7 runs from 103 balls = immortality!

[Junaids]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

 

[AFM]

But according to Bumble, it was the pitch that won in the end.

 

[IndianFan2018]

You won't write thread without ridiculing Team India / Indian Legends / BCCI

 

[WengerOut]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] I know of a 17 year old player doing that on his first tour of England

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

 

[WildSwing]

It was a great effort but to call it most exciting batting is going too far

 

[Dead Ball]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

Since you're a proud Englishman, you would surely remember Tendulkar's first ever century in England against England was a superb rearguard century? Tendulkar and Prabhakar both played more than 50 overs among themselves iirc and stayed not out till the end to save the test.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/16585/scorecard/63535/england-vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

Great performance by NZ today! Also, just got to know that this was their first series victory against England at home since 1984! Congrats NZ

 

[Junaids]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] I know of a 17 year old player doing that on his first tour of England

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

Since you're a proud Englishman, you would surely remember Tendulkar's first ever century in England against England was a superb rearguard century? Tendulkar and Prabhakar both played more than 50 overs among themselves iirc and stayed not out till the end to save the test.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/16585/scorecard/63535/england-vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

Great performance by NZ today! Also, just got to know that this was their first series victory against England at home since 1984! Congrats NZ

Ha ha, you’re totally right!

It’s the point I often make about Sachin. He was better at 17 than 27 or 37.

He’s not the only superb batsman who didn’t often have the stomach to save lost causes in the fourth innings. Lara and Steve Waugh were just as bad.

 

[Junaids]

Since you're a proud Englishman, you would surely remember Tendulkar's first ever century in England against England was a superb rearguard century? Tendulkar and Prabhakar both played more than 50 overs among themselves iirc and stayed not out till the end to save the test.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/16585/scorecard/63535/england-vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

Great performance by NZ today! Also just got to know that this was their first series victory against England at home since 1984! Congrats NZ

1983-84 was actually hilarious.

At Lancaster Park, Richard Hadlee scored 99, then bowled out England for 82 and 93 all out!

 

[Oligochaetes]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] I know of a 17 year old player doing that on his first tour of England

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

I never knew this... Wow!

you should take a pic of the score card and post as image.

 

[Oligochaetes]

It’s the point I often make about Sachin. He was better at 17 than 27 or 37.

.

Benjamin Button?

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] Mo / Woakes would have cleaned up the tail, these losers deserve it for their pro Yorkshire policies

 

[jnaveen1980]

Ha ha, you’re totally right!

It’s the point I often make about Sachin. He was better at 17 than 27 or 37.

He’s not the only superb batsman who didn’t often have the stomach to save lost causes in the fourth innings. Lara and Steve Waugh were just as bad.

Lot of west Indian tailenders have done that. Ishant sharma even helped India won when they were dead and buried at 135/8.

 

[shokz1408]

Lot of west Indian tailenders have done that. Ishant sharma even helped India won when they were dead and buried at 135/8.

In terms of Ishant Sharma, what I recall most is India losing what was a great test match vs Australia many years ago. Ishant Sharma couldn't hang with Anil Kumble, and lost the final wicket I believe on either the 2nd last or last over of the final day of the test match.

 

[TM Riddle]

Why mention Tendulkar at all, what purpose does it serve?

 

[jnaveen1980]

In terms of Ishant Sharma, what I recall most is India losing what was a great test match vs Australia many years ago. Ishant Sharma couldn't hang with Anil Kumble, and lost the final wicket I believe on either the 2nd last or last over of the final day of the test match.

A tailender not lasting few balls is easier than tailender lasting lot of balls. That is why i brought up thte innings where he helped India win. That test was won because of Steve bucknor not because Ishant not being able to hang around.

 

[BreadPakoda]

Why mention Tendulkar at all, what purpose does it serve?

SRT and Bradman set the gold standard of batting. Their performances will always get compared with every great/historic batting effort. Nothing wrong imo.

 

[Gubol123]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

Why bring India into this? If I remember correctly Sachin first hundred was similar

 

[jagatk]

Why mention Tendulkar at all, what purpose does it serve?

Some people are addicted to bashing Indians they get restless if they can't, since bcci handout nonsense is out with the big money deals Tendulkar is the next on the list.

 

[USofA]

The key question here is how many people actually watched it? Also how often does this happen in tests?

 

[jnaveen1980]

NZ pitches are easier on last day. Many of the great innings in NZ came in the 2nd innings. NOt 1st innings. I remember Gambhir batted for close to 11 hours to save a Test in NZ. Remember Astle's assault. That came on last day too.

 

[BreadPakoda]

The key question here is how many people actually watched it? Also how often does this happen in tests?

Tickets cheap, stands empty. NZCB has been struggling to attract crowds.

 

[USofA]

Tickets cheap, stands empty. NZCB has been struggling to attract crowds.

I think NZ will be the first board to move completely away from test cricket. They have already started moving in that direction.

 

[RickyG]

[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] Mo / Woakes would have cleaned up the tail, these losers deserve it for their pro Yorkshire policies

Correct me if I'm wrong but the only two Yorkshire players in the team are the most worthy ones as batsmen at least (Root and Bairstow).

 

[Napa]

This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

Your obsession with India borders on the pathological.

 

[Zain]

7 off 103, sounds like a knock mike atherton would be proud off

 

[bujhee kom]

Stout defensive is a great thing in Test cricket.

 

[USofA]

Stout defensive is a great thing in Test cricket.

But how is it for the viewing and more importantly the paying fans?

 

[bujhee kom]

But how is it for the viewing and more importantly the paying fans?

Depends on the fan. I like such passages of play.

 

[USofA]

Depends on the fan. I like such passages of play.

Fortunately or unfortunately you (kind of fan) seem to be in the minority. The majority of the fans are rocketing towards T20.

 

[bujhee kom]

Fortunately or unfortunately you (kind of fan) seem to be in the minority. The majority of the fans are rocketing towards T20.

I enjoy that too. Different products.

 

[rhony]

I enjoyed the NZ Eng game as well but the crowd want to see actual victories, not moral winners. As the Yanks always say, "play for 5 days for a stalemate? Might as well sit at home and watch baseball".

 

[soso_killer]

Nothing beats rearguard.

 

[Junaids]

But how is it for the viewing and more importantly the paying fans?

It was thrilling: you couldn’t take your eyes off a single ball.

FYI the ground was totally sold out for four of the five days, which were the Easter long weekend.

 

[Justcrazy]

It was a very good effort , no doubt. It was almost a lost cause for kiwis till that point

 

[Last Monetarist]

Only unintelligent and unsophisticated philistines would not appreciate the beauty of that rearguard. Lovely stuff.

 

[silentkiller187]

I think NZ will be the first board to move completely away from test cricket. They have already started moving in that direction.

If you watch Kane Williamsons press conference at the end, the NZ players actually want more test cricket, i think they will replace Australia soon as the dominant Oceania side.

 

[Big Mac]

[MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION] Mo / Woakes would have cleaned up the tail, these losers deserve it for their pro Yorkshire policies

I've seen some people praise Leach's performance as showing what a "proper spinner" is capable of. Apparently proper spinners manage two gift wickets on the fifth day

England have found out the hard way that you don't cross Birmingham

 

[HitWicket]

It was thrilling: you couldn’t take your eyes off a single ball.

FYI the ground was totally sold out for four of the five days, which were the Easter long weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed the test but that's rubbish. The ground wasn't even at half capacity overall for a single day of the test.

 

[Sachin136]

Only unintelligent and unsophisticated philistines would not appreciate the beauty of that rearguard. Lovely stuff.

Here we go again with the elitist attitude. How much of a superiority complex does one need to be elitist over what type of innings they enjoy watching?

 

[Rahul1]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

The match was between New Zealand and England.

Played in New Zealand.

None of the umpires of the match referee was Indian.

I doubt there was a single Indian in the crowd.

But still you had to drag Sachin into it for reasons only you can tell.

 

[Junaids]

The match was between New Zealand and England.

Played in New Zealand.

None of the umpires of the match referee was Indian.

I doubt there was a single Indian in the crowd.

But still you had to drag Sachin into it for reasons only you can tell.

I did so to try to light-heartedly make a really important point.

It's relatively easy to bat in the first 3 innings of the game. Openers have to face the greenest conditions on Day1, but there is relatively little mental pressure to overcome.

Batting in the fourth innings is hard. If the pitch is going to break up, that's when it's going to break up.

But most of all, it's when you have to either score the runs to win - which is relatively easier if your bowlers have set it up - or you have to dig in and bat time to save the match.

It's where the mentally tough players rise to the top. But it's also where the mentally weaker players just struggle.

Why did New Zealand save yesterday's Test after Kane Williamson - whom I consider to be mentally rather frail - was the second wicket down to the second ball from Stuart Broad?

Because Neil Wagner is as tough as they come. He was willing to put his body on the line to save the Test, and he did.

A few weeks ago I commented that Neil Wagner and Mitchell Starc have virtually identical Test bowling records.

Mitchell Starc: 182 wickets in 43 matches at an average of 28.17
Neil Wagner: 149 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 28.26

The weird thing is, Wagner's innings of 7 from 103 balls turns out to have been a better, more important knock than Starc's 99 at Mohali in an innings of 408.

It's all about character.

 

[Wonderwoman]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

What has SRT got to do with any of this. Your obsession with the God of Cricket is getting embarrassing now

 

[RamLakhan]

Pujara and Ishant can do it batting left handed...

 

[GullyCricketFlop]

Good grit and determination shown by Wagner and Sodhi

 

[Mainul]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] I know of a 17 year old player doing that on his first tour of England

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...vs-india-2nd-test-india-tour-of-england-1990/

That is a great reply.
Yes,Tendulkar's bravery and reaguard action saved India in that match.

 

[IndianFan2018]

I did so to try to light-heartedly make a really important point.

It's relatively easy to bat in the first 3 innings of the game. Openers have to face the greenest conditions on Day1, but there is relatively little mental pressure to overcome.

Batting in the fourth innings is hard. If the pitch is going to break up, that's when it's going to break up.

But most of all, it's when you have to either score the runs to win - which is relatively easier if your bowlers have set it up - or you have to dig in and bat time to save the match.

It's where the mentally tough players rise to the top. But it's also where the mentally weaker players just struggle.

Why did New Zealand save yesterday's Test after Kane Williamson - whom I consider to be mentally rather frail - was the second wicket down to the second ball from Stuart Broad?

Because Neil Wagner is as tough as they come. He was willing to put his body on the line to save the Test, and he did.

A few weeks ago I commented that Neil Wagner and Mitchell Starc have virtually identical Test bowling records.

Mitchell Starc: 182 wickets in 43 matches at an average of 28.17
Neil Wagner: 149 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 28.26

The weird thing is, Wagner's innings of 7 from 103 balls turns out to have been a better, more important knock than Starc's 99 at Mohali in an innings of 408.

It's all about character.

Slow clap for your light hearted comment ..which rightly pointed out as statement made in bad taste by sensible PPers

 

[Tusker]

Ha ha, you’re totally right!

It’s the point I often make about Sachin. He was better at 17 than 27 or 37.

He’s not the only superb batsman who didn’t often have the stomach to save lost causes in the fourth innings. Lara and Steve Waugh were just as bad.

Tendulkar at 35 : http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...gland-1st-test-england-tour-of-india-2008-09/

BTW if you call this 5th day pitch at Christchurch as a deteriorated pitch then I can assure you that such deterioration occurs by the 4th day itself on many of the Dry pitches in India. But don't let that get in the way of your hate. Keep the fire burning ... surely at some point your cognitive dissonance will triumph over reality !!

 

[bujhee kom]

If 4th innings is trumps in determining a batsman's standing then YK is #1.

 

[R3verse Swing]

Proving why Test cricket is the best.

Give me 5 days of drama/tension over 5 hours of T20 Leagues, any day of the week!

Only in Test cricket can Tuk Tuk style be gripping!

 

[Fire Bird]

As a proud Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Neil Wagner and Ish Sodhi for playing the best two innings I have seen in years.

Their eighth wicket partnership of 37 runs in 31.2 overs was the most exciting batting that I have seen in many, many years.

And it worked! They saved a Test which was a lost cause at Tea, when England were three wickets from victory.

Never let anyone tell you that T20 or 50 over cricket produce the most exciting batting.

Nothing beats a fifth day Test rearguard for thrills. This is the ultimate in cricket - the one thing that Sachin Tendulkar was incapable of.

The point at which mental strength prevails! All nine fielders within six feet of the batsman!

Nobody starts their sentences with "As a proud Englishman" not even an Englishman

 

[jnaveen1980]

Tendulkar at 35 : http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...gland-1st-test-england-tour-of-india-2008-09/

BTW if you call this 5th day pitch at Christchurch as a deteriorated pitch then I can assure you that such deterioration occurs by the 4th day itself on many of the Dry pitches in India. But don't let that get in the way of your hate. Keep the fire burning ... surely at some point your cognitive dissonance will triumph over reality !!

NZ best batting condition is on day 5. They always have this reverse effect compared to other parts of the world.

 

[Hitman]

The match was between New Zealand and England.

Played in New Zealand.

None of the umpires of the match referee was Indian.

I doubt there was a single Indian in the crowd.

But still you had to drag Sachin into it for reasons only you can tell.

Inferiority complex! Simply because the very 'English' WISDEN rates Sachin as the 2nd greatest Test and ODI batsman ever, and also included him in their All Time XI, a player that he loathes. Unfortunately his hero Barry Richards couldn't make it

 

[Hasan123]

Well played by both. Don't understand why Junaids think Sachin is not a good player just because he didn't have the best record in the 4th innings. He carried a cricket and nation for almost 2 decades and scored in all conditions. There was no need to bring him into this discussion.

 

[Tusker]

NZ best batting condition is on day 5. They always have this reverse effect compared to other parts of the world.

for once cant we all make poor old [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] happy ? Cant we all help his CD triumph over facts? Must we always let these pesky things otherwise known as facts ruin his peace of mind and understanding of cricket ?
[MENTION=142162]Napa[/MENTION] [MENTION=76058]cricketjoshila[/MENTION] [MENTION=142736]English August[/MENTION] [MENTION=133315]Hitman[/MENTION]

 

[Napa]

As a proud Englishman

Nobody starts their sentences with "As a proud Englishman" not even an Englishman

His profile is rather contradictory. The word Junaid means soldier in Arabic, he spends a lot slandering Indians, but lives on handouts that Indians gives to the Australians (as per his own logic where a price paid for goods or services rendered is a handout).

 

[Gubol123]

His profile is rather contradictory. The word Junaid means soldier in Arabic, he spends a lot slandering Indians, but lives on handouts that Indians gives to the Australians (as per his own logic where a price paid for goods or services rendered is a handout).

he is the most confused soul.. the moment someone says "As a proud Englishman" there is something wrong. I have worked with many Englishman during my career and I am yet to meet a native Englishman ( white) who feels the need to proclaim their Englishness. You meet a Englishman you know you have met one. You read their email and you know their nativeness. On the other hand i know a lot of desis who pretend they only take dip in Thames (if you know the meaning of this phrase in South Indian languages then it is more funnier)