Stan

When is the ground going to be built by?

I'm hoping that too. Don't finish work til 4.30pm so would be perfect for the match to start then.

For what it's worth, I'm still a big advocate of test cricket and it's still my favourite form of the game. That's not to say I won't pay attention to shorter formats of the game because it is more instant and the excitement factor is there. With test cricket though it's so much more strategic and you have to be good in the mind for that format as well as physically. It's more of a thinking man's game and tactics have to be more focused. I can't wait for the Ashes. I'd love India to have something equivalent to that but for various reasons it never will (and not just because shorter format is where money is and what the focus is on these days).

I agree with the advantage for the batsmen but there's been several games in the IPL recently where it's not just throwing the bat at every ball or second ball. It's an explosive format but it's not always like that - that's where teams and batsmen value their wickets. Maybe that's the misconception that just because there's a lot of big-hitting they think it's constantly like that. It's not. You even said you've not even watched it that much in 10 years!?

Games could be done within about an hour and it wouldn't be viable as a sport to watch.

Can't believe it's first time they've played since 11 years ago. Madness. Watched the re-run and final stages of that final in 2008 on BBC 2 earlier. What a game. They looked so young!

England winning this at a canter now. Roy will tear NZ a new one at this rate. Unfortunate dismissal as well.

I disagree with the destroying comment but each to their own.

Means you go on about stuff a lot when it's not always necessary. You've mentioned your distaste about India's cricket and joy about India failing about 2-3 times in quick succession. Makes you look obsessed. Hence my comment. Sorry if that displeases you.

Far too obsessed.

Someone seems to care enough to still talk about it though

What a start for England.

Australia to bat first. Finch & Warner can't get out cheaply like in the last match. With England's batting to come, they have to set the tone for the innings.

Insects but okay. Always find the work of ants as a colony pretty surreal.

Nice open plan office.

That fan who pushed the guy in to the fountain in Barcelona banned from attending football games for 3 years. Also banned from entering any town where Liverpool play away fixtures on the day. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/coward-liverpool-fan-who-pushed-16561430

Still can't get over the Neesham catch and Guptill run-out throw. Superb bits of fielding. Starc is superb. If he sees what Boult did today then that'll give him some encouragement if it was ever needed.

It's the hope that kills you Jadeja & Dhoni had to go for it and as they edged closer the faint glimmers of hope that we could chase it down, against all odds having been 24-4, slowly became brighter. But not to be. Well done NZ and good luck to them in the final. Defending that total is commendable especially with how they obliterated our top order. Boult in these overcast, cloudy conditions always spells trouble for opposition.

Thought the same. Then he'll have a go at obliterating NZ in the later overs but get out. Don't blame Pant for going for it either. He's the only one (and Pandya) to get runs and stop the NZ onslaught. Pant will be a great cricketer in future, you can tell. He's got the same aggression that Dhoni/Kohli had early on and over time it'll be tempered but hopefully won't lose the quality.

I can't imagine he'll be looked at favourably after his reaction to his omission from the side either. Agree that he'd be ideal for this kind of situation. Run-rate creeping up to 6 an over now. Getting more difficult but it's important to keep what wickets we have left. Simply have to bat til the end.

Karthik's performances so far are exactly the reasons for me not wanting him to be included in the squad. Yes it's only been a small part to play but he's not taken his chances. Even against Bangladesh he got out very cheaply when he could have put a few runs on the board. Just very disappointing from him and I expected so much more.

Doesn't mean they'll never lose games

5 for 3 off 3 overs. Strong start by India.

Mindset will be nothing like the fans for sure in terms of being bothered about returning for another day! They'll be professionals as you say and they're all experienced enough to know the job at hand.