The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

Lyth should come in for Trott as well, but I doubt that'll happen.

[Villan For Life]

Start delayed in Grenada so no news on the toss or the team yet.

[Villan For Life]

Won the toss and we're bowling, that's a good toss to win.

One change is that Ali is in for Tredwell.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm glad Ali's in, but if Trott doesn't perform here he should go and they should send Rashid home because they're completely wasting his time.

[Villan For Life]

Raining again

[taylorsworkrate]

Stokes is not yet a good enough bowler to be the 4th bowler. Especially considering Ali is still very much in the developing stage as a spinner.

There looks to be a great amount of pressure on Anderson and Broad to take the baulk of the wickets here

[tomd2103]

I'm glad Ali's in, but if Trott doesn't perform here he should go and they should send Rashid home because they're completely wasting his time.

I just can't understand the situation with him.  I can understand that they see Moeen as the number one spinner at the moment and that he is a top order batsman to boot, but I struggle to see why they played Tredwell over him in the last game.  I accept that I don't see everything that goes on behind the scenes and maybe he just hasn't impressed, but I thought he would at least have been given a go.

[PaulWinch again]

Stokes is not yet a good enough bowler to be the 4th bowler. Especially considering Ali is still very much in the developing stage as a spinner.

There looks to be a great amount of pressure on Anderson and Broad to take the baulk of the wickets here

Disagree I don't think you can class Ali as developing when he's got 20 wickets at 28 and against India. He's much better than developing. Stokes is fine as 4th seamer, but the second and third sElmer need to do their job.

[PaulWinch again]

Oh and Rashid definitely should have been picked on this pitch.

[PaulWinch again]

Good work though Jordan!

[paul_e]

Just watching the highlights from the morning session, that wicket from Jimmy is a stunner, that'd have done for much better batsman than Braithwaite.  It's when he gets one like that right that you see why he's one of the best bowlers of all time.

[peter w]

I wouldn't go as far to say he's one of the best bowlers of all time. One of the best English bowlers yes, but not across the board.

[paul_e]

I wouldn't go as far to say he's one of the best bowlers of all time. One of the best English bowlers yes, but not across the board.

14th most test wickets ever, I think it's justified, he'll probably end up 12th by the end of this season (5 behind ntini and 20 behind Ambrose, he's also 11 behind Steyn but I'd guess Steyn will get a few himself).

[tomd2103]

Stokes is not yet a good enough bowler to be the 4th bowler. Especially considering Ali is still very much in the developing stage as a spinner.

There looks to be a great amount of pressure on Anderson and Broad to take the baulk of the wickets here

Disagree I don't think you can class Ali as developing when he's got 20 wickets at 28 and against India. He's much better than developing. Stokes is fine as 4th seamer, but the second and third sElmer need to do their job.

I know you rate him very highly, but that was done mostly in one series Paul.  Let's wait to see how his stats look after a number of series (similar figures in the Ashes would be nice) before making judgments. 

[paul_e]

Stokes is not yet a good enough bowler to be the 4th bowler. Especially considering Ali is still very much in the developing stage as a spinner.

There looks to be a great amount of pressure on Anderson and Broad to take the baulk of the wickets here

Disagree I don't think you can class Ali as developing when he's got 20 wickets at 28 and against India. He's much better than developing. Stokes is fine as 4th seamer, but the second and third sElmer need to do their job.

I know you rate him very highly, but that was done mostly in one series Paul.  Let's wait to see how his stats look after a number of series (similar figures in the Ashes would be nice) before making judgments. 

In his favour he had 1 series where he did ok but didn't have the threat so he went away and worked on it before coming back faster and far more dangerous.  That ability to learn and adapt is why I personally think he's a definite front line spinner, that intelligence is a key requirement.  Very unlucky not to get the wicket there, lovely delivery and well worth a review.