Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Durhamfootman wrote:he does seem to take wickets though. He must have taken a fair few in 2021 because I picked him in my 2022 FL side, which is why I knew he missed almost the whole season

I can maybe be corrected, but my memory of his career so far is him appearing out of nowhere and looking like we had unearthed a diamond, then after 10 ish matches (or thereabouts) it all started to go South, and has very much stayed "south". I'd have to guess since the midway point of the county season in 2021, he's averaged well in excess of 40, which is totally rubbish. And the curve is only going one way.

As I said, he's got ability, but I would guess if he saw action in the Ashes test, he'd Simon Kerrigan'd out of the attack after a spell, never to return. Needs a lot of polishing before Id put him anywhere near a test batter

alfie wrote:but they will need a spinner for several Tests. Who ?

I think personally, you say that Dom Bess has test experience and did alright; his dropping was memorably harsh. His wickets in the first test set up an incredibly rare away win in India, and then in the second he struggled, but then 2/150 at the other end from spin hardly made his failure that special. Test average is better than Leach. Bats batter than Leach. Recent form is not good, but its spring figures for spinners... in Leeds. Not sure even Murali would get help from those wickets. And maybe bringing him back into contention will help him rediscover some zip to his career, long lost to the idiotic treatment of a band of idiots in charge at the time.

Not really into the whole Mason Crane style maverick picks. If a young spinner aint taking wickets or proved he can, then no point picking them. Bad spinners are like Candy to Aussie batsman....

I genuinely have no idea what Stokes and McCullum are going to do about this

no idea at all

I can only hope that like everything else in this last year it works far better than anyone could have reasonably expected it to

oops.... here we go

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/65816609

The Cricketer is also reporting this and further adds that whilst Mo is seriously considering it, Adil Rashid has ruled out a test return

Hope they don't go down that extremely negative path. It's not as if Mo had a great Test record, with bat or ball, and was in a deep decline at the end. Why pretend? Think positive.

Yes I would not see a Moeen return as a very likely solution. The very fact that he is said to be "considering" the idea is a negative for me : if he isn't completely sure in his own mind that he wants to be back then it just seems to reinforce the nature of the indecisiveness about Test Cricket that he has displayed over the last few years (I'm retired ; no maybe I will make myself available - no maybe not) Even if he did decide that he'd like to give it another go under the new regime , could we be confident his commitment would last if he were to have a bad first match ?

Not wishing to have a go at him , by the way. Just that anything less than whole hearted enthusiasm for the job is unlikely to bring success. A player who is even slightly doubtful about whether he wants to be there is up against it , I think. (A fairly recent example : Jos Buttler being reportedly anxious about touring Australia in 21/22 and only deciding quite late that he would be OK to go - and his form fell off a cliff as that series progressed. Coincidence ?)

Given all the Aussie left handers an off spinner (if one is around ! ) might indeed be the most useful type to fill the hole. I find myself (surprise !) agreeing with Sussex that they could do worse than recall Bess ; who may have been a bit erratic at times but did return some useful wicket taking performances - though mostly on tour rather than at home. Trying to recall those games in India : think he might have been a bit fortunate to get some very good players out in Chennai more by batsman error than excellent bowling - but it is what's in the book that counts ! Then he did get hit around second innings but yes , dropping him (for Moeen !) seemed very harsh. Not surprising his confidence was shot when recalled in Ahmedabad . Question being whether that confidence has ever recovered ? (I did watch him bowl a bit for Yorkshire in one of those CC games recently and thought he was tidy enough without doing a lot of damage. But Tests are another matter)

Can't see England going back to him just yet though , to be honest. Reckon they'll be more likely to go for Dawson as an experienced and mature player ... but I doubt the Australians will be having nightmares about confronting him...

Bess is by no means a perfect solution, but its not like England have a perfect solution. I like Dawson, and I would have said if this was back in the late 2010s, he probably deserved a bit more a look in. But again, going on memory, I think Hampshire have rather faded him out of front line use, and he seems bowl hardly any overs - a quick check suggests 68 overs in 6 matches this year, which is not a lot. I guess Dawson would be a steady option, and he bats as well - but I dont see a lot of value in that pick, personally. England need someone who at least bowls a fair bit

So what is Moeen thinking about? Is it the MLC who want him but has a ECB contract till September. Already said he is thinking of retiring from ODIs after the WC. Once involved in Tests again he will be expected to tour. Finds it boring being out if the field for 5 days. I think he will say yes but only for the Ashes.

Presumably England had a back up spinner in mind. Unless he is injured too, this selection should be automatic.

I'm not sure they did, tbh

England pull out a dozen pace bowlers from the CC to protect them for the Ashes. But don't have a back up spinner.

What happened to Virdi?

Arthur Crabtree wrote:What happened to Virdi?

They flogged him off to Somerset last year, but he seems to have disappeared then. Jacks is a three format cricketer, and was apparently preferred, despite a horrendous FC bowling record .... although he did get two England caps as well, so he must have some compromising photos of someone at home.

I know there has been suggestions in the past that Virdi wasn't very professional, so maybe that has been the reason. Surrey were quite vocal about his weight and general lack of fitness...

I would go Rehan....has made his test debut has taken 5 fer...yes inexperienced but if he never plays he's never gonna get better.....and he fits the bazball era....young fearless attacking with bat and ball give him a go