England Cricket 2021

[littlebabyjesus]

I hadn't realised that was it for Moeen Ali.

If that is his last test match, which you have to suspect it is, it's kind of appropriate for him to end it as both the highest scorer and wicket taker. Weird records for a weird career. He is a quiz question of the future in the making.

 

[planetgeli]

I hadn't realised that was it for Moeen Ali.

Do you not read my posts you cad?

Yeah, media seem to be making a lot of Root's words. Or rather, word. "Chosen" (to go home).

It was only after this we learned (or certainly I learned) that this was Moeen's allotted 'window' to go home. I think if they'd made that clearer from the start the situation might be better for all. That said, with Leach and Bess (if only because of his age) to the fore, home series never needing two spinners, and only the Ashes in Australia to come (where Moeen didn't exactly shine before), that could well be his lot.

And if nothing else that must show how desperate Moeen was feeling inside about 20 days of quarantine and missing his family. He's straight back for the white ball stuff so it's only a short interlude of normality for him - for which he probably knows he's put his Test career on the line. It's a shame. He hadn't played for nearly two years and was already miles better than Bess and getting more into things the longer the game went on.

I'll miss him.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Ed Smith appears to have rather buggered the Moeen thing up. It was always planned that he would go home this week, it just wasn't announced like it was with the others, but Smith asked him to stay on on Monday. Thus putting Moeen in a very awkward position and basically telling Bess he isn't good enough.

Well done, Ed.

Nice piece from Dobell about that. This sums up about how I always felt about Moeen, too.

There was something about the fragility of his cricket - the sense that you were never more than a waft from disaster - that somehow made every moment more vital and precious. All in all, his career has been like so many of his innings. It left you wanting more. But it was kind of beautiful while it lasted.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Meanwhile, the series vs NZ clashes with the IPL and top players from both sides could be missing. That includes potentially the likes of Stokes, Archer, Boult and Williamson. Fuck's sake. I understand that more from NZ who can't compete on money with the IPL, less so from England with their central contracts, which are for what exactly if they allow this?

Something needs to be sorted here. Some kind of coordination maybe? Give the IPL a window. Talk to each other. I'm quite pissed off about that.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Meanwhile, the series vs NZ clashes with the IPL and top players from both sides could be missing. That includes potentially the likes of Stokes, Archer, Boult and Williamson. Fuck's sake. I understand that more from NZ who can't compete on money with the IPL, less so from England with their central contracts, which are for what exactly if they allow this?

Something needs to be sorted here. Some kind of coordination maybe? Give the IPL a window. Talk to each other. I'm quite pissed off about that.

I hadn't heard about that but totally agree. There's nothing that undermines a competition more than the impression that it's not important, it doesn't really matter, and that's what you get if the best players aren't available. Just look at the effect on the FA and League Cup competitions in football - the top teams not playing their best players has massively devalued them. Test cricket needs the best players available or what's the point (you could ask that about the Windies for a while to be fair but sounds like it's spreading).

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I understand it from the players' pov. For Kiwis in particular (and West Indians) it's a nobrainer money-wise - they can earn more in the IPL than they get for a whole year of international cricket.

Details here. Dates not finalised, but basically anyone in the knock-outs is likely to miss the whole NZ series.

England players could miss New Zealand Tests to play IPL knockouts

That's just a massive fuck up. NZ are the number one test team in the world. This ought to be a massive series, not an afterthought.

 

[GarveyLives]

I hadn't realised that was it for Moeen Ali.

If that is his last test match, which you have to suspect it is, it's kind of appropriate for him to end it as both the highest scorer and wicket taker. Weird records for a weird career. He is a quiz question of the future in the making.

Confusion reigns?

George Dobell: 'Root was clumsy to say Moeen chose to go home'

Joe Root acknowledges mistake in saying Moeen Ali 'chose' to go home

Spurned Moeen Ali begins the long kiss goodnight after 'choosing' to leave India tour

What now for Moeen Ali, the England star forever cast in a walk-on part

Is this the end?​

 

[GarveyLives]

Confusion reigns?

George Dobell: 'Root was clumsy to say Moeen chose to go home'

Joe Root acknowledges mistake in saying Moeen Ali 'chose' to go home

Spurned Moeen Ali begins the long kiss goodnight after 'choosing' to leave India tour

What now for Moeen Ali, the England star forever cast in a walk-on part

Is this the end?​

It seems remarkable that an experienced and highly media trained test captain could accidentally make such a comment in a planned interview:

"Coach Chris Silverwood has apologised to all-rounder Moeen Ali for the manner in which England confirmed he will miss the final two India Tests ..."

Chris Silverwood apologises to Moeen Ali

Joe Root, Chris Silverwood apologise to Moeen Ali for home-going comments

 

[SpookyFrank]

Finally some good news:

Sam Curran: England all-rounder will not rejoin England Test squad in India because of flight issues

Sam Curran: England all-rounder will not rejoin England Test squad in India because of flight issues

All-rounder Sam Curran will not rejoin England's Test squad for the fourth test against India as planned because of the "logistical challenge" in getting him to Ahmedabad.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[planetgeli]

Did anyone else watch Moeen's last innings by the way? Those weren't just sixes. They were enormous sixes. Bit of catharsis going on there methinks.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Did anyone else watch Moeen's last innings by the way? Those weren't just sixes. They were enormous sixes. Bit of catharsis going on there methinks.

I didn't see it, but perhaps not coinicidentally, he bagged a massive IPL deal yesterday. Can't have hurt his price, as six-hitting allrounders are the top-paid players in the IPL nowadays.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fuck me. I had no idea Ahmedabad had a new stadium. 110,000 capacity and it's sold out. This will be some spectacle..

 

[planetgeli]

Fuck me. I had no idea Ahmedabad had a new stadium. 110,000 capacity and it's sold out. This will be some spectacle..

Only half capacity allowed. But that's still 55,000 people.

9am start here. Hoping for the best, fearing the worst.

 

[Badgers]

Is this just to stream on the BBC website?

9am yeah?

 

[planetgeli]

Is this just to stream on the BBC website?

9am yeah?

Channel 4 mate. And yes, 9am start.

 

[Badgers]

Channel 4 mate.

No radio?

 

[Badgers]

Channel 4 mate. And yes, 9am start.

Cheers BTW

 

[planetgeli]

No radio?

Talkshite I think, but I've given up with that station.

 

[Badgers]

Talkshite I think, but I've given up with that station.

Aye. TMs or nowt.

Will stream it off 4

 

[planetgeli]

Yay, Anderson and Broad! Yay. Archer. Yay. No Burns.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Really contrasting approaches in the teams there. You get the impression that they don't really know how the pitch will behave in this game - if it swings we could win comfortably here. If not it could be very painful.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's a bold selection. I like that team. That's some tail though.

 

[kabbes]

It's a bold selection. I like that team. That's some tail though.

So far, our tail hasn’t been the source of runs regardless of who is in it. I prefer planning for attack even if it fails.

 

[kabbes]

Winning the toss is likely once again to be the best thing any player does in this match.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Sibley gone without troubling the scorers. Surprise surprise, Bairstow at 3 is an opener.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Surprise surprise, the enterprising middle order style batsman playing above his position at 3, coming in after 2 overs - gone!

Pick. 3. Opening. Batsmen.

Crawley is already demonstrating that he's a more than capable stroke-player, if by some miracle the 2 above him actually set a platform.

 

[Idaho]

2 wickets down looked very bad with 20 runs on the board. With 54 runs it doesn't look great. Once we get over 80 it might seem less troubling.

 

[two sheds]

what's this pink ball nonsense? Ah as I type that they've just told us - grips the ground better so better for bowling?

 

[souljacker]

what's this pink ball nonsense? Ah as I type that they've just told us - grips the ground better so better for bowling?

Also easier to see when the lights come on later, although this bonkers new stadium apparently has a ring of LEDs which will improve visibility over standard tower lights.

Great 50 from Crawley. He's played some beautiful shots so far.

 

[a_chap]

Root out now.

And two reviews pissed away too