The Cricket Thread 2016

[tomd2103]

I'd argue Bell holds back an opening partnership of Ali and Hales, and if you keep him in the team he has to be number three and then that messes Taylor about. Like I said I just don't think he offers enough unless he wants to be 12th man in and around the squad who plays if someone is unavailable. Tredwell, I agree, still has a role.

See, I'm still not convinced about Ali as an opener.  Hales has to be given a proper chance and I'd like to see Roy or Vince come in to partner him. Other options could be Carberry or Lumb, but maybe we have moved on from them now.  Again, we have moved on and it's not going to happen, but the game changer for me would be having Pietersen at three, as he is a player who can score big and accelerate when he needs to.  You could then have Taylor, Morgan and Buttler who could interchange when necessary.  We really could do with Ben Stokes developing into a world class all-rounder and then you'd be into the bowlers.  I really hope to see Adil Rashid get a chance at some point this summer as well.   

[Villan For Life]

Ahead of the quarter finals, some interesting facts and a few theories about the dominance of the batsmen:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/31918800

[Chris Jameson]

Trott recalled to England Test squad

Yorkshire need to find half a team for next season.

[Villan For Life]

Trott recalled to England Test squad

Yorkshire need to find half a team for next season.

It's all a conspiracy so you lot don't win the county championship again. We'll soon have your coach too.

[Chris Jameson]

Just seen Richard Pyrah tweet that Adam Lyth was in tears of joy when he heard he was in the squad.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm glad to see Rashid get a call up and Lyth has earned a shot. Disappointed to see Moeen miss out, but hopefully he'll be back once he's fit. I find it absolutely insane that they still refuse to pick Taylor in a Test squad. He's a quality player and doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

[PaulWinch again]

It's good to see Finn is gutted about missing out and is determined to win his Test place back, but ultimately he has to rediscover his pace or he's finished as an international cricketer.

[PaulWinch again]

"I think you saw in Australia at the World Cup the dangers of making such a big decision so close to the tournament," Cook added.

"I don't know what's gone on on that tour, but it did look like the lads were shell shocked from the first two games. That's when you need real leadership to help steer you through that. '

These comments from Cook are possibly ill advised and a bit opportunistic. Firstly slating the selectors doesn't seem too smart. Plus the decision to remove him was correct regardless of what followed.

[aev]

James Whitaker got a good going over from Pat Murphy regarding KP......

If he joins a county and gets loads of runs and we struggle against the Kiwis then it could be an interesting summer.

[PaulWinch again]

What did Murphy say?

[ACVilla]

For Warwickshire fans, well worth a watch on the Sky World Cup Channel is "Allan Donald: Cricket's Greatest" lots and lots of Bears nostalgia

[spangley1812]

What did Murphy say?

Murphy kept on and on asking about KP and was he being talked about/considered for England

Whittaker "flat-batted" him by saying they had not talked about KP (I bet) and he "wasn't in their thoughts"

You heard Whittaker sigh several times.......

[tomd2103]

What did Murphy say?

Murphy kept on and on asking about KP and was he being talked about/considered for England

Whittaker "flat-batted" him by saying they had not talked about KP (I bet) and he "wasn't in their thoughts"

You heard Whittaker sigh several times.......

It was a bit like the Paxman interview with Michael Howard on Newsnight!!

I don't expect too many surprises in the top five of the test batting order, but it then becomes a little less certain.  I'm not sure Buttler will bat at six in tests, so who will bat there?  I think Buttler, Broad and Anderson are definites, so that leaves three spots.  Could Stokes bat at six?  I really hope Rashid gets a go and I think they might go for Plunkett or Jordan.

I reckon the team for the first test will be:

Trott, Cook, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Rashid, Plunkett, Broad, Anderson

     

 

[OzVilla]

I'm dreading us playing the Kiwi's and Aussies this Summer. 

[aev]

And Captain Cook having a go now too. It does seem as though the hierarchy within the ECB are having to deal with a lot of childish egos or they are creating an awful lot of disgruntled employees.