The Cricket Thread 2014

[taylorsworkrate]

I think the bit about the lack of pace is interesting. Plunkett came into the side billed as the quickest in the country. His average speeds have barely been mid 80s.

Why can't we produce even one bowler with actual pace in this country?

[Bishop Brennan]

Bob Willis was on top form on The Verdict tonight:
 
"I've seen fewer hookers in Soho on a Saturday night than I have today"
 
"The dunces cap was going round the entire England dressing room quicker than pass the parcel. No sooner than it was placed on Matt Prior's bald pate it was whipped onto the ginger nut of Ben Stokes, and then quickly settled on the cherubic noggin of Joe Root"
 
"Mitchell Johnson will be laughing into his Vegimite"

The ONLY good thing when England lose are when Willis goes off on his rants 

Bish

[paul_e]

Prior has pulled out of the squad, shows he's got more character than Cook.


http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/prior-taking-break

[OzVilla]

After much thought and analysis I conclude that I've absolutely no fucking idea where we go from this.

A year ago we were pummeling Australia at Lords. The way this whole set up has imploded really is of epic proportions. I think the article on the previous page wasn't too far of the money I'm afraid.

Re Cooks captaincy, you could see in that 1st innings they'd lost the plot with the short, round the wicket stuff. So where is the support, where is Jimmy saying hold on let's have a re-think here as senior players, where is Prior giving input, where is Moores - after all as the new coach part of his mandate is a new broom and all that. Are they all mute letting Cook take the fall or are they all guilty in this instance.

I think Strausses comments that Cook "needs to get angry" are quite telling. After Australia it was always going to get worse before it got better such was the magnitude and fall out of the defeat but it's the manner in which were losing that pisses me off most.

[Dave Cooper please]

After much thought and analysis I conclude that I've absolutely no fucking idea where we go from this.

I'm not so worried.
We've been through this before, those of us who remember the horror shows of the late 80's and right through the 90's will be chuckling and nodding, What we have now that we didn't have then is a core of young talent who have already started to prove themselves at the highest level.

We need a new captain, (I still reckon we should go for broke and give it to Root), a proper spinner (fuck knows, there must be be somewhere) another seamer for when Anderson and Broad can't do it (love Plunkett, but he's not a match winner, Jordan might be), and we have to replace Prior, if he was catching everything you could excuse his batting, but he isn't.

Tough times but I reckon the young lads will hold it together while we promote a few even less experienced players. We need to do it now though, The Ashes are looming.

[tomd2103]

After much thought and analysis I conclude that I've absolutely no fucking idea where we go from this.

I'm not so worried.
We've been through this before, those of us who remember the horror shows of the late 80's and right through the 90's will be chuckling and nodding, What we have now that we didn't have then is a core of young talent who have already started to prove themselves at the highest level.

We need a new captain, (I still reckon we should go for broke and give it to Root), a proper spinner (fuck knows, there must be be somewhere) another seamer for when Anderson and Broad can't do it (love Plunkett, but he's not a match winner, Jordan might be), and we have to replace Prior, if he was catching everything you could excuse his batting, but he isn't.

Tough times but I reckon the young lads will hold it together while we promote a few even less experienced players. We need to do it now though, The Ashes are looming.

Not sure there will be many chuckling after that today.  As for not having a core of young talent in the 90's, how about Atherton, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Stewart, Gough, Cork, Caddick etc?

[tomd2103]

I think the bit about the lack of pace is interesting. Plunkett came into the side billed as the quickest in the country. His average speeds have barely been mid 80s.

Why can't we produce even one bowler with actual pace in this country?

I've ofte wondered if it is a case of players being over coached from a young age with the emphasis on accuracy as opposed to speed.   

[taylorsworkrate]

After much thought and analysis I conclude that I've absolutely no fucking idea where we go from this.

I'm not so worried.
We've been through this before, those of us who remember the horror shows of the late 80's and right through the 90's will be chuckling and nodding, What we have now that we didn't have then is a core of young talent who have already started to prove themselves at the highest level.

We need a new captain, (I still reckon we should go for broke and give it to Root), a proper spinner (fuck knows, there must be be somewhere) another seamer for when Anderson and Broad can't do it (love Plunkett, but he's not a match winner, Jordan might be), and we have to replace Prior, if he was catching everything you could excuse his batting, but he isn't.

Tough times but I reckon the young lads will hold it together while we promote a few even less experienced players. We need to do it now though, The Ashes are looming.

Not sure there will be many chuckling after that today.  As for not having a core of young talent in the 90's, how about Atherton, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Stewart, Gough, Cork, Caddick etc?

Yeah, there was definitely talent in that era. I think most of their failures collectively, were down to the mental scars that a truly excellent Australian side routinely inflicted.

[bertlambshank]

Right we need somebody behind the stumps and a new captain and I want The Bears to win the County Championship.Chris read would do a job for England.

[OzVilla]

Now Prior is out Butler is the future and they'll get slaughtered if they don't pick him.

Captain, no idea but I'd be reluctant to give it to Root as he's a young lad whose developing nicely and really doesn't need the Captaincy thrust upon him at this point in his career.  Morgan if anyone.

It's a mess though make no mistake, Trott, Pietersen, Prior, Bresnan, Swann and possibly Cook effectively gone inside 9 months.

[PaulWinch again]

I am sorry but I do not agree with the reasoning that Ali is a must in the selection stakes. Twice now he has given his wicket away by turning away from short balls and completely taking his eye off them. In test cricket today this is the equivalent of committing suicide. Every team will now immediately pepper him with short stuff and until he can show a different technique as to how he is going to play it, I would suggest that he should return to county cricket.

Alternatively you could look at an inexperienced player who has scored a great gritty hundred trying to save a game(in which he was bounced), who has also been involved in significant partnerships that got England back into the game. There are a host of players who should be dropped before we even look at Ali. He's been one of the few positives of the summer.

[PaulWinch again]

Prior did the right thing.

[Villan For Life]

Dobell's article on Cricinfo is excellent and for me ring true in several areas.

I really think it's time to sit back and re-assess where we're going. We have a system that does not produce what we need at international level. No more papering over the cracks, time to get the filler out with some bold selections with one eye on the future.

[PaulWinch again]

I banged on about this a couple of years ago, we were winning without playing well. Whilst that occurred people were happy to ignore the problems because we still got results. However over time we were getting worse and worse and now we're seeing the results of that legacy.

[Villan For Life]

I banged on about this a couple of years ago, we were winning without playing well. Whilst that occurred people were happy to ignore the problems because we still got results. However over time we were getting worse and worse and now we're seeing the results of that legacy.

I agree. The batting "unit" hasn't functioned properly for three years. Their malaise has now spread to the bowlers who have been bailing us out for a long time. Now the bowling attack is misfiring we look like a side without a plan, without leadership and without any ideas.