The Cricket Thread

[blademan89]

Apart from next Thursday of course .

Shame it's not Friday would of come down and stayed over then gone to millwall on the saturday.

 

[Super_horns]

Dropped catches galore...

 

[JJH]

One brings two, as Boycott always says. Big boost that, six down.

 

[RavenBish]

Bit of weird post considering the exact problem is that he has shown he is a test player, in various games. But he's not showing enough. To suggest he's not shown anything is a bit of strange statement.

'Bit of a weird post, here's an even weirder one'

 

[kieran_vale]

Considering how weak their tail is I don't think we are in too bad a position here. About as perfect batting conditions as you could hope for today so they did alright there with sticking at it.

Not pleased at our catching though, this is happening far too frequently. Can forgive the caught and bowled miss but the others not good enough. Bayliss needs to do some serious work with them there as it will cost us a match eventually.

 

[Super_horns]

2-2 it is then unless our lower order really pull something big out of the bag.

 

[Skinner]

Awful again, Vince has got to go.

 

[slaphead]

Awful again, Vince has got to go.

He's not alone though is he? Hales has been atrocious, Root bar one knock has been poor, Ballance poor too. Even Cook hasn't been anywhere near the class of the last couple of years. All too often the middle order has been exposed far to early, and it's only because England bat so deep we've been bailed out, but it will come back and bite us on the arse eventually.

So once these 'underperformers' have been dropped, then what? Who comes in? Give another load of newcomers a series and then bin them off and start the whole process again?

For me, we have to stick by the side and give them time, and I mean 3 or 4 series, to get used to Test cricket. My real concerns are there is no viable alternative to Hales, we just do not have another standout opener in county cricket. Root is all to often having to come in and play as an opener which just isn't his game, he doesn't have the patience for it. The other issue is the total lack of any half decent spinner. If we had one then possibly Vince could go, Ali move up and slot the spinner in, but all the time we have this obsession that our bowlers have to bat we will be limited.

I've watched a lot of country cricket again this year, and I can honestly say it's the poorest it's been in the 40 years I've been watching. Too many different formats, players trying to be all things to all men, to many overseas and Kolpak players are just some of the reasons, but I have no idea to the solution. I just know the 4 day game in England is dropping in quality year on year and is dying on it's arse in favour of the more lucrative TV friendly formats.

 

[Saddlerrad]

England to be all out about 10 minutes after lunch.

2-2 is a fair reflection of the series anyway and there would almost be a small sense of 'embarassment' should this England side reach number 1 when there's so many glaring holes throughout the lineup.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Vince and Ballance have got to go.

Hales will be fine on the flat wickets of the sub-continent.

 

[slaphead]

Vince and Ballance have got to go.

Hales will be fine on the flat wickets of the sub-continent.

Ballance will go when Stokes is back. Hales won't play spin well. But as for dropping anyone, as above, who do you bring in?

 

[Camborne Gills]

If Kent were in D1, then the selectors might consider DBD or SNE. But we're not, so they won't.

 

[Skinner]

Bell-Drummond is the obvious choice.

As for Vince, we'll be bringing in a second spinner for the tour of India anyway, bring in Rashid/Ansari/Borthwick and move JB, Stokes and Ali up if it's one of the former two.

 

[Skinner]

We might as well open with Bairstow and Ali

The way they've batted the last few tests being 100-1 might, just might, stop the rest of our order from self-destructing

But no seriously, whilst these two are still in, and with Woakes still to come in, a lead of 150 could see this test salvaged. I have faith. Predict a loss please Saddler...

 

[slaphead]

We might as well open with Bairstow and Ali

The way they've batted the last few tests being 100-1 might, just might, stop the rest of our order from self-destructing

But no seriously, whilst these two are still in, and with Woakes still to come in, a lead of 150 could see this test salvaged. I have faith. Predict a loss please Saddler...

Some merit in trying Ali there again, but not Bairstow! I have just looked at the CC batting averages and the you need to go down to number 10 to Sam Robson to find someone England qualified, Trott and a first season Lancs player excepted. Tells it's own story really.

 

[Skinner]

I wasn't being serious man.

 

[slaphead]

I wasn't being serious man.

I know, but Ali has opened. He also has the patience to play a moving ball. And he has to be a better option than Hales.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Give it no more than 10 overs before we are all out.

No doubt the bottom order will just collapse, probably playing stupid shots.

No chance of any partnerships now.

That last wicket was key.

 

[Skinner]

Nah, he contributes more down the order. Would rather have him coming in at 7 and making a quick 30-40 or a century when it's needed than not have him as an option down there. Batting in depth is our one strength.

 

[Skinner]

Shit result.

If things don't improve, then we're going to get battered in India. Pakistan are a good side, but we can't be putting in performances against them like that, especially at home.

Ideal side for India/Bangledesh :

Cook
Bell-Drummond
Root
Ballance/Buttler (if Buttler move down the order)
Bairstow +
Stokes
Ali
Ansari
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

 

[lordofthepies]

Some merit in trying Ali there again, but not Bairstow! I have just looked at the CC batting averages and the you need to go down to number 10 to Sam Robson to find someone England qualified, Trott and a first season Lancs player excepted. Tells it's own story really.

That's not true though, is it? Keaton Jennings and Nick Gubbins are both England-qualified. And 2 of the top 10 are already in the England team. And I assume you're only looking at div 1 as well cos there's loads of young Englishmen with exceptional averages in div 2 too.

I think there's actually a lot of quality batsmen around in England but admittedly most of them are quite young and probably not quite ready for international cricket. I think the standard is a lot higher than you make out - county cricket is always slagged off but I think it's in a reasonably healthy state - I'd say it's better than it was 5-10 years ago.

I'd like to see Sam Robson get another go - he was discarded way too quickly first time round.

 

[MJA]

Pakistan are not the worst side in the world but I'd have thought England would have had enough within them to take a series win here. Very poor batting performance in the final test and I can only hope that this is an eye opener to the selectors with regards to certain individuals who have done little to suggest that they are of test match standard

 

[RavenBish]

Michael Vaughan was suggesting Batty and Roy for the Winter squad today. Christ almighty.

Duckett's an obvious choice for me with his ability to play spin. Hopefully he impresses in the ODIs and gets a promotion (same with Mark Wood who needs to be back in the reckoning asap) - shame Billings doesn't play enough 4 day games either as technically he's got the potential to be a Test batsman, and again, plays spin well.

 

[lordofthepies]

Michael Vaughan was suggesting Batty and Roy for the Winter squad today. Christ almighty.

Duckett's an obvious choice for me with his ability to play spin. Hopefully he impresses in the ODIs and gets a promotion (same with Mark Wood who needs to be back in the reckoning asap) - shame Billings doesn't play enough 4 day games either as technically he's got the potential to be a Test batsman, and again, plays spin well.

Batty's been talked about a lot lately. While I'm sure he wouldn't let anyone down, it just goes to show desperate England are for spinners at the moment.

 

[Skinner]

Batty? He can fuck right off

 

[RavenBish]

Batty's been talked about a lot lately. While I'm sure he wouldn't let anyone down, it just goes to show desperate England are for spinners at the moment.

They are a bit but Ansari and Rashid are still both better options before we have to get *that* desperate. It's not quite Shaun Udal territory yet.

 

[Matt_]

Shit result.

If things don't improve, then we're going to get battered in India. Pakistan are a good side, but we can't be putting in performances against them like that, especially at home.

Ideal side for India/Bangledesh :

Cook
Bell-Drummond
Root
Ballance/Buttler (if Buttler move down the order)
Bairstow +
Stokes
Ali
Ansari
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

People said we'd get battered the last time we toured India, people said we'd get battered in South Africa last winter. Neither happened, England will be competitive in India this winter. I don't expect us to beat them like last time but I certainly don't expect us to get battered.

Regarding Buttler, when was the last time he played any red ball cricket? He'll probably go as backup to Bairstow but personally I think other options are worthy of consideration for the test squad given how little cricket Jos has played this season. Billings is by far the better wicket keeper of the two, and probably of the three, but sadly his four day batting isn't really pressing his case. John Simpson is another whose name deserved to be discussed.

For this winter I'd move Ballance up to four in place of Vince and move Ali up to five. Ballance, unlike Vince, clearly has the temperament to play test cricket, his technical issues can be ironed out. Ali is plenty good enough to bat at five and is a decent player of spin. Tom Westley is another worthy of consideration as a middle order batter. Moving Ali to five immediately creates a spot for another spinner whilst allowing the four man pace attack to be retained.

The opening position is a difficult one. Hales has shown some signs that he could eventually develop into a test match opener, although his recent petulance won't have done him any favours, and the continual chopping and changing of recent times can't just continue ad infinitum, so I think the selectors should persevere with him a bit longer yet. Otherwise there are options, Bell-Drummond you have mentioned, Stoneman has been very consistent and the young lad at Lancashire, Hameed, is a real talent.

 

[lordofthepies]

Hameed is absolutely mega - he's got a huge future. He made his FC class debut less than a year ago though, not sure if it would be wise to even pick him a touring squad at the moment.

 

[MJA]

Hameed is absolutely mega - he's got a huge future. He made his FC class debut less than a year ago though, not sure if it would be wise to even pick him a touring squad at the moment.

Has he toured with the Lions yet?

 

[lordofthepies]

Has he toured with the Lions yet?

Don't think so. He's captained the under-19s and I'm sure he'll be in the Lions squad this winter but I don't think he's played for them before.