England Cricket 2022

[kabbes]

Ok, Cook might get a game. Coming back to the original point, given you're only allowed 11 players in a side, an excellent keeper but middling batsman is a luxury I don't think is necessary.

Unlike in the lesser forms of the game, in test cricket you only win by bowling the other team out twice. The difference between a mediocre and world class keeper can easily mean the difference between achieving and not achieving that requirement.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's not even an argument for me. Foakes is the best keeper and good enough with the bat to come in at seven. Why compromise a batter's batting when you have Foakes around?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Pub quiz question.

I've found 8 examples of players who have been both keeper and non-keeper more than 10 times in tests. One - Bairstow - has almost the same average - 0.6 higher with the gloves. Six average at least 3 more without the gloves (one averages a whopping 25 more). Just one averages significantly higher with the gloves, with +9. Who is it?

 

[Santino]

Pub quiz question.

I've found 8 examples of players who have been both keeper and non-keeper more than 10 times in tests. One - Bairstow - has almost the same average - 0.6 higher with the gloves. Six average at least 3 more without the gloves (one averages a whopping 25 more). Just one averages significantly higher with the gloves, with +9. Who is it?

Alec Stewart?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Alec Stewart?

-12

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Pub quiz question.

I've found 8 examples of players who have been both keeper and non-keeper more than 10 times in tests. One - Bairstow - has almost the same average - 0.6 higher with the gloves. Six average at least 3 more without the gloves (one averages a whopping 25 more). Just one averages significantly higher with the gloves, with +9. Who is it?

I'm thinking someone who was an occasional keeper - keep the sample low on that side. Rahul Dravid?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm thinking someone who was an occasional keeper - keep the sample low on that side. Rahul Dravid?

Good thinking but wrong answer. Dravid never kept in tests, only ODIs.

 

[Petcha]

Unlike in the lesser forms of the game, in test cricket you only win by bowling the other team out twice. The difference between a mediocre and world class keeper can easily mean the difference between achieving and not achieving that requirement.

Bairstow is far from 'mediocre'. He just doesn't really want to keep.

You just need to balance the number of runs he'll score, at the speed he does, versus the runs Foakes may save with a brilliant catch and a slow 30 odd. It's a tough call but I think Bairstow wins on that.

 

[Petcha]

Good thinking but wrong answer. Dravid never kept in tests, only ODIs.

Tom Latham

 

[littlebabyjesus]

btw Alec Stewart is my go-to example for why this is a bad idea. Ave 47 without gloves (50-odd matches), 35 with the gloves (70-odd matches), so a good sample size in both departments.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Tom Latham

Nope. Bit like Dravid.

I'll give a clue. He kept wicket 24 times.

Another clue: I expect that most of you will be surprised that he kept wicket as many as 24 times.

 

[kabbes]

Bairstow is far from 'mediocre'. He just doesn't really want to keep.

You just need to balance the number of runs he'll score, at the speed he does, versus the runs Foakes may save with a brilliant catch and a slow 30 odd. It's a tough call but I think Bairstow wins on that.

I thought we were addressing the principle, not specific players. If you’re talking specific players then Bairstow is irrelevant because, as you point out, he doesn’t want to keep.

 

[Petcha]

I thought we were addressing the principle, not specific players. If you’re talking specific players then Bairstow is irrelevant because, as you point out, he doesn’t want to keep.

I think he'd do it if it gets him back to this side. Which he probably isnt doing right now given the emergence of Brook. He'd suck it up.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I think he'd do it if it gets him back to this side. Which he probably isnt doing right now given the emergence of Brook. He'd suck it up.

He's been England's star batter this year. Of course he gets back in the side. He's still easily ahead of Pope in the pecking order, and Brook for that matter. And Duckett.

 

[Petcha]

He's been England's star batter this year. Of course he gets back in the side. He's still easily ahead of Pope in the pecking order, and Brook for that matter. And Duckett.

Brook's undroppable

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Nope. Bit like Dravid.

I'll give a clue. He kept wicket 24 times.

Another clue: I expect that most of you will be surprised that he kept wicket as many as 24 times.

De Villiers?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

De Villiers?

Yep. Average an impressive 48 without the gloves in 90-odd matches. But 57 with the gloves in 24.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Looks like the era of the era of the specialist keeper being over, is over already. Foakes is back in with Anderson rested. Rehan Ahmed is in which is more interesting tbf, to be the youngest ever England international. He'll need to bowl a lot with Anderson out but I suppose if you're going to chance it then a dead rubber is the opportunity.

 

[WhyLikeThis]

Crawley
Duckett
Pope
Root
Brook
Stokes (he saved his knee for Karachi)
Foakes (for the Foakes and Ahemd show)
Robinson (make the fat fuck play, plus he’s a good understudy for Anderson)
Wood (No one can replace his pace atm)
Ahmed
Leach

Glad Baz & Ben got the memo!

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Good call. Although Ahmed is apparently a decent batter (he already has a first class hundred) so guess he'll be at eight.

 

[Idaho]

Looks a very strong side on current performances.

 

[planetgeli]

20 wickets with this attack is going to be challenging.

 

[Petcha]

Root does it again with a filthy full toss

 

[WhyLikeThis]

Ahmed is settling in. Should be an interesting last session.

 

[planetgeli]

Haven't seen any but we've got 10. Only reading cricinfo but I can see at least two (including Babar) that were given away. Big bonus.

 

[WhyLikeThis]

Crawley

 

[WhyLikeThis]

Haven't seen any but we've got 10. Only reading cricinfo but I can see at least two (including Babar) that were given away. Big bonus.

Babar was looking very comfortable until he was run out.

 

[Petcha]

He's such a random player. His concentration levels so up and down.

Crawley that is

 

[Ted Striker]

I still think our Bazball successes are a series of flukes, and none of it matters if we don't win this summer...But...If nothing else, it's given us phenomenal sporting stories. Like 8 consecutive Atherton vs Donald's.

Other test matches are proving to be more than just selection trials for the Ashes!

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

I still think our Bazball successes are a series of flukes, and none of it matters if we don't win this summer...But...If nothing else, it's given us phenomenal sporting stories. Like 8 consecutive Atherton vs Donald's.

Other test matches are proving to be more than just selection trials for the Ashes!

I think they've definitely ridden their luck at times and there are certainly still some weak spots in the team. It's a hell of a stretch to say it's all a fluke though - the team of a year ago wouldn't have got anywhere near that sort of record however flukey they might have been.