The Cricket Thread 2016

[tomd2103]

Right, now the World Cup is over and the county season is approaching, it's time for the red ball to come back out.  In terms of England, it's all about the build up to the Ashes now, starting with the series in the West Indies.  By the end of the West Indies and New Zealand series I hope we have found an opening partner for Cook and we have had a look at Rashid as the spinner.  I think the rest of the side is pretty settled when everyone is fit. 

[Villan For Life]

Right, now the World Cup is over and the county season is approaching, it's time for the red ball to come back out.  In terms of England, it's all about the build up to the Ashes now, starting with the series in the West Indies.  By the end of the West Indies and New Zealand series I hope we have found an opening partner for Cook and we have had a look at Rashid as the spinner.  I think the rest of the side is pretty settled when everyone is fit. 

I'm really concerned about this Ashes summer. I think they will retain the Ashes in England for the first time in about 15 years. We are in disarray.

[AVH87]

Looking forward to the County Season starting a week on Sunday. I'm tempted by the 6/4 on Worcester to finish bottom of County Champ Div 1, sorry Worcester fans. Think they are a young side who will have a rude awakening to life back in the top level and with no Ajmal who was utterly unplayable last season.

[OzVilla]

Right, now the World Cup is over and the county season is approaching, it's time for the red ball to come back out.  In terms of England, it's all about the build up to the Ashes now, starting with the series in the West Indies.  By the end of the West Indies and New Zealand series I hope we have found an opening partner for Cook and we have had a look at Rashid as the spinner.  I think the rest of the side is pretty settled when everyone is fit. 

I'm really concerned about this Ashes summer. I think they will retain the Ashes in England for the first time in about 15 years. We are in disarray.

Their second string bowling attack would still be better than our strongest.

I fear we'll get an absolute belting again.

[tomd2103]

Right, now the World Cup is over and the county season is approaching, it's time for the red ball to come back out.  In terms of England, it's all about the build up to the Ashes now, starting with the series in the West Indies.  By the end of the West Indies and New Zealand series I hope we have found an opening partner for Cook and we have had a look at Rashid as the spinner.  I think the rest of the side is pretty settled when everyone is fit. 

I'm really concerned about this Ashes summer. I think they will retain the Ashes in England for the first time in about 15 years. We are in disarray.

I don't think we are so much in the test format.  Opener aside, we have a pretty settled batting line up and we have bowlers who are effective in home conditions. 

[PaulWinch again]

Right, now the World Cup is over and the county season is approaching, it's time for the red ball to come back out.  In terms of England, it's all about the build up to the Ashes now, starting with the series in the West Indies.  By the end of the West Indies and New Zealand series I hope we have found an opening partner for Cook and we have had a look at Rashid as the spinner.  I think the rest of the side is pretty settled when everyone is fit. 

I'm really concerned about this Ashes summer. I think they will retain the Ashes in England for the first time in about 15 years. We are in disarray.

I don't think we are so much in the test format.  Opener aside, we have a pretty settled batting line up and we have bowlers who are effective in home conditions. 

I think most of our batting line up will be smashed by a combination of Starc, Johnson, Harris and Hazelwood. There's no let up in that attack. I'm fairly certain we're in for a heavy beating. What we need to do is start developing genuine pace bowlers.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Sadly I agree with you Paul, but would add in the drop in form over the last year or so of most of our bowlers.

Because last year's Ashes were overnight I could shut my eyes and avoid most of the pain. This year I'm faced with spending the entire Summer hiding behind the settee!

[PaulWinch again]

Maybe we need to be crushed in the Ashes and by New Zealand, so that there can be no more of this 'we're alright at Test cricket, so we're ok.' Firstly you should always be aspiring to be the best at all forms of the game. Secondly we're not good at Test cricket now. We beat an India side who surrended completely, our game is in a mess. We need to be developing batsman who can play aggresively and bowlers who bowl genuinely quickly. It's no surprise or coincidence that most of Australia's World Cup winning team will also be playing in the Ashes and the same for the Kiwi's.

[tomd2103]

Maybe we need to be crushed in the Ashes and by New Zealand, so that there can be no more of this 'we're alright at Test cricket, so we're ok.' Firstly you should always be aspiring to be the best at all forms of the game. Secondly we're not good at Test cricket now. We beat an India side who surrended completely, our game is in a mess. We need to be developing batsman who can play aggresively and bowlers who bowl genuinely quickly. It's no surprise or coincidence that most of Australia's World Cup winning team will also be playing in the Ashes and the same for the Kiwi's.

Totally different environment though Paul.  No ten over spells in test cricket and that format of the game could highlight Australia's lack of a spinner.  Again, I have to disagree about us not being good at test cricket.  We need Broad and Anderson at somewhere near their best to be a force at that level though.       

[PaulWinch again]

Lyon is a perfectly good spinner. Also with those four bowlers and maybe Faulkner as well they'll have plenty of time to rest. Broad has completely lost it since he got hit in the face and his mental state is effecting his bowling. Anderson has lost some zip and I don't know if he can get it back. Behind that at the moment we look pretty average. Also it's worth noting that when England were doing well Cook was getting runs, which he hasn't done for two years. Trott was consistently scoring and who knows what he'll do now. Also most importantly our lower order pretty regularly put on 100-150 runs. They won't get any runs against Starc and Johnson. Australia are probably the best Test team in the World. Short of a dramatic turn around and Finn finding his pace again we will be in for a beating.

[UK Redsox]

Aussie squad for Windies and Ashes tours

Michael Clarke (c), Steve Smith, (vc) Fawad Ahmed, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazlewood, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson


Seems a bit early to be announcing this

[olaftab]

Maybe we need to be crushed in the Ashes and by New Zealand, so that there can be no more of this 'we're alright at Test cricket, so we're ok.' Firstly you should always be aspiring to be the best at all forms of the game. Secondly we're not good at Test cricket now. We beat an India side who surrended completely, our game is in a mess. We need to be developing batsman who can play aggresively and bowlers who bowl genuinely quickly. It's no surprise or coincidence that most of Australia's World Cup winning team will also be playing in the Ashes and the same for the Kiwi's.

Good post and agree completely. I can see nothing other than a painful summer.

[tomd2103]

Maybe we need to be crushed in the Ashes and by New Zealand, so that there can be no more of this 'we're alright at Test cricket, so we're ok.' Firstly you should always be aspiring to be the best at all forms of the game. Secondly we're not good at Test cricket now. We beat an India side who surrended completely, our game is in a mess. We need to be developing batsman who can play aggresively and bowlers who bowl genuinely quickly. It's no surprise or coincidence that most of Australia's World Cup winning team will also be playing in the Ashes and the same for the Kiwi's.

Good post and agree completely. I can see nothing other than a painful summer.

Jeez lads, you're getting me depressed now.

[aev]

I was hopeful but not now.

I think the batting will be pretty even but I do worry about our bowling.

[PaulWinch again]

Has anyone seen much of Wood who's going on the Windies tour? Lots of people are saying he bowls with pace.