England Cricket 2015
- Thread starter twentythreedom
- Start date
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Yorkshire to the rescue.
Fantastic innings from Bairstow, had a bit of luck but then who hasn't. He's just in excellent form at the moment, has to be a strong argument to play him and Buttler in ODI's even if not in Tests.
Fantastic innings from Bairstow, had a bit of luck but then who hasn't. He's just in excellent form at the moment, has to be a strong argument to play him and Buttler in ODI's even if not in Tests.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Exceptional from Bairstow, that was some innings.
redsquirrel I think it's Bairstow or Billings for one middle order spot in the ODI team, Root-Stokes-Morgan-Buttler are well set. Billings' stats from this series are quite poor but by the eye test he looks quite good, unlucky with a couple of dismissals and ticks runs over quickly.
Test I don't think there's a vacant batting position. It will be Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler from 3 to 7 - of those Bell looks the most vulnerable (trading on former glories at the moment) but if he is dropped Moeen could well move up the order for another spinner (Rashid good again today, every time you think he's been worked out he comes up with another variation. Excellent cricketer IMO).
redsquirrel I think it's Bairstow or Billings for one middle order spot in the ODI team, Root-Stokes-Morgan-Buttler are well set. Billings' stats from this series are quite poor but by the eye test he looks quite good, unlucky with a couple of dismissals and ticks runs over quickly.
Test I don't think there's a vacant batting position. It will be Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler from 3 to 7 - of those Bell looks the most vulnerable (trading on former glories at the moment) but if he is dropped Moeen could well move up the order for another spinner (Rashid good again today, every time you think he's been worked out he comes up with another variation. Excellent cricketer IMO).
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Could have three keepers playing in limited overs.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
Chris Lewis interview if you haven't seen..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/33234304
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Ryan Harris out for first test.
Bad luck for him, and looking a bit ominous tbh. It might be the end if he can't even come through one match unscathed.
Shame as I've got a lot of time for Harris. Still, one down for Dad's Army and we haven't even started yet.
Bad luck for him, and looking a bit ominous tbh. It might be the end if he can't even come through one match unscathed.
Shame as I've got a lot of time for Harris. Still, one down for Dad's Army and we haven't even started yet.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Rashid called up to the squad for the first Test despite not being in the pre-Ashes bonding team.
He deserves it, played really well for both Yorkshire and England so far this year.
If Ali doesn't start to make runs then his position must be under threat, Rashid's batting is easily good enough for a number eight and bowling wise he's more dangerous than Ali even if he will go for more runs.
He deserves it, played really well for both Yorkshire and England so far this year.
If Ali doesn't start to make runs then his position must be under threat, Rashid's batting is easily good enough for a number eight and bowling wise he's more dangerous than Ali even if he will go for more runs.
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Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
Just announced his retirement. Looks like the Aussies are running scared already!
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
That's rough. Not all that surprised, but he has basically spent the last six months preparing for this.
Great bowler who played through a lot of pain.
But also, if fit, Aus's most valuable bowler, I would say. Certainly his stats bear that out - 100-odd wickets at 23.
We shall see with the rest of them. Johnson's far from a certainty to fire. Starc, for all his promise and recent form, has done very little at test level so far. Hazelwood also lots of promise but just starting out.
Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
Yeah it is rough. I always quite likes Harris, just heard it was all forms he's retired from and not just test but he has been dogged by injury hasn't he.
It is definitely a plus for England though as he has been a valuable workhorse for the Aussies. I'm really looking forward to this series.
Does anyone think Cardiff will do some cheap sessions during the first test? It's near my neck of the woods to hop on a train but they tend to announce on the day don't they? I wish the tickets weren't so prohibitively expensive!
It is definitely a plus for England though as he has been a valuable workhorse for the Aussies. I'm really looking forward to this series.
Does anyone think Cardiff will do some cheap sessions during the first test? It's near my neck of the woods to hop on a train but they tend to announce on the day don't they? I wish the tickets weren't so prohibitively expensive!
BlueSquareThing
With chips
They used him in short bursts against Kent and he looked, just by eye inside the ground, easily the most hostile of the lot. On the flattest of flat pitches.
Mind you, Marsh looked quite handy as well. I wouldn't be surprised if he plays a bit more than might be expected.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
It's not his pace, it's his direction. With a round-arm action, you have a much smaller margin for error. Get him thinking about it! It's happened before, no reason why it can't happen again.
Monkeygrinder's Organ
Dodgy geezer swilling vapid lager
Only if it goes to the fifth day I'd have thought. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I've never heard of them doing cheap admission before then - it wouldn't do any good for their regular sales if people thought they might get in for a tenner if they hold off (plus it would piss off those people who had forked over fifty quid or so.)
ETA: Looks like there's no chance of getting in cheap: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/ashes-cardiff-tickets-still-available-9579781
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Where the day isn't sold out, they will often do a final session ticket for about 20 quid if you come in during the tea break.
I'm afraid the chance of that at Cardiff - Ashes test and only 15,000 capacity - is precisely zero.
Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
Thanks for the info about cheap tickets. Priced out once again, same with one dayers too although it's a tenner for the women's at Gloucester. Ho-hum I'll just have to make do with streaming it for nowt.
It was (you may say) satisfactory.
been great summer of cricket for England
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Decent start from England, Pakistan two down at lunch after choosing to bat
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Well after a disappointing two sessions things starting to swing back in Englands favour here, 3 wickets for 64 runs so far in this session
EDIT: Pakistan all out for 376, great session for England
EDIT: Pakistan all out for 376, great session for England
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Lo Siento.
Second As Farce
Impressed that we seem to have put together a group of bowlers to take 20 wickets on these pitches.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
The two fastest bowlers doing the most damage so far in this test. Shows the value of real pace on slow wickets.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
4 comments!?
I'm mildly aroused over the 6 decent bowlers we're fielding. A sight to behold.
Cook back in form. Jimmy keeping it tight. Groot looking fucking amazing. Rashid finally in the side.....and I'm mighty excited for Moeen opening. Not sure how he'll fare against Steyn though....blimey.
I'm mildly aroused over the 6 decent bowlers we're fielding. A sight to behold.
Cook back in form. Jimmy keeping it tight. Groot looking fucking amazing. Rashid finally in the side.....and I'm mighty excited for Moeen opening. Not sure how he'll fare against Steyn though....blimey.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Econ
Anderson 4.0 4 0 1 0.00
Broad 2.0 0 8 0 4.00
Wood 7.0 1 20 2 2.86
Ali 5.0 0 30 0 6.00
Stokes 3.0 1 8 0 2.67
Rashid 5.0 0 14 0 2.80
Root 2.0 0 15 0 7.50
7 bowlers!
Anderson 4.0 4 0 1 0.00
Broad 2.0 0 8 0 4.00
Wood 7.0 1 20 2 2.86
Ali 5.0 0 30 0 6.00
Stokes 3.0 1 8 0 2.67
Rashid 5.0 0 14 0 2.80
Root 2.0 0 15 0 7.50
7 bowlers!
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
When he goes, he's gone for good.
He has the best technique out of all in the team. His problem is between his ears. His form was knocked out of kilter when the vice-captaincy was taken from him. If he can find some half decent form he'll be essential for South Africa and beyond.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Sorry, I think this is verging on delusional. He averages below 30 for the last two years of test cricket, and that's a lot of matches given that he's been ever-present. His technique is all over the place, and has been all year.
This summer, cricinfo dug out a stat comparing top-six batsmen who've been regular picks for their team since a certain year. Think it was 2012. Out of that list of batsmen, Bell had the second-lowest average - in the low 30s. The only man below him in the list? LB Watson.
He's had a career of three phases, broadly speaking. Up to about 2009 - flattering to deceive, not making the important knocks, averaging a shade under 40. Then he came good for three or four years, finally making the important knocks, culminating in a career-defining series against Aus in 2013. Finally, it felt, finally, Ian Bell has become that senior player. But no, that wasn't the start of something. We can say with the benefit of hindsight that it was, effectively, the end.
And this year, he's been abysmal, I'm afraid. There is no sign whatever of that changing.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Got to be careful about cherry-picking stats. Bell averages 19 since his last century at the start of this year, but it's a little unfair to exclude that. Problem is, including it, he still only averages in the mid-20s for the whole year. That's 11.5 tests so far. Do you really expect him to score runs in the next innings or the next match. Problem is, I don't think he does. And to top it off, he is a liability in the field now.
