The Cricket Thread

[Dunc2610]

Pirate Phil smashed it last night, back to his best? Hopefully get some consistency! Bethel played well, worryingly bowling (Saqib and Rashid aside) was a bit rubbish, Curran really needs to be dropped, his match winning performances are become less and less often! Gutted for Jos to get a golden, but it was a world of a catch!

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Pirate Phil smashed it last night, back to his best? Hopefully get some consistency! Bethel played well, worryingly bowling (Saqib and Rashid aside) was a bit rubbish, Curran really needs to be dropped, his match winning performances are become less and less often! Gutted for Jo's to get a golden, but it was a world of a catch!

It’s hard to judge England as a team and individuals at the moment as the ODI and T20 sides for the last few series have been extremely experimental. There’s been either a complete lack of batting depth, a lot of average bowlers and a high percentage of all rounders with most of them not a stand out at either batting or bowling.

Bethell - a good choice. He was performing well domestically and hasn’t looked out of place in the England side.

Cox - looks miles off it

Mousley - not been overly involved but no early signs of catching your eye

Carse - decent bowler and can swing the bat but he’s no Archer (when fit)

Curran - infuriating. Looks great in the 100 but not at International level

Jacks - you can see the talent but he gets out cheaply way too often

Salt - excellent century last night but what I find frustrating with him is that he’s an aggressive player but against Australia and Pakistan it was like he was trying to tone this down (probably due to the lack of batting depth). The issue is he lacks technique and defensive qualities. A bit like Hales and Roy, if you’re going to play them then you have to let them play their natural hit it out of the park game

Mahmood - stands out domestically and has shown he can take wickets at International level. It’s not directly his fault but if you’re going to play a wicket taker who will also cost above average runs then you need to make sure the team is balanced (which has been a major issue the last year)

Topley - as per Mahmood he’s a wicket taker but he’s also extremely expensive

Overton - another all rounder who stands out domestically and can contribute at International level but isn’t quite a the standard required

Look at last night, Buttler was out for a duck to a stunning catch and both Salt and Bethell performed but after this we’ve Livingstone who has shown a lot of maturity whilst standing in for Buttler and has improved his overall batting and bowling displays but pre the last circa 6 months or so he hasn’t lived up to his potential. You’re then into the average all rounders - Curran, Mousley and Overton.

If England have any aspirations of winning the World Cups again then you need your regulars - Buttler, Stokes? Root (ODI), Brook, Wood? to feature more often than not.

I get trying out new players but bear in mind some of the experiments aren’t kids. The talent pool domestically isn’t great but there’s some decent youngsters coming through. If you’re building for the future then England should focus on his instead of bringing in those who won’t be around in a few years or constantly thrashing a dead horse with the likes of Curran.

England used to be a dominant force at both ODI and T20 - there was quality from 1-11 whereas now there’s only 1-2 stand outs in each line up.

 

[UncleBuck]

My son works for Warwickshire cricket as a coach, with Bethell I think he played against rugby school when they had a tour over there, he was so good they pretty much offered him a scholarship, they then spoke to Warwickshire to get him into the academy set up , they knew from the minute he came he would play for England pretty much

Bit like this bloke called Duckett….
Took this pic at Stowe in their cricket pavilion when I was there in the summer with my eldest lad.
14 tons out of 23 scored in three seasons is pretty impressive!

 

[midoshairband]

ugly bowling performance so far

 

[Dunc2610]

Ahmed aside, it's been pretty toothless. No threat at all really. And weird to not bowl the best bowler from the previous match you'd say most the WI batsman got themselves out.

 

[midoshairband]

Ahmed aside, it's been pretty toothless. No threat at all really. And weird to not bowl the best bowler from the previous match you'd say most the WI batsman got themselves out.

great wicket though, tough for all bowlers on both teams.

i still worry that none of our bowlers seem to have a clue under pressure - it's been years since we had someone who could revert to death bowling and bowl yorkers etc.

still, finding out a lot about some new/young players, what series like this should be about.

 

[Dunc2610]

great wicket though, tough for all bowlers on both teams.

i still worry that none of our bowlers seem to have a clue under pressure - it's been years since we had someone who could revert to death bowling and bowl yorkers etc.

still, finding out a lot about some new/young players, what series like this should be about.

Someone like David Wiley or Woakes? Dumped by the white ball setup!

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

India in a bit of a slump or Aussies been very good..? Bit if both?

 

[midoshairband]

India in a bit of a slump or Aussies been very good..? Bit if both?

Hazlewood in Australia is just something else. grade a twat, but great bowler.

 

[midoshairband]

Bumrah is amazing.

 

[jazz15c]

For those who watched Day 1, was it doing plenty, or just two excellent bowling exploiting average defensive techniques?

I saw the Indian wickets package via BBC Sport, and get that it's offering a bit of help for the seamers, but didn't exactly look like a minefield/17 wickets on Day 1 kind of deck?!

 

[funkycoldmedina]

For those who watched Day 1, was it doing plenty, or just two excellent bowling exploiting average defensive techniques?

I saw the Indian wickets package via BBC Sport, and get that it's offering a bit of help for the seamers, but didn't exactly look like a minefield/17 wickets on Day 1 kind of deck?!

It did a lot, seaming all over the shop. They did some 1st day of Aussie wickets and it was a good bit above the average for movement

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Brilliant, proper Test cricket from India. This is a fairly patched up side as well, making Australia look amateurs, mind you Nathan McSweeney isn't far off an amateur, he was playing in the Herts League two seasons ago for Shelley Village, not even in the premier league, scored a ton of runs against some bowling that wouldn't have troubled him hugely, batting at No. 3, now he's opening against Bumrah. Even by wankba...I mean Bazball standards that is a crazy rise to stardom, and one I'm not sure is that richly deserved.

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

India in a bit of a slump or Aussies been very good..? Bit if both?

This aged well.

 

[midoshairband]

Bethell batting at 3 in the first test. hugely talented, good luck to him!

 

[$hoguN]

Bethell batting at 3 in the first test. hugely talented, good luck to him!

View attachment 148334

Would feel a lot better about that decision with Smith behind the stumps rather than Pope

 

[midoshairband]

Would feel a lot better about that decision with Smith behind the stumps rather than Pope

agreed.

also though, puts a lot of pressure on Pope. Not unfeasible that Bethell really impresses at 3, Pope still doesn't get runs at 6. Would put his place in serious doubt when Smith returns.

 

[$hoguN]

agreed.

also though, puts a lot of pressure on Pope. Not unfeasible that Bethell really impresses at 3, Pope still doesn't get runs at 6. Would put his place in serious doubt when Smith returns.

I see batting Bethell at 3 as Stokes/McCullum admitting they know Pope can’t keep his place in his current form

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Sadly will get to see very little of this series due to the timings, but expect us to get humped due to NZ form and our general arrogance / disregard that has crept in. Bad series, and further questions will rightly be asked of the "bazball" shenanigans. Bethell feels a bit like a free hit and a sacrificial lamb all rolled into one. Would have preferred Root/Stokes to do the senior thing and step up, maybe Stokes is smarting a bit from his own poor form, but him hiding down at 7 doesn't sit right with me. As usual we'll be leaning on Root to continue being world class to hold everything together, we'll miss him as much if not more than Jimmy and Broady in a couple of years when he's had enough.

Our bowling looks light, time for Woakesy to step up away from home, but I fear we lack something without the express pace of Wood coming in and roughing them up a bit. Carse isn't express but listening to Anderson talk about how his action gives batters the hurry up when he accelerates through the crease you just hope he stays fit and able to bowl a few overs. Not hugely convinced by any of these more recent 'finds' either, Josh Hull just reminded me of a shit Alan Mullalley in his limited appearance.

Having said all that, we'll probably win 2-1. Godspeed everyone.

 

[Dunc2610]

What worries me about Bethell at 3 is he's never batted there, and indeed hasn't played much fc cricket at all, (20 games) and that's at an average of only 25.

Pope is a second rate keeper and frankly his batting has been shite lately, I don't know what Ollie Robinson has to do to get a look in if Cox is a consideration? Again, is this all an admission that he's not cutting it?

As has been said Stokes hiding at 7, is that just so he has license to go out swinging without having to think?

The bowling always look light whilst the quick can't stay fit for long enough to play more than one or two matches in a row!