We dont like Cricket.....

After the dust has settled on another amazing chapter in the life of MCFC my focus now turns to the busy summer of Test Match cricket. With the retirement of Collingwood all the early season talk has been about his replacement in the side, who can bring what Colly did? Grit, Determination, Impossible catches and some canny bowling when needed. The ECB chose Morgan, i'd have gone for Bopara personally because of the bowling option he gives, but no doubt Morgan is going to be a wonderfull player. so the line up for the 1st Test v Sri Lanka is likelly to be :

Strauss (c)
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Morgan
Prior (wk)
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Tremlett

This side should be capable of beating Sri Lanka on home soil, despite the talent they still have in their squad even with the retirement of Murali (thank fuck). Dangermen IMO are : Jayawardene, Mendis and, after a great start to his Lancs career, Maharoof (if selected).

Here's to a great summer, and a little reminder of our last succesfull Test series win

And Lancs are top of the league having played 1 less. The real OT, in Lancashire.

Haha very true Lee, not a good start today though, recovery underway. Cork will be all fired up for this game (the dreaded old boy scenario). Never a better opportunity to win the league this year.

After a good comeback with the bat, Kyle Hogg has had a stormer with the ball and picked up 7/28, Hants all out 133, which should get all bonus bowling points. Lets hope for the same with England tomorow......If the rain stays away.

RIGHT THATS IT!!!

NO MORE CRICKET BASED ARTICLES OR I WILL BAN YOU

Thanks sweeties

By the way Im joking!

I'm sure we can turn you Vince, i'll keep updates going for you

Come on Vince, don't joke about things like that! Cricket should be banned before fold die of terminal boredom!

I'm sure before long we'll all be debating the vagaries of the Duckworth/lewis system in the 20/20 format of the game and whether, with floodlights in grounds,test matches should ever be halted for bad light.
What's your thoughts Vince?

Leafy Cheshire PPLF............................surely you must love cricket???

We have one of the best grounds in Cheshire - from a picturesque point of view - Tattenhall CC.............stunning!

http://www.tattenhallcricketclub.co.uk/index.php

Love cricket
Alderley edge cc is more scenic than tattenhall

Its just strange seeing Hogg as a bowler rather than wicket keeper

Dont remember Hogg ever being a wicketkeeper Lee1, I rememer the wonderfull Warren Hegg. Cross had a good day as well today.

I used to play for ELPM (in Radcliffe) in the Saddleworth league and it really was a picturesque ground back in the day, i still go down for a few beers during the summer for a catch up with old friends but sadly it's a complete shit tip now (due to continual vandalism).

Great to see Lancs off to a flyer this season, hopefully they can finish Hants off tomorrow and extend their lead at the top. Don't really care too much for England in all honesty but i obviously like to see them do well.

What the hell are you lot talking about?

It sound like a magic chant, hoggs, wicketkeeper??

What is this 'Cricket' that which you speak of?

I'm with Vince and Norfolk on this one. Mind you I struggle to find enthusiasm for watching any sport other than football.

Well the dissapointment of rain in Cardiff has left us without test cricket, but Lancashire have brightened the day with the destruction of Hampshire, a 10 wicket win and 22 points cements top spot, Hogg stared with the ball again with 11 wickets in the match. With Durham unable to take to field due to the weather (i'm 4 miles from Edgbaston and it does'nt look good for play today) Lancs are finally getting a bit of luck.

Vince I rekon you could be decent in the slips, but also an LBW candidate, i'd be tempted to put you at silly mid off

I reckon Vince would be quite an intimadating fast opening bowler Million. The sight of him steaming in full pelt at me, might have even forced me to put a tin on.

Well done Lancs, good job it wasn't at OT, there'd have been no play today.

Haha true Den, but will he be able to run fast with his JPS dragging along the floor behind him??

Sounds like he'd be accurate with his length

Its like a carry on film when Vince is around must be his sticky wicket.

well we did get some cricket today Vince, 133/2 not bad, couple of early wickets tomorow and we'll be looking good.

Cricket? No thanks. Just an excuse for all day drinking - not that that's a bad thing!

Still, at least it's better than Golf. Worst 'sport' in the world.

I don't know much about cricket but 133/2 sounds like good odds. Stick a few quid on for me eh?

I'll watch most sports, F1, Golf and Cricket so far today, some meaningless football match later.

A draw looking the most likely result, with England making steady progress a first innings lead is possible, but bowling them out with a 3 man attack is'nt likely.

Lancs V Durham (at the Durham ICG) starting tommorow already looking like a title decider, maybe not in tearms of points this early in the season, but keeping an unbeaten record keeps the confidence high, especially away from home against our main title rivals. The weather could play the biggest part though.

Think i'd be happy if it bounced down in Durham for 4 days Si, i'll take a draw now.

I'd be well happy with a rained off draw Den, but with Onions likely to be called up for Jimmy after his injury, and Harmison possibly out after only bowling 5 overs in the second innings at Edgbaston we should be up to it.

They might have been resting Harmison ahead of our game, as they were stuffin Warwickshire.

Do agree though, with confidence being sky high we should be well up for it.

Bit of a poor start Den, can i have that rain now please......32/2 from 15

Hortons doing well, 86 for 3

He has Dave, unlucky not to get his ton, 176/4, around 300 will do.

200-5, i'll definately settle for 300 now Si.

looking to get 350 now Den, lower order coming to the rescue, we can always count on Chapple. 302/7.

Mini collapse at the end but atleast we've a competative total to bowl at. If we can get Di Venuto early doors, we should have a good 1st innings lead (weather permitting).

spot on mate, the are all batting well this year though, any of the top 7 are capable of scoring a ton. Rain will ruin it though.

England WIN, unbelievably. declared with a 96 run lead, and bowled them out for 82 inside 25 overs towin by an innings and 14 runs. what a performance when it did'nt lok possible. Thats why i love cricket.

Lancs having a struggle up in Durham, looking for a bit of rain and solid batting performance, when we get the chance, bonus points will be racking up.

Early wickets needed or it's going to be a very tough day in store for Lancs. I don't think rain's going to help, 1st defeat beckons imo.

Hahaha you guys make me piss

Decided to watch the play off yesterday as it looked like a stalemate in the test
Missed all the drama,turned on when Sri Lanka were 8 down - gutted
Lancs are up shit street without a paddle,presuming Durham bat all day we should be at least 250 behind and will need to bat at least until lunch on day 4,tall order

Paul, im sorry mate you seemed to slip into some sort of foreign language then?

Heathen

Que?

Non believer in the temple of cricket

I turned on when they were 3 down Rich, i could'nt believe what i was seeing. Test cricket at its very best (aside from the Ashes). Durham well on top, Stokes and Benkenstien taking it away from us, at this rate Lancs will be put it to bat tonight, not sure we can bat all that time for a draw, i rekon Chilton could but not many others.

Stop it.

STOP IT NOW!

I WILL REMOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

255 behind now with 2 wickets left so it looks like a deficit of 300 or so
I suspect a tricky last hour is on the cards leaving us needing to bat out most of tomorrow
I'm sure Vince empathises with us really

Complete wash-out required today.
I'll guess 150AO to lose by an innings, which won't be very impressive for a table-topping side really.
Ah well, can't win um all.

133 for 8
A humiliating defeat.

Looks like you are going to be spot on Den

Give or take 2 runs Tony. Poor, very poor

148 all out. Pathetic !!

Great prediction though

Very poor result, at the toughest place to win and the best squad in the division. it still looks like it will be between Lancs and Durham for the title but that was'nt the result i was looking for. Can you predict 700 AO next time please Den

Oh well a good thrashing around in the T20 will get rid of the frustration before we get back to the real cricket.

Roll on friday at Lords, at least England arel living up to expectation