The Cricket Thread 2014

[PaulWinch again]

32 from 48, not good enough.

[PaulWinch again]

Morgan's record in ODIs is better than Bell's. He's scored double the number of 100s in 30 less games. I agree Morgan's recent record doesn't really justify his position in the side. However he is unauthorodox, which is precisely what England lack. Bell, as good as he is, is not someone who will change an ODI game.

[pooligan]

I am following the game on Cricinfo and with regard to Cook,they called it right a few overs back.They said he would waste to many balls and then get out to a silly shot

[pooligan]

Morgan fails yet again!

[PaulWinch again]

Yep Morgan's form is very poor at the moment as well.

[PaulWinch again]

Other than Root this is a pretty gutless effort. The reason I have more time for Morgan(although it is running out) is that he's shown he can be a top ODI player, but Cook never really has.

[adrenachrome]

Root seems to be struggling with a knee injury.

[PaulWinch again]

The whole basis for keeping Cook is that he suceeded in Australia in the past, but that seems to forget last winter where he completely bombed. It is madness that he's still captain of the ODI team.

[paul_e]

Other than Root this is a pretty gutless effort. The reason I have more time for Morgan(although it is running out) is that he's shown he can be a top ODI player, but Cook never really has.

You could put Bell's name in place of Morgan's there and it would be just as true.  Yes Bell isn't all fireworks but I can live with players in the order who are there to rotate the strike and nurdle for 1s and 2s in overs 20-35 where we often let ourselves drift (particularly when we're setting a target).

First order of business in about an hours time should be Cook withdrawing from the captaincy of the ODI side and making himself unavailable for selection.  Once that elephant is dealt with we can go about deciding how to make up the rest of the top 7, for me Moeen, Taylor, Root and Buttler have 4 spots sewn up right now, so you're back-filling the other 3.

Down the bottom Woakes comes out of the series with a lot of credit and deserves to keep his place alongside Broad and Anderson then the last spot you're deciding between Tredwell if it's spinning or another quick (I don't know who you go with out of Finn, Jordan and Gurney, all come with as many negatives as positives).  The other bowling question is whether Bopara deserves one of the batting spots, if he does you give yourselves more flexibility as you can expect Bopara and Root to get in a fair few overs so you don't have to bowl everyone out which makes Jordan a better choice as he can be explosive with the bat and whilst erratic he seems to be a good bet to break a partnership when it looks like the game is getting away.

[Dr Butler]

Hales
Bell
Ballance
Root
Buttler
Ali
Woakes/Bopara
Tredwell
Stokes
Jordan/Broad
Anderson

either Bell or Root to Captain.
plenty of batting(not sure of a order) and plenty of bowling options. 4 pace bowlers and if needed 4 spin/part time spin

I wrote this on 24th September, but I would probably go now with:
Hales
Ali
Ballance
Root - capt
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Broad (if fit and capt)
Tredwell
Jordan
Finn

8 full and part time Bowlers and we would bat down to 9...

UTV
The Doc

[taylorsworkrate]

Hales
Bell
Ballance
Root
Buttler
Ali
Woakes/Bopara
Tredwell
Stokes
Jordan/Broad
Anderson

either Bell or Root to Captain.
plenty of batting(not sure of a order) and plenty of bowling options. 4 pace bowlers and if needed 4 spin/part time spin

I wrote this on 24th September, but I would probably go now with:
Hales
Ali
Ballance
Root - capt
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Broad (if fit and capt)
Tredwell
Jordan
Finn

8 full and part time Bowlers and we would bat down to 9...

UTV
The Doc

No Anderson?

[Dr Butler]

Hales
Bell
Ballance
Root
Buttler
Ali
Woakes/Bopara
Tredwell
Stokes
Jordan/Broad
Anderson

either Bell or Root to Captain.
plenty of batting(not sure of a order) and plenty of bowling options. 4 pace bowlers and if needed 4 spin/part time spin

I wrote this on 24th September, but I would probably go now with:
Hales
Ali
Ballance
Root - capt
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Broad (if fit and capt)
Tredwell
Jordan
Finn

8 full and part time Bowlers and we would bat down to 9...

UTV
The Doc

No Anderson?

well it was a toss up between Fin and Jimmy, but either would of done really.

[taylorsworkrate]

Hales
Bell
Ballance
Root
Buttler
Ali
Woakes/Bopara
Tredwell
Stokes
Jordan/Broad
Anderson

either Bell or Root to Captain.
plenty of batting(not sure of a order) and plenty of bowling options. 4 pace bowlers and if needed 4 spin/part time spin

I wrote this on 24th September, but I would probably go now with:
Hales
Ali
Ballance
Root - capt
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Broad (if fit and capt)
Tredwell
Jordan
Finn

8 full and part time Bowlers and we would bat down to 9...

UTV
The Doc

No Anderson?

well it was a toss up between Fin and Jimmy, but either would of done really.

I don't think any of the seamers have done well enough on this series to justify keeping Anderson out of the side.

[paul_e]

Anderson in for Finn and it's close, I'd be a worried that we have Woakes at 7 though, he's done very well with the bat recently but I still think that's probably 1 too high for him, unless the top 4 start seeing out 25-30 overs between them with a lot more regularity.  I'd trust woakes to come in and get 20-30 at roughly 100% SR but asking him to do much more than that isn't really fair right now.  He will get better though, give him another year or 2 and he'll be a genuine middle order all-rounder, he's got a lot of ability and learns fast.

[PaulWinch again]

Cook has to go, I'm pretty concerned that he's in terminal decline as a player.