The Cricket Thread 2014

[Chris Jameson]

One of the problems is that there isn't an outstanding candidate to replace Cook.

[Gareth]

One of the problems is that there isn't an outstanding candidate to replace Cook.

That is the problem, Bell or Broad I guess fit the criteria of being in the side. 

Cook looks like a man with weight of world on his shoulders, certainly seems a while since he was the man with the bat!

Yay, all out! Now let's see some backbone England!

[Dr Butler]

350 to win......27 overs left tonight with 90 tomorrow...doable and England could/will collapse....mmmm

[paul_e]

One of the problems is that there isn't an outstanding candidate to replace Cook.

That is the problem, Bell or Broad I guess fit the criteria of being in the side. 

Cook looks like a man with weight of world on his shoulders, certainly seems a while since he was the man with the bat!

Yay, all out! Now let's see some backbone England!

For me it'd be Bell as temporary captain for the visit of India and the return trip to Sri Lanka and then see where we're at.  I'm not convinced he'd want it or be suited to it but right now he's the only player with any experience who is undroppable (with Ballance and Plunkett also undroppable.  Aside from those only really Jordan and Robson deserve to be automatic choices and that's largely because they've done a decent job in the 2 tests they've had a chance in and deserve a chance to see if they can carry on with that).

[PaulWinch again]

This is dismal it's not all Cook's fault at all, Anderson and Broad really let him down as senior bowlers in this innings. It's been a woeful day and now the Sri Lanka's bowlers are showing us how to bowl. However I really think Cook has to go as captain now, whether it's his fault or not he's not getting his team performing and for a year now he hasn't justified his place in the team.

[PaulWinch again]

Awful 57-5.

[PaulWinch again]

That is up there with our darkest days in the Ashes in the winter.

[paul_e]

The biggest issue is that when you're chasing a big total in the 4th innings you need to be able to trust your openers and captain to do the business and set an example. Cook has just done exactly that but in nothing like the way he needed to.

He needs to be replaced,  even if only for a couple of games so he can play some county games and try to get his form back. Right now he's an average captain and a rabbit in the crease. It's doing him no favours to stick with him at the top of the order.

[PaulWinch again]

Completely agree, this day has been an absolute shambles. Our bowlers got smashed and our batsmen looked like amateurs.

[aj2k77]

Shows how much a joke setting the huge total last test was as well. Captain has no testicles.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't think it shows that at all, but we were absolutely atrocious in every aspect of the game. Cook shouldn't survive this as captain now, and frankly his place in the team should be seriously under threat. Also the level of performance here suggests maybe KP wasn't the issue then Downton?

[aj2k77]

We will have to agree to disagree on that one, never should 350+ be required to win a test match unless you have no faith in your team.

[Meanwood Villa]

Let's face it we're an embarrassment.

[PaulWinch again]

It is embarrassing the majority of the performances over the last 6 - 8 months have been as bad as I've seen and that includes the 90s.

[paul_e]

I don't think it shows that at all, but we were absolutely atrocious in every aspect of the game. Cook shouldn't survive this as captain now, and frankly his place in the team should be seriously under threat. Also the level of performance here suggests maybe KP wasn't the issue then Downton?

I agree on the last bit, I've been pretty clear in my support of KP, it was pretty obvious that him and Cook didn't get on, Cook used the shit performance down under as an excuse to boot KP out but the problems were much deeper than that.  As I said earlier right now we have 3 players who deserve to stay in the side without question in Bell, Ballance and Plunkett, then 2-3 who are probably safe but need to show more in Root, Robson and Jordan.  Broad and Jimmy are both good bowlers but with Cook as captain they're bowling to protect their economy rate as much as they are to win games, both need to be willing to bowl to a field where they can concede runs so we can get more catchers in when things aren't working, the spread fields protecting the boundaries and offering up cheap singles are killing us.  The worst thing is they had the catcher in for the first innings here and showed we can play like that, yet we abandoned it as soon as they built a partnership in their 2nd innings and ended up handing the series over as tamely as you'll ever see.