The Cricket Thread 2014

[PaulWinch again]

Jordan needs to cut out the wides, it's his only downside at the moment.

[paul_e]

Jordan needs to cut out the wides, it's his only downside at the moment.

I think he's trying to bowl at the toes but he over cooks them sometimes, I like seeing a bowler try things though, line and length bowlers are invaluable to the long form, but in ODI and T20 you need to have a bit of variation, that's why I've always been willing to defend Dernbach.

[paul_e]

We desperately need a wicket now.

[PaulWinch again]

Gurney probably should have got there.

[PaulWinch again]

This team lacks wicket takers. I think our problem is we let the game drift at the top of the order when we bat and we let the game drift in the middle overs when we bowl. We don't have enough game changers.

[PaulWinch again]

Gurney fluffs at third man again.

[paul_e]

I've seen enough of Gurney to be sure he's not good enough fielding in the deep for this level, and it's not like he's taking enough wickets to make up for it.  I have no faith in him under those chances now.

[PaulWinch again]

I've seen enough of Gurney to be sure he's not good enough fielding in the deep for this level, and it's not like he's taking enough wickets to make up for it.  I have no faith in him under those chances now.

No I agree, I'm not sure he's an international cricketer to be honest.

[paul_e]

Poor drop from Jimmy, he's much better than that.

[paul_e]

Also, for me there's no excuse for getting to the point where Jordan could only possibly bowl 9 overs, after being our best bowler in the series.  He's clearly lost count somewhere.

[PaulWinch again]

No pretty poor all round again. There are several issues to address, firstly our top 4 simply isn't good enough for ODI cricket there is no dynamism there. We have bowled far too many wides and no balls and our fielding has been sloppy at times.

[paul_e]

We need to bring Hales in, as I said earlier in the series, Morgan would be the one to drop out for me (pushing Bell, Ballance and Root down a place), he's just not providing anything in there.  I'd be looking for an alternative to Gurney who needs to improve in the field and potentially Root who's developed a nasty habit of giving his wicket away.

I think the main part of the side is there though and simply having an opener who can be aggressive in the first 10 might be enough to tip us over.

I'm also very happy to see how pissed off Buttler was, I think deep down he knows that was a silly position to put himself in and it was clearly in his mind, that's another example of him  having that bit of edge that we've been missing.

[olaftab]

Tweets from a list by ESPNcricinfo
   Michael Vaughan        ✔ @MichaelVaughan

    Totally blame the Captain... He is the man who makes the decisions and should have over turned the decision... No way to play the game...

So it's ok for batsmen to cheat by stealing a couple of yards so they have an additional run? Yes no way to play the game batters keep it grounded on the right side!

[PaulWinch again]

I'd keep Morgan, he's in a lean period but he's a game changer and we need that. We don't need Root and Ballance, it's one or the other for me. Hales should be in at the top of the order as we're far too easy to bowl at up front and I'd like Stokes in the team as well.

[olaftab]

Just seen the video of the "run out". SL did nothing wrong, they warned Buttler and he did the same thing again.

Alec Stewart on da Beeb

"First of all it's not ideal. With the laws of the game as they are Sri Lanka are entitled to appeal. They warned Buttler. Buttler did exactly the same thing again. Senanayake is allowed to do that and [captain Angelo] Mathews is allowed to uphold the decision. We don't like to see that, but why have that law when it can't be used. The law needs to change so there is something else instead of a consequence of being run out, or you can just put up with it."

Completely agree with UKR and Alec. Sri Lankans did nothing wrong. Buttler was cheating and got what he deserved.