Bandon Decker
@bandondecker.bsky.social
Ex-tronomer who mostly posts about baseball, cricket, and some other sport. Trying to be better about writing about statistics and doing good science with them.
I have no idea why they're talking about Indian wickets on TMS, but they're missing a point that irritates me. Namely that a 'bad' wicket in the subcontinent helps the touring side, because even the local batsmen struggle at that point. See Root taking five wickets in India a few years ago. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 8:26 AM
I have no idea why they're talking about Indian wickets on TMS, but they're missing a point that irritates me. Namely that a 'bad' wicket in the subcontinent helps the touring side, because even the local batsmen struggle at that point. See Root taking five wickets in India a few years ago. #Ashes
It's two in the morning here. I've gone from staying up because I was hoping for some good bowling to staying up because I was hoping for a miracle, to now just staying up because the cat curled up next to me on the sofa and I don't want to disturb him. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 8:11 AM
It's two in the morning here. I've gone from staying up because I was hoping for some good bowling to staying up because I was hoping for a miracle, to now just staying up because the cat curled up next to me on the sofa and I don't want to disturb him. #Ashes
There are a lot of things to take away from this Test, but one of them is that taxonomy is not the strong suit of anyone in the TMS box. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 7:26 AM
There are a lot of things to take away from this Test, but one of them is that taxonomy is not the strong suit of anyone in the TMS box. #Ashes
To be fair, I don't think it's necessarily a bad decision to say 'there was some sort of noise and there's not much else it could be, so I am certain it is out'. But the problem is the third umpire clearly /wasn't/ certain, so I think should have stayed with the on-field decision. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:31 AM
To be fair, I don't think it's necessarily a bad decision to say 'there was some sort of noise and there's not much else it could be, so I am certain it is out'. But the problem is the third umpire clearly /wasn't/ certain, so I think should have stayed with the on-field decision. #Ashes
(There's also the problem in baseball and cricket that none of the umpires really understand the technology and don't always interpret what they are seeing correctly.) #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
(There's also the problem in baseball and cricket that none of the umpires really understand the technology and don't always interpret what they are seeing correctly.) #Ashes
It's interesting seeing the difference in how umpires approach reviews in cricket and baseball. I criticise baseball umpires for being overly cautious about 'call stands', but I think cricket umpires go too far in the other direction. They're determined to make a decision when it isn't clear. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:26 AM
It's interesting seeing the difference in how umpires approach reviews in cricket and baseball. I criticise baseball umpires for being overly cautious about 'call stands', but I think cricket umpires go too far in the other direction. They're determined to make a decision when it isn't clear. #Ashes
If it's taking that long, I think you have to either stay with the on-field decision, (or arguably give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman). But it doesn't feel like a terrible decision, if the on field umpire had given it I don't think there would have been any issue. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:19 AM
If it's taking that long, I think you have to either stay with the on-field decision, (or arguably give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman). But it doesn't feel like a terrible decision, if the on field umpire had given it I don't think there would have been any issue. #Ashes
The mark on Snicko isn't the sharp line that you usually see from bat on ball, and it's well after the ball passes the bat. I don't think you can say with confidence that's out. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:14 AM
The mark on Snicko isn't the sharp line that you usually see from bat on ball, and it's well after the ball passes the bat. I don't think you can say with confidence that's out. #Ashes
I feel a bad complaining about England's approach when it fails, like it has in this Test, when I know it's a deliberate risk that often does come off. But at the same time, it has worked best when it's been a little tempered by circumstances, and there was a point when it clearly wasn't on. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 6:04 AM
I feel a bad complaining about England's approach when it fails, like it has in this Test, when I know it's a deliberate risk that often does come off. But at the same time, it has worked best when it's been a little tempered by circumstances, and there was a point when it clearly wasn't on. #Ashes
I mean, at least that was a genuinely good delivery. We'd probably be able to absorb a wicket to a good delivery if we hadn't lost three to balls on a sixth stump line. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 5:55 AM
I mean, at least that was a genuinely good delivery. We'd probably be able to absorb a wicket to a good delivery if we hadn't lost three to balls on a sixth stump line. #Ashes
Fair play to Duckett. I thought that was probably an okay review when it happened, but I didn't spot it pitching outside leg. (To be fair, I don't know if Duckett spotted that either, or just instinctively reviewed and got lucky. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.) #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Fair play to Duckett. I thought that was probably an okay review when it happened, but I didn't spot it pitching outside leg. (To be fair, I don't know if Duckett spotted that either, or just instinctively reviewed and got lucky. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.) #Ashes
I love how the Fox weight tracker thing had 86% of the weight on the front foot when the foot in question was not actually on the ground. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 4:17 AM
I love how the Fox weight tracker thing had 86% of the weight on the front foot when the foot in question was not actually on the ground. #Ashes
With the caveat that I definitely didn't have as good a view on the replay as the third umpire does, the fifth ball if that last over looked like it should have been a no ball. #Ashes
November 22, 2025 at 3:20 AM
With the caveat that I definitely didn't have as good a view on the replay as the third umpire does, the fifth ball if that last over looked like it should have been a no ball. #Ashes
It is amazing how one session can change things. I went to bed at the tea interval aware that we could come back, but not really optimistic. Waking up, I see that Ben Stokes made it England's day overall!! #Ashes
November 21, 2025 at 3:03 PM
It is amazing how one session can change things. I went to bed at the tea interval aware that we could come back, but not really optimistic. Waking up, I see that Ben Stokes made it England's day overall!! #Ashes
However many overs are bowled in the evening session, England are going to need several wickets to fall. The bowling looked good before the break, but I don't think breakthroughs will come easily without the batsmen gifting wickets away like England did. #Ashes
November 21, 2025 at 7:06 AM
However many overs are bowled in the evening session, England are going to need several wickets to fall. The bowling looked good before the break, but I don't think breakthroughs will come easily without the batsmen gifting wickets away like England did. #Ashes
The discussion on TMS was about England being docked points for the slow over rate, which is fair enough given that England are generally the worst offenders. But Australia are just as culpable today. #Ashes
November 21, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The discussion on TMS was about England being docked points for the slow over rate, which is fair enough given that England are generally the worst offenders. But Australia are just as culpable today. #Ashes
Tea, and by my count there are exactly half of the ninety overs still to be bowled. I suspect not all of them will actually be bowled. #Ashes
November 21, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Tea, and by my count there are exactly half of the ninety overs still to be bowled. I suspect not all of them will actually be bowled. #Ashes