The Ashes 2021/22

[SpookyFrank]

I believe it's a totally different squad. There wouldn't be a massive overlap anyway but the handful of players who would be in both are being rested.

Except Billings who was due to fly out to the Windies some time in the middle of the final test IIRC.

 

[surreybrowncap]

Except Billings who was due to fly out to the Windies some time in the middle of the final test IIRC.

Yorkshire's Harry Brook has been added to squad as cover for Billings

 

[RileyOBlimey]

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Silverwood is a s feckless prick.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

What... What... England are doing.. well!!

 

[Balbi]

What the FUCK is going on lol

 

[planetgeli]

Yeah and suddenly not so well. Rubbish team selection. Let's cripple Stokes in a dead rubber. Great conditions for Anderson, so leave him out. Oh and Burns! Why not eh?

Stupid.

 

[two sheds]

215-5

 

[planetgeli]

And Pope. Let's give another go to someone who's failed again and again and again rather than trying out something different (Lawrence for example) in this dead rubber.

Broad and Robinson giving the team a veneer of respectability they don't deserve. This selection really is the cherry on the cake. Anderson knew (from his comments "if seeing out Steve Smith is the last Ashes thing I do...") he wasn't playing two days ago. Before any close inspection of the pitch or the conditions.

That's recriminations for you. Can't wait to read the autopsies. I mean the books.

 

[Petcha]

Well now Robinson's match is possibly over and Stokes can't bowl. Brilliant stuff.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Makes me think of New Zealand's batting line-ups of the 80s or 90s. Out of Burns, Pope, Malan and Crawley, Burns is the only one with an average of over 30 - and him only just, and possibly not by the end of this match. They're all clustered around the 28-30 mark, and that after at least 17 tests. The other options - Hameed and Lawrence - wouldn't have changed that dynamic tbf. They just haven't played quite as many matches.

 

[planetgeli]

I may have woken up grumpy (actually I didn't) but I want them to lose. I never want them to lose. But this selection is wrong, spiteful and vindictive. And plain stupid. The perfect denouement to a shite series.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

On the plus side it’s sweet relief not to be burdened with Buttler’s miserable face.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Agree with you about Pope and Burns, and Anderson and Lawrence.

It is hard not to see a Surrey bias here. Sam Curran has also played a lot more than his performances warranted.

 

[two sheds]

241-6

miserable selection rewarding all anderson's outstanding years with being dropped

 

[paulhackett]

Agree with you about Pope and Burns, and Anderson and Lawrence.

It is hard not to see a Surrey bias here. Sam Curran has also played a lot more than his performances warranted.

I was just thinking that had he been fit then Curran would have been a better bet this series than Woakes at 8. If Anderson or Robinson didn't do it then it was unlikely Woakes would, so a left warmer would provide an option. I'm still hoping he and Archer will be fit and in the same team one day.

Saw this earlier about the number of changes to the England team - too many matches, injuries, bubble fatigue etc.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Aus would have smashed Curran all over the park before nicking him off for a duck.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

241-6

miserable selection rewarding all anderson's outstanding years with being dropped

I just don't get it on cricketing terms. Ok they wanted Woakes for his batting - bit defensive, but has some sense. But in that case, on this wicket, you probably drop Wood. I don't think that's a good strategy anyway - if you're going for a four-bowler attack, you'd better make sure it's your four best bowlers, in which case, you put Wood/Robinson in at eight and place the onus on the top 7 to score the runs.

 

[paulhackett]

I just don't get it on cricketing terms. Ok they wanted Woakes for his batting - bit defensive, but has some sense. But in that case, on this wicket, you probably drop Wood. I don't think that's a good strategy anyway - if you're going for a four-bowler attack, you'd better make sure it's your four best bowlers, in which case, you put Wood/Robinson in at eight and place the onus on the top 7 to score the runs.

The scars of the Oval 1999 are still there with the bowlers being Caddick, Mullally, Tufnell and Giddins. Can't argue they were the 4 best bowlers, but they almost certainly were the worst tail. Was interested to see Jack Russell make a similar point to yours, but about T20, - pick the best wicketkeeper and bat him at 11 if needs be.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The scars of the Oval 1999 are still there with the bowlers being Caddick, Mullally, Tufnell and Giddins. Can't argue they were the 4 best bowlers, but they almost certainly were the worst tail. Was interested to see Jack Russell make a similar point to yours, but about T20, - pick the best wicketkeeper and bat him at 11 if needs be.

Yeah, but that was a number 10 and three number 11s. Robinson and Wood are both better batters than Caddick, I think.

 

[paulhackett]

This might explain the rustiness of the bowlers. And batsmen.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

You're not comparing like with like there, though. Neser and Boland were not internationals during that period, while Woakes and Wood were.

I don't think that's much of a factor tbh. Anderson and Broad have been test specialists for years now, and they play just a few county games at the start of the season to stay grooved and no more. Wood's injury-prone, and both Wood and Woakes are all-format internationals.

How many domestic red ball games do the likes of Boult and Southee play? As an example, I just looked up Boult. In his entire career, over a nearly 14-year career, he's only played 35 non-test match red ball games, compared to 75 tests, and no doubt a fair chunk of those 35 came in the three years between his 1st class debut and his test debut. This is typical for full-time all-format internationals. They mostly leave domestic cricket behind.

Another example of a player who made his test debut young: Kagiso Rabada has played 19 non-tests compared to 50 tests, FC debut 18 months before test debut so perhaps half or more of those 19 were pre-test debut.

Also, Tests count! Stokes has only played three CC matches in the last five years. But how many tests has he played? Got to add those on when making the comparison. Tbh that's an egregious misuse of statistics!

 

[Balbi]

Typical England, spend half an hour being competent and then completely lose the plot.

Robinson looked in real trouble just fielding, so that's him banjaxed and one less bowler. If I was Jimmy in the stands I'd be enjoying a large beverage and looking forward to writing my memoirs.

 

[Balbi]

littlebabyjesus on Boult and Southee, it's scale again isn't it. There's only six first class sides in the Plunket Shield, and the season is October to March, probably not comparable?

NZ Cricket with Hesson and Stead have become a good organisation for players and competitions. Keep an eye on the ODI squad we're sending to Aussie, contains none of our recent Test team due to Covid and a few future ones to watch - Finn Allen especially.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

littlebabyjesus on Boult and Southee, it's scale again isn't it. There's only six first class sides in the Plunket Shield, and the season is October to March, probably not comparable?

NZ Cricket with Hesson and Stead have become a good organisation for players and competitions. Keep an eye on the ODI squad we're sending to Aussie, contains none of our recent Test team due to Covid and a few future ones to watch - Finn Allen especially.

Ten matches a year. It's not so different from England's 14. Point is that internationals from all countries mostly abandon their domestic first class leagues, particularly if they play both red and white ball cricket. It's not a reason for England being shit.

How often does Virat Kohli turn out in the Ranji Trophy? Answer is: hardly ever, like Stokes. 32 non-test FC matches in his career, and again, most of those probably before he made his test debut.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

To your second point, NZ cricket have shown that you can improve at both red and white ball cricket at the same time, and with a tiny fraction of the money and a smaller player pool compared to England.

It is sobering to think that England's test cricketers are paid ten times as much as NZ's test cricketers. Another discussion, but the disparity in wealth between the associations is a problem that needs addressing.

 

[Balbi]

Basically what you're saying is winning the 2019 World Cup was a huge mistake because it made England think they were doing well, and the trophy should rightly have been given to the Black Caps

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's a golden age, for sure. It won't last for ever, though, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Hopefully the World Test Champs will only grow in status. NZ winning it is one fuck of an achievement. Might not feel like it, but in many important ways, it's a bigger achievement than winning the WC. Reward for sustained excellence.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

One of the many shit things about being an England fan is that there are about half a dozen very good reasons why England ought to be much better than they are.

Bit like supporting Newcastle, maybe. Or perhaps that should be Sunderland.

 

[Balbi]

Yeah we know we're in a golden run, last two WC finals, WTC champs, T20 finalists. We do seem to have the production line running well though but take out Rosco and Kane and things might not be so fantastic, enjoying it while it lasts.