So yesterday evening I was stood in a pub off Borough High Street watching the cricket. Ian Bell and

[Berni]

Joe Root were stroking the Australian bowling to all parts, with Bell in particular playing some glorious shots. And then he got 50. And I knew. I could see on his face the thought "I've done enough to keep my place. I can relax now."

And I thought 'Well what I'd do now if I were Michael Clarke would be to bring on Lyon. Bell is bound to go after him - even though all he had to do was bat through to the close.' Sure enough, Lyon came on, Bell went for him immediately, skied one and got out. Gross thoughtlessness and cretinous stupidity.

I finished my pint, muttered the word 'c**t' and walked out.

I have defended Bell down the years because he's a wonderful batsman to watch and has real class. However, last night was the final straw for me. He's too stupid to live. The weasel-faced little f**k is dead to me.

Still, good captaincy by Clarke I have to say.

[Luis Anaconda]

Backed him to keep his place but that was f**king ridiculous. It was just so obvious, as you say good captaincy from Clarke. Puts all the pressure to make a really big score on Root - with the two of them there it would have been set up perfectly for today

[Rich]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Rich]

[Luis Anaconda]

[Rich]

[Luis Anaconda]

Just want a nice platform for Stokes, Buttler and Ali to whack em around the ground really

[Rich]

[Pat Vegas]

For me the cut off point is the railway bridge at London bridge station once you pass that point :-(

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Rich]

I say shop but really it is a hole in the wall.

[Berni]

[Pat Vegas]

knowing how to spell his name correctly is not something to be proud of.

Unless your Polish you should get it wrong everytime. Or change it to something easy. Like Chesney.

[Luis Anaconda]

[Pat Vegas]

[Rich]

drinking masses (steins) of Paulaner in that German bar across the road. Think it might be called Katzenjammers.

[Pat Vegas]

that area it's always pissing down with rain when I leave.

[Rich]

I seem to recall hurling pretzels around and thinking it was hilarious :-

I have been to Dublin 4 times and it's rained almost continuously on each occasion :-(

[Berni]

trouble. He just doesn't have the game.

[PSRB]

saw Bell play that shot, handed the remote back to the wife and read my book instead

[PSRB]

[Ben.]

one of his last knocks was the one in New Zealand, it will come imo , he has massive talent.

Although as a Kent fan Billings also has massive talent and is a much better keeper.

[Luis Anaconda]

Lancashire. I know you are going to sneer and say inferior attacks and everything but it shows he has the mentality. Harsh to call him a slogger - some of his shots are lovely to watch as well

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Literature, history, craic agus ceoil. Perhaps a ride if you are single.

Coming here and expecting good weather is naive. It is always very easy to spot the English stag groups as a weekend approaches as they are the groups of males in shirts, often short sleeved.

[Berni]

No, but seriously, I spoke to my dad last night, who's flying off to Cork for a long weekend and he's all arsey because it seems like it's likely to be pissing with rain. I pointed out to him that he spent the firt 20 years of his life in the f**king country and probably shouldn't be surprised that it was likely to piss down.

[Luis Anaconda]

the weather was absolutely beautiful - people didn't know what to do with themselves

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Rains here and invariably some office voice will mutter and moan, perhaps pointing out it is the summer. Now with the exception of the lad beside me who is Indian I expect every person in the office has spent 90% of their lives in Ireland so the basis of their shock or despair escapes me.

Don’t get me wrong it can be a little frustrating as one stands in the kitchen looking out at the abandoned Weber and a darkened sky, but then you just open the cider and drink it in the kitchen.

We are possibly the only people in the world calling out for climate change.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I was in a cracking beer garden last week in the west.

It was the publicans actual garden, clothes line and all.

:hehe:

[Berni]

And then complain about how their sunburn is 'fierce'.

[Red N White Army]

[Luis Anaconda]

[Luis Anaconda]

I can get burned just watching a weather forecaster predicting hot weather

[Berni]

involves being outside in the sunshine in high summer for hours on end.

[Ashberto]

At least the *******s gave you that.