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[Jimbo]

Have to agree on Buttler's keeping, I've been a critic in the past but he's been impressive the last few tests.

[InternalTraining]

What's wrong with the SG ball?

Has ENG team made any comments about the SG ball's rate of deterioration?

[wasted_talent]

Nothing wrong with the ball but India been sore losers. 

And if there is an issue with the ball, havent heard england say anything.

Plus they should speak to the manufacturer, not moan on live tv lol

[ppccopener]

Havnt heard England mention anything about the ball, from watching thou it seems to be one you would throw a dog after 20 overs.

Can't recall seeing one go that quickly before.

[ppccopener]

Have to agree on Buttler's keeping, I've been a critic in the past but he's been impressive the last few tests.

Yes agree, he's been good in this match. Whilst a few of us are fans of Foakes and want him in, you just had to look at Pants keeping style to see we have gone batsman-keeper, they have gone batsman-part time keeper.

[Jimbo]

Yes agree, he's been good in this match. Whilst a few of us are fans of Foakes and want him in, you just had to look at Pants keeping style to see we have gone batsman-keeper, they have gone batsman-part time keeper.

Pant is still very young, could be a solid keeper with more experience but he's let them down a lot with the gloves. Buttler has looked much improved but Foakes is still the superior keeping option. What will be interesting is how Foakes batting is looking.

[SD]

What's wrong with the SG ball?

Has ENG team made any comments about the SG ball's rate of deterioration?

The rate of deterioration was extraordinary given we are talking about a test match standard ball.  I have never come across one of them so I can't comment from any personal experience, but no way should balls be falling apart after 40 overs.

Just as the Kookaburra has been mandated for all while ball games on the basis that it is the best ball for disappearing to all parts of the ground, I think the Dukes ball should be mandated for all red ball games to at least give some balance between bat and ball

[InternalTraining]

Some old-timers I know sing praises of REaders.

[SD]

The readers seems to be the predominant ball in English league cricket although I think this is at least in part due to the price point the Readers balls can be pitched at given the volume of manufacture as part of Kookaburra.

For this season we are using a Readers for half of the season and Dukes for half to enable a comparison

[LBWCandidate]

Well played England!
Winning the toss and batting beautifully for 2 days on road like pitch made sure India was out of the game. Root just killed the spirit of the Indian team.
India's best bet was a big matching 1st innings total which did not happen due to good bowling and ok batting effort. After that English had to do the basics right.

Hopefully, toss won't play such an important role going fwd but that's always been the case in India.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Just as the Kookaburra has been mandated for all while ball games on the basis that it is the best ball for disappearing to all parts of the ground, I think the Dukes ball should be mandated for all red ball games to at least give some balance between bat and ball

Wouldn't balance between bat and ball make for more one-day cricket too?

I'm sure a lot of it's to do with financial muscle.

[ppccopener]

Wouldn't balance between bat and ball make for more one-day cricket too?

I'm sure a lot of it's to do with financial muscle.

Depends if you think the one day game wherever it is played is more of an even contest because generally pitches will be flatter for high scoring games. That side of the one day game has proved to be more and more popular...and that is where the money generates from.

With test matches the advantage of home conditions seems to be greater than ever...winning away as India did in OZ is such a big deal because it doesn't happen that often. Before 2012 it was a considerable time before we won a series in India.

This must of been thought of and deemed not possible but if you wanted to even up test matches maybe the away sides ball is used.

In England v Australia it's the kook ball
India in England the SG ball
Us away in Oz the duke ball/whatever manufacturer we use nowadays.

I think I read Pointing was a big advocate of using an English ball in the Sheffield Shield games.

I suspect long term ball contracts make this idea not possible.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Dukes balls are actually made in India now. They are only finished in Walthamstow.

[billyb]

Does Bess keep his place? Or does Ali come in?

[SD]

Wouldn't balance between bat and ball make for more one-day cricket too?

I'm sure a lot of it's to do with financial muscle.

One day cricket is now modelled on a straight shoot out to see who can score the most runs. It seems successful both in terms of audiences and commercial and broadcasting revenues.

I still prefer test cricket to to the other formats but there is no doubt that play can be dull with a Kookaburra on a flat pitch with attritional batting.