The Cricket Thread 2014

[Chris Jameson]

Damn, that didn't last long.

[PaulWinch again]

I wouldn't, I was a big fan of KP but we've moved on and his form over the last year was poor. Time to leave the past behind and move to the future with players like Ballance, Moeen, Buttler etc.

[ACVilla]

I was out all day today at West Midlands Safari Park so missed everything.

How did Woakes bowl?

[Dave Cooper please]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

[ACVilla]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

Cheers, I'd love him to make it. Thought he was poor in the first innings.

[taylorsworkrate]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

[paul_e]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

[tomd2103]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

Agree that if Broad is fit then the team should be unchanged for The Oval.  Going forward, I don't know if there will be room in the team for Woakes and Jordan, especially if Finn finds some form.   

[taylorsworkrate]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

Agree that if Broad is fit then the team should be unchanged for The Oval.  Going forward, I don't know if there will be room in the team for Woakes and Jordan, especially if Finn finds some form.   

A fit and firing Finn would be a definite pick.

[Villafirst]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

Agree that if Broad is fit then the team should be unchanged for The Oval.  Going forward, I don't know if there will be room in the team for Woakes and Jordan, especially if Finn finds some form.   

A fit and firing Finn would be a definite pick.

Nah, stick with Woakes and Jordan - they still have plenty of time and both are good batsmen. Finn is too inconsistent.

[taylorsworkrate]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

Agree that if Broad is fit then the team should be unchanged for The Oval.  Going forward, I don't know if there will be room in the team for Woakes and Jordan, especially if Finn finds some form.   

A fit and firing Finn would be a definite pick.

Nah, stick with Woakes and Jordan - they still have plenty of time and both are good batsmen. Finn is too inconsistent.

That's what I meant by firing. Finn at his best is a much better bowler than both of Woakes and Jordan at their best.

Having a long batting line up is one thing, but you need to be able to take 20 wickets.

[tomd2103]

How did Woakes bowl?

Averagely, he's still too expensive.
But he'll get there, it's good that England have some real quality in Broad, Anderson and now Ali because it will allow the likes of Woakes and Jordan to get up to Test level in their own time. Look how long it took Anderson to finally look like a Test bowler, plenty were writing him off in the early days.

I think the ECB had a role in Anderson's early struggles. He burst onto the scene with pace and accuracy. He looked a bit odd as his head was looking down as he delivered the ball, so the experts tried to change him.

It was only when he went back to his natural technique that he became the world class operator he is.

I think Woakes is a bit of a work in progress, he's added a good amount of pace in the last year and he's been working on adding an inswinger. Once he gets that in the bag and can concentrate on accuracy hell be a good bowler, I'd keep him in for the next test, in fact I wouldn't change the team (other than Finn for Broad if his broken nose keeps him out), the confidence could be pretty fragile so I'd rather not risk it by changing things.

Agree that if Broad is fit then the team should be unchanged for The Oval.  Going forward, I don't know if there will be room in the team for Woakes and Jordan, especially if Finn finds some form.   

A fit and firing Finn would be a definite pick.

Nah, stick with Woakes and Jordan - they still have plenty of time and both are good batsmen. Finn is too inconsistent.

That's what I meant by firing. Finn at his best is a much better bowler than both of Woakes and Jordan at their best.

Having a long batting line up is one thing, but you need to be able to take 20 wickets.

Would agree with that.  Not sure Jordan and Woakes are going to offer enough with the ball to be considered automatic picks going forward.  If Ali can continue with his current bowling form and Finn begins to perform again, then I see the final place being a choice between Woakes, Jordan, Bresnan and Stokes.   

[paul_e]

I think they offer different things:

Finn and Jordan (andd Plunkett to keep a recent bowler in the discussion) are strike bowlers for me, guys you give 3-4 overs and hope for a wicket.  Jordan needs to get his line tighter but he's quick and aggressive so that's where we should be pushing him.  We really shouldn't be asking for long spells from these guys, we want them to out 100% into every delivery every time.

Bresnan, Woakes and Stokes look more like guys who you can trust to bowl a long spell and keep things tight.  Both of the younger guys have been hit around the park a touch in their test career but they both seem to have the right attitude and importantly both have a nice clean repeatable action which gives them the option to bowl 10-12 over spells.

If Moeen can continue to look every bit a test match spinner and we can keep Broad and Anderson fit and in form we're basically looking for one from each group, on form Woakes deserves to stay but Jordan and Fiinn are very close for me.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah I'd agree, I'd use Finn a bit like Australia use Johnson in really short spells to try and devastate a side. I think Jordan can be a top player, but he needs to work out how to sort his rhythm when he hasn't bowled for a while.

Woakes and Stokes need to learn to be controlled bowlers who offer a threat.

Moeen is becoming a very fine bowler and he will be a fine batsmen as well.

[dcdavecollett]

At least a couple of wins will knock back the anti-Bell brigade for the rest of the summer.

How people can call for clearly the best batsman in the team -and one of the best in the world -to be dropped, is completely beyond me.