The Cricket Thread 2014

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There have been a couple of aboslute howlers from the umpire's which have not helped mind.

[PaulWinch again]

Terrible umpiring, but this is pathetic on this pitch. This is chronic now, we are collapsing on a consistent basis and it's not good enough. I really don't know where England go from here, we have to learn how to fight.

[taylorsworkrate]

Sack Cook, sack Moores, go cap in hand to Pietersen, beg him to come back and be captain.

Get rid of Prior, get Buttler in.

[taylorsworkrate]

Terrible umpiring, but this is pathetic on this pitch. This is chronic now, we are collapsing on a consistent basis and it's not good enough. I really don't know where England go from here, we have to learn how to fight.

This is an Indian team which hasn't won one of their last 15 test matches away from home. We are making them look like 1980's West Indies at present.

[PaulWinch again]

It's pathetic and we have a series of major problems. We are consistently collapsing and we are consistently failing to get out the lower order of the opposition. I don't care if the dressing room is more comfortable and a more happy place now, they're not playing well enough.

[paul_e]

A team is a reflection of it's captain, and right now we've got a captain who looks lost and a team to match.

Cook is the major problem right now, as harsh as that may sound, we can only make baby steps to fix things there's not the experience or talent waiting in the wings to make 5-6 changes here, Lets get Cook out of the firing line (Hales? Promote Ali/Root/Bell? Revisit Carberry?), get Jordan back in (For Plunkett I'd think) and then see where we fall.  We'd still need to get the spinner issue resolved but another captain might be willing to trust Ali a little more so we might as well go with a batsman who can bowl spin for now, and if it doesn't work we've at least given Stokes and Jordan the chance to prove they could bat at 6 or 7.

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It's pathetic and we have a series of major problems. We are consistently collapsing and we are consistently failing to get out the lower order of the opposition. I don't care if the dressing room is more comfortable and a more happy place now, they're not playing well enough.

We have had these problems for a while now, as people have said. I just cannot fathom how the ECB have looked at it and decided Peter Moores is the answer.

[PaulWinch again]

Hales is no way a Test batsman at the moment, and I rate him. He needs to do a lot more in the longer format before he can be considered.

These problems started 18 months to 2 years ago, we've been too negative, stopped scoring big runs and lost our ruthless edge.

I think Cook has to go as captain, because he's more important as a batsman and we need him back to his best.

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As for Cook. The poor form has gone on way, way too long. Its not going to change by merely repeating the same thing again and again in hope. He must go.

[PaulWinch again]

The biggest worry now is that this is meant to be a new regime but we've got the same problems as before. The only difference is there's no Swann to save us now and they can't blame Pietersen anymore.

[taylorsworkrate]

Hales is no way a Test batsman at the moment, and I rate him. He needs to do a lot more in the longer format before he can be considered.

These problems started 18 months to 2 years ago, we've been too negative, stopped scoring big runs and lost our ruthless edge.

I think Cook has to go as captain, because he's more important as a batsman and we need him back to his best.

I disagree on Hales. All this talk of a new brand of cricket, and we've no one barring Bell who can play in an aggressive manner.

Hales at least would be positive. That's why I'd also get Buttler in. Prior looks shot and it was inexplicable how he got back into the team in the first place

[PaulWinch again]

Hales can't even get in Notts four day team, he needs to do that before a Test player. James Vince is a better option if you want that.

[PaulWinch again]

Sky just put up our batting collapses over the last year, worrying. To me it demonstrates a lack of character.

[paul_e]

Hales can't even get in Notts four day team, he needs to do that before a Test player. James Vince is a better option if you want that.

Maybe, but Hales is already around the squad for the ODI and T20 so it's less of a step up and what we're really wanting is someone to set an aggressive early tempo.  That said I haven't seen enough of Vince to know if he could be the right man.  I actually had high hopes for Chopra who looked like a top-drawer opener last season but has really fallen away this summer.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Hales needs to become a regular in the ODI side first.