England Cricket Thread 2011

[VillaZogmariner]

I agree Warren, Strauss is a fantastic skipper and hasn't had that bad a tournament. However, we need to be looking at building a side for the World Cup in 2015, by which time Strauss will have more than likely retired from cricket (at International level almost certainly). As such the time is approaching where we need to be looking to replacing him.

What I would like to see happen is that he sticks around until the end of the Summer, and spends that time "handing over" as it were to someone like Bell or Swann as captain. Maybe even giving up the captaincy to the ODI team, but still playing, therefore being there to give advice to the new captain on the field if they want it.

[Gareth]

Bell for captain & hopefully Davies will be the wicketkeeper....be good to get anothr englishman into the side and hopefully his coming out will see him kick on as a player

[Villan For Life]

Malinga The Slinga has retired from test cricket. How Sri Lanka will cope with the loss of him and Murali remains to be seen. I think we could well comfortably beat them in the forthcoming home test series.

[The Left Side]

Malinga The Slinga has retired from test cricket. How Sri Lanka will cope with the loss of him and Murali remains to be seen. I think we could well comfortably beat them in the forthcoming home test series.

If we don't they need shooting

[VillaZogmariner]

Alastair Cook Set To Be Unveiled As England One Day Captain

Alastair Cook is in line to be unveiled as England's new 50-overs captain at a press conference at Lord's on Thursday morning, amid reports that Andrew Strauss has decided that the recent World Cup marked the natural moment to hand over the reins in the shorter form of the game.

Cook was not selected for England's World Cup squad despite an immense haul of 766 runs in their historic Ashes victory in Australia. However, he has long been regarded as Strauss's likeliest successor in both forms of the game, and impressed in the role in Bangladesh 14 months ago, when he stood in for Strauss during his pre-Ashes break from touring.

On that trip, Cook made scores of 64, 60 and 32 in a 3-0 victory in the ODIs, before anchoring England's twin Test wins with a pair of centuries at Chittagong and Dhaka. Despite the relative paucity of the opposition, the challenge he faced in unfamiliar conditions was immense, not to mention the ignominy he would have faced had he failed to complete a clean sweep of five international wins out of five.

Despite some doubts about the speed and power of Cook's strokeplay, Strauss's departure from the limited-overs scene creates a vacancy for an opener who can be relied upon to bat through an innings, and besides, with a powerful cut and an aggressive slog-sweep, Cook himself will believe he has the ability to build on an ODI record of 858 runs at 33.00, with one century against India in 2007.

Speculation has been rife about Cook's possible elevation, ever since England's ten-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in Colombo in March. "Since the World Cup people have been asking me this question," Cook said last month. "At the moment Andrew Strauss is England captain. I don't crave seeing him giving it up. I would love the opportunity to be captain if it comes off but if it doesn't come up then so be it."

"There is never an ideal time to take over," he added. "I know that. But I like challenging myself and if the opportunity arises in the near future I would like to try it, but if selection goes the other way and they choose another captain if Straussy retires then so be it."

Strauss, meanwhile, appears to have decided that, at the age of 34 and with four years to go until the 2015 World Cup, the time is right to follow the example of many leading cricketers of recent times, and retire from ODIs to concentrate on Tests. A tough home summer against Sri Lanka and India is looming, but the long-term goal is a repeat of his home and away Ashes wins, with the next series coming back-to-back in 2013-14.

The news comes in the same week that Andy Flower confirmed he would be staying on as England coach, with the express aim of becoming the No. 1 side in world cricket. It is understood that he has received a significant pay rise along with assurances that he will receive a greater say in team planning, after voicing his criticism of England's Ashes and World Cup itinerary.

Assuming Cook's elevation is rubber-stamped at Lord's on Thursday, England will almost certainly be looking at three different captains in each form of the game, with Paul Collingwood's role as Twenty20 captain also under scrutiny following his dramatic loss of form during the winter. Cook, like Strauss, is not considered to be part of England's 20-over plans.

Cric Info

[Villan For Life]

I'm not thrilled by this appointment at all. Cook was not even in the one day squads for the ODI's in Oz nor the world cup.

I really respect him as a test opener and Ashes hero but as a one day batsman to trailblaze and set the tempo for the innings no thanks. Our top order now looks so staid and predicatble (KP & Morgan aside): Cook, Bell and Trott are all accumulaters. We need openers who set the pace and enable the accumulaters/finishers to captialise.

That said he'll get my support; I just feel that this is a safe appointment by the ECB when a courageous appointment was needed to see us through to the 2015 world cup.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm fine with Cook playing, he can play quickly but we also need the potential to bat through an innings. Broad as 20/20 captain is a good choice as well.

[The Left Side]

Alastair Cook Set To Be Unveiled As England One Day Captain

Alastair Cook is in line to be unveiled as England's new 50-overs captain at a press conference at Lord's on Thursday morning, amid reports that Andrew Strauss has decided that the recent World Cup marked the natural moment to hand over the reins in the shorter form of the game.

Cook was not selected for England's World Cup squad despite an immense haul of 766 runs in their historic Ashes victory in Australia. However, he has long been regarded as Strauss's likeliest successor in both forms of the game, and impressed in the role in Bangladesh 14 months ago, when he stood in for Strauss during his pre-Ashes break from touring.

On that trip, Cook made scores of 64, 60 and 32 in a 3-0 victory in the ODIs, before anchoring England's twin Test wins with a pair of centuries at Chittagong and Dhaka. Despite the relative paucity of the opposition, the challenge he faced in unfamiliar conditions was immense, not to mention the ignominy he would have faced had he failed to complete a clean sweep of five international wins out of five.

Despite some doubts about the speed and power of Cook's strokeplay, Strauss's departure from the limited-overs scene creates a vacancy for an opener who can be relied upon to bat through an innings, and besides, with a powerful cut and an aggressive slog-sweep, Cook himself will believe he has the ability to build on an ODI record of 858 runs at 33.00, with one century against India in 2007.

Speculation has been rife about Cook's possible elevation, ever since England's ten-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in Colombo in March. "Since the World Cup people have been asking me this question," Cook said last month. "At the moment Andrew Strauss is England captain. I don't crave seeing him giving it up. I would love the opportunity to be captain if it comes off but if it doesn't come up then so be it."

"There is never an ideal time to take over," he added. "I know that. But I like challenging myself and if the opportunity arises in the near future I would like to try it, but if selection goes the other way and they choose another captain if Straussy retires then so be it."

Strauss, meanwhile, appears to have decided that, at the age of 34 and with four years to go until the 2015 World Cup, the time is right to follow the example of many leading cricketers of recent times, and retire from ODIs to concentrate on Tests. A tough home summer against Sri Lanka and India is looming, but the long-term goal is a repeat of his home and away Ashes wins, with the next series coming back-to-back in 2013-14.

The news comes in the same week that Andy Flower confirmed he would be staying on as England coach, with the express aim of becoming the No. 1 side in world cricket. It is understood that he has received a significant pay rise along with assurances that he will receive a greater say in team planning, after voicing his criticism of England's Ashes and World Cup itinerary.

Assuming Cook's elevation is rubber-stamped at Lord's on Thursday, England will almost certainly be looking at three different captains in each form of the game, with Paul Collingwood's role as Twenty20 captain also under scrutiny following his dramatic loss of form during the winter. Cook, like Strauss, is not considered to be part of England's 20-over plans.

Cric Info

Interesting choice, I just hope the schedule their tours properly and learn from this years mess!

[TheTimVilla]

Strong looking Lions side:

James Hildreth (capt), Jimmy Adams, Jonny Bairstow, Danny Briggs, Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Samit Patel, Ajmal Shahzad, James Taylor

Good to see Onions back; we seem to have lots of fast bowlers but I'm really not sure which two to use with Swann & Broad. There's also Finn, Tremlett, Woakes (when fit), Anderson, Bresnan, Dernbach, etc

[VillaZogmariner]

Anderson, Broad, Swann & Bresnan would be my first choice attack.

[PaulWinch again]

Anderson, Broad, Swann & Bresnan would be my first choice attack.

That's probably about the same for me, although I might consider Tremlett or Onions as an option.

[OzVilla]

Cook as an ODI player will give us greater stability at the top of the order than choosing AN other.  He plays shots all around the wicket and is a strong back ffot player which is ideal when the fielding restrictions are in force.

He also benefits from a lack of other obvious candidates.

[taylorsworkrate]

Strauss
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Prior
Woakes
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Tremlett

That would be my team for the 1st test v Sri Lanka.  There should be plenty of runs in that top 6, then Woakes, Broad and Swann are all capable of sizeable contributions.  I think Woakes has the potential to be a quality test all rounder and a depleted Sri Lanka side is a good opportunity to get him in.

[Villan For Life]

I think that it's too soon for Woakes, he needs time to develop in county cricket before being exposed at test level. Ease him into the international set up in the same way that Broad was introduced: T20 and ODI's first and then back to his county to develop his game and mature as a player.

He's unlikley to be fit for the first test anyway as he's out for 3 weeks with shin splints.

[taylorsworkrate]

I think that it's too soon for Woakes, he needs time to develop in county cricket before being exposed at test level. Ease him into the international set up in the same way that Broad was introduced: T20 and ODI's first and then back to his county to develop his game and mature as a player.

He's unlikley to be fit for the first test anyway as he's out for 3 weeks with shin splints.

aah, didn't realise he was out for that long.

I think he is a decent way along in his development already though.  He's played a few over 50 first class games, has already toured with England and looked impressive in Australia.

I think he's ahead of where Broad was at a similar stage.  His batting is better and he has a better temperament than Broad did.  Woakes also seems to relish the big match stage.  His coolness under pressure in the 1st 20/20 in Aus belied his tender years.

I suppose it all comes down to what balance Strauss and Flower want in the team.  4 bowlers or 5.  4 worked pretty damn well in Australia so I think Morgan will come in at No 6 for the 1st test.