England Cricket Team Thread
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Jeez, that was TERRIBLE.
I’ve been saying for years that the format of the domestic season is bad for producing Test players, but Thorpe put an interesting spin on that. The decent players don’t want to open the batting because it is so difficult on green pitches in April May and September so we just can’t produce openers of Test quality.
He made the point that Jason Roy is next in line but he bats at 5 for Surrey. If the selectors want him to open or bat at 3 they will have a word with Surrey and ask if they can put him up the order but he will probably be less successful because those early overs on green pitches when the sun is barely up are very difficult so he will find it much tougher to stay in for long periods and score runs.
I’ve also been saying for ages that Bairstow is a luxury player - he plays aggressive shots at almost every ball he faces, and rarely shoulders arms. Playing him anywhere near the top of the order is just wrong. But who else is there FFS?
I wonder what Hameed is up to this winter... Averaging 9.70 last season - he probably doesn’t need to score bucket loads early on to come in for the Ashes, as he actually doesn’t try to score off every shot and has (well, had) a technique and temperament suited to Test cricket more than any other young players we’ve seen in recent years. But the chances of him opening for Lancs in April and really staking a claim so he could go into Tests with form and confidence are slim. Maybe he should bat at 5 and 6 as well so he can dodge the early swing against County trundlers!
Every way I look at it makes me think we are fcuked.
We need a Gareth Southgate style revolution!
I’ve been saying for years that the format of the domestic season is bad for producing Test players, but Thorpe put an interesting spin on that. The decent players don’t want to open the batting because it is so difficult on green pitches in April May and September so we just can’t produce openers of Test quality.
He made the point that Jason Roy is next in line but he bats at 5 for Surrey. If the selectors want him to open or bat at 3 they will have a word with Surrey and ask if they can put him up the order but he will probably be less successful because those early overs on green pitches when the sun is barely up are very difficult so he will find it much tougher to stay in for long periods and score runs.
I’ve also been saying for ages that Bairstow is a luxury player - he plays aggressive shots at almost every ball he faces, and rarely shoulders arms. Playing him anywhere near the top of the order is just wrong. But who else is there FFS?
I wonder what Hameed is up to this winter... Averaging 9.70 last season - he probably doesn’t need to score bucket loads early on to come in for the Ashes, as he actually doesn’t try to score off every shot and has (well, had) a technique and temperament suited to Test cricket more than any other young players we’ve seen in recent years. But the chances of him opening for Lancs in April and really staking a claim so he could go into Tests with form and confidence are slim. Maybe he should bat at 5 and 6 as well so he can dodge the early swing against County trundlers!
Every way I look at it makes me think we are fcuked.
We need a Gareth Southgate style revolution!
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
I don’t think Root is a bad captain but he ain’t great.
I know it won’t happen but I’d let him concentrate on his batting and bring Morgan in as captain. He’s a natural leader.
I know it won’t happen but I’d let him concentrate on his batting and bring Morgan in as captain. He’s a natural leader.
- Diamond Dog
- "Self Quoter" Extraordinaire.
- Posts: 69577
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 21:04
- Location: High On Poachers Hill
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Lord Rother wrote:I don’t think Root is a bad captain but he ain’t great.
I think he is a bad captain.
His comment after we were skittled out in the First Test (playing woefully inappropriate shots) that we shouldn't try to occupy the crease but play our natural game and score quickly, simply wasn't the words of a man who understands what his role is. So we go out in the second Test and do exactly the same and people wonder why?
Sorry but he needs to concentrate on his batting and get a proper captain in - I don;t know who, but Root surely has proven he isn't the person for that role.
Nicotine, valium, vicadin, marijuana, ecstasy, and alcohol -
Cocaine
Cocaine
- Penk!
- Midnight to Six Man
- Posts: 35784
- Joined: 07 Aug 2004, 20:12
- Location: Stockholm
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Stat of the day:
England have scored over 400 just once in their last 14 tests - and that in a dead rubber.
England have scored over 400 just once in their last 14 tests - and that in a dead rubber.
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.
- borofan
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: 29 Jul 2003, 21:17
- Location: Lost in translation
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Lord Rother wrote:I wonder what Hameed is up to this winter... Averaging 9.70 last season - he probably doesn’t need to score bucket loads early on to come in for the Ashes, as he actually doesn’t try to score off every shot and has (well, had) a technique and temperament suited to Test cricket more than any other young players we’ve seen in recent years. But the chances of him opening for Lancs in April and really staking a claim so he could go into Tests with form and confidence are slim. Maybe he should bat at 5 and 6 as well so he can dodge the early swing against County trundlers.
Lancasahire are (at least partly) to blame IMO for the decline in Hameed's form. For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to have him play white ball cricket, and in trying to adapt his game to the format, he seems to have lost the solidity in his batting that was his strength. Spent the rest of last season struggling in the twos.
We're usually skipping around the function room in our long-johns by now...
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Fair comment although it was his own stated ambition to play white ball for England.
- borofan
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: 29 Jul 2003, 21:17
- Location: Lost in translation
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Lord Rother wrote:Fair comment although it was his own stated ambition to play white ball for England.
In that case, he was deluded.
We're usually skipping around the function room in our long-johns by now...
- Penk!
- Midnight to Six Man
- Posts: 35784
- Joined: 07 Aug 2004, 20:12
- Location: Stockholm
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
So the solution is to drop the one guy in the team who's averaged over 40 in the last year, and recall Jennings. Riiiiight...
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.
- Jumper K
- Posts: 2847
- Joined: 22 Oct 2014, 16:25
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Lets not take away the fact that there appears to be a bit of a resurgence for the West Indies in the test area. I'm pretty thankful.We live in a time where traditional forms of the game are under a very real and continuous threat. The utter clusterfuck that will be the 100 will see the decline of the county game with the emphasis put purely on the Test Hosting Counties concentrating on short forms of the game, with the other 10 relegated to second class status, if they survive. It doesn't take a genius to work out the catastrophic effect it will have on the long form. The Championship will be played at the start and the fag-end of the season on sub standard pitches and we will produce no players who have any real experience to take into Test Cricket.In 5 years time Test Cricket will be reduced to an afterthought, unless its the Ashes, as other Countries will pretty much drop any aspiration of playing a series or hosting a long tour. Thats why the West Indies playing well and beating a top 3 (now top5 ) Test playing nation may offer a small hope.
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
I make you right.
(But the Championship is already being played at the start and fag end of the season on sub-standard pitches.)
(But the Championship is already being played at the start and fag end of the season on sub-standard pitches.)
- Jumper K
- Posts: 2847
- Joined: 22 Oct 2014, 16:25
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Lord Rother wrote:I make you right.
(But the Championship is already being played at the start and fag end of the season on sub-standard pitches.)
Sorry I meant to add ‘by academy graduates and 2nd eleven standard’ as all the decent players will, quite rightly only want to play for the elite where the money will be.
- Diamond Dog
- "Self Quoter" Extraordinaire.
- Posts: 69577
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 21:04
- Location: High On Poachers Hill
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
The only way players won't be tempted by white ball cricket is when Test cricket becomes as financially rewarding as the short forms. Sadly, I don't see that happening any time soon - so the demise of Test cricket is, I think, pretty much irreversible.
Nicotine, valium, vicadin, marijuana, ecstasy, and alcohol -
Cocaine
Cocaine
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
The excellent George Dobell sums it up rather well, if somewhat depressingly.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ests-ashes
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ests-ashes
- Penk!
- Midnight to Six Man
- Posts: 35784
- Joined: 07 Aug 2004, 20:12
- Location: Stockholm
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Jumper K wrote:Lets not take away the fact that there appears to be a bit of a resurgence for the West Indies in the test area.
Perhaps, and it could only be good for the game - a lot of people are saying how happy they are to see the Windies doing well despite England's travails - but then again, this isn't a team of young prospects but a team of guys who have for the most part 30 or 40 tests at least to their names. The bowlers are strong - Roach, Gabriel and Holder are all dangerous - but I'm not yet convinced that this is anything more than a combination of them playing out of their skins in a couple of games, and England being an absolute rabble.
Like I said before, Roston Chase's record apart from that eight-for is that of a declaration bowler, and Jason Holder now has two centuries and a batting average of 42 against England, compared to one century and an average of 24 in all other first-class cricket... and Campbell the opener looks like a tailender, not actually good enough to edge anything Anderson or Broad send down!
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.
- Lord Rother
- Posts: 10039
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 11:54
- Location: breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
We look like an emerging nation who haven’t quite sussed how to play Test Cricket.
Going at 2 an over on a pitch that is behaving pretty well but still getting out in the old familiar ways - not great.
Going at 2 an over on a pitch that is behaving pretty well but still getting out in the old familiar ways - not great.
- Penk!
- Midnight to Six Man
- Posts: 35784
- Joined: 07 Aug 2004, 20:12
- Location: Stockholm
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Jonny Bairstow and Moeen appear to be in terminal decline.
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.
- Penk!
- Midnight to Six Man
- Posts: 35784
- Joined: 07 Aug 2004, 20:12
- Location: Stockholm
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
This guy Campbell must be so frustrating to bowl against: he's not actually good enough to edge the balls that openers traditionally do, and ends up playing and missing a lot, but then he winds up making runs because on the odd occasion he does connect he gets a boundary!
fange wrote:One of the things i really dislike in this life is people raising their voices in German.
- mentalist (slight return)
- under mi sensi
- Posts: 14575
- Joined: 17 Jul 2003, 10:54
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
The Ashes are going to be two bald men fighting over a comb.
king of the divan
- borofan
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: 29 Jul 2003, 21:17
- Location: Lost in translation
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
PENK wrote:This guy Campbell must be so frustrating to bowl against: he's not actually good enough to edge the balls that openers traditionally do, and ends up playing and missing a lot, but then he winds up making runs because on the odd occasion he does connect he gets a boundary!
He's still better than Jennings though!
We're usually skipping around the function room in our long-johns by now...
- mentalist (slight return)
- under mi sensi
- Posts: 14575
- Joined: 17 Jul 2003, 10:54
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Re: England Cricket Team Thread
Classy of Root to call out Gabriel in the way that he did.
king of the divan