England Cricket 2021

[littlebabyjesus]

He's the only player ever to get 250 runs and 25 wickets in a four match test series. Just saying.

yeah I edited to add that there was a brief crossover period. That's a proper record, but 250 runs in four matches isn't that many. Ben Stokes averages more runs per match than that across his whole career. 25 wickets in four matches is loads, though. Rough rule of thumb, 1000 runs equals 50 wickets.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

He's always been a little bit of a square beg in a round hole hasn't he. By inclination and ability I think he's clearly a batsman first, but the team has needed a main spinner so that's been his role while as a batsman he's been shoved around the order and made to bat with the tail a lot. While England would have always preferred another Swann and he'd probably have preferred a career batting at 5 or 6 and bowling the odd over, he's done brilliantly at making the most of the opportunity, until his recent wobbles.

 

[planetgeli]

I'll give you a Moeen stat. No English slow bowler in the modern game has a better strike rate (39.1) in the 4th innings of a test. And only three quicks beat him too (Caddick, Woakes and Cowans). He's taken 59 4th innings wickets in just 24 innings. Only Anderson and Broad have taken more (81 and 79) and they've played over twice the number of tests to do so.

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I would have been sat here a long time before coming up with Norman Cowans as number three on that list.

That's a top record, though. More than Swann.

 

[SpookyFrank]

He's always been a little bit of a square beg in a round hole hasn't he. By inclination and ability I think he's clearly a batsman first, but the team has needed a main spinner so that's been his role while as a batsman he's been shoved around the order and made to bat with the tail a lot. While England would have always preferred another Swann and he'd probably have preferred a career batting at 5 or 6 and bowling the odd over, he's done brilliantly at making the most of the opportunity, until his recent wobbles.

Moeen and Broad knocking Australia around the park the day after Broad's 8-15 wipeout remains the best bit of cricket I've seen in real life.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Moeen and Broad knocking Australia around the park the day after Broad's 8-15 wipeout remains the best bit of cricket I've seen in real life.

Me and my mate drunkenly screaming at Cook or Root, whoever was captain, asking why the hell Moeen was fielding on the boundary vs New Zealand. Seconds later, Moeen takes a brilliant running catch right in front of us to win the match. I think that's the best single moment I've seen. Only time I've ever hugged someone out of joy at a live sports event. We went bonkers. Some of that may have been the alcohol tbf.

 

[two sheds]

Did we see that Jimmy Anderson over? Guardian piece with improbable illustration of first ball.

Jimmy Anderson's moment arrives with over of reverse-swing sorcery | Andy Bull

The veteran England paceman played a supporting role for much of the first Test against India, but then sent stumps cartwheeling

www.theguardian.com

Anderson’s first ball to Gill was full, started just wide of off until it swung suddenly in. The movement was so sharp, so severe, it felt almost like an optical illusion, as if there had been a glitch in the TV feed. But it was a little too straight, and Gill dropped his bat on it and knocked it across to midwicket. Anderson watched, made the necessary calculations in his head, and turned to come again.

The next delivery was wider and fuller, brought Gill half-forward but whizzed back through the gap between his bat and pad to bowl him.

“I was thinking to get him lbw or maybe caught midwicket,” Anderson said, “but it was nice to see his stumps go cartwheeling – that doesn’t happen very often at my age.”
...
Joe Root would say this was the best over he had seen an England bowler deliver in the 100 Tests he has played in, the only comparison he could think of was Andrew Flintoff’s to Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston in 2005.

Anderson’s over, he said, had “completely changed the dynamic of the day”. He was right. From that moment on, it was clear there was no way India were going to bat out the day. Two overs later, Anderson dismissed Rishabh Pant with an artful off-cutter that was caught off the back of the bat as he tried to play to the leg side.

Cricket: India v England: Cricket: India v England - On Demand at 6:08 (India 92-2 until they were 92-4)

 

[planetgeli]

Did we see that Jimmy Anderson over? Guardian piece with improbable illustration of first ball.

Jimmy Anderson's moment arrives with over of reverse-swing sorcery | Andy Bull

The veteran England paceman played a supporting role for much of the first Test against India, but then sent stumps cartwheeling

www.theguardian.com

Cricket: India v England: Cricket: India v England - On Demand at 6:08 (India 92-2 until they were 92-4)

Those graphics were desperately bad weren't they, even for the Guardian. Ball 4 is described as a vicious inswinger - and shown as an outswing delivery. Never mind the 90 degree turn on ball 1. It's still up on their site. Embarrassing.

 

[two sheds]

Yes I was particularly impressed by that first one which would have swung back and hit Anderson if Gill hadn't stopped it.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Bash it out. Nobody checks anything in modern media any more.

As a former subeditor, it pains me.

 

[planetgeli]

Woah, Archer out of 2nd test.

Must make Anderson and Broad together even more likely.

Jofra Archer ruled out of second Test after suffering elbow injury

England plans dented after paceman is ruled out of contest following injection

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

I reckon the plan was to play Anderson/Archer, Broad/Archer, Anderson/Broad/Wood, Broad/Wood.

It's gone a bit wrong, what with Jofra getting injured and Anderson being SO BLOODY GOOD.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Agree that the plan was AA, BA for the first two tests. My guess is that they were then going to play it by ear after that - who's tired/injured/ineffective. But they probably want Archer for the pink ball test, I would have thought.

I'm pretty happy with any combination of those four atm. Wood only got three wickets in SL but he bowled well. Archer only got three in the first test but also bowled well and roughed up Ashwin so much it was virtually worth a wicket.

Anyhow, the old firm for the second test. That's fine. Guess it might put Anderson at risk for the third test, though.

Seamers not a worry really. Will the off spinner bowl well, whoever it happens to be? That's the only real unknown in the bowling.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's odd having to struggle to find something to moan about.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

India v England: Jofra Archer and James Anderson to miss second Test, Dom Bess dropped

James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Dom Bess will miss the second Test for England against India in Chennai.

www.bbc.co.uk

Squad announced, no Anderson. So Broad in for Anderson and Woakes or Stone in for Archer. Guess they'll go with Woakes for his batting although Stone maybe the more direct replacement and certainly the more attacking option.

Ali in for Bess. Fingers crossed that works out.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Makes sense to rest Anderson with the pink ball coming up.

Bess was just too bad on day 5. Also makes sense to drop him sadly. If woakes plays, that's nine test centurions in the team.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Makes sense to rest Anderson with the pink ball coming up.

Bess was just too bad on day 5. Also makes sense to drop him sadly. If woakes plays, that's nine test centurions in the team.

And a no.11 with a 91!

Burns
Sibley
Lawrence
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes
Moeen
Woakes
Broad
Leach

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It might feel a bit defensive going with Woakes, but he also has a point to prove that he can be effective in these conditions and I suspect he is probably better equipped to do well in India now than he was a couple of years ago. He's also been massively unlucky not to play thus far. Sat next to Moeen in a taxi so missed out in SL when surely he is both a better bowler and a better batsman than Sam Curran. He deserves a go at some point.

 

[planetgeli]

May as well say it now before the match starts. Making 4 changes to a winning team is too many.

We have to accept Buttler for Foakes, always a plan because of the bubble.

There are obvious arguments for jettisoning Bess, after he went to pieces in the 2nd innings of the 1st test, for Moeen.

And Archer is injured. Which makes it a given Broad plays - again, he was always going to regardless.

But ditching Anderson is a wrong move. It says everything about saving him for the pink ball test, and that says everything about why pink ball tests are unfair. Great for Jimmy, but unfair.

Anderson, under these circumstances now, should have played the first 3 tests and give him a rest after that by all means. Removing him weakens the team at a time when Root is calling (in media interviews) for England to press on and do everything even better this time around.

So who is going to do Anderson's job better?

As if.

Wrong move.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I really hope we get to see Anderson and Broad open the bowling together at least once on this tour.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yeah, I tend to agree.

Also agree about pink ball tests. They've tried them out, and they don't work. Time to ditch the idea.

 

[SpookyFrank]

It might feel a bit defensive going with Woakes, but he also has a point to prove that he can be effective in these conditions and I suspect he is probably better equipped to do well in India now than he was a couple of years ago. He's also been massively unlucky not to play thus far. Sat next to Moeen in a taxi so missed out in SL when surely he is both a better bowler and a better batsman than Sam Curran. He deserves a go at some point.

My nan is a better batsman and a better bowler than Curran and she's ten years dead.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Looks like Moeen got Kohli for a duck. Can't say fairer than that.

 

[Badgers]

What channel is this on? Can I stream it?

#notellycunt

 

[QueenOfGoths]

I'd almost forgotten what a crowd sounds like!

 

[QueenOfGoths]

What channel is this on? Can I stream it?

#notellycunt

Channel 4

 

[redsquirrel]

May as well say it now before the match starts. Making 4 changes to a winning team is too many.

We have to accept Buttler for Foakes, always a plan because of the bubble.

There are obvious arguments for jettisoning Bess, after he went to pieces in the 2nd innings of the 1st test, for Moeen.

And Archer is injured. Which makes it a given Broad plays - again, he was always going to regardless.

But ditching Anderson is a wrong move. It says everything about saving him for the pink ball test, and that says everything about why pink ball tests are unfair. Great for Jimmy, but unfair.

Agree with this, obviously Archer was unavoidable, but it makes it all the more daft not to keep Anderson in the team. (Though considering what the wicket seems to be doing you might want to have kept Bess too)

My nan is a better batsman and a better bowler than Curran and she's ten years dead.

He's a valid option in England, but not abroad.

 

[Spymaster]

The rotation policy has worked pretty well so far so hard to argue against it.

Having said that, they shot themselves in the foot a little with Buttler. I don’t think he would’ve taken much persuading to stay but they couldn’t ask because they’d already committed themselves to bring Foakes in.

Dropping Bess is fair enough if you ask me. He really didn’t bowl well and I’ll be very surprised if Ali doesn’t outperform him (even with the lack of cricket he’s had). Management would say he’s being rested not dropped anyway.

Should’ve put Broad in for Archer and played Anderson for this Test though.

 

[Spymaster]

Looks like Moeen got Kohli for a duck. Can't say fairer than that.

Apparently Kohli reviewed a clean bowled decision? Anyone see that?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Apparently Kohli reviewed a clean bowled decision? Anyone see that?

Requested by the umpires not him. Checking the front foot presumably.