England Cricket Team Thread

[Lord Rother]

And here we go again.

[Penk!]

Great innings by Stokes: coupled with that devastating spell of bowling it looks like he will prove the difference between the sides.

Bangladesh need to play more tests: they look like they have the talent to compete with anyone, but need experience and confidence to capitalise on their strong positions.

[Lord Rother]

Yep, I will be amazed if England don't wrap this up tomorrow.

[Lord Rother]

An amazing day's play in Bangladesh. BD collapse to 220 all out losing their last 9 wickets for 49, and then England's top order fails yet again.

And Hameed sits quietly in the pavilion.

This comment lifted from Cricinfo says it all.

"Yet another spectacularly bad performance from England's top order, and in particular the utterly and irretrievably hopeless Gary Ballance (Duckett gets a pass for now as he's new, and Cook of course for his record). What compromising photographs does he have of Bayliss and Cook that can possibly explain his continued selection? To be fair, it's not like England have a 19 year old top order player who averages over 50 in the first division of the county championship. Oh, wait...."

[Lord Rother]

Oh, and right now Stokes looks as good as Botham ever was. If he stays fit he could end up being our greatest ever all rounder.

[borofan]

This comment lifted from Cricinfo says it all.

"Yet another spectacularly bad performance from England's top order, and in particular the utterly and irretrievably hopeless Gary Ballance (Duckett gets a pass for now as he's new, and Cook of course for his record). What compromising photographs does he have of Bayliss and Cook that can possibly explain his continued selection? To be fair, it's not like England have a 19 year old top order player who averages over 50 in the first division of the county championship. Oh, wait...."

I take it you got that from one of the perpetually angry keyboard warriors in the comments section rather than the article...

It's difficult to see where the selectors go from here. I'd be loath to throw Hameed straight into a series against India in India (he should have played in this series), but Ballance is in such a trot of poor form that they really can't justify keeping him in the side. Just about everyone with a claim has had a go over the last 3 years or so. With 20/20 hindsight, maybe they should have taken Keaton Jennings on the back of his superb season for Durham.

Thay can't rely totally on Bairstow and Stokes forever.

[Lord Rother]

Jennings is South African.

[Lord Rother]

Oct 27, 2016 Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has said that consistency will be their main target in the second Test against England.

Well that went well.

[Lord Rother]

So why would they put Ansari in ahead of Woakes in his 1st Test? And indeed Rashid.

I don't want to be too critical but it looks like more muddled thinking.

FFS, Woakes averages more in Tests than Ansari does in County cricket!

And Rashid averages more than Ansari in County cricket.

[Diamond Dog]

With 20/20 hindsight, maybe they should have taken Keaton Jennings on the back of his superb season for Durham..

Jennings is South African.

Ideally qualified historically then.

[Penk!]

Jennings is eligible for England and is with the Lions this winter.

[Penk!]

So why would they put Ansari in ahead of Woakes in his 1st Test? And indeed Rashid.

I don't want to be too critical but it looks like more muddled thinking.

FFS, Woakes averages more in Tests than Ansari does in County cricket!

And Rashid averages more than Ansari in County cricket.

Maybe they just wanted a left-right combination at the crease?

[borofan]

With 20/20 hindsight, maybe they should have taken Keaton Jennings on the back of his superb season for Durham..

Jennings is South African.

Ideally qualified historically then.

His mother is English, and he has served the required residential qualification period.

The way the quota system works in SA cricket these days, there will be plenty more Saffers moving abroad for a cricket career - some will certainly come to England, but there are also plenty in NZ these days.

[Penk!]

The England top order, ladies and gentlemen.

[Lord Rother]

I forecast we wouldn't get 100.

Then we were 100-0 at tea.

This is more like it sadly. 39-6 since tea. Pathetic really, although BD's weakest spinner is probably better than our best. Rashid's 4 this morning can't mask the fact that he was all over the place. Moheen bowls wicket taking balls because he spins it lots but has no deception to my eyes and is inconsistent in line and length.

Duckett did enough to secure his place but surely Hameed HAS to play to attempt to give some solidity to the top order.

Ballance is finished but although I like Buttler he's not what we need in this batting line up.

For a laugh I'd almost suggest opening with the 2 young guns Duckett and Hameed and putting Cook down to 3.

But as I mentioned before, I could see Bell flying out in time for India... I assume that's allowed...?

[Penk!]

Ballance should never have been recalled, should certainly never have kept his place for the tour and retaining him for the second test rather than giving Hameed or even Buttler a try was just inexplicable and indefensible.
Moeen is useful as a third spinner in Asia because of his batting but he's always going to potter along with 30-40 averages which despite occasional good innings is not enough for a regular place.
Rashid is not up to test match cricket, Ansari is just coming back from injury and seemed nervous. Batty is decent and experienced enough to play here but obviously not one for the longer-term. Why not take Leach, so Batty could mentor him a bit?
Finn is a busted flush it seems: a long time since he showed anything. Why did Ball not get a go after impressing in the one-dayers? The spinners aren't up to the job so England need to play to their strengths and drop one in favour of another quick.

Cook, Hameed, Root, Duckett, Bairstow, Stokes, Moeen, Woakes, Broad, Batty, Ball. That'd be my team for India assuming Anderson is still out and they aren't flying anyone else out.

[Lord Rother]

Pretty much how I'd go but to be honest 4 quicks is probably not required so I think Rashid will get another chance.

Unless they think fuck it, what's the point, and chuck another batsman in.

[WG Kaspar]

Let's give some credit to Bangladesh. This win is massive in the context of the sport in general, a once in a generation thing and they totally deserved it.

[Lord Rother]

Once in a generation? There'll be a lot more to follow of that I am sure.

In answer to the Q as to why not Leach - apparently they felt he was not yet mature / developed enough and that chucking him in before he is ready could do "a Kerrigan" to him. His club agree with that.

[Penk!]

That's fair enough - at 25 he is clearly very callow and immature compared to, say, that spinner who just took 19 wickets in the two games for Bangladesh. Hang on...