dubai_phil Posted 16 January, 2012 Share Posted 16 January, 2012 Oh to hell with work. Dusted off my Barmy Army Cap & Tee Shirt General admission midwicket/cover area is Aed 20 which is about 3.50. I mean, come on, that's just stupid to watch a days' cricket. It's 18 quid (for 3rd Test) in the "area with beer licence" but will drive up tomorrow so a beer free day Have got tickets for the weekend of the 3rd Test, but a mate called up so there will be a Saints flag on show from Lunchtime onwards and I have one mtg at 10 (start time) and one at beer o'clock in the evening, thanks to someone missing their flight today Dull flat lifeless pitches are the norm here & probably a bit on the slow side. Abu Dhabi tickets next week are free outside our weekend. And because it is in UAE TV rights sold to an Indian company so if I want to see what is going on 9 miles up the road I have to go myself. A wise choice would be to pick 2 spinners, in a 5 man attack - but with no Tim Bresnan think that is out the window now so may mean some overs for KP Hope Ian Bell's whack on the arm from Gooch's Dog thrower is cured Bound to be a lot of activity in our local Curry House - Ravi's which is (allegedly) the hub of the local Asian gambling market that so came to grief with the ODI "fixes" in Sharjah. Should give us a tougher test than in England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 16 January, 2012 Share Posted 16 January, 2012 I'm mates with Tremlett on FB as used to go to school with him. It suggests he's got the nod tomorrow. I would have thought he'd have been the one sacrificed if we were going for 2 spinners but you never know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint in Paradise Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 I thought players were banned from saying, if they are or are not going to play, before the official announcement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Lol at cricinfo It's a chilly 17 degrees (well that IS cold for us) Security Guards confiscation water & sunsreen from the 20 spectators waiting to get in before the Toss.. England Bat & Tremlett plays Anyway still waiting for StaMan to arrive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Jeez, bad start by England 42/3 Thank fook the Satellite man was an hour late, would have been getting grumpy by now. Reads like Strauss & Cook played poor shot selections on a slow pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 I thought players were banned from saying, if they are or are not going to play, before the official announcement? He didn't say for sure that he was in. The status was something like 'all pumped for first test tomorrow' then Shaun Udal asked if he got the nod. About 20 mins later Udal wished his best of luck so I'd guess Trem private msgd him to say he was in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Gets worse Getting spun out for less than a hundred on the first day of a test match and we have only one spinner in the team.... Ouch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint in Paradise Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Looks like farton park with all those empty seats. Keep playing like England are and I expect there will be even less tomorrow The choice is laugh or cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Satman has been. And left a Arrggh moment. Had to change my system to get Al Jazeera working (for the Saints Games) It cost 30 quid extra to upgrade to a Sky+ type system - no brainer, and have a 2nd STB - cool I thought telly in the bedroom at last But of course the On Demand cannot take an Al Jism card. The 2nd STB only has kids channels So now I have telly in the bedroom that ONLy shows Footie, 6 Nations & Cartoons. Think the other half is gonna be somewhat displeased. Now is it worth heading up to watch a couple of sessions of cricket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 instead of reading about your friggin satelite I thought the thread is Pakistan v England!! Whats the score? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 instead of reading about your friggin satelite I thought the thread is Pakistan v England!! Whats the score? 94/6 Morgan out - another probable rash shot choice. Trust me I could have been sitting up there with the other 20 spectators having a really bad day. Thank fook for the SatMan! Maybe tomorrow as we spin them to oblivion....... Broad Swann & Prior left - need to get to 250 or will have some real problems. Note that in tests Dubai has only ever had one score of 400 and while I type that Broad goes CricinfoSaeed Ajmal to Broad, OUT, 85.5 kph, Some way to begin action after drinks. Broad misses a sweep and is given lbw. One of those balls that held its line after landing on a length. The ball lands just inside the mat, in front of off stump and Broad misses the sweep. He's hit in front of off and middle, and the ball is crashing into middle and leg. Plumb. England continue to sweep their way to ignominy, while wasting reviews on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Perhaps it is better to read about the satellite dish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 135 / 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Many Barmy Army gone over Phil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
This Charming Man Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Poor start from us, though if we can make 200 and get a few early wickets, hopefully the usual Pakistani collapse will follow. Make sure you get the Saints flag in a decent position so it get's on TV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
This Charming Man Posted 17 January, 2012 Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Not a bad effort from Ajmal, 7/92! Imagine he will continue to tear through us at will this series, as we'll treat him as some sort of unplayable bowling god like we did with Warne and Murili. A stat stolen from TMS - "This is the 400th time in the history of Test cricket that a side batting first has scored less than 200. Of the previous 399, only 75 had gone on to win the match." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 (edited) Okey dokey Just back from the game fred. Got there at tea time (work got in way) park in sand, trudge through sand to a portacabin window to get my ticket for 3.50. Trudge through sand to the security gate - "You have Lighter?" - yes - "Not allowed" hmm OK - you come back here no problem you want smoke... So in the general seating area at midwicket saw 3 balls bowled & get a call from a mate & upgraded to a VIP Box - Sweet. Anyway missed the food sat up in the roof but at least Swann & Prior tried to wag the tail. yes there is a Barmy Army contingent here I'd say 95% of the England fans were visitors (hard to blag time off here). with a decent core of about 40 BA in the Premium Seats and another 100 or so in the Platinum Seats. Plenty of Flags. The Trumpet player pipes up and a chorus of Rule Britannia et al.... Leading to a Security Guard telling him "this not allowed" Oh dear. This then led to a series of get your Boss, Get the Stadium Boss, Get the ICC and then a rousing chorus of "You're Getting Sacked in The Morning"..... Met Reporter from The National (Abu Dhabi) who was running an article on the poor suffering English fans. No not to do with the cricket but that so many had paid to come over to watch the Test in the Desert and were now to be seen huddled under their flags freezing their nuts off (and not having any sign of sunshine all day as only half the stadium was actually opened to the public and of course NOT the part that is in the Sun all day. (Have to say it WAS cold - I was frozen & watched the last few overs from inside the Box sipping coffee) Of the general seating - certainly LESS than 1% full - saw a skate shirt so he must have felt right at home. The seats with the bar access probably 15% The posh central area seats (for the tourists) prob 60% full Bar - (was driving so no beer for me today) a BOTTLE of Becks was Aed 35 - that's US$9.50 or about 6.50... Youch Both teams staying at The Grand Hyatt while in Dubai (youch boring hotel) Jimmy Anderson organising Golf Days & after Dinner speaking engagements on off days (200 quid a ticket) Took a wrong door on the way out & walked in to the Press Conference - listened to Matt Prior say Well quite easy really I just played straight and treated each ball on it's merits - then said Upper Order batted like Twonks (well words to that effect). Sub-Continental Cricket is attritional blah blah. Had to leave as work meeting this evening. Coming out in typical Dubai Stylee, not ONE of the Tourists had thought to pre-plan their get away so there were about 450 people (shivering) in a queue for the one taxi that serves the entire area. Sort of finished off a miserable day for them I guess. In a spirit of good naturedness (and an attempt to blag a freebie ticket for the Box again tomorrow) I gallantly offered to get the guys back to at least a part of civilisation where they could get a taxi back to their hotel BEFORE play begins tomorrow. Match Report Cracking stadium to watch cricket from but of course soul-less when empty. Thursday afternoon it will get busier and IF the match lasts into Friday (hahahaha) will be at least a semblance of a crowd. We are going to get frecking walloped - Swann didn't seem to be doing much with the ball, Tremlett looked quick but over pitching, Anderson's first overs were useful. Think they are going to regret leaving Monty out. Also think Swann may need to bowl a bit quicker on the track than he is used to. The Pakistani tweakers sure seemed to be zipping the ball down But as Prior said after - we've saved and even won matches from this position before so we have to get back into the game. True it did look like we would struggle to get 100 at one point. Will try & post some pics later Oh didn't take the flag today as was only going to be there a short while, but it IS packed for tomorrow Edited 17 January, 2012 by dubai_phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 17 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 17 January, 2012 Only England player with a brain today would post more but bandwidth bad & tiny pics frozen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 18 January, 2012 Share Posted 18 January, 2012 pakistan 215 / 4 currently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 18 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 18 January, 2012 Showed a bit of fight today 288-7 Only 248 runs scored in 90 overs - shows how slow the pitch is and how badly England used their brains yesterday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 18 January, 2012 Share Posted 18 January, 2012 We need a great second innings, andhink we will pull it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 19 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 19 January, 2012 338 all out. Tough now they did well in the first hour today to get lead of 146. Going to have to bat for 2 days and the ball is turning. Aim to head up after lunch if I can, but work getting in the way at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithd Posted 19 January, 2012 Share Posted 19 January, 2012 126/7. Trail by 20 odd still I'd wager we'll be trailing 1-0 going into the 2nd test. If Alpine was here he would have told us all this by the end of the first morning's session. Mind you, this time he might be right about a whitewash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 19 January, 2012 Share Posted 19 January, 2012 We need a great second innings, andhink we will pull it off. not so much huh !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 19 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 19 January, 2012 Back from the game fred. Set out when we were 26/1 arrived 36/4 stayed pretty woeful from then on really. Trott hung around and then Broad Swann & Jimmy had some fun. One bright spot? An "I was there when moment" possibly right up there with Claus scoring - but YES, Jimmy Anderson hit a sweet Six over midwicket (not even cow corner) and at least 3 Saints fans saw it! Were more people today - almost double Tuesday I guess First thing I saw when I walked in? A new aap Saints Shirt! - First one I've seen here. Lovely couple, ST Holders and TSW lurkers, really nice afternoon chatting - hope you have a great rest of hols guys! (Wonder how they knew who I was?) LOT of disgruntled people tomorrow - They had sold out all the Premium Seats (ones with beer). This ain't Lords - so tough luck no refunds Was a strange lad walking around the stand all day with a Dead Chicken, randomly calling out C'mon Trotty/Broady?Swanny/Jimmy. Would love to know what he was drinking. Most of The Barmy Army had worked out where to go to sit in the Sun so there was a severely dazzling glow of Pink Knees from the "Beach Road" end. Oh & got myself this year's Barmy Army T Shirt - it's a stupid price Aed 90 - about 17 quid as always but it's one of those things if you have been you have to wear the badge to annoy your mates back home. (Oh just in case some wondered - you normally find "Some Geezer" with a bag full of them outside the ground at away games or in the "allotted Barmy Army Pub" (ie ask where they all hang out in the evenings) Yes you can join & all that but that's how I've always got mine England REALLY have to go back to the drawing Board. Gooch has a hell of a lot of work to do in a short space of time. These simply are NOT the pitches to be belligerent. Have to drop Tremlett for Monty (or Possible Finn) for the next Test here in Dubai and maybe bring in Bopara for KP (never thought I would say that TBH) Abu Dhabi? Not sure, but would be pretty certain it will be a similar wicket in which case 2 quicks & 2 spinners is a must Think we really missed Tim Bresnan here, his skiddy hit the deck approach and fight with the bat may have made the test last to lunchtime tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 20 January, 2012 Share Posted 20 January, 2012 126/7. Trail by 20 odd still I'd wager we'll be trailing 1-0 going into the 2nd test. If Alpine was here he would have told us all this by the end of the first morning's session. Mind you, this time he might be right about a whitewash... Hmm, was going on recent history.... Batting line up not on form! Well let's start again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 20 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 20 January, 2012 Well, just to make the England Fans that travelled down even MORE miserable... It is currently (for us) a chilly 21C Cloudy And looks like Rain heading in..... Lol if they'd put some spine in to their batting Anyway according to Twitter the payers are off playing Golf with Lee Westwood so they're happy they were krap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 20 January, 2012 Share Posted 20 January, 2012 Let's hope we can make at least a year as no1 team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 25 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Good start by England in Scabby Dhabby. Dropped catch by Strauss, one just short & a missed stumping could prove costly, great spell by Broady. Popped over from my Golf briefings it has 2 with the stands Barmy Army happy to sit out in the Sun, players WAGS out laying around on the grassy banks with their Kids. Free admission so better crowd than Dubai. No beer available and only two places to get a drink - a Biryani and coke from a bottle - lol Got some pics but really rushed today fitting in work, Golf prep & the Cricket, camera still in the car - gotta be back down there at 6:40 so a 4:30am start no time tonight Camera men in main stand wearing Thermals & Ski Wear - lol it's the Desert FFS great sign on the fence though Our Dress Code Please Keep them on Good afternoon session from the Trumpet player and a LMFAO rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight with what sounded like a real Soprano doing the squeaky bits - quality Now all we have to do is bat properly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 26 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 26 January, 2012 OK pics as promised Midday in the middle of the desert Dress code lol Is this REALLY a Test Match or is it Village Cricket OK final woo hoo story. (Sorry it mentions Golf but then gets MUCH better) So early start today, standing watching Rory, Tiger & Luke on their first Tee. (Like 3 Sporting Heroes) When I spot a tall slim "elderly" distinguished looking Gent in a Blue suit rushing up to get into place... Stone me, it's CMJ, right behind him Bumble & Michael Vaughan (in shorts - pretty poor effort that) Bringing up the rear looking very dapper was,,, Sir Ian. I can't decide whether to go for my phone camera or my marker pen to get the autograph so end up simply smiling & nodding & The great man smiles back - Wow... Future Mrs D_P says - who was that? (hey she gets Twenty20 & Tests now but I haven't got onto history yet). So I say it's my second greatest Sporting Hero. Clicker from Getty Images is next to me asks "Oh, so who's your #1". Matt Le Tiss of course I say... To which he says - better go over and say hello to him then - he's just over there and OMG there he was right up the front right next to Tiger! So of COURSE we go over, quick chat and a handshake and all the while the camera is in the fecking car! Anyway one magical 5 minutes at 7:40am local time today. Sometimes I'm an a**hole, Sometimes I'm the luckiest c*** alive. Today all my heroes in one place. Thank you Big Man upstairs for that. But WHY did you ruin a grest day by letting us lose late wickets? Even the Press & TV guys were gawping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saints_is_the_south Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 England, chasing just 145 to win the 2nd test now 68-7. Doh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Epic FAIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Weird how the Saints team an the England team seem to have lost their swagger, when we were both on top of the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 need a bit of 20/20 cricket to win this now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 World no1 my arse! Could not imagine Austrailia doing this when they were at the top of their game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 absolute rubbish...this is like the england of old against spin..most of the wickets have been our own fault not due to the bowling as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintjersey Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 This is absolutely pathetic stuff. Just like watching England 10 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Lej Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 This is an absolute disgrace. Wickets tumbling ever few balls, no fight at all. No idea whatsoever. Blocking for overs and overs at the start to give initiative to pakistan, then folding like a pack of cards from 1st wicket to last. Love to hear what Strauss and Flower say about this. As allued to earlier "world no 1 my arse" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Strauss set the stall out for this. He was so negative, so many balls could of been hit but he chose to prod prod prod.....doesnt set a good example to the people waiting to come in thinking its a 'mare of a track when in fact it wasnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintjersey Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Morgan and KP need to be dropped, and Strauss must be surely getting close to the axe as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Lej Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Morgan and KP need to be dropped, and Strauss must be surely getting close to the axe as well? Morgan should not be in the team in the first place. First class average of 36 or something, now in 15 tests his average is below 30. Not good enough and never has been. Great ODI player yes, but since when did this make a player a shoe in for the test arena aswell? Very poor selection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintjersey Posted 28 January, 2012 Share Posted 28 January, 2012 Morgan should not be in the team in the first place. First class average of 36 or something, now in 15 tests his average is below 30. Not good enough and never has been. Great ODI player yes, but since when did this make a player a shoe in for the test arena aswell? Very poor selection The problem is who else do we have? Bopara is not International quality and the rest are untried youngsters. It's all very good scoring runs on the batsman friendly pitches in England, but batting in the sub continent is an entirely different skill. This game was crying out for Collingwood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 29 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 29 January, 2012 Just back from the remake of Rocky 3 You know the one where Rocky goes up against the big bad Mr T... This one was cracking and made sweet by the Barmy Army turning up & signing the Rocky them as Robert nailed Tiger on the last green to win.. Alistair Cooke was the only England player who had the nerve to show his face today, but he still copped flak from everyone who saw him. So yes, the Barmy Army have at least had something to cheer, trust me their comments about the team's performance down here wouldn't have got past the swear filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 3 February, 2012 Author Share Posted 3 February, 2012 21-5 in the 11th over No not US. THEM Broad & Anderson have torn them to shreds with the new ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 3 February, 2012 Share Posted 3 February, 2012 53/7.....hopefully a quick wicket so their spinners are null and void. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericofarabia Posted 3 February, 2012 Share Posted 3 February, 2012 21-5 in the 11th over No not US. THEM Broad & Anderson have torn them to shreds with the new ball Don't you mean something about a tearing them a new one!! The chilly, windy cloudy weather is more like a summers day in England and suiting us LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 3 February, 2012 Share Posted 3 February, 2012 might have been a bad decision to go with the two spinners in this one, not watched any of it, so only going on the fact the seamers are taking the wickets so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 3 February, 2012 Author Share Posted 3 February, 2012 might have been a bad decision to go with the two spinners in this one, not watched any of it, so only going on the fact the seamers are taking the wickets so far. 85/9 Monty has 2 wickets & Swanny 1 They've probably got too many for us now anyway. Bit worried whether the game will last into tomorrow when I have a ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 3 February, 2012 Share Posted 3 February, 2012 all out for 99. Swanny took 1 wicket for 0 runs. Has anyone in test cricket ever taken more wickets than runs conceded before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 3 February, 2012 Share Posted 3 February, 2012 10/2 in reply....top cricket again from us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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