The Cricket Thread 2016

[olaftab]

Let's face it  the only reason Pietersen wants England cap back is to ensure sponsorships don't dry up. He really couldn't careless about the rest of his team mates or cricket England.

[PaulWinch again]

I still think saying they won't pick him in the summer is ridiculous. What if all three of the middle order get injured or completely lose form. I just think making a definitive statement is daft.

[LTA]

I think the real shambles here is the way the ECB have handled it.  Yes Pietersen was badly advised in releasing his book, but he was from what we hear told by the ECB to not go to the IPL, the play country cricket and get runs.  He's done that, yet they've still slammed the door shut.

If they don't want to pick him then fair enough, but don't humiliate him.

[olaftab]

Agreed. It denies him the chance  if he were to change his ways, stop Pierce Morgan speaking on his behalf, and carry on playing and making runs. It's going to be a long summer so door should have been left ajar.

[bertlambshank]

Let's face it  the only reason Pietersen wants England cap back is to ensure sponsorships don't dry up. He really couldn't careless about the rest of his team mates or cricket England.

He could earn a shed load more playing silly cricket round the world.

[LTA]

I think Root will be ok, he comes across as having the right character and also he's got a good cricket brain. Most importantly he bats in the middle order and that makes a huge difference. It means he can separate what he does with the bat from what he does in the field.

Perhaps. Vaughan was middle-order, though, and had the best cricket brain of his generation (why they appointed Strauss and not him to this new role is beyond me), and the captaincy still drove down his average.

Vaughan withdrew when he read the job description. He felt it didn't go far enough and would not address what he felt were the fundamental issues facing the national side.

Or maybe the ECB knew Strauss would be the most likely to turn his nose up at Pietersen returning.  Vaughan would likely have wanted KP to return (as would Alec Stewart I suspect).

In summary, the ECB want a yes man.

[bertlambshank]

At times I don't think The ECB knows what day it is.

[LTA]

At times I don't think The ECB knows what day it is.

I doubt the Australians would have worried about someone whistling in funny way.  If they thought he could give them any advantage, he'd be in like a shot.

The Australians must be laughing their heads off at us.

[Dave Cooper please]

Bell is not England's best batsman at the moment. Root is absolutely the right choice for vice captain.

There is a lot more to being captain than being the best batsman, experience for one.

[Villafirst]

Bell is not England's best batsman at the moment. Root is absolutely the right choice for vice captain.

As I said, the Aussies will thrash us! Weak leadership in the ECB.

[PaulWinch again]

Bell is not England's best batsman at the moment. Root is absolutely the right choice for vice captain.

There is a lot more to being captain than being the best batsman, experience for one.

I wasn't stating that you had to be best batsman to be captain. I was responding to Villafirst's view that Bell is England's best batsman, and he's not currently.
On the captain issue I don't think experience is necessarily a requirement to lead, as shown by Graeme Smith. Root has a good cricket brain and a great attitude, I think he's a much more logical choice as vice captain.

[Ads]

We are a shambles.

The treatment of Moores and Pieterson has been abysmal. The appointment of the captain's best mate in Strauss caps it off, when the skipper is so negative and tactically poor. All change at the ECB for more of the the same.

We will do well to beat the Kiwis and we will get an absolute bladdering off the Aussies.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't have a problem with Strauss being appointed, in that I think he's quite a strong character. I do think he's made a mistake with Pietersen, but I think keeping Cook on for this summer is just a means of retaining some stability. I don't know whether that's a good or a bad thing, but I'm guessing that's why the decision has been made.

[Dr Butler]

Bell is not England's best batsman at the moment. Root is absolutely the right choice for vice captain.

There is a lot more to being captain than being the best batsman, experience for one.

see Mike Brearley....

UTV
The Doc

[PaulWinch again]

Bell is not England's best batsman at the moment. Root is absolutely the right choice for vice captain.

There is a lot more to being captain than being the best batsman, experience for one.

see Mike Brearley....

UTV
The Doc

I was making two seperate points. Bell is not our best batsman, which is what Villafirst said. I agree being the best batsman does not make you captain material. However in this instance I think Root is currently our best batsman and coincidentally he is also the best option to be our next captain. He has the character and cricket brain to do it and also he bats at 5, which is ideal. He's absolutely the right choice to be vice captain.