Cricket's back!

There may be some life in the game yet. NZ 4 wickets down with a lead approaching 200 in the third innings - but at least England are attacking trying to get them out for an achievable score. I suspect time is against them unless they pull something out of the bag.

Free entry tomorrow with a thrilling finish in prospect. I'm treating myself to some of that.

NZ all out now and England need 299 to win in 2 and a bit sessions as just over 4 runs an over. Should be an interesting afternoon!

1st wicket for 12

Wow!!!

Hope you did go Hip Priest, it must have been an incredible day for you!

Hope you didn't decide to leave early when they went off for tea!!!

One of the most entertaining afternoons of cricket I've ever seen. Fantastic!

I did indeed go Sluff. Best day watching Test cricket I've ever had. Even young Doffy was won over and he couldn't give a shit about cricket usually. He was really just along for the free ride and some sunbathing. Despite being a Yorkie I've always loved Johnny Bairstow and to see him play like that gladdened my heart. I was absolutely chuffed to bits for him. I'm not a religious kind of bloke but I really hope his dad saw that awesome innings today.

Hip Priest wrote:I've always loved Johnny Bairstow and to see him play like that gladdened my heart. I was absolutely chuffed to bits for him. I'm not a religious kind of bloke but I really hope his dad saw that awesome innings today.

Same here, HP. It's always great when someone with obvious natural talent proves the negative, fault-finding pundits wrong. Michael Vaughan springs to mind as someone who damages morale for the sake of  attention-grabbing headlines.

 Buttler is another player with massive ability who gets sniped at with no consideration for the exhausting demands of keeping wicket all day, often in roasting temperatures, and then, straight after, is expected to open the batting with energy and focus intact. He is the only other cricketer who could have played as Bairstow did yesterday but he needs his multiple roles to be carefully managed to get the best out of him.

Glad you had a great day, Hip.......you lucky bugger!

I did see a Bolton shirt on the highlights last night, was that you HP?

If anyone is interested Lancashire is in a run chase now, chasing 50 runs with 11 overs to go but have lost 5 wickets so far!

Watch here -

Lancs chased down the 329 runs required and ended up winning by 4 wickets (Luke Wells 175 not out).

Oh Lanky, Lanky.....

Norpig wrote:I did see a Bolton shirt on the highlights last night, was that you HP?

I wish I could say it was Norpig but it's many, many moons ago since I could fit into one of those modern tight fitting football tops without major overspill problems.  

Hip Priest wrote:
I wish I could say it was Norpig but it's many, many moons ago since I could fit into one of those modern tight fitting football tops without major overspill problems.  

So was it you in the Teletubbies costume then mate?

wanderlust wrote:
So was it you in the Teletubbies costume then mate?

 
That's it. Kick a man while he's down why don't you Lusty.  

Intermittent Fasting / Time Restricted Eating / Ketogenic Diet Version 24.0 all start simultaneously 1st thing Monday morning. 

Or maybe the Monday after that......   

Hip Priest wrote:
 
That's it. Kick a man while he's down why don't you Lusty.  

Intermittent Fasting / Time Restricted Eating / Ketogenic Diet Version 24.0 all start simultaneously 1st thing Monday morning. 

Or maybe the Monday after that......   

Planning ahead is a good thing....

Netherlands v England today (50 over game)

In England's world record 498-4, Jos Buttler finished unbeaten on 162 from 70 balls with seven fours and 14 sixes. FOURTEEN.

Buttler now has the top three fastest ODI tons for England.

At the other end, Liam Livingstone finished with 66 not out from 22 balls, smashing England's fastest ever ODI half-century from 17 balls - just one ball more than AB de Villiers' world record.

There were two other hundreds in that innings too, Phil Salt making 122 from 93 balls for his maiden ODI ton and Dawid Malan adding a casual 125 from 109.

And yet Jos Buttler stole the limelight from both.

But perhaps my favourite part of the scorecard is Eoin Morgan's first baller and Jason Roy's one from seven balls. Amazing.

So Matthew Mott's last two coaching roles have been Australia's women and now England men's white-ball teams.

I'm no coach myself but I think it's safe to say those are two of the easier gigs to get. Total world domination from both, pretty much.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/58748562/page/2

Note the three Lancashire players!!!

Oh Lanky, Lanky...

Seems Norpig is at the cricket today...

12 overs
NZ 35-1
Jamie Overton continues to go short again and Will Young grabs three with a slightly miss-times pull into the onside that is chased down by Stuart Broad, whose floppy hat flies into the air mid-run.

The atmosphere is building in the Western Terrace with plenty of fancy dress on show - including a large group dressed in butcher's aprons surrounding one guy in a bright pink pig outfit.

Expect that pig to take off and be chased by the butchers up and down the stands this afternoon.

This isn't my first rodeo.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/58516709/page/2

I wish! Stuck at work in a job i truly despise now 

Norpig wrote:I wish! Stuck at work in a job i truly despise now 

Sorry to hear that, nothing worse than having to go into work everyday when you can't stand it for whatever reason.

Any chance of things getting better for you or an opening somewhere else that would be a change for you?

As for the pig and the butchers - reminds me how you lot always got on my tail every time I called Wanderlust out!

We got there in the end though!

So remember - every pig has their day - and you will too in respect of your job - light at the end of the tunnel and all that!