The International Cricket Thread 2018

[olaftab]

  Are you still out there mate?

Wish I was. Came back this weekend gone and have not stopped shivering. This time it was a hit bucket list job next time I will go but only if England have a competitive Test team for conditions out there as it was not pleasant being mauled.

[olaftab]

I reckon England win with 7-8 overs to spare here, as above you really need to post 350+ against this England side to put any scoreboard pressure on them.

And therefore I still don't understand England not winning the Champions Trophy.

[paul_e]

I reckon England win with 7-8 overs to spare here, as above you really need to post 350+ against this England side to put any scoreboard pressure on them.

And therefore I still don't understand England not winning the Champions Trophy.

Yep, we really should be winning everything in this format right now because we have an almost perfectly balanced team for this format (and t20).

Buttler gone which is a shame, he was going really well and probably should've just let this starc over go.

[paul_e]

Further to that the key is that in Roy, Hales, Buttler and Mo we have 4 players who can score big runs at 180% and above and completely change the game.  If one of them has a good day and the rest of the team just support him we'll beat virtually everyone.

and there goes Mo, as I say, Buttler should've seen off this over, Starc was the big threat.

[paul_e]

This is a lovely knock by Woakes, came in when they had a sniff and has just battered them out of the game.  Credit to Root for the anchoring job as well, it's a bit easier for the rest to come in and smash it around when they know there's a couple of decent hitters to come and rock at the other end.

Given his great economy rate, wicket and 2 run outs Woakes has got a very strong shout for man of the match here.

[olaftab]

Woakes running out Carey showed the sort of skills we lack in our football team.

[OzVilla]

  Are you still out there mate?

Wish I was. Came back this weekend gone and have not stopped shivering. This time it was a hit bucket list job next time I will go but only if England have a competitive Test team for conditions out there as it was not pleasant being mauled.

What did you think of Australia as a country? Did it live up to expectations?

[Ads]

I know you've not asked me, but its worth saying that Australia is the best place I've ever been too. Absolutely brilliant country.

[taylorsworkrate]

Wonderful place. Melbourne the highlight for me. Would live there if I could choose anywhere in the world.

[PaulWinch again]

Another comfortable win. Once Stokes is back involved it's a really strong ODI team.

On best place in the world, I haven't been to Aus but Vietnam gets my vote.

[oldtimernow]

Sorry prefer NZ, people are nicer, absence of the Sydney sneer

[TheTimVilla]

Another comfortable win. Once Stokes is back involved it's a really strong ODI team.

But who do you leave out, to accommodate Stokes?! Nice problem to have.

[paul_e]

Another comfortable win. Once Stokes is back involved it's a really strong ODI team.

But who do you leave out, to accommodate Stokes?! Nice problem to have.

I agree it's a tough call, you can't really change any of the top 6 and Woakes and Plunkett are untouchable for me as well.  So Ali, Rashid or Wood.  I guess on current form you could drop Mo for him and I guess you could justify dropping Wood to get genuine batting all the way down and Rashid you could argue that, whilst he takes wickets, can be a bit expensive.  None of them are compelling arguments though, but then neither is leaving him out.

For me I'd leave things as they are and make him wait so he has to earn his place when he gets a chance, it's good for the guys in the side and serves as notice that discipline off the pitch matters.

[tomd2103]

  Are you still out there mate?

Wish I was. Came back this weekend gone and have not stopped shivering. This time it was a hit bucket list job next time I will go but only if England have a competitive Test team for conditions out there as it was not pleasant being mauled.

Good to hear you had a great time mate.  If we continue to do well in ODI cricket, the World Cup out there in 2023 wouldn't be a bad shout. 

[tomd2103]

Another comfortable win. Once Stokes is back involved it's a really strong ODI team.

But who do you leave out, to accommodate Stokes?! Nice problem to have.

I agree it's a tough call, you can't really change any of the top 6 and Woakes and Plunkett are untouchable for me as well.  So Ali, Rashid or Wood.  I guess on current form you could drop Mo for him and I guess you could justify dropping Wood to get genuine batting all the way down and Rashid you could argue that, whilst he takes wickets, can be a bit expensive.  None of them are compelling arguments though, but then neither is leaving him out.

For me I'd leave things as they are and make him wait so he has to earn his place when he gets a chance, it's good for the guys in the side and serves as notice that discipline off the pitch matters.

Another pretty comfortable win, despite a few jitters here and there.  Roy aside, everyone got runs without anyone going big.

As for Stokes coming back in, I think it would be one of the batsmen who would drop out.  I think we would have to choose two openers from Bairstow, Roy and Hales (nice headache to have!!) with the rest of the side being Root, Morgan, Buttler, Stokes, Ali, Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett, Wood.