The cricket thread

Dopesick · December 2021

The ECB are systematically killing English Test match cricket and I’m equally mortified/relieved that some of the bigger names are FINALLY coming round to this. The main criticism is aimed at Root and Silverwood. Okay, Silverwood is probably a prime goner at this point but with Root, who the fuck do you replace him with? Stokes is probably the closest candidate but he seems to have too much on his shoulders as it is. Everybody else is either too old or not even good enough to be considered a regular.

Put Test matches back on free TV, put the CC back in the summer where it fucking belongs and place more emphasis on patient, accumulative batting. Even then that is somewhat resembling a start. The dullards can still watch their precious Hundred.

guitars4you · December 2021

Dopesick said:

The ECB are systematically killing English Test match cricket and I’m equally mortified/relieved that some of the bigger names are FINALLY coming round to this. The main criticism is aimed at Root and Silverwood. Okay, Silverwood is probably a prime goner at this point but with Root, who the fuck do you replace him with? Stokes is probably the closest candidate but he seems to have too much on his shoulders as it is. Everybody else is either too old or not even good enough to be considered a regular.

Put Test matches back on free TV, put the CC back in the summer where it fucking belongs and place more emphasis on patient, accumulative batting. Even then that is somewhat resembling a start. The dullards can still watch their precious Hundred.

Agree about the option of replacing Root as captain - Who else can it be - Stokes was not available most of the last 12 months and I'm not convinced he is the right choice either - No other batsman/bowler has a guaranteed slot in the team

I'm a Root fan but he does not appear to have the nous to be captain - Silverwood's selection policy alone baffle me and I'm sure he will be gone shortly - But so much blame needs to go to the ECB - Yet the ECB is not at fault for 37 for 6 and what amounts to a 'curl up and die' approach

earwighoney · December 2021

guitars4you said:

Dopesick said:

The ECB are systematically killing English Test match cricket and I’m equally mortified/relieved that some of the bigger names are FINALLY coming round to this. The main criticism is aimed at Root and Silverwood. Okay, Silverwood is probably a prime goner at this point but with Root, who the fuck do you replace him with? Stokes is probably the closest candidate but he seems to have too much on his shoulders as it is. Everybody else is either too old or not even good enough to be considered a regular.

Put Test matches back on free TV, put the CC back in the summer where it fucking belongs and place more emphasis on patient, accumulative batting. Even then that is somewhat resembling a start. The dullards can still watch their precious Hundred.

Agree about the option of replacing Root as captain - Who else can it be - Stokes was not available most of the last 12 months and I'm not convinced he is the right choice either - No other batsman/bowler has a guaranteed slot in the team

I'm a Root fan but he does not appear to have the nous to be captain - Silverwood's selection policy alone baffle me and I'm sure he will be gone shortly - But so much blame needs to go to the ECB - Yet the ECB is not at fault for 37 for 6 and what amounts to a 'curl up and die' approach

The ECB were quick to take responsibility when England won the ODI WC, but I can't see them being so quick to take responsibility for the collapse of test cricket, Tom Harrison in particular always seems like the figure happy to congratulate himself.

UnclePsychosis · December 2021

For me the "Root as captain" question isn't: "who would be a better option?", but "who could possibly be worse?"

Root clearly isn't an effective captain. Time to let him concentrate on what he's good at.

scrumhalf · December 2021

Looking at the lsit of last season's county captains, all bar three were English.

Durham	Scott Borthwick
Essex	Tom Westley
Gloucestershire	Chris Dent
Hampshire	James Vince
Kent	Sam Billings
Middlesex	Stephen Eskinazi
Northamptonshire	Adam Rossington
Nottinghamshire	Steven Mullaney
Somerset	Tom Abell
Surrey	Rory Burns
Sussex	Ben Brown
Warwickshire	Will Rhodes
Worcestershire	Joe Leach
Yorkshire	Steven Patterson

I'm biased in favour of Sam Billings, but who would get in the side on merit as a player or, using the Brearley gambit, as a bloody good captain?

crunchman · December 2021

@scrumhalf - looking at your list I think Burns and Vince are the only ones close to the team as players.

Burns probably should be in as a player for the moment. Given that Crawley still has the same technique issues that got him dropped in the summer, Burns is probably still the least bad option as an opener.

Vince probably wouldn't be any worse with the bat than we have seen from Pope or Bairstow in this series.

I'm not sure either of them would command enough respect in the dressing room though. Brearley had that because of what he had done in the game.

The other option in the current team would be Malan. He's 34 and has been around the block. However, he was Middlesex captain for a bit and that didn't work out all that well.

Root isn't a great captain, but it's not affecting his batting for the moment, so he's probably the least bad option if he wants to continue. Sack Silverwood (or take the selection responsibilty off of him) and restructure it a bit around Root. That seems the least bad option for the moment.

Mellish · December 2021

I can remember, as a small child, running home to watch my cricketing heroes in the Ashes on terrestrial TV. How I admired them, wanted to be like them when I grew up. But this lot, I wouldn't give you tuppence for them

scrumhalf · December 2021

pigface · December 2021

At the risk of being flayed by the cognoscenti, may I ask what would be wrong with having Morgan as captain? I have no idea whether he is available for Tests or not, and am also aware that he is 35, so not a long-term candidate. I'd think, however, that he would not be out of place in the Test side as a player and he definitely seems to have what it takes to captain the side.

crunchman · December 2021

pigface said:

At the risk of being flayed by the cognoscenti, may I ask what would be wrong with having Morgan as captain? I have no idea whether he is available for Tests or not, and am also aware that he is 35, so not a long-term candidate. I'd think, however, that he would not be out of place in the Test side as a player and he definitely seems to have what it takes to captain the side.

He's not worth his place in the test side as a batsman. His test average is similar to Pope's and Pope is young and should improve.

He probably wouldn't want the job either. He prioritises white ball cricket. At the moment he can go and play in the IPL and make loads of money. He hasn't played a first class game since April 2019.

Stuckfast · December 2021

Will Rhodes would be an interesting punt as captain. He's relatively young and has just won the championship with an unfancied Warkwickshire side. He's an opening bat, albeit not scoring the weight of runs yet to push for a place on batting alone. And he would be a useful fifth bowler.

Mellish · December 2021

I don't know the best to replace them with but I think you need Silverwood and Root out. I don't think anything will change otherwise.

UnclePsychosis · December 2021

Stuckfast said:

Will Rhodes would be an interesting punt as captain. He's relatively young and has just won the championship with an unfancied Warkwickshire side. He's an opening bat, albeit not scoring the weight of runs yet to push for a place on batting alone. And he would be a useful fifth bowler.

Averaging 4 or 5 is probably good enough to open for England at the minute...

chris78 · December 2021

Lots of focus on the captain and silverwood. Silverwood clearly has to go - he’s taken England backwards from Bayliss, who was a very competent coach. What about Giles though? He made a dreadful decision in getting rid of Ed Smith and over promoted Silverwood. Where is the accountability for him?
What I can never get with England, and it’s poignant after we lost Ray Illingworth, is why our great captains and leaders aren’t more involved and go into commentary. Why wasn’t Vaughan involved (realise he can’t be now), why wasn’t Nasser involved, why is Cook sitting in a commentary box? The ECB aren’t exactly poor. Surely they can pay as much as Sky and get these guys involved.

Tannin · December 2021

Teetonetal said:

It's really sad to see, series like this and it does no favours for test cricket at all. No one really wants to see no contests in any sport, there is no drama, no story. In the short term, I'm sure Australia will enjoy giving us a thrashing, but how many series like this do we need.

Absolutely. As an Australian myself, I can assure you that there is nothing we like better than winning the Ashes, but a series like this one really doesn't cut the mustard. It's better than enduring a 0-5 whitewash the other way, sure, but it is fundamentally unsatisfying, and very bad for cricket. Good cricket involves a genuine contest and a good test match keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through.

Mellish · December 2021

I don't see a quick fix and all will be well, and I don't think you do either. It's a mess and will take time. Theyve had years to make it bad, and I just think it's a real shame that it was ever let get in this state.

Gassage · December 2021

The Elephant in the room is the complete break down in relationships between players and ECB when Tom Harrison and Sanjay Patel got a mill bonus each.

A lot of players family and friends were in the 62 redundancies made by ECB. Eng players had 30% shaved off test fees. Then Harrison has the temerity to take 1.2m in bonuses. Players are utterly furious about this- like incandescent- Root, Jimmy and Stokes in particular (two mates of Jimmy's were laid off as RCO's)

I know Harrison well through my time in Middx League when he played for Teddington and he's an insufferable, arrogant cunt. I remember him putting himself at deep midwicket by the pavilion at Tedd one day specifically to moan to me that I hadn't declared and just stood there tuning me I was destroying the spirit of the game in pretty vitriolic terms. I batted on another 5 overs and we won by 180 runs and I've never lost a game against him since that day.

chris78 · January 2022

Some of our batters finding form 4 games in. Wonder how this may have gone with 3-4 proper warm up games?

Tannin · January 2022

^ This is exactly the point. It was a damn fine test match, some great bowling, some great batting, and it kept us on the edge of our seats right up to the final ball. The whole series could have been this good if the ECB had half a clue.

Gassage · January 2022

Success on an Australian visit is relative;

England’s tour has been a roaring success compared to Novak Djokovic’s

guitars4you · January 2022

I guessed 3-0 or 3-1 for the Ashes - I'm now in with a shout

scrumhalf · January 2022

We've just hung on by one wicket not to lose by 100+ runs. If the Aussies had declared earlier it might have been a different story. Nothing much has changed.

Tannin · January 2022

3-1 isn't out of the question.

* Australia's test team is notoriously underwhelming in dead rubbers.

* England's team has been here long enough to get some local form.

* Hobart is in the far south of the country and should suit the English players better than anywhere else in Australia. Anderson and Broad could be dangerous.

* Starc has a very poor bowling record at the tail end of test series.

* Root is due for a hundred, and I'm tipping a big one.

* England might actually play a wicketkeeper who can take catches.

All of that points to an England win. On the other hand:

* Hazelwood is fit and should replace Starc. A new ball attack of Cummings, Hazelwood, Boland, and Green should be enough to blast England out twice - and then there is the always-dangerous Lyon.

* Cummings provides top-class leadership and his promotion has improved the Australian team's cohesion and focus.

* Neither of the best two batsmen have got of the leash. Like Root, Smith and Warner are due for centuries.

* The loss of Stokes is a huge blow. No-one else in the England squad (or out of it) can play his role. If the selectors try to find his equal with the bat (they won't) the bowling will consist of two ancient medium-pacers, one very good young quick who can only bowl 4 overs at a time, an underwhelming spinner, and a pretty fair part-time tweaker. Not good enough. If the selectors try to replace his bowling, the batting depth becomes impossibly thin, especially given the notoriously long England tail.

Put all that together and it's anybody's game.

Mellish · January 2022

I'll tell you where I am. I don't care who wins. To me the drama, excitement of a close match that could go either way, that keeps you on the edge of your seat. That's what I want

Gassage · January 2022

That's me sorted then.

Image: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FIJENgnVQAAJu8h?format=jpg&name=medium

Rich210 · January 2022

I know this is a thread mostly about international cricket, but is anyone starting to thinking about winter netting and playing amateur cricket?

I've just met some people at the local cricket club about starting up and playing after about 6 years away.

Gassage · January 2022

Rich210 said:

I know this is a thread mostly about international cricket, but is anyone starting to thinking about winter netting and playing amateur cricket?

I've just met some people at the local cricket club about starting up and playing after about 6 years away.

Yes.

Stuckfast · January 2022

I think our club has some indoor nets booked but there's loads of pressure on time so we haven't been able to get as many dates or hours as we wanted. Hey ho.

UnclePsychosis · January 2022

Rich210 said:

I know this is a thread mostly about international cricket, but is anyone starting to thinking about winter netting and playing amateur cricket?

I've just met some people at the local cricket club about starting up and playing after about 6 years away.

I periodically play for a local (very) amateur team in a mid-week friendly 20-20 format but haven't played for a while now. I like cricket, but playing the game for the first time as an adult and never having received any actual coaching isn't really conducive to any kind of competence. I'm basically a specialist backstop. :-)

Rich210 · January 2022

I'm hoping to use the cricket to get back in shape. the whole covid thing put my fitness levels in the opposite direction and I've probably put on about 3 stone since. Luckily cricket is one of those games most people can play, but because I've got a competitive streak I'm hoping it's gonna motivate me to get fitter.

I'm nearly 36 now, and I always saw the over-40s as a club I wanted to be involved in. Basically non-competitive cricket laced with booze and incredible teas. Whats not to love about that?

The league I'll be playing in is the Halifax league which I'm told is well organised and is a fairly decent non-professional standard. There aren't any paid hands, and lots of beautiful Yorkshire grounds to play in.

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