England begging for a draw, Manchester, 27th July 2025

[RossTaylorsBox]

Are you saying Stokes should take it

 

[Molehill]

Are you saying Stokes should take it

Depends if Root is in the 90's or not.

 

[Molehill]

Indeed the Cummins era is a response to that, that's how I know they wouldn't do it.

This is hardly an unprecedented situation in cricket where an obviously dead game lasts a little longer to let a batsman get a milestone, I can immediately think of at least one example of it off the top of my head and it happened without any complaint whatsoever (and England were the fielding side then too). This is, however, the absolute first time I've ever heard anyone object to it, let alone lose their minds the way England did in that last half hour, and the concoction of some supposed deep norm of cricket where it's just wrong to let that happen (to the point where even someone as one-eyed as Michael Vaughan is having to talk Jonathan Agnew off the ledge) is truly difficult to take seriously.

So the only reason they wouldn't do it is because they've been so poor in the past and are trying to pretend they're not like that now? A leopard doesn't change its spots (not for long anyway).

I didn't watch it, there was bigger sporting stuff going on than this fizzling out so I didn't hear all the comments. I get where both teams were coming from, and you can understand why after long periods in the field Stokes and co got a bit tetchy (and I would say that if it were Aussies too). Seems like some want to blow it up into a bigger thing than it really was and not sure it will work in their favour come Thursday.

 

[Johan]

This is a valid point. Two batsmen trying to see out the close of play by delaying the bowler has literally been a thing for about 50 years. And yet it's where the tetchiness all started when Gill lost the plot. Where was Mr Monga's Crapinfo article on that?

Mr Monga has biologically ingrained English hatred, not biologically ingrained honesty.

 

[honestbharani]

Mr Monga has biologically ingrained English hatred, not biologically ingrained honesty.

You keep using biologically ingrained. Its kinda obvious what you wanna imply and I would suggest you pipe down on that, its not gonna end well for anyone, least of all, you.

 

[Johan]

You keep using biologically ingrained. Its kinda obvious what you wanna imply and I would suggest you pipe down on that, its not gonna end well for anyone, least of all, you.

I'm trying to say it's a natural instinct for many to hate anything English, if you take it any other way, that's a misinterpretation on your end and not something I'm remotely responsible for.

 

[Spark]

So the only reason they wouldn't do it is because they've been so poor in the past and are trying to pretend they're not like that now? A leopard doesn't change its spots (not for long anyway).

I think after four years their track record speaks for itself.

As does, increasingly, Stokes' England.

 

[_00_deathscar]

Changing tack slightly. I think we all agree that India were within their rights not to shake hands. Does anyone actually have a problem with the fact he then chose to bowl Harry Brook?

It all felt a bit silly and bizarre. But I think in terms of staying for the hundreds, and not bowling the frontline attack, both teams did what was best for them. So I don’t have that much issue with it even if it was cricket at its weirdest.

That wasn’t the problem, it was everything in between and after that

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Brendan McCullum's PR team: Baz you have to make a speech at the ICC awards 5 years from now about how you were wrong about this.

 

[Molehill]

I think after four years their track record speaks for itself.

As does, increasingly, Stokes' England.

So we'll just pretend the Bairstow run out never happened then?

There's so much hypocrisy in cricket, no team is perfect, but it's ironic when others come to throw stones from their greenhouse.

 

[Spark]

So we'll just pretend the Bairstow run out never happened then?

There's so much hypocrisy in cricket, no team is perfect, but it's ironic when others come to throw stones from their greenhouse.

Not at all. The Bairstow run out is the shining example of Stokes imposing moral whims on the rest of the cricket far beyond what the rules require and trying to shame other teams into submission through self-declared moral superiority; it's basically ground zero for this entire trend.

Also, it was a stumping. @Prince EWS

 

[Uppercut]

The writers of the annual Spirit of Cricket showdown are kind of scraping the barrel with this one, but I'm still entertained.

 

[the big bambino]

So we'll just pretend the Bairstow run out never happened then?

Man walks out of crease and is stumped. Will cricket ever recover! Same man tried the same on Marnus earlier in the game. What a difference a day makes.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

No toys out of the pram. If stuff is clever or funny then it’s all good. Most of the ‘humour’ in this thread is subpar.

Agreed. Nowhere near the performance Stokes gave yesterday. Walked up to Jadeja with his hand in the air, offering a handshake for the cameras. Could’ve just had a word with him first. But I guess that’s not dramatic enough.

 

[silentstriker]

New strategy against Bazball unlocked: offer the draw ASAP.

India should have offered the draw nine down last match. It’s only fair.

 

[Molehill]

Not at all. The Bairstow run out is the shining example of Stokes imposing moral whims on the rest of the cricket far beyond what the rules require and trying to shame other teams into submission through self-declared moral superiority; it's basically ground zero for this entire trend.

Which again is ironic given Australians had spent 20 years telling us where the line was we couldn't cross (when it turns out they were cheating all along).

 

[karan_fromthestands]

You keep using biologically ingrained. Its kinda obvious what you wanna imply and I would suggest you pipe down on that, its not gonna end well for anyone, least of all, you.

Agree, that was in a very bad taste.

 

[silentstriker]

Changing tack slightly. I think we all agree that India were within their rights not to shake hands. Does anyone actually have a problem with the fact he then chose to bowl Harry Brook?

Not for bowling Brook, only when they whined about bowling Brook.

 

[the big bambino]

Which again is ironic given Australians had spent 20 years telling us where the line was we couldn't cross (when it turns out they were cheating all along).

Probably learned it from England telling us what is and isn't "cricket" for the last hundred years. And ball tampering since 1994 at least.

 

[Johan]

smh how is saying being anti-English is a natural instinct for many "in poor taste"