English Cricket Thread

[Durhamfootman]

almost impossible, I would have thought

[Slipstream]

Now Atkinson injured but his ODI figures 40.53 econ 6.69 mean he is not really missed.

[sussexpob]

Tom Haines hits 171 vs India-A in the Lions game....

Get this man a cap!

[Arthur Crabtree]

500v500 pitch though!

[sussexpob]

Think it's his third 150 of the year. Lads on fire

[sussexpob]

500v500 pitch though!

Can't really blame the pitch when you pick 4 frontline seamers on the sole basis of what pace they bowl. I understand Josh Hull is very young and his record you expect to improve, but Akhtar and Singh Dale are two bowlers that don't regularly take wickets in Division 2 and are no longer that young, the fact they bowl a little quicker is meaningless if they spray all over. And one lad has never played a FC game (Jacks) why is he in the Lions team? I guess this is the future under Key. Opportunities to sub-par bowlers who bowl a nip quicker. Lots of kids with no pedigree being elevated.... not a fan of this. The Lions should be treated as a serious team and part of a players final stage of development.

Dan Mousley finally bagged a FC century, but having seen him a couple of times this year I have no idea in the 4 day game why England are fixed on him. Has a lot of cricket writers taking note, but all I have seen suggests he has major batting weaknesses outside his off-stump, wafts at a lot. And lets be fair, if you aint wracking up runs on that pancake at Edgbaston more often than not, then it concerns me. A half decent bat should rain runs on that abomination of a wicket. Warwickshire also rarely like giving him the ball, so the idea he's an all-rounder in the 4 day game as he is billed is puzzling.

Has a future in the slap bang stuff, but he should be nowhere near the Lions/Test side.

[andy]

Luke wright has said jofra could be available for the second test! He's on a wind up surely?!

[sussexpob]

Luke wright has said jofra could be available for the second test! He's on a wind up surely?!

It's pretty clear England no longer pick the team on reality, but on Key's visions. If you bowl quick, you have a fast track to the side - Archer hasn't played in yonks, but will come back as soon as his legs allow him. Overton has all but retired from FC cricket and now is piloted into the test team out of nowhere? Ah yeah, he bowls quick...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Squad for first Test.

Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

Woakes, Bethell, Carse and Overton back. Atkinson injured. As are Wood, Stone and Archer. Potts is omitted.

[sussexpob]

I really don't like some aspects of this squad. I sided with KP back in the day when ECB were refusing to realise that it was impossible to stop top talent going to the IPL, but I find it utterly baffling that England would pick a batsman with a FC average under 30 after his skipped a test to play in India instead. I find it baffling also that Overton is rewarded for putting his bank balance ahead of playing CC games, and he just returns out of nowhere anyway. If you want to go to the IPL fine, but surely you can't expect to play in the test team if you prioritise money over CC matches at the start of the season?

I have no issue with someone like Joe Root or Ben Stokes doing it, they earned the right to be selected without question, they've done the hard miles.... but Bethall? Are you serious? He averages 29 man ..... if he's not interested in improving his game, then shouldn't be anywhere near the team.

I can't imagine what it must be like as a good county cricketer performing well week in week out to see that. You turn up, you perform, you work at getting better - meanwhile, some kid who has never scored a FC in 30 matches gets to turn down a call up he didn't even deserve. Or some ageing county pro who averages 7 runs a wicket more thn you gets picked because he bowls quicker... when he bowls, which in recent times is...er... never.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes apparently says that hs statement that Bethell would return to the side when back from the IPL was 'twisted to suit an agenda'. What possible agenda could that be?!

[sussexpob]

Stokes apparently says that hs statement that Bethell would return to the side when back from the IPL was 'twisted to suit an agenda'. What possible agenda could that be?!

England's whole self-promoted identity as the saviours of test cricket has been perceived increasingly as intolerable arrogance, especially in Australia where the whole thing seems to have left them confused. As these narratives get louder, the English press have latched onto them, and the work ethic/attitude of the team is starting to be questioned mildly - KP for instance demanded to know why England don't train mid-series and play golf instead on off days. Much is being made of the fact England have golf days but no tour matches built in to their next away Ashes program. The golf-gate ended with Rob Key apparently banning players from mentioning golf on social media or in public interviews.

True to Key's level of usual intelligence, he then gave an interview to Sky where he rebuked the suggestion everyone was obsessed with golf and playing too much of it.... while sat at a golf course in his full golf kit and golf bag next to him, having just played a round while bunking off from watching CC.

So yeah, there has been a little agenda against the team starting to boil in the last month or so

[sussexpob]

I am not sure if its true, but I read in the Independent that during his time as Team Manager, Key (who is a golf fanatic) has only dropped experienced players who do not have registered golf handicaps, and not dropped a single player who has one.

I guess Zak Crawley's work with his 9-iron counts for more than with his bat in his hand.

[Arthur Crabtree]

OK, thanks! Weird...

[DiligentDefence]

Tongue bowling some real dross for the Lions.