The Cricket Thread

[Archibald&Crooks]

And half of yesterday was washed out

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Start the car

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Start the car

What with petrol prices as they are?

 

[southlondonyiddo]

The feel good, no pressure, play with freedom regime can’t last long with a couple more defeats like that!!!

This style of play can go tits up extremely quickly

They should bring Ossie Ardiles in for a bit of in game tactical nouse before the 2nd test kicks off!

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

On reflection, i'm struggling with this Baz-ball thing. I'm not so sure it's why we lost this test match so badly.

Given the regularity of our batting collapses, it's the easy thing to say that it's down to Baz-ball. Which, by the way, is a name that's actually been latched onto to describe the batting, but in my opinion actually covers a lot more than that.

So, playing positively, playing pragmatically, either way, the batting collapses. Blaming the mindset or Baz-ball, is a bit of a cop out and takes away from the problem we have had for some time now in producing test match quality batsmen. Lets go back to the Root era. Anyone surprised by today?

We were never ever going to suddenly turn into a great side but what we are now is a team that will at least try to be positive and win games and when it comes off, it'll be great. Today? Not so much

Sometimes it just doesn't happen. That's what i'll be telling myself until we get thrashed next week too

 

[midoshairband]

On reflection, i'm struggling with this Baz-ball thing. I'm not so sure it's why we lost this test match so badly.

Given the regularity of our batting collapses, it's the easy thing to say that it's down to Baz-ball. Which, by the way, is a name that's actually been latched onto to describe the batting, but in my opinion actually covers a lot more than that.

So, playing positively, playing pragmatically, either way, the batting collapses. Blaming the mindset or Baz-ball, is a bit of a cop out and takes away from the problem we have had for some time now in producing test match quality batsmen. Lets go back to the Root era. Anyone surprised by today?

We were never ever going to suddenly turn into a great side but what we are now is a team that will at least try to be positive and win games and when it comes off, it'll be great. Today? Not so much

Sometimes it just doesn't happen. That's what i'll be telling myself until we get thrashed next week too

agreed - we didn't lose that because of 'Baz-ball'.

we lost it because of some seriously poor bowling, poor captaincy, and poor batting technique. we cannot play the moving ball at all. we didn't get bowled out twice because people were running down the track trying to hit it into the stands.

have just heard Stokes post-match interview. as pathetic as it is predictable.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

There are no great test teams around at the moment and I do wonder if there ever will be again with domestic emphasis moving away from producing cricketers for that form. SA have 4 good quicks, which would dismantle pretty much every batting line up in the world in English conditions. It's still not an all time great line up but it's good enough for the techniques on offer.
I can only think of three classic test batsmen kicking around in world cricket at the moment. Root, Labuschagne and Williamson

 

[southlondonyiddo]

There are no great test teams around at the moment and I do wonder if there ever will be again with domestic emphasis moving away from producing cricketers for that form. SA have 4 good quicks, which would dismantle pretty much every batting line up in the world in English conditions. It's still not an all time great line up but it's good enough for the techniques on offer.
I can only think of three classic test batsmen kicking around in world cricket at the moment. Root, Labuschagne and Williamson

Poor old Root, comparing him to Labuschagne - watching that bloke bat makes your eyes bleed!

 

[UncleBuck]

I’d be raging if I had organised a sesh with the boys for tomorrow and it wasn’t now happening because of that performance….?

 

[EaMidSpurs]

Gutted, had a ticket for day 4.
At least I won't have to try to get down to Lords from Leicestershire with the train strike on tomorrow.
Can also watch the mighty THFC live on tv now...silver linings

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Poor old Root, comparing him to Labuschagne - watching that bloke bat makes your eyes bleed!

It was more someone who can construct a test innings. He plays the ball late, can deal with it moving around etc

 

[dimiSpur]

I don't think we can only look at the admittedly terrible batting for that defeat. The bowling was equally poor. Bad lines, wrong lengths at the wrong times and absolutely horrid plans to the tailenders. South Africa's innings was in as much trouble as England's at one stage. Their long tail was in when they were pretty much level pegging and for some ridiculous reason, one boundary sends the team into panic mode and weird field settings.

Obviously South Africa have the more potent bowling attack, that is clear. But it was still poor bowling both as a collective (i.e. the plans set) and individually. Apart from a couple of jaffas Jimmy didn't bowl well enough, Broad is looking about as sharp as a plastic spork and Potts looks lost against left-handers. Leach was the only one who I'd give credit to out of the lot, which is saying something.

I'd definitely bring in Robinson for the 2nd Test and consider leaving out either Broad or Potts.

 

[UncleBuck]

Wow, Robinson in for Potts. Truly baffling.
We’ve now got a pace attack of stokes and Robinson who could break down at any moment with jimmy and Broady.

 

[LSUY]

So an underperforming bowler is dropped after one poor test but the underperforming batsman still has seemingly endless chances. I thought the ECB said the culture would change after the Ashes because this looks like the same old toxic favourites associated with the previous England team.

 

[Dunc2610]

Have to agree with what I suspect 99% of England fans will be thinking and that is 'why the hell hasn't Crawley been dropped'? There must be a stellar reason, I mean how many chances to a guy get, unless they're giving him the series? Be nice to see some new blood in the side, both batting and bowling.

 

[midoshairband]

Have to agree with what I suspect 99% of England fans will be thinking and that is 'why the hell hasn't Crawley been dropped'? There must be a stellar reason, I mean how many chances to a guy get, unless they're giving him the series? Be nice to see some new blood in the side, both batting and bowling.

the stellar reason is 'who else'.

McCullum has also clearly said Crawley will get the summer, so it's no surprise he's still getting picked. whether we agree with his selection or not, he's been promised the summer so he has to get it now really.

re: the bowling, any of Broad, Jimmy, Potts could have gone, all were poor last match. agree with previous comments that the 4 seamers now, including Stokes, looks fragile to say the least!

 

[Dunc2610]

the stellar reason is 'who else'.

McCullum has also clearly said Crawley will get the summer, so it's no surprise he's still getting picked. whether we agree with his selection or not, he's been promised the summer so he has to get it now really.

re: the bowling, any of Broad, Jimmy, Potts could have gone, all were poor last match. agree with previous comments that the 4 seamers now, including Stokes, looks fragile to say the least!

Its not just their fragility is the lack of variation. All late 70s to early 80mph, we have no 'x-factor' bowler anymore seeing as we seem to break them, with what I can only assume is too much cricket?!

 

[midoshairband]

Its not just their fragility is the lack of variation. All late 70s to early 80mph, we have no 'x-factor' bowler anymore seeing as we seem to break them, with what I can only assume is too much cricket?!

yea, we're definitely doing something to our bowlers. it can't just be a coincidence that they all seem to repeatedly break down.

with the long injury list in mind, there's not much they can do other than shuffle the 80mph swingers/seamers around and hope that Jimmy or Broad get conditions to suit and get on a roll. we are where we are in that respect, much like the batting, we don't have options at the moment.

 

[dimiSpur]

I think Robinson is our best bowler after Jimmy. Silly not to have a wicket off that no ball.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Once again immense frustration at our inability to get through the tail.