Anag Ram

I’d like these people to please not bother watching proper cricket, and stick to the pyjama stuff.

The word “annoy” is little weak to describe my reaction, but I didn’t want to start a new topic. 
 
I feel a new level of rage and heartbreak when I see a story about someone abandoning a dog. 
 
there was a story in Stoke a few months back, then last week, a dog found tied to a tree hidden from view near Ashbourne and today, I saw a story about cctv footage showing a woman over in Portland driving to the woods, letting her dog out, pretending to run towards the woods to walk it, then running back to her car and driving off, whilst the dog stands there wagging it’s tail. 
 
If i could type the words I feel, @David would be wielding his ban hammer! 
 
I’m not to macho to admit that these stories make me shed a tear ??

Delivery arrived. If I'm really careful and pace myself, I might make it last through the weekend...

What a fantastic advert for test cricket that was. I do enjoy limited over stuff but for me the slow burn and twists and turns of the 5 day game make it by far the best form of the game. I think that result will have been an absolute body-blow to Pakistan. Without Stokes it may prove harder but the series is teed up beautifully now.
On the subject of Buttler, I agree with @sage I'm full of admiration for the way Jos batted yesterday but he was really poor behind the stumps and has never looked a natural to me. His first movement always seems to be his hands and not his body and that leaves him snatching at chances and he's at a stage now where his keeping won't be improving.
I think that because he's such a prodigious talent in the one day game, we've almost tried to fashion him into a test player but I reckon Foakes is the brightest prospect behind the stumps we've seen in a fair while and though it might be a tough call, he really needs to be given his chance. I suppose it's a nice problem to have but I think Root and the selectors are still coming up with the wrong answer and Jos' great batting yesterday will only further paper over the cracks. Jos for limited overs but Foakes for tests seems the obvious call fo me but what do I know! 

Well what do we know eh? 
A thread full of criticism of Buttler and Root, yet one bats brilliantly and the other notches up six successive test wins as captain. 
Of course one performance doesn't paper over the cracks but for now I am happy to have been proven wrong. 
I don't even mind losing my bet!?

Villa in Vlycha near Lindos, Rhodes. 
Heaven 
 
 

Villa in Vlycha near Lindos, Rhodes. 
Heaven 
 
 

Villa in Vlycha near Lindos, Rhodes. 
Heaven 
 
 

Time for some Buttler magic ?

Root is a poor captain.
Things on the field happen in spite of his captaincy, not because of it.
He reviews in ridiculous circumstances, bowls Broad and Anderson too long and posts too defensive fields. But to be fair to him, he hasn’t always been helped by his team. Our bowlers are great when conditions are in their favour but when it stops moving around they struggle. Bowlers at 80 mph are easy when it’s straight up and down.
Bess should not be in the team. If your spinner is not high quality don’t pick one. The openers are the best we have, but technically they have faults which the top teams will exploit.
 
I’m a huge fan of Buttler, but in terms of test cricket, I think he’s probably the third best we have behind Foakes and Bairstow.
I also feel a bit for Archer, who has been massively over-hyped. 
 
My £10 on Pakistan at 7-2 is looking good though.

Have you fallen over?

The daft thing is that the commonly accepted best gloveman in the country, Ben Foakes, has a higher (40+) test average than Buttler and a higher (40+) first class average than Buttler, who gets picked on his one day game and a misguided fantasy about what he "could" do in test cricket.

I just get the feeling tomorrow may be his last chance. Fail with the bat and I don't think he'll play in the next one. 

Well, there was a fightback from England with the ball. You have to wonder how much they depend on Stokes, or rather, how lost without him the test side would be.
But I would say it's in the balance, although I'd still make Pakistan favourite and every little bit makes England's job harder. The tail gets another 10-15 it all just hurts that bit more.
 

Wow. I had an MRI scan and thought what an ordeal it would be for a claustrophobic person. 
In a mask it sounds like an I'm a Celebrity challenge! 

I don't, but I had a MRI scan recently and had to wear a face mask and a frame and lie motionless in a narrow tunnel for 30 minutes with awful noises non-stop.
It was soul destroying .
If claustrophobia is akin to that she has my profound sympathy!
She can probably claim exemption from wearing a mask, a visor may be more comfortable.

I think Root has had a poor day. Pakistan had lost 3 fairly quick wickets in the morning session to the seam bowlers so what does he do on the resumption - bowls himself and Bess with the new ball due soon, they go for 4 an over,  thereby allowing the 2 batsmen to settle themselves in again and clock up a century partnership.
Not much better with the bat. Gets a reprieve after he'd padded up to a ball outside the off stump which just goes over the top. Then, with the first 3 batsmen back in the pavilion and only 60 odd on the board, he tries to cut a ball which was much too close to him.
He needs a better day tomorrow or England, yet again, will lose the first test of a series.
 

What an absolute joy it is to watch quality leg spin bowling.
I remember as a kid watching the Pakistan touring team of 1982 and seeing the great Adbul Qadir bowling. I have been captivated by leg spin since then, even when Warne was ripping us a new one.
 

I recently left my Nottm teaching job after 13 years doing missionary work. I havent been in since March as they have low numbers.
The head asked my mate there what I like to drink. He told her Belgian beer. Last week I nipped round to his to pick up my leaving present.
8 bottles of Hoegaarden. Ffs.
 

Been on anxiety medication since October, those that I speak to and see on here will know the difference it’s made to my life.
Booked my first holiday abroad since I was 16 ish in October, today had my first hypnotherapy appointment through Zoom from a Derby fan on Twitter who is a councillor and hypnotherapist, was a little sceptical about it all, but it was actually very good.
It’s not like you see on TV where they have you barking on stage like a dog, she runs you through past experiences in your head and asks you to visualise past events and places you in a 3rd person perspective. It’s hard to explain but I came off feeling strangle a little “high” if that makes sense, really relaxed and it’s quite bizarre. 
If you’re willing to embrace it and go with it, I can see it being quite rewarding, definitely will be continuing with it.

I once met a drag queen from the greater Manchester area...
 
He had a Wigan address. 

Watched The Edge on BBC2 last night. 
Best sports documentary I've seen. 
Behind the scenes with the England cricket team under Flower. 
Real insight into what it takes to become a test cricketer and also the toll it takes. 
Several familiar faces in tears. 
Also background on the Pietersen row. 
Riveting. 

Being annoyed because you've overlaid until 11.30 then realising you've gone over 12 hours without needing a piss.