The Cricket Thread

[Lord Tyrion]

I just watched some of the 4th day. I'm afraid we are papering over the cracks. Bairstowe, Stokes and Wood got a few which is great but they play with such hard hands. Stokes appears to want to get from 25 to a 100 in 20 balls. I'm sure the "that's the way he plays" brigade will shoot me down but imagine if he was coached to play it late, hit it when it's under your eyes type of style. He could be a Jaque Kallis with all his natural ability. He just needs to be selfish and not appear to want to tee off all the time thus giving his wicket away.

Buttler, Crawley are the same. Hard hands going at the ball. I think Graham Thorpe needs to take a look at his coaching for test team. Whatever he's doing, it isn't working.

With regards to junior cricket. I can only speak from personal experience but I've never seen it as vibrant and engaging as it has been these past 2 years. The "All Stars" program gets kids involved at a very early age and the 3 clubs closest to me, (2 what I would say are village and one a local Prem team) are all over subscribed. I've never seen so many young girls playing the game. You then get some fall out through the age groups but clubs now have so may age group teams (from u10s to u18s) and this can only be a good thing but we won't see the rewards for quite some time yet.

The irony of this of course is that Thorpe himself is exactly the type of player you quote we need, I agree incidentally. He played with soft hands, ball under his nose. We may be getting nostalgic at this point

 

[backwoodsman]

I'm okay with Wood having the licence to do that. Broad has had the same for a while as well. If he comes off then he scores quickly and swings momentum. If he doesn't, he is a tailender and we shouldn't be relying on him. He can smash it, his boycott defence is not quite up there ?. You can't have the last 4 doing that but 1 at least should have free reign.

Perhaps you're right. But given the dire position we're in, I thought he was just slashing away unnecessarily. And even a slogger shouldn't have had his bat anywhere near where it was to the ball that got him.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Perhaps you're right. But given the dire position we're in, I thought he was just slashing away unnecessarily. And even a slogger shouldn't have had his bat anywhere near where it was to the ball that got him.

He is local to me, Ashington lad, so I may be more forgiving than I should be . Still lives there, plays golf locally, comes into the town where I live to shop. When that style comes off everyone claps, when it doesn't they are a muppet. I get your point though and wouldn't put up much of an argument against it.

 

[Neilds]

Just seen Sam Billings has been added to Ashes squad as cover for the keepers. He might be close as playing in Big Bash but, as usual, little or no red ball cricket in last few months. What is the point of having Lions squad playing red ball cricket in Australia but picking other players?

 

[Captainron]

The issue is that even at under 15 level the County squads only play 50 over cricket as thier longest format. So in order to get noticed, you need to score your runs at a clip. A 70 not out at the top of the order is not really encouraged as it wastes balls.

It takes real effort to bat for a long period of time and the better prospects don't get that opportunity for time in the middle.

 

[backwoodsman]

He is local to me, Ashington lad, so I may be more forgiving than I should be . Still lives there, plays golf locally, comes into the town where I live to shop. When that style comes off everyone claps, when it doesn't they are a muppet. I get your point though and wouldn't put up much of an argument against it.

To give him credit though, he's now likely to be near the top of the tour's run scoring list

 

[fundy]

Just seen Sam Billings has been added to Ashes squad as cover for the keepers. He might be close as playing in Big Bash but, as usual, little or no red ball cricket in last few months. What is the point of having Lions squad playing red ball cricket in Australia but picking other players?

Lions squad went home weeks ago

 

[Neilds]

Lions squad went home weeks ago

More great planning!

 

[sunshine]

I hope Buttler enjoys his last 3 innings as a Test player, I'm gutted for him as I really wanted him in the side for his batting, but he looks like he's so confused about how to play this format, so Foakes needs to come in after this series.

Agreed. Buttler would be awesome coming in once the top order have built a platform. But that doesn't ever happen.

I'd like to see Buttler open in the next test. He has a pretty good record as an opener in T20... he can't do any worse than the current openers.

 

[Hobbit]

Mmm, 358 to win with all 2nd innings wickets remaining. On a wicket that was spitting I’d be surprised if they make 250.

On another note, just saying, I might have a radical idea for the final Test in terms of who opens. Why not Anderson? Once again he finishes ‘not out.’

 

[fundy]

If the weather forecast is right if they get to 250 itll be a draw!

 

[Captainron]

So they managed a draw. Avoided the 5-0. Still the worse team by a fair distance in the contest.

 

[fenwayrich]

If Cummins hadn't kept their 2nd innings alive so that Khawaja could get to his century we'd have lost comfortably again. A slightly better effort than the first three games, but still very poor.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

So it appears we are celebrating not having our backsides handed to us on a platter…..

Hmmmm

 

[Billysboots]

If Cummins hadn't kept their 2nd innings alive so that Khawaja could get to his century we'd have lost comfortably again. A slightly better effort than the first three games, but still very poor.

Agreed. The fact this draw, where we clung on, is being celebrated like a series clinching victory, just about says it all. I’ve said it previously and will do so again, this Australian side are nothing special, and they have absolutely battered us from the first ball of the series.

And if Hameed plays another Test match there is something very wrong. His technique is nowhere near good enough to be a Test opener.

 

[Captainron]

Agreed. The fact this draw, where we clung on, is being celebrated like a series clinching victory, just about says it all. I’ve said it previously and will do so again, this Australian side are nothing special, and they have absolutely battered us from the first ball of the series.

And if Hameed plays another Test match there is something very wrong. His technique is nowhere near good enough to be a Test opener.

burns and Crawley to open?

Stokes is looking doubtful as a bowler but easily makes it as a batsman.

Buttler out too by the sounds.

 

[spongebob59]

Billings to keep, he captains Kent, so a good showing might throw his hat in the ring for the summer

 

[Billysboots]

burns and Crawley to open?

Stokes is looking doubtful as a bowler but easily makes it as a batsman.

Buttler out too by the sounds.

I think Burns will perhaps make it. Despite an equally (if not more so) awful technique and a poor series, he has more pedigree at this level than Hameed.

Buttler is coming home and whilst Stokes is staying on I see absolutely nothing to be gained, and everything to lose, by playing an all rounder with a side strain as a batter only. He surely needs rest and treatment.

 

[Grizzly]

Jordan Thompson is already in Hobart playing for the Hurricanes if England need an exciting all rounder to replace the Ginger Ninja!

 

[Captainron]

Jordan Thompson is already in Hobart playing for the Hurricanes if England need an exciting all rounder to replace the Ginger Ninja!

He’s a decent little player. Performed very well for Yorkshire in the past season. He was a junior at Pudsey St Lawrence when I was playing there. Dad was an amazing player too.