The Cricket Thread 2013

[ACVilla]

Broad is fast becoming my Mark Kinsella. Standing there hands on hips glaring at fielders after another fruitless chase to the boundary.

There's always the option of not chucking pies you dimwit.

I'm going to enjoy the Champions Trophy. These things are always better if you have a half decent scapegoat.

Ryan Sidebottom was the best at this, he used to give Monty loads of abuse.

[PaulWinch again]

India are hammering SA at the moment.

[PGW]

Looks like a good game developing at Cardiff in the ICC opener
India 96- 0 15 overs
Rohit Sharma 47 (56)
Dhawan 44 (36)

[PaulWinch again]

I'm not sure it'll be a good game if this continues, it'll be a massacre.

[PGW]

I'm not sure it'll be a good game if this continues, it'll be a massacre.

You may be right but with players like Amla and in particular AB De Villiers in your side you never know. SA will miss Kallis.
124-0 20.3

[PGW]

Just over half way through their innings:
India  164 - 1 26 overs
Dhawan 82 (63)
Kohli 8 (14)

[PGW]

India 194 - 1          32 overs
Dhawan 102 (80)
Kohli 18 (33)

Dhawan looks as though he is gonna be some player - a big ton on his test debut against Aussies as well as this.

[PaulWinch again]

Kleinvelt ends up with Dernbachesque figures.

[tomd2103]

Better today, but the batting line up still looks a little disjointed.  Along with KP, I'd still like to see Prior in the line up, but Morgan and Buttler were impressive today.

The match situation when Buttler went in was ideal for him. Only a few overs left and he was able to open his arms and swing the bat. It's almost as if when he goes in earlier he doesn't know what to do.

Yet again we approach a major international tournament and have no idea of what our best side is. Prior is probably the best wicketkeeper batsman in the world; certainly the best since Gilchrist yet he doesn't even get in the squad.

It all comes down to the top order doing their job.  We're only going to pick 1 of Buttler or Prior.  If we regularly need that player to face 40-50 deliveries then Prior should start.  If we can arrange it so they need to face 15-20 and can slog then Buttler is explosive and has to play.

KP coming back will help not sure who for though.  If we want to go with 4 frontline bowlers to give us a fuller batting line up then we're looking for 10 overs from the top order.  Root and Bopara both look capable of 5-6overs.  If either of them are left out do we think Trott, Bell and KP can make up the difference, all 3 have had a few overs here and there at test level but I don't know about any of them in ODIs.

Agree Paul.  I can't remember us ever having too many players who can do what Buttler did last night on the international stage.  Shame he can't bowl a bit really as he would be an ideal as an all-rounder coming in at six or seven depending on the situation.  I'm still not sure about having Cook and Trott in the same ODI team and think that Root could well develop into an opener in all formats of the game.     

[PaulWinch again]

Better today, but the batting line up still looks a little disjointed.  Along with KP, I'd still like to see Prior in the line up, but Morgan and Buttler were impressive today.

The match situation when Buttler went in was ideal for him. Only a few overs left and he was able to open his arms and swing the bat. It's almost as if when he goes in earlier he doesn't know what to do.

Yet again we approach a major international tournament and have no idea of what our best side is. Prior is probably the best wicketkeeper batsman in the world; certainly the best since Gilchrist yet he doesn't even get in the squad.

It all comes down to the top order doing their job.  We're only going to pick 1 of Buttler or Prior.  If we regularly need that player to face 40-50 deliveries then Prior should start.  If we can arrange it so they need to face 15-20 and can slog then Buttler is explosive and has to play.

KP coming back will help not sure who for though.  If we want to go with 4 frontline bowlers to give us a fuller batting line up then we're looking for 10 overs from the top order.  Root and Bopara both look capable of 5-6overs.  If either of them are left out do we think Trott, Bell and KP can make up the difference, all 3 have had a few overs here and there at test level but I don't know about any of them in ODIs.

Agree Paul.  I can't remember us ever having too many players who can do what Buttler did last night on the international stage.  Shame he can't bowl a bit really as he would be an ideal as an all-rounder coming in at six or seven depending on the situation.  I'm still not sure about having Cook and Trott in the same ODI team and think that Root could well develop into an opener in all formats of the game.     

I'd guess Buttler would be classed as an all rounder due to his wicketkeeping.

[PGW]

India finished on 331 - 7

[paul_e]

Better today, but the batting line up still looks a little disjointed.  Along with KP, I'd still like to see Prior in the line up, but Morgan and Buttler were impressive today.

The match situation when Buttler went in was ideal for him. Only a few overs left and he was able to open his arms and swing the bat. It's almost as if when he goes in earlier he doesn't know what to do.

Yet again we approach a major international tournament and have no idea of what our best side is. Prior is probably the best wicketkeeper batsman in the world; certainly the best since Gilchrist yet he doesn't even get in the squad.

It all comes down to the top order doing their job.  We're only going to pick 1 of Buttler or Prior.  If we regularly need that player to face 40-50 deliveries then Prior should start.  If we can arrange it so they need to face 15-20 and can slog then Buttler is explosive and has to play.

KP coming back will help not sure who for though.  If we want to go with 4 frontline bowlers to give us a fuller batting line up then we're looking for 10 overs from the top order.  Root and Bopara both look capable of 5-6overs.  If either of them are left out do we think Trott, Bell and KP can make up the difference, all 3 have had a few overs here and there at test level but I don't know about any of them in ODIs.

Agree Paul.  I can't remember us ever having too many players who can do what Buttler did last night on the international stage.  Shame he can't bowl a bit really as he would be an ideal as an all-rounder coming in at six or seven depending on the situation.  I'm still not sure about having Cook and Trott in the same ODI team and think that Root could well develop into an opener in all formats of the game.     

I'd guess Buttler would be classed as an all rounder due to his wicketkeeping.

Him coming in at 7 and swinging is fine if the top 6 are capable of putting in 10-15 overs with an economy around 5.5 or better.  If that happens you have the options in the top order to play cook, bell, trott and root and expect 1 or 2 of them to get up near 3 figures every match, if they do that, with a strike rate of 80%+ then Morgan, Buttler, Bairstow, Bopara, etc can come on late and give 15-20ball cameos and take us from ok scores to massive scores.

Look at what Guptill and then Mccullum did in the 2nd game, that's perfect ODI batting and it took the game away from England emphatically.  We were dissappointing with the ball but they got themselves into a position where the big hitter in their middle order was under no pressure to hang around and could just go for as many runs as he could get - which meant 132 from 10overs.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep you need those big hitters down the order, but they also need to have the ability to build an innings if they don't come in in ideal circumstances.

[paul_e]

Yep you need those big hitters down the order, but they also need to have the ability to build an innings if they don't come in in ideal circumstances.

Not many players like that around though, we do have KP and Morgan who I think can do just that though.

[PGW]

South Africa 13 - 1 2.1 overs
Ingram Ct Raina b Kumar
Amla 7 (
Peterson now in