love it and hope they can succeed more often than not.

Their super-fast scoring and sporting declaration has also made a contest of this test, despite the disgusting road of a wicket hardly deserving it. More power to them.

They are talking about 1000 runs in first innings at some point.

[GVGjr]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

To me most test supporters want to see a game where there is a decent balance in between ball and bat but it's really up to the curators to get wickets that offer a bit to both. 500 runs in a day is way too high from my perspective.

[Sedat]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

To me most test supporters want to see a game where there is a decent balance in between ball and bat but it's really up to the curators to get wickets that offer a bit to both. 500 runs in a day is way too high from my perspective.

It is but Pakistan batted 55 extra overs in their 1st innings and scored 80 runs less. England are scoring at rates never before seen in test cricket and I applaud them for it. As I said earlier, this pitch doesn't deserve to have a grandstand finish on day 5 but England's prodigious scoring rate (and generous declaration in the 2nd innings) has breathed life into a test that would otherwise have drifted into a boring draw.

Not sure how Bazball is going to go against the Australian pace attack with the swinging duke on English greentops - that will be the real test.

[GVGjr]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

I see Joe Root was batting left handed at times and doing well. A new trend?

[Flamethrower]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

The pitch at Rawalpindi is a joke - it looks like a slab of concrete - and the outfield is lightning fast. It is a bowler's worst nightmare. It seemed the only way to get a wicket is to wait until a batsman got bored of making easy runs.

Give me a raging turner, a seaming green top or anything that favours the bowlers any day over a batsman's paradise.

[Grantysghost]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

The pitch at Rawalpindi is a joke - it looks like a slab of concrete - and the outfield is lightning fast. It is a bowler's worst nightmare. It seemed the only way to get a wicket is to wait until a batsman got bored of making easy runs.

Give me a raging turner, a seaming green top or anything that favours the bowlers any day over a batsman's paradise.

Id just set a leg side field, go around and bowl into their ribs.

[Bornadog]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

Pakistan have collapsed and need 75 runs to win with 9 out

[Sedat]

Re: #BazBall - WTF

What a brilliant test, no thanks to the pitch. England really deserved that. Test match cricket rules.

I doubt a team has ever won a test match batting 105 overs less than the opposition over the course of the match.