England Cricket Team Thread

[borofan]

Why are they going there not able to play against fast bowlers on fast pitches? Why did they go to India not prepared to play against spin? Why did they go to India without a proper spinner of their own?

Because we don't have any fast bowlers, fast pitches or proper spinners. It's also a reflection of the marginalisation of the County Champioship, now that it is mostly played in April and September to make way for oceans of fucking T20 crap. Champo cricket is now mostly played on green pitches which suit dobbly medium pacers. Why should any seam bowler bother trying to bowl fast when he can take wickets bowling within himself (and have a longer county career doing it). When I were a lad, the county season started on the last Saturday in April, and the last round of CC matches was played just after the Gilette Cup final, which was always played on the first Saturday in September. Next year, Yorkshire's first CC match starts on 13 April (4 matches played by 14 May), and their last finishes on 27 Sept (4 matches in September). There in no CC cricket at Headingley between 24th April and 29th August.

[Penk!]

They were rhetorical questions unfortunately. It seems all too obvious what the answers are but there seems little interest in sorting things out.

[Penk!]

Yeah Kohli's great but he's a home track bully. Meanwhile in Australia Smudge should have sent England in under the lights. Funny game!

His average in both Africa and Oceania is better than it is in Asia.

But he made all his runs there a long time ago. Last time he faced an Australian attack in India he barely made double figures, and last time he faced swing in England he was all over the place too.

The only series India have played outside Asia in the last three years was in the Caribbean.

No doubting his ability or record really but I don’t think he’d be making such big scores so often if his country ventured outside their comfort zone more.

[The Write Profile]

The most talented batsmen today are arguably Kohli, Smith, Root and Kane Williamson. Of those, I think Smith gets the most out of his own ability, while Root and Williamson occasionally lack the concentration to kick on to a really big score (although Williamson already has 17 centuries to his name). Kohli is the hardest to judge because he plays so much of his cricket on home turf compared to the other three. You can't argue his stats but you wonder whether he would be tested by a top quality fast bowler. Williamson and Smith seem more comfortable against pace.

[mentalist (slight return)]

Yeah Kohli's great but he's a home track bully. Meanwhile in Australia Smudge should have sent England in under the lights. Funny game!

His average in both Africa and Oceania is better than it is in Asia.

He's great and maybe the hometrack track bully was a bit tough. But India have played a zillion games at home in a row recently that it's become hard to judge him as an overall player. He gets more praise than the other great batsmen around, and I don't think he's any better than them.

[Penk!]

Well bowled Anderson and Woakes. Nobody expects a win at this point, but let’s at least give it a good go...

[WG Kaspar]

This could turn out to be a classic

[mentalist (slight return)]

A wicket or 3 would be great about now.

[Lord Rother]

Don’t worry, Root will probably blow it with a reverse sweep in Lyon’s 1st over tomorrow.

(#No faith.)

[Lord Rother]

Ok then.

[mentalist (slight return)]

Well that was fun. First time I've ever attended a Test outside of Sydney. Adelaide is full of English folk. The barmy army are still chanting away. Back to reality tomorrow.

[Penk!]

Ok then.

I sent a message to a friend who lives in Japan last might saying ”what are the odds Root is out in the first half-hour?”.

When I woke up today I looked at my phone to check the time and there on the screen was his reply ”how much did you win?”.

So tediously predictable. It isn’t even the hope that kills us any more, because there is none. It’s just the basic void every winter where the hoped-for test series turns out a trudge.

The NZ games might be more interesting. Will India pit up a fight next summer?

[WG Kaspar]

Despite all that I think both tests so far have been excellent.

[Penk!]

I think certain sessions or days have been excellent but they've both been too one-sided overall. It's often the case these days unfortunately. A tight game is a good exciting one.
Not just sour grapes I might add: I might have been pleased by England dumping on the West Indies in the first test in summer, but the second was undoubtedly a better game.

[Penk!]

Last time England won the Ashes down under they insisted on a full schedule of professional warm-up and practice matches.

Right now they are playing against another ”Cricket Australia XI” with a team featuring only Ali, Ballance, Foakes, Ball and Crane from the test squad. Ali will not be bowling in the match which makes his inclusion utterly pointless, while Ballance and Foakes made 3 runs between them.

[Lord Rother]

I’m beginning to think we need a mean bastard in their somewhere.

Cook, Root, Baylis, Ramprakash etc.... maybe all a bit too nicey nicey over the last few years.

There appears to be a bit of a malaise in there and maybe the culture just needs a little fear-factor shove to bring out the talent.

Vince is a talented player. The fact he keeps getting out to the same daft shots is pathetic.

Root is a GREAT player. There is something wrong with him if he can’t convert his starts to big scores. His massive talent is not being fulfilled right now.

As opposed to talking gently and putting an arm around the shoulder perhaps a fucking great bollocking that stays in his brain when he’s out there in the middle might do the trick.

Mind you, that’d probably result in claims of a bullying culture within the England cricket set up in years to come!

(Just random thoughts....)

[Penk!]

After the last Ashes tour Root got dropped then came back and scored 40 gazillion runs...

He scores more fifties (in terms of innings per 50+ score) than anyone else ever apart from Bradman. He’s that good.
He’s a hugely talented batsman with no evident technical weakness, who can score runs against any opposition in any conditions in any situation. He has dug England calmly and fluently out of any number of pressure situations after early collapses.

I think he just lacks concentration. He gets too settled and loses focus and gives it away before he’s made the big, match-defining scores.

[Diamond Dog]

And that's what makes great players great, I'm afraid.

[Lord Rother]

Sorry - I can’t remember the full details of the stat but his conversion rate of 50s to 100 is very close to being the worst (if not THE worst) in the history of Test Cricket - of those playing a significant number of games.

[Diamond Dog]

A really interesting interview with Michael Vaughan here - his criticism of the players off field antics is pretty damning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/42340246

And I agree with him.