Karl102
Journeyman Pro
I agree about Leach and Hildreth. Too many old guard saying Hildreth got his runs on a flat Taunton track.... who cares... runs are runs!
I still think the County Chamionship is flawed....
The Ashes 2017/18
- Thread starter Jates12
- Start date
I agree about Leach and Hildreth. Too many old guard saying Hildreth got his runs on a flat Taunton track.... who cares... runs are runs!
I still think the County Chamionship is flawed....
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
It is funny they say that Hildreth got his runs on a flat wicket yet for Leach its a spinning wicket ! it cant be both. Its shocking how he was ignored for 10 years for any format
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
so youre saying the wicket hildreth has got runs on for 10 yrs plus is the same one leach has got wickets on the last 2 years. as you well know the taunton deck of the last 2 years is unrecognisable to the one before
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Yes the pitch has changed and it’s helped Leach and Bess to improve as bowlers but Hildreth has got runs all over the country and even at one stage during a England development tour was hitting tons in India or Pakistan. To not even get picked for one tour or be given one Test is shocking when you look at how many chances people like Ballance and Bopara got - if Hildreth was at Surrey/Yorkshire then he would have been in a few Test parties.
Players have historically been looked down at from Somerset because of the feelings about Taunton being flat and friendly for batters and now a pitch that is “doctored†if you listen to some.
If I was coach to the Lions team I'd have the easiest team talk in sport. Score runs, plenty of spots available in the Test team.
Can't think of a time when so many spots are up for grabs.
Can't think of a time when so many spots are up for grabs.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Well that may be because it was flat and friendly for batters previously and for the last 2 years has been doctored to some degree, how many other county grounds have spinners opened the bowling at in the last 2 years?
Maybe hildreth did deserve a shot, doesnt stop the comments about taunton being true (albeit its one of my fav grounds to visit)
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Root in hospital with dehydration it seems
Hildreth is definitely the most talented bastmen of his generation not to have an England cap. But his peak years coincided with a very strong, stable batting line up who were all better than him, and every time there was a sniff he had a bad season. If he was 25 now he'd be in that team undoubtedly, but at 32 the 2017 season was his last realistic chance to get in the side and he averaged 30ish when for the first time in a number of years the England middle order was crying out for someone to stick their hand up and demand selection he didnt deliver.
Happy to be corrected but I dont remember him scoring any runs for Lions at all other than when he scored against the village islands in the West Indies that I'd fancy myself left handed against, and even then on return as next cab off the rank had his worst season in years.
He could have been given a go a couple of years ago but I think the selectors were right in trying youth options first whilst there was still some experience in the remaining spots for them to learn from (they just havent been very good!!).
Mixture of bad luck (timing) with not quite taking his chance when there was a sniff. Who knows what couldve been but thats a ship that has sailed now - IMO we shouldnt be giving international debuts to people that will turn 34 this year.
Piece
Tour Winner
Only a year and a bit until we get them over here! Looks we need green tops and cloud to have any chance!
Seriously though, we've been mullered. I do laugh when the senior players say the series has been closer than results say. No it hasn't. We have had some good sessions and one or two good days, a very small percentage of the actual time though. Bowling has been poor taking nearly a record low total in a series I understand? Batting not much better.
Basic selection questions were asked after the squad was announced and largely they came true. Vince had one good knock and then showed nothing had changed in his technique. Ballance was just making tea all trip. Ali was a passenger and you have to question why play him when unfit? Would like to have seen Foakes given a go. As suggested by others there's not too much else around, but Leach and or Rashid should have gone. Crane...what is his future? I can't offer too much more as I didn't see any of the series (no BT), but seems like the strange squad selection panned out expected. I also I think we need to look at Bayliss...poor win ratio and thus has to be questioned if he is the right man. Being an Aussie could we expect better prep and results from this tour??
Worse thing is that Lyon's pre-series mouth off about thrashing England and ending some careers is coming true...
Seriously though, we've been mullered. I do laugh when the senior players say the series has been closer than results say. No it hasn't. We have had some good sessions and one or two good days, a very small percentage of the actual time though. Bowling has been poor taking nearly a record low total in a series I understand? Batting not much better.
Basic selection questions were asked after the squad was announced and largely they came true. Vince had one good knock and then showed nothing had changed in his technique. Ballance was just making tea all trip. Ali was a passenger and you have to question why play him when unfit? Would like to have seen Foakes given a go. As suggested by others there's not too much else around, but Leach and or Rashid should have gone. Crane...what is his future? I can't offer too much more as I didn't see any of the series (no BT), but seems like the strange squad selection panned out expected. I also I think we need to look at Bayliss...poor win ratio and thus has to be questioned if he is the right man. Being an Aussie could we expect better prep and results from this tour??
Worse thing is that Lyon's pre-series mouth off about thrashing England and ending some careers is coming true...
User2021
Challenge Tour Pro
Totally agree and this should be the case, however I am unsure the old guard in charge will agree or make the required changes.
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
The guff from players saying the series was close is symptomatic of England at the moment. Tom Harrison (what does he actually know about cricket?) comes out and says English cricket is in rude health and everyone else seems to toe the party line. Its disingenuous and insulting to members of the public who watch the game, play the game and know the truth is far different from what is said to the media.
Junior
Tour Winner
Yes it’s an excuse but its amazing how strong teams are at home, and then poor away.
We beat South Africa, they have just won the first test against India at home. India are seemingly unbeatable in India. This Australian team that’s battered us drew in Bangladesh only last year.
Are things as bad as 4nil suggest , or, is it just ridiculously hard to win away from home....?
We beat South Africa, they have just won the first test against India at home. India are seemingly unbeatable in India. This Australian team that’s battered us drew in Bangladesh only last year.
Are things as bad as 4nil suggest , or, is it just ridiculously hard to win away from home....?
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
india blew their best chance in SA earlier, chasing 200 on the ground most likely to suit on the tour, again home conditions worth weight in gold especially as SA played a large chunk of the game a bowler down
Captainron
Big Hitting, South African Sweary Person
South Africa were well under strength for that tour.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I don’t think things are as bad as 4 Nil suggests
That Aussie team would have lost in England
In the last 8 Ashes series only one away Team has won - England
Teams at home are going to be very strong - the conditions and pitches will suit the Home team , it’s going to take a very good away team to win a series away
It's inevitable really.
England produce good seam bowlers and batsmen that are better than the rest of the world at playing a moving ball.
India produce good spinners and wristy batsmen with good footwork
Australia produce fast bowlers and batsmen good at playing the short ball.
Conditions.
As LP says above, it takes a pretty exceptional side to win away with any consistency.
4-0 and not as bad as it sounds? Really. Bowlers incapable of bowling a team out twice and yet more than capable of being skittled out cheaply. Surely not playing the short ball as per the Aussie wickets is a flaw in technique and it isn't like the selectors wouldn't have known what the conditions would be like. We simply didn't play well enough
Junior
Tour Winner
A little batting wise.. Amla, Dekock, Elgar, faf all played but no AB (faf was injured for one test I think) but your bowling was the same, although Philander got injured for Old Trafford.
You kindly played DeBruyn though lol
Bayliss has announced he is not going to renew his contract, it finishes summer 2019 
. How much credibility will he have between now and then? If he makes that announcement then he leaves at the end of this tour. If he doesn't want to do that then shut up. Very odd.
. How much credibility will he have between now and then? If he makes that announcement then he leaves at the end of this tour. If he doesn't want to do that then shut up. Very odd.Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Bayliss has announced he is not going to renew his contract, it finishes summer 2019
Quite clever really. Arguably makes it harder to sack him seeing as he's announced when he's going.