The Cricket Thread 2014

[Villan For Life]

Mid-February already so I guess it's time for this.

It will be an interesting year what with international tournaments & a new coach (tba). Time to put the winter behind us & look to the future.

[spangley1812]

These are two pieces of encouraging news I reckon

Paul Collingwood has been named England assistant coach for the limited-overs tour of the West Indies and World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

The former England all-rounder will work alongside head coach Ashley Giles.

Angus Fraser has been appointed as an England selector, but will continue as Middlesex managing director of cricket.

The former England seam bowler, 48, joins national selector James Whitaker and England one-day international and Twenty20 head coach Ashley Giles on the selection panel.

[PaulWinch again]

Fraser joining the selectors and Collingwood joining the coaching staff is the first bit of good news in a while. They'll have fresh ideas and Collingwood has talked about a more aggressive, proactive style of cricket.

[PaulWinch again]

I see Johnson steam rollered the Saffers.

[Villan For Life]

The franchise owners certainly don't rate English players.

Bopara, Dernbach, Kieswetter, Clarke, Bell & Dernbach are amongst the list of players who went unsold. Sums up our ability in T20 slogfest.

[PaulWinch again]

I would have been interested in Bopara if I was an owner, but none of the others really maybe Kieswetter.

[aj2k77]

Dernbach in the IPL lmao! He'd end up with a century of runs against.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm surprised Hales didn't get picked up, he was ranked number Twenty20 player in the world.

[Villan For Life]

I'm surprised Hales didn't get picked up, he was ranked number Twenty20 player in the world.

Ranked 2020? No wonder he didn't get picked!!

[PaulWinch again]

Oops, ranked number 1!

[taylorsworkrate]

Yeah Hales not getting picked is a surprise, as is Bopara who can be a useful cricketer in that form

[PaulWinch again]

Johnson took 7-68.

[OzVilla]

Saffers v Australia is great to watch.

Nice to see somebody else on the end of Johnson for a change, also puts a little better perspective on how he blew away England. Saffers have a great batting line up and he just tore into them.

[PaulWinch again]

Australia do probably have the best seam attack at the moment. Harris and Siddle give absolutely nothing at all and Johnson on this form is unplayable and is destroying anyone he comes up against.

[aj2k77]

Maybe we've been a little harsh on England over the winter.