The Cricket Thread

[Ciderhead]

117-1 off 12 - should never lose that from there. Ah well

 

[Ciderhead]

Can't help but think England have cost themselves there by sending Livingstone rather than Morgan at 4. What was it 15 off 17? No way Morgan would have gone at that rate and would have been more comfortable.

Right decision though. It's not really that important of a game and you want to see Livingstone in that kind of position. If he only has to face a couple of balls or doesn't get a bat at all there wasn't much point picking him

 

[hodge]

Right decision though. It's not really that important of a game and you want to see Livingstone in that kind of position. If he only has to face a couple of balls or doesn't get a bat at all there wasn't much point picking him

Win the game though and you go into the next one being able to do whatever you want, now its still a case of must win for Sunday and Overton and Malan potentially to be played.

 

[Skinner]

I'd be interested to know what the actual figure is of us winning the first 1 or 2 games in 3 and 5 series in LO, Pakistan and SA away spring to mind straight away

 

[Ciderhead]

Win the game though and you go into the next one being able to do whatever you want, now its still a case of must win for Sunday and Overton and Malan potentially to be played.

Meh, must win in order to win a pretty meaningless series in the grand scheme of things. Not too bothered really, it's more about giving fringe and up-and-coming players a chance, hence the squads picked. Will be a more valuable experience for those two with something to play for than in a dead rubber.

On another note, bit odd that Overton's left for the last game rather than his home ground at Taunton but there we go

 

[hodge]

Meh, must win in order to win a pretty meaningless series in the grand scheme of things. Not too bothered really, it's more about giving fringe and up-and-coming players a chance, hence the squads picked. Will be a more valuable experience for those two with something to play for than in a dead rubber.

On another note, bit odd that Overton's left for the last game rather than his home ground at Taunton but there we go

Sensible I'd say on Overton, get him to produce away from his home ground, if he played today and did well people would just put it down to him being at his home ground, if he did badly people would question his international pedigree if he can't do it at his home ground, lose/lose situation.

 

[Ciderhead]

Yeah I suppose, thought they might do it to ease him in a bit like they did with Crane but I guess you could go either way

 

[Skinner]

Meh, must win in order to win a pretty meaningless series in the grand scheme of things. Not too bothered really, it's more about giving fringe and up-and-coming players a chance, hence the squads picked. Will be a more valuable experience for those two with something to play for than in a dead rubber.

On another note, bit odd that Overton's left for the last game rather than his home ground at Taunton but there we go

Bang on.

Currently arguing with someone that believes we should field our best side in every series and not give anyone else a chance, whilst burning out key players for the Ashes, on the back of a tournament and a hard winter in Asia.

I just don't think people 'get' sport, let alone cricket.

Hopefully this time after the World Cup we'll be playing a series like this and looking at Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence.

 

[SMH]

Right decision though. It's not really that important of a game and you want to see Livingstone in that kind of position. If he only has to face a couple of balls or doesn't get a bat at all there wasn't much point picking him

Spot on. This is how you find out whose ready and who isn't, by putting them in pressure situations. Livingstone unfortunately failed the test and will be straight back to Lancashire in the morning.

 

[hodge]

I get the reasoning but its another reason I'm glad I didn't shell out for tickets, paying as much as people did (I think £40 odd was the cheapest available) and see England throw a game away by not going all out to win would have annoyed me had I gone.

 

[RavenBish]

I get the reasoning but its another reason I'm glad I didn't shell out for tickets, paying as much as people did (I think £40 odd was the cheapest available) and see England throw a game away by not going all out to win would have annoyed me had I gone.

You'd be furious with today's team then.

 

[hodge]

You'd be furious with today's team then.

Just seen, it does take the piss. The Saffers have named their strongest team and we leave out Morgan and Roy. And so much for England's statement about giving everyone a go then leaving Overton out anyway.

Edit - Don't know why I thought Roy had been dropped....

 

[RavenBish]

All Roy needs is a brain and he'd be a good cricketer.

Malan and Hales look like they're running through treacle here - need some big hits.

 

[RavenBish]

This is an awesome knock on DAYBOO

 

[Dave]

Edit - Don't know why I thought Roy had been dropped....

 

[RavenBish]

Billings would benefit so much from trying to be a proper rounded cricketer rather than pissing about playing in every T20 competition going - clearly very talented but his fundamentals haven't improved since he came onto the scene and he overcompensates by trying to ramp and flick everything. Needs more domestic and red ball cricket.

I hope I never approach anything as poorly as Liam Livingstone and international cricket.

 

[Dave]

Livingstone.

 

[RavenBish]

probably shouldn't have picked a leggy on this pitch in hindsight, would've suited Overton better. Got away with it.

 

[RavenBish]

Big fan of how much turn Crane gets (with his wrong 'un as well) - looks like a good red ball candidate because of it (as opposed to a Rashid/Tahir type).

 

[Super_horns]

Exciting ending at Chelmsford..

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1RDGlZgPYpqxL

 

[SMH]

Essex the bookies favourites to be relegated at the start of the season now clear at the top of the league. The Leicester City story of Cricket is well and truly on. Middlesex are getting dragged into the relegation battle. Lancs foiled of going for a win against Warwickshire today due to rain, Hampshire ran out of time to bowl Somerset out and Yorkshire Surrey was a washout. Yorkshire have been strangely poor this season, too many of their players being called up for England.

Good luck to Notts in the One Day Cup final on Saturday. No decent cricket fan ever wants Surrey to win despite the class act that is Kumar Sangakkara. I'd like to see Chris Read go out with a trophy this season as well.

 

[Super_horns]

Some cricket back on the BBC in 2021.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40...er=none&initial_page_size=10&postId=127426010

 

[Skinner]

What's everyone's thoughts on the impending test selection?

Hameed has had a terrible FC season so far, hasn't even hit a half century. Talk of Stoneman being looked at and a possibility of Ballance coming back in. A fair few injuries in the bowling department, Broad should be fit, thankfully. We should give T Curran a go at red ball, he's better than Jake Ball and looked good in the T20s.

Cook
Stoneman
Jennings/Root
Ballance/Root
Bairstow +
Stokes
Ali
Rashid
Plunkett
Broad
Curran

 

[lordofthepies]

I think I'd still pick Hameed. I've not seen Lancs play yet this year but his performances have apparently been much better than his scores suggest. He's obviously the man for the long term so I'd like to see them show some faith. Admittedly, that's pretty difficult when he hasn't scored a run in red ball yet this season.

 

[SMH]

Hameed needs taking out of the fire. The poor lad is probably suffering enough mentally already, a bad series here could finish him off. He's only 20, his time will come again & sooner rather than later.

Cook
Stoneman
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Rashid
Broad
Wood
Anderson

If Ballance is in the squad, expect him to play. Root won't let the selectors pick the Yorkshire captain only to have him carry the drinks. I wouldn't have a problem with him ahead of Jennings though, he's been outstanding this season.

 

[Skinner]

I thought Anderson was injured for some reason... Wood's knock was only slight. Still wanna see Curran in though.

 

[lordofthepies]

I thought Anderson was injured for some reason...

He was. He's played both of the last 2 Champo games tho.

 

[Ciderhead]

Broad's touch and go apparently so there may be another slot. A lot of talk about our pace bowling depth but once you get past Woakes and Broad/Anderson it's a bit of a struggle for names, at least for the now. Roland-Jones seems to be the next one on the list.

And if we're going to go with a second spinner there's a couple I'd have ahead of Rashid (cough...Leach...cough).

Ballance is averaging over 100 this season, he's got to be in. More than good form, that's Bairstow-esque. Hopefully he can make a similarly strong comeback to the test arena

Cook
Jennings
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Broad/Roland-Jones
Wood
Anderson
Leach

 

[Skinner]

In the Sun today (yeah I know, I don't get signal at work) it said Crane was set for a shock call-up. Can't see it myself.

 

[Ciderhead]

Seems a bit early, but I'd sooner have him than Rashid. At the very least he'd learn a hell of a lot from it. Could probably do with some more Championship games under his belt first but I'd rather that than chucking him in at the deep end for some subcontinental tour when we'd be relting on him heavily