The Cricket Thread 2014

[Villan For Life]

Oh dear Robson gone, and our run of appalling opening partnership scores continues.

This inexperienced batting line up really puts pressure on Cook & Bell to deliver.

And that post put the poster's curse on Cook. 22-2

[PaulWinch again]

So Cook fails again, his batting form for the last 18 months has been really poor. This is not a good start at all.

[Villan For Life]

So Cook fails again, his batting form for the last 18 months has been really poor. This is not a good start at all.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but he should have lost the captaincy after the hammering down under.

[Villafirst]

So Cook fails again, his batting form for the last 18 months has been really poor. This is not a good start at all.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but he should have lost the captaincy after the hammering down under.

Agree, Cook has been hopeless lately. I notice Woakes has been left out again - they guy simply isn't getting enough game time. He sat out most of the ODI's ; this is also affecting his Warwickshire form.

[Villan For Life]

So Cook fails again, his batting form for the last 18 months has been really poor. This is not a good start at all.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but he should have lost the captaincy after the hammering down under.

Agree, Cook has been hopeless lately. I notice Woakes has been left out again - they guy simply isn't getting enough game time. He sat out most of the ODI's ; this is also affecting his Warwickshire form.

Woakes isn't quite good enough for test cricket.

[PaulWinch again]

I agree, but we do have tendancy of picking players in squads and never playing them which hampers their development. Bairstow is another example.

[Villan For Life]

I agree, but we do have tendancy of picking players in squads and never playing them which hampers their development. Bairstow is another example.

You've hit on a flaw in the central contract process.

[PaulWinch again]

Ballance goes, yet to be particularly impressed by him. This is now a really important time for Root, he's another whose form has not been good enough.

[Chris Jameson]

I want Joe Root to return to Yorkshire, continue opening the batting for us and score loads of runs. England can fuck about all they like with somebody else moving them up and down the order then. Balance bats at five for Yorkshire, I don't understand why he's at three and Root at five.

[Villan For Life]

I want Joe Root to return to Yorkshire, continue opening the batting for us and score loads of runs. England can fuck about all they like with somebody else moving them up and down the order then. Balance bats at five for Yorkshire, I don't understand why he's at three and Root at five.

They've really messed Root, Balance and in particular Bairstow around haven't they?

[Dave Cooper please]

I agree, but we do have tendancy of picking players in squads and never playing them which hampers their development. Bairstow is another example.

You've hit on a flaw in the central contract process.

It shouldn't be a flaw though, I don't get why the selectors and captain won't release the players for their counties, especially for a home series where they could feasibly call them up even a couple of hours before a Test if there is an injury. The ECB make the rules so there's nothing stopping them from making a rule where a county can replace a player called up for England even mid match.

Having them sit around in the dressing room doing bugger all but ferry the drinks out is doing them and England no good at all.

[Chris Jameson]

I want Joe Root to return to Yorkshire, continue opening the batting for us and score loads of runs. England can fuck about all they like with somebody else moving them up and down the order then. Balance bats at five for Yorkshire, I don't understand why he's at three and Root at five.

They've really messed Root, Balance and in particular Bairstow around haven't they?

I know I'll be accused of bias but as I've said before I only ever watch Yorkshire so can't really comment on other players but it does look that way. Last year was a prime example when Bairstow wasn't allowed to play any cricket for Yorkshire for the first two months of the season and then they wondered why he looked out of form and a little rusty when he played in the Test.

Root will no doubt end the summer batting at 10 and being a specialist bowler.

[Villan For Life]

I agree, but we do have tendancy of picking players in squads and never playing them which hampers their development. Bairstow is another example.

You've hit on a flaw in the central contract process.

It shouldn't be a flaw though, I don't get why the selectors and captain won't release the players for their counties, especially for a home series where they could feasibly call them up even a couple of hours before a Test if there is an injury. The ECB make the rules so there's nothing stopping them from making a rule where a county can replace a player called up for England even mid match.

Having them sit around in the dressing room doing bugger all but ferry the drinks out is doing them and England no good at all.

I agree.

As in football, some players need to be playing regularly to keep on the top of their form. For a bowler it's a rhythm thing for a batsman it's about being in the "zone".

Time spent in the middle playing competitive cricket is so much more beneficial than any net session.

[peter w]

I wouldn't put Root at 3 when you have Cook and Bell there with him.

[Villan For Life]

I want Joe Root to return to Yorkshire, continue opening the batting for us and score loads of runs. England can fuck about all they like with somebody else moving them up and down the order then. Balance bats at five for Yorkshire, I don't understand why he's at three and Root at five.

They've really messed Root, Balance and in particular Bairstow around haven't they?

I know I'll be accused of bias but as I've said before I only ever watch Yorkshire so can't really comment on other players but it does look that way. Last year was a prime example when Bairstow wasn't allowed to play any cricket for Yorkshire for the first two months of the season and then they wondered why he looked out of form and a little rusty when he played in the Test.

Root will no doubt end the summer batting at 10 and being a specialist bowler.

I don't think that it's bias, we all want the best for our county sides and for England. The Bears are suffering with Woakes being used as a glorified drinks carrier. Hopefully they'll release him to play for us tomorrow in the T20.