The Cricket Thread

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

Seriously, f**k off Ian Smith. Great play by Bairstow, Billings and Rashid.

After the previous four matches we were allowed a wobble, but still got the job done, something that we wouldn't have done as recently as three months ago.

 

[Modernist]

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RavenBish]

Best ODI Series ever

 

[Bobbin']

Seriously, f**k off Ian Smith. Great play by Bairstow, Billings and Rashid.

After the previous four matches we were allowed a wobble, but still got the job done, something that we wouldn't have done as recently as three months ago.

Couldn't agree more with your first paragraph. Ian Smith was very bitter at the end, insinuating Bairstow won the game single-handedly, he was clearly the star man but huge credit has to be given to both Billings and Rashid for partnering him brilliantly.

 

[DarkSithLord]

WOW. Bangladesh have beaten India in a ODI series for the first time in their history!

What the fuck has happened to India?!

 

[lordofthepies]

Bangladesh are a decent ODI team.

 

[Super_horns]

Same team for the Twenty20 and England will bat first.

 

[silvergull]

I am loving this start to the cricketing summer. Cracking series with New Zealand and a another great England Performance

 

[Baz]

I am loving this start to the cricketing summer. Cracking series with New Zealand and a another great England Performance

Getting rather good isn't it? Just hope those Aussies don't spoil our new found fun.

 

[silvergull]

New Zealand bowled out for 135. Cracking bowling recovery.
Shame the New Zealand series has to end.

 

[EricSabin]

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE LA LA LA.

Buzzing for England, so exciting to watch them play these days. More buzzing for Willey, he's such a top fella he deserves success at the top level.

 

[The Southbank]

Been a fantastic series, fair play to New Zealand.

 

[RavenBish]

Tremendous few weeks for cricket. I can't help but feel the optimism of this young vibrant side will drain away though after the first Aussie test when a top 4 of Cook, Lyth, Ballance and Bell gets dismantled by that pace attack of Starc, Johnson and Harris.

Still, at least we're set in limited overs cricket for the foreseeable future, no reason why this group (and the handful behind them) can't make us really competitive in the shorter forms for the next few years.

 

[Saddlerrad]

And then push on to the test arena IMO.. The pressure is even higher now on that top 4 when they realise what everyone around them is capable of. If the top 4 fail, Morgan will be in within no time, perhaps Hales too. Great start to the summer though, brillant entertainment. All 3 series were very competitive.

Big turnaround for England in ODI formats, but still work to do. We played on 6 belters. I'd be even more impressed if we did that at the Gabba or in Mumbai, but I suppose that test comes with time.

 

[Super_horns]

Some excellent bowling and fielding tonight - David Willey particularly.

 

[EricSabin]

All set to build this side for the World T20 next March and the 2019 World Cup at home

 

[Baz]

And then push on to the test arena IMO.. The pressure is even higher now on that top 4 when they realise what everyone around them is capable of. If the top 4 fail, Morgan will be in within no time, perhaps Hales too. Great start to the summer though, brillant entertainment. All 3 series were very competitive.

Big turnaround for England in ODI formats, but still work to do. We played on 6 belters. I'd be even more impressed if we did that at the Gabba or in Mumbai, but I suppose that test comes with time.

Nah Morgan isn't cut out for the longer form of the game unfortunately, same with Hales. There's plenty of guys who can come in and do a job in the Test Match arena if the like of Bell fail.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Nah Morgan isn't cut out for the longer form of the game unfortunately, same with Hales. There's plenty of guys who can come in and do a job in the Test Match arena if the like of Bell fail.

Meh, not sure. Morgan's innings in the 4th ODI, would have been a perfect kind of test innings (obviously with a bit more on top). I don't think it's long until test matches because the old ODI. 5 runs a day.

 

[Aber gas]

Nah Morgan isn't cut out for the longer form of the game unfortunately, same with Hales. There's plenty of guys who can come in and do a job in the Test Match arena if the like of Bell fail.

i disagree with you about hales . He made big scores consistently for notts early season and has the talent to get big runs quickly at test level . He just needs support from the england management to encourage him to play his way .

 

[silvergull]

Also worth noting that we weren't exactly bad in the New Zealand tests...
The fact that lyth is apparently under pressure is insane. Earnt his place in the test side the same way hales has in the ODI. Test match is utterly different. Case example, Cook. Back to his utter best in the New Zealand tests

The England futures of plunkett and Jordan looks over with. Neither Wood note Willey would have played this series if not for injury

 

[RavenBish]

'back to his utter best' is a huge overstatement, first ball duck today too. He's nowhere near the Cook of old and it's been long enough to suggest he never will be. Cook and Lyth should open though, I'm not even going to dare suggest anyone who could replace them. Hales isn't the 4 day batsman some seem to think and there's a reason he's been pushed down to 3 for Notts (and done well admittedly), and you can hardly displace Ballance yet with the Test average he boasts. Morgan shouldn't be near the Test scene either, that's a bit of a ludicrous leap considering he's only played 2 innings in CC this season.

Problem is there's not a lot of experienced options if the top 4 fail. The next in line in my mind are Hales, Leaning, Westley, Bairstow (none of which are openers) - and yeah, chucking them into an Ashes series is a bit different than giving lads a chance to play freely in an ODI series against New Zealand. We're blessed with so much fucking talent at the minute though, I just feel this Ashes series has come at the wrong time when it comes to the batting line-up - it could well look totally different in 12 months time.

 

[Baz]

Sam Robson got dumped for too early too. Plus the other lad at Yorkshire, Lees has been solid opening the batting. Then of course there's Taylor who for some major unknown reason can't get near the team.

 

[Aber gas]

Nobody should be dropped from the test side yet imo . Lyth has looked comfortable opening with Cook , ballance is out of form but with a great record and bell is still a world class batsmen . After the ashes there is possibly going to be a spot or two depending on whether bell fancies yet another tour and whether ballance can sort out his technical issues . I'd love to see hales in one of those .

 

[Skinner]

Morgan in the test side? ffs

 

[Matt_]

Then of course there's Taylor who for some major unknown reason can't get near the team.

Probably because his record in County Cricket over the last few years is not very good, talented lad though he obviously is.

Others like Ballance and Lyth forced their way into test contention through their performances in County Cricket.

 

[Matt_]

i disagree with you about hales . He made big scores consistently for notts early season and has the talent to get big runs quickly at test level . He just needs support from the england management to encourage him to play his way .

Recent reports suggest Hales plays quite differently in the four day game and has shown a good ability to build a proper innings in more recent times. I think he's probably lined up for the number three spot should Ballance fail in the first couple of Ashes tests.

 

[Matt_]

Nobody should be dropped from the test side yet imo . Lyth has looked comfortable opening with Cook , ballance is out of form but with a great record and bell is still a world class batsmen.

Agree entirely, the team was only rebuilt a little over twelve months ago and is already largely unrecognisable from the side that played in the last Ashes series. Any further changes have to be very carefully made whilst the newer players continue to bed in.

 

[hodge]

Just got round to watching the highlights of the last ODI hating how biased Boycott's commentary is towards Yorkshire. Any chance to mention Yorkshire and he does, 'when you get two Yorkshiremen together you've got a problem New Zealand' a few comments about how why hadn't Bairstow been in previously if he can play that well, no comment on Buttler's form as to why he's the man etc.

 

[lordofthepies]

The ICC have confirmed that they're ruining the world cup by stopping the associate nations from taking part.

Also, now that ODIs are better than they've ever been before, they've decided to change the fielding restrictions.

Lovely stuff. Cricket administrators never help the sport, really.

 

[Baz]

So that's top 8 plus 2 qualifiers or Top 7 plus 3 qualifiers?