Posted by Whatever his keeping’s like and no matter whether or not he’s ‘ready’ for Test cricket, we’re very pleased that Jos Buttler is now in England’s Test team. We like skittishness in a number seven batsman.
It is always worth watching Buttler at the crease and when he bats with Ian Bell, you stand a decent chance of seeing pretty much everything decent that a batsman can do. The wicketkeeper’s contribution to today’s 106-run partnership was robust, impatient and ever-so-slightly unhinged. Bell’s was sleek, but increasingly ambitious, as if he gradually came to see new possibilities which had been somehow left unheralded by the fat square cut of Gary Ballance.
It was declaration batting and clearly that is currently what Buttler is best suited to. It may only be one box ticked on the ECB quality control checklist, but surely the ‘counterattacking’ box is also awaiting ink. Those would present reasonable foundations on which a 23-year-old Test cricketer might build.
If only he could go in at 450-5 every time.
Very Prior-esque quick runs for the team at the cost of individual milestones. Long may it continue. Hope the keeping holds up.
I think he’s still a bit anachronistic at heart.
Nothing to add about the entertainment, but there’s an advert on the page: “remove hair with IPL” is that the same as tearing your hair out with the ECB I wonder?
[Applauds]
[More applause, and a failed supressed office-laugh]
My reaction to every Broad wicket is delight, followed by ‘Balls, I should have kept him in my fantasy team.’
If he gets Kohli I might just pack up and go home.
One of my transfers for this match was Broad for Ishant. Head, meet desk. You’re going to be spending some quality time together.
I wouldn’t be in this mess had it not been for you, Sam. I too swapped Ishant in for Broad, only because YOU reminded me to tinker.
You did it deliberately, Sam, didn’t you? Just to get at me. And poor old Balladeer got caught in your “friendly fire”.
I don’t have the words for how I feel.
Meanwhile, Bert’s Indifferents had slipped casually into the Ageas Bowl first XI at one point today. They might still be there, but we can never tell when the scores have been updated.
Nothing I do is deliberate.
Bert clearly has Cook in his team.
Oh, Virat. I don’t want to drop you. My wife thinks you’re beautiful. But you’re not making it easy.
I assume he reads the King Cricket comments. Why wouldn’t he?
What tune do you sing that to?
I notice you’re being very quiet about your team’s performance in this Test, Bert.
He is being indifferent.
Prediction: India all out in the 300’s. England set a stiff target which the Indians overhaul on day 5 to win in a remarkable fashion.