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England are still very much in the market for a Test opener, you feel. Mark Stoneman is making a fist of things, but they’d quite like another top order batsman or two to take to Australia.
At the time of writing, Lancashire are four wickets down but Haseeb Hameed is still holding firm. We wouldn’t bet against him carrying his bat – although neither would we put much money on him breaching 20 even if he manages it.
When Shivnarine Chanderpaul makes 23 of the runs in a 24-run partnership, you can be fairly certain that the guy at the other end hasn’t really been looking to impose himself on the bowlers.
Doubtless this is the right approach though. Haseeb Hameed is not a blocker, so if he’s playing that way then it’s surely for very good reason.
11 from 93 balls as I write… a strike rate of 11… Great stuff.
11 off 99…
He’s done it!
Hameed delivers breathtaking 11-run hundred.
Chris Gayle-esque: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO41852
He’s got the measure of the bowling now and is just smashing it all over the place.
59 (200)
Scantlebury-Searles.
I hope he plays a hundred Tests. He puts Roland-Jones to shame.
Scantlebury-Searles.
Seems a little RFM for the West Indies… maybe England could take him on if he has any suitable ancestry although he’s the wrong side of 30 and has only played 9 first-class games.
Here’s a decent article harking back to the days of genuinely fast bowlers, complete with some nice Jack Russell anecdotes:
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/96890/county-cricket-and-the-enduring-appeal-of-raw-pace
Not sure if someone has already said this, but To-Ro-Jo (in) Fo’ Wo'(akes).
85 not out out of a 230 odd. Does this mean he’s back?
It’ll be interesting to see the opposition score to gauge that innings. Or are we out of time?
I see Bangladesh are committing plate-seppuku again.
Maybe if the last few can stick around long enough they could set Aus an embarrassingly low target should they fail to reach it… that would be my preferred outcome anyway.
Ah well, not to be. Still, there’s no shame in losing to Australia these days.
Well, it’s been an eventful day, 14 wickets falling and not as many runs as some might have expected, but Vanuatu have qualified for Division 4 of the WCL.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes was Making Things Happen at Lord’s.
Vanuatu is the only nation on earth whose serving Prime Minister has met me (to date).
It is also the nation of the Yaohnanen tribe, many members of which venerate Prince Philip as a divinity:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Philip_Movement
I feel obliged to point out that the above two factoids are unconnected.
Maybe you can wangle yourself a trip to the Division Four tournament Ged?
I’m familiar with the Prince Philip Movement, but if I’m honest I prefer their earlier stuff.
Day One summary:
Bowling: Stokes
Batting: Jokes
JM Anderson 499*