England v Zimbabwe

[ClaretTony]

England batting and 9/0

[onewillieirvine]

59-0 after 11. Currently looks like a county side against a club team.

[claretonthecoast1882]

59-0 after 11. Currently looks like a county side against a club team.

Egan Riley is batting well

[warksclaret]

Going tomorrow for a rare cricket day for me

[Longford Claret]

Good win for Ireland yesterday. Ireland 303-6, West Indies 179 all out.

[claretonthecoast1882]

130/0 at lunch

Duckett 75
Crawley 53

[Cheshireclaret]

Not even close to being a contest as it stands, I’m guessing this is all about getting the batsmen minutes at the crease and trying to boost their confidence after some very poor results in the last 12 months?

[ClaretTony]

Now 201/0

[Quickenthetempo]

Not even close to being a contest as it stands, I’m guessing this is all about getting the batsmen minutes at the crease and trying to boost their confidence after some very poor results in the last 12 months?

You have to allow the lesser nations to play against the big boys to maintain interest and hopefully they get more funding.

[Cheshireclaret]

You have to allow the lesser nations to play against the big boys to maintain interest and hopefully they get more funding.

I get that, but how much interest will there be in Harare watching them being torn a new one by England? Long way to go I know and our traditional batting collapse might still mean it’ll be a contest but it’s doubtful at this stage.

[Quickenthetempo]

I get that, but how much interest will there be in Harare watching them being torn a new one by England? Long way to go I know and our traditional batting collapse might still mean it’ll be a contest but it’s doubtful at this stage.

Do you think Burnley should be allowed back in the prem to be on the same pitch as some of the giants, after our last poor effort there?

[jrgbfc]

Like watching paint dry when its so one sided. Not sure games like this really benefit anyone.

[Andreshotboots]

We haven't had a test match for 5 months so this was always going to be a glorified practice game before much better opposition arrives.

Suppose it's only like a boxer who picks a lesser opponent for a warm up fight with a title fight a few months away.

With the forecast for Saturday poor, and it only being a 4 day test I can see us having a bowl pretty soon to get some overs into the bowlers legs..

[FCBurnley]

Centuries for all the top 3. Could score 500 in the day

[Quickenthetempo]

I think any attack in world cricket would go for 400 plus on todays wicket at Trent Bridge.
With Englands scoring rates and a flat track, small ground with fast outfield.

[ClaretTony]

Centuries for all the top 3. Could score 500 in the day

Not quite - day ended on 498/3

[Goalposts]

Just watching on highlights on BBC so avoided reading this thread till now , its like premier league playing division 2 or Lancs v Enfield though i think Enfield would make more of it

[NL Claret]

You have to allow the lesser nations to play against the big boys to maintain interest and hopefully they get more funding.

Came across this earlier (the quote is from last summer btw)

Zimbabwe will become the first country in the modern era to be paid a "touring fee" by the host board in bilateral cricket when they travel to England in the 2025 summer for a one-off Test. That development was confirmed by ECB chief executive Richard Gould on Friday during a chat on Sky Sports during the first day's play of the Edgbaston Test.

[Quickenthetempo]

Came across this earlier (the quote is from last summer btw)

Zimbabwe will become the first country in the modern era to be paid a "touring fee" by the host board in bilateral cricket when they travel to England in the 2025 summer for a one-off Test. That development was confirmed by ECB chief executive Richard Gould on Friday during a chat on Sky Sports during the first day's play of the Edgbaston Test.

That probably means we won't be touring there anytime soon.

I don't think people realise how few Test nations we have. We can't afford to lose any more or it would get boring very soon. Playing the sames sides so regular.
Maybe work it out so lesser playing nations start a big nations summer with a 2/3 Test series before they play 4/5 Tests against a crowd puller?

[Hbclaret007]

This England bowling attack must be the worst in years!
India will murder them