The Cricket Thread

[Twizzle]

And an Indian(?) spinner they are looking to fast track?

I thought Australia/Pakistan were unlucky

He is a Pakistani refugee, 31 years old so not sure if he will play much if at all.

 

[alfie103]

I think the team needs to be seriously looked at, despite us being 2-0 up. The Aussies can only get better once they identify who the most talented of their bunch are and actually play a settled team and I am concerned for the winter series. We have been playing average/mediocre cricket for ages now, and last couple of years have been heavily reliant on Cook and Trott to bat well at the start, and Anderson and Swann to fire when bowling.

- Don't see any upside to Cook being captain at the moment. After the India series it now seems to be affecting him. And his captaincy itself is pretty rubbish and unimaginative.

- All batsmen are too inconsistent. Bell has found form at last but the rest are struggling.

- Prior has dipped in form this year.

- Real problem with the 4th seamer, stuck with Finn for ages who is woeful in my opinion. Bresnan worked for one game but they should have been ruthless for this game and gone with Tremlett, pitch would suit him far more with varying bounce. I don't even think Broad can be relied on either...

Well I dunno about Cook, I can't say I know too much about his captaincy as I don't have the necessary knowledge but I wouldn't see many people would do much differently. I think Flower has a massively say on plans for batsman and subsequent fielders and bowlers should take responsibility and also exploit any weaknesses and be able to set the field.

Most of the batsmen seem to be going through a period of poor form which is unfortunate, yet we remain undefeated in 3 tests and have won two of them. I don't see who would potentially bring in that would be setting the world alight (though I am not convinced by Bairstow).

All players go through periods of bad form and I have no doubt Prior will bounce back. He is one of the most solid players in this England side.

This again is an overreaction for England having a poor game. It happens. The bowlers bowled on an extremely flat and good wicket and didn't do well. Finn needs to work on his runup but is young and has time to work on that. Bresnan I think is a good, solid player for England. He isn't a world beater but will work hard and is talented. I think Onions would be a good move and seems to have recovered from his back injury but England don't like swapping players alot with good reason.

 

[cockjol]

Onions has got to come in for his home test, he's been immaculate this season and knows the pitch like the back of his hand, but then I didn't expect bresnan to replace Finn at lords.
My only concern is bresnan can bat and we've needed him to in the last two tests....

mmm...not sure about that...he rarely seems to produce an innings when it counts and his bowling is average, so what's the point of him being in the side?

 

[Spurs_Bear]

mmm...not sure about that...he rarely seems to produce an innings when it counts and his bowling is average, so what's the point of him being in the side?

Think that's a little harsh on Bresnan, he can bat, he's never going to score a double hundred but he's decent enough to have at number 8. And as a bowler he's a partnership breaker. He's ok, it's Broad I worry about more than Bresnan. The selectors like Bresnan because when he first came into the Test side we went something like 13 games unbeaten in games he played in.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

You're dreaming mate!! If it wasn't for the shit weather you would've been chasing 400+ in three and a half sessions and I think the series would be 2-1 at the moment.
But we are in the position we are because of our shocking second test so well done and congrats England/South Africa for retaining the ashes

Haha! That did give me a laugh this morning. Fair play.

 

[bern]

Dare we risk a few fringe players?. After all its all done and dusted now give Geoff Boycott something to have a go at.

 

[UncleBuck]

Dare we risk a few fringe players?. After all its all done and dusted now give Geoff Boycott something to have a go at.

I don't think he could do any worse at the moment, with only two batsmen averaging over 50 and a glut of them in the 30's it's really shown up how poor the batting on both sides has been!

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Dare we risk a few fringe players?. After all its all done and dusted now give Geoff Boycott something to have a go at.

We've got a series to win down under when this one's over. We want to go there with all of our batsmen in good nick. Which means they need time in the middle facing the bowlers they will face in Oz without the pressure of needing to win. So no, don't risk a few fringe players; get the ones we've got into form.

Onions.

No, not that one.

Well maybe that one, but ... you know what I mean.

 

[wooderz]

So that's almost to 3 ashes series wins in a row, it's definitely three ashes wins in a row...how's them apples taste?

Sorry, I jest..Australia were very unlucky, deserved to win that test

 

[bern]

I think we should drop Root down the order and find another opener.But who is another thing? He would be better at steadying the ship when the top order collapses as had all too often happened.

 

[wooderz]

I think we should drop Root down the order and find another opener.But who is another thing? He would be better at steadying the ship when the top order collapses as had all too often happened.

Trott?

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Root will open. He is going to open with Captain Cook for the next 5 years. This decision has my approval.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Root will open. He is going to open with Captain Cook for the next 5 years. This decision has my approval.

This.

All this.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

I'm rooting for Root too.

 

[Twizzle]

I had Clarkie as captain in my fantasy team up until the start of the third test, then changed it to Root, fucking dud

Still leading my league though

 

[wooderz]

Root will open. He is going to open with Captain Cook for the next 5 years. This decision has my approval.

I think Cook's time as captain is coming to a close. He's being portrayed as too negative. Whilst retaining the ashes :eyeroll:

 

[theShiznit]

Haha! That did give me a laugh this morning. Fair play.

Especially when they are all English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh anyway

 

[BaleTheBeast]

And an Indian(?) spinner they are looking to fast track?

I thought Australia/Pakistan were unlucky

Khawajar was born in Pakistan and came to Australia when he was about 2 or 3, similar to Strauss coming to England at a young age.
Fawad Ahmed is the Indian (he's actually Pakistani, but hey they're all the same right?) player you're referring to. He came to Australia as a refugee because the Taliban threatened to kill him for his western ideals. When he got to Australia he started playing cricket and made his way up the ranks. Australia is now his home and his future. Compare this to players like Trott, Dernbach and KP (I won't include Prior because he came to England when he was 16 or Compton because of the England cricketing history through his grandfather or Eoin Morgan because honestly where else is he going to play). They who only play for England because they don't like the quota system in South Africa or because the money is better at county level. Even the ECB has seen that you are no longer the England cricket team and made the qualification 7 years now instead of 4.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Khawajar was born in Pakistan and came to Australia when he was about 2 or 3, similar to Strauss coming to England at a young age.
Fawad Ahmed is the Indian (he's actually Pakistani, but hey they're all the same right?) player you're referring to. He came to Australia as a refugee because the Taliban threatened to kill him for his western ideals. When he got to Australia he started playing cricket and made his way up the ranks. Australia is now his home and his future. Compare this to players like Trott, Dernbach and KP (I won't include Prior because he came to England when he was 16 or Compton because of the England cricketing history through his grandfather or Eoin Morgan because honestly where else is he going to play). They who only play for England because they don't like the quota system in South Africa or because the money is better at county level. Even the ECB has seen that you are no longer the England cricket team and made the qualification 7 years now instead of 4.

I admire the grace and humility with which you have embraced defeat

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Bitter Aussie is bitter.