The Cricket Thread 2013

[Villan For Life]

Yep and Bresnan's elbow injury recurs again. I think he's done.

He'll be back after further surgery/rest.

I think the elbow has taken a yard of pace off him. He might return, but I don't think he's good enough at International level now.

I don't see why he can't get back to his previous levels of performance. If the injury is as bad as suggested then rest and possibly surgery should sort it out. It worked for KP and his achilies, why not Bressie?

[PaulWinch again]

Well I hope he can, but he hasn't been up to it since the last Ashes really.

[Villan For Life]

Well I hope he can, but he hasn't been up to it since the last Ashes really.

That's the thing and a worry for me ahead of back to back Ashes series is that our much-vaunted fast bowling reserves are not what we thought.

Jimmy is untouchable and the leader of our attack. Broad hasn't kicked on; Finn has technical issues, Bresnan is woefully out of form, Onions is untried since his career-threatening injury, Woakes has no test experience and is probably a yard short of pace at test level, Dernbach isn't good enough and the also rans are all untried.

The Aussie group of quickies seem to get injured after a test so we're in for an interesting Ashes year!

[PaulWinch again]

Bresnan performed today, so well done. Much better bowling display with Dernbach dropped.

[Villan For Life]

Great ton by Bell to see England home. Morgan looked in good touch too.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep was impressive, nice to see Morgan getting some form as well.

[TheTimVilla]

Well I hope he can, but he hasn't been up to it since the last Ashes really.

That's the thing and a worry for me ahead of back to back Ashes series is that our much-vaunted fast bowling reserves are not what we thought.

Jimmy is untouchable and the leader of our attack. Broad hasn't kicked on; Finn has technical issues, Bresnan is woefully out of form, Onions is untried since his career-threatening injury, Woakes has no test experience and is probably a yard short of pace at test level, Dernbach isn't good enough and the also rans are all untried.

The Aussie group of quickies seem to get injured after a test so we're in for an interesting Ashes year!

Although they are very similar, Onions and Jimmy have bowled well in tandem in the past. Tremlett is a beast when fit. Hopefully, Broad resting might get his pace back. I'd agree about Finn, Bresnan and Dernbach though.

[PaulWinch again]

Finn has technical issues but he's plenty good enough and should be playing in the Ashes for me. He is always a wicket taking threat.

[paul_e]

Well I hope he can, but he hasn't been up to it since the last Ashes really.

That's the thing and a worry for me ahead of back to back Ashes series is that our much-vaunted fast bowling reserves are not what we thought.

Jimmy is untouchable and the leader of our attack. Broad hasn't kicked on; Finn has technical issues, Bresnan is woefully out of form, Onions is untried since his career-threatening injury, Woakes has no test experience and is probably a yard short of pace at test level, Dernbach isn't good enough and the also rans are all untried.

The Aussie group of quickies seem to get injured after a test so we're in for an interesting Ashes year!

Although they are very similar, Onions and Jimmy have bowled well in tandem in the past. Tremlett is a beast when fit. Hopefully, Broad resting might get his pace back. I'd agree about Finn, Bresnan and Dernbach though.

Bresnan and Dernbach both have the same problem, they've stopped bowling to their strengths.

Dernbach will never be a test match bowler but he has the potential to be an excellent odi and t20 bowler.  He needs to get his accuracy of line and length right and let the deviation come from the speed of the delivery.  He has one of the best slow ball deliveries in world cricket but he's not getting enough from it because his line is so poor at the minute.  Slightly full of a length and a tad outside off stump to the right handers and to the lefties he needs to go round the wicket, go a touch fuller still and angle in at off stump.  The coaches really need to drill this into him as his stock delivery.  It's a similar problem to what happened with Broad a few years back where he tried to become a better all round bowler and lost track of what he'd done to become an international bowler.

Bresnan is similar but has the added complication of a niggly injury that he can't shake off.  I'd have rested him from the NZ matches and asked his county to go easy on him as well.

Onions needs some game time, he's potentially a great partner for Jimmy.

Broad is fine, he's a bit inconsistent but he still takes wickets and is always a threat.

Finn needs to correct his technique, he'll be the best bowler of the lot if he stops clipping the wickets and keeps improving as he has.

Woakes needs some ODI games to see if he can make the step up and importantly needs time with the bat in them.  He's potentially a very good all rounder but he needs to get experience with bat and ball at the highest level.

[PaulWinch again]

Very dominate win, impressive stuff.

[PaulWinch again]

We're getting absolutely battered here.

[Villan For Life]

The frustrations of following Engalnd in the short format of the game!

We looked really good on Saturday and outclassed the Kiwis in every department. Today we looked a different team. The last 2 overs of the Kiwi innings were as bad as we've been for ages, 38 off 12 balls is unacceptable at International level.

[paul_e]

I think it's more that it shows you why t20 has forced it's way onto the top table.  Minor changes can make a huge difference and, at international level, all the decent sides have the players to take the game away from you if you aren't right on your game.   I love the psychological side of it as well, the last 2 overs from NZ won them the game not so much because of the runs but because of the momentum they generated, which the bowlers carried through.

[cdbearsfan]

Evil Convict bitches lose to West Indies (on purpose, no doubt) to eliminate brave English girls from World Cup.

The coverage has been disgraceful, with the Indian host network only bothering to televise 10 of the 25 games. Surely if you want to host a World Cup it should be a pre-requisite that you at least show all the games live?

Anyway it'll be a Windies vs Sheilas Final. Come on WI.

[Villan For Life]

Three game T20 series and England destroy the Kiwis in two of them and get hammered in the third.

Another good all-round performance today with some violent hitting by Lumb and Hales.