What the actual fuck is that shot. Why is he trying to drive the ball on middle stump? Get in behind it you Yorkshire pillock. Crass stupidity.

Just now, den said:

Well I’m off in 15 mins, flask, fleece waterproof. Uncovered top tier exposed to the British weather.

looking forwards to watching Smith bat.

Wouldn't bother setting off until midday looking at the weather forecast. You might not see Smith today but you’ll probably see every English batsman twice.  

Heroics by Stokes at headingley in arguably the finest individual innings really papered over the cracks of a piss poor side. 

I think yesterday has to have been my worst ever days cricket. A test match at old Trafford in September and shock horror it was miserable.

From the 3rd ball the next 12 hours was like a death by a thousand cuts. A crisp packet blowing across the outfield and unsettling Smith was the nearest we came to getting him flustered. Need more from Archer today. The only reason to select him is his raw pace if he’s bowling at 75-85mph might as well play woakes or Curran. The question is whether that Lords spell is the exception or the rule. He’s not done it since so alarm bells are ringing.

Then got home to watch Lancs in an empty stadium a 300 miles round trip away. Thank you sky/ecb. What Vilas was thinking bowling livi instead of Mahmood or Gleeson I’ll never know. Arrogance and stupidity cost us there. 

The golden generation of 2004 certainly took the view that club was more important than country. And what was it Carragher said in his book I felt bad missing a penalty for England but at least it wasn’t for Liverpool. 

For me it’s a close run thing always used to be club across the board but in all honesty since the Venkys and Kean some love for rovers died in me. Particularly the Kean era of the club vs the fans.

That said if I was to rank my desirable honours it would be:

1 rovers win prem

2 England win world cup

3 England win euros

4 rovers win fa cup

5 rovers win league cup 

6 rovers get any sort of promotion 

7 England win nations league etc.

Perhaps Roy should be putting in the hard yards in the county championship if he wants to be a successful test cricketer  but I wouldn’t expect that while there is the ££££ of the IPL

Just now, den said:

Denley opening and Roy at No 4 leaves us looking weak up top in my opinion.

Agreed. Problem is for all Denly in all probability is not a test match opener he is probably more suited to it than Roy is. Another problem is Roy isn’t a number 4 either. One of our many number 7s

Woakes must not have been fit then. Presumably why he hasn’t bowled. I put it down to Roots shall we say iffy captaincy. Doesn’t take too many injuries for England to look weak even in bowling dept. That said Overton is probably 5th choice reserve once jimmy, Wood, stone and woakes are out.

I would consider myself as a fan of most sports but I’ve never really liked American sports. But in the past 12 months I’ve been to an NFL game in London and a baseball game at Yankee stadium. 

Maybe it was partly because didn’t know what was going on at either game and even as a fan of the traditionally boring domestic sports like cricket, golf, f1 I found them both terribly dull. 

The NFL was Seattle vs Oakland I think. We were in there for 4 hours and I’d wager there wasn’t 10 minutes of game play in all that time.

The baseball was yankees vs Red Sox. Apparently their Man Utd vs Liverpool/Lancashire vs Yorkshire derby grudge match. All I’ll say is there was more atmosphere at a bog standard t20 match in Worcester. Perhaps it’s the fact they play 200 games a season but it was a snooze fest. 

As for the Americans themselves they confirmed what I’ve always thought. They have bags of enthusiasm without any passion. They’re all donned head to toe in official merc, from various teams, but I suspect a negative result doesn’t impact on their day whatsoever. 

Shame for Jimmy only 25 wickets off 600. If he gets fit and he’s still got the hunger there’s definitely a place for him. But at mid 30s, young family etc 3 winter tours to New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka might just be enough for him to say sod it.

As for lancs another record non roses crowd last night of 15,196. Shame the home game in bloody Durham on a Wednesday.

The ECB/Sky aren’t fit for purpose. The ECB schedule their premier domestic tournament (in terms of revenue) at the same time as an ashes test match. Then show zero consideration to Lancs fans who’ve been dealt a bum hand by not putting them on Saturday. Also with rain delays day one can go to 7pm which clashes with the start of the t20s and if there’s lost overs days 2 onwards could go on past 7pm in which case sky will have scheduling conflicts.

Suppose cricket isn’t any different to football in that the considerations are 1 money, 2 money, 3 money, 4 money, 5 TV, 6 clubs/players and rock bottom the fans. 

Will give Lancs the benefit of the doubt as not a full strength attack and let’s say they were in first gear having guaranteed top 2.

But disappointed particularly as anyone new in the nearly 15,000 won’t be rushing back for high octane action. Bizarre game. Should have won that even though technically we were never really ahead in game and never looked like winning. After a decent start with the bat it’s almost like we chose to lose by prodding about for singles then once both settled batsmen were out we panicked by swinging aimlessly. Strange game really strange. 

Im sure they won’t fold Anderson will be trying to limit his future exposure to claims from third parties. So dragging it out. Football just attracts some horrendous people. Crooks in suits. 

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2019/august/statement-on-behalf-of-paul-appleton-joint-administrator-for-bolton-wanderers4/

Certainly have no fondness for noblot but the way the football league and everyone else involved has handled this is a disgrace to football. Bury next. Then when the venkys get bored of their baby it’ll be us  

England won. Lancs won guaranteed top 2. Yorkshire lost cant qualify. Dingles conceded in 90+5. I’ll take that for a day.

I think that was better than the World Cup win.

Best isolated England win I’ve ever seen

Never in doubt ?. We were down and out. Unbelievable 

An over at leach though. 

Lyon!!!!!!!!!! Knight that man

8 to win. 1 wicket. 

4 6 6. 21 required. This will be so cruel 

Great 100 for stokes will be such a tragedy it’ll be in a heart breaking losing cause. 

Just now, Husky said:

Yeah it's annoying that - talk about being blinkered. A decent over goes for less than 10.

You haven't bowled a heroic over just because you end up not losing. Otherwise going for 27 off the last over when defending 28 could be considered heroic etc.

You’d think he bowled a triple wicket maiden they way they deify it.