The Cricket Thread 2016

[Chris Jameson]

Yes agreed specially in the last two where Saturday and Sunday have been wiped out with lack of cricket for supporters.

I'd much rather England have the series wrapped up than have the matches all go into a fourth or fifth day. No pleasing some folk, we turn in three great performances and wrap the series up when many didn't give us a prayer and people are moaning because we do it too quickly!

[Chris Jameson]

Rashid scored another century today so he could easily play at 8!

[adrenachrome]

Yes agreed specially in the last two where Saturday and Sunday have been wiped out with lack of cricket for supporters.

I'd much rather England have the series wrapped up than have the matches all go into a fourth or fifth day. No pleasing some folk, we turn in three great performances and wrap the series up when many didn't give us a prayer and people are moaning because we do it too quickly!

Yes. Particularly given the fine margins involved where much depends on the psychology. We weren't just defeated at Lords, we were hammered, and you cannot afford to give them even a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Moeen opening would be a good option. He's spent most of his career at the top of the order.

[Villan For Life]

I think they will stick with Lyth. In his first series he scored a ton against a decent Kiwi attack. Starting an Ashes series in your 3rd test is a pretty big challenge. No other series produces a similar level of pressure. They will stick with him for a couple more series yet.

[PaulWinch again]

If he fails at the Oval I really doubt they will. He's not learning from his mistakes and that's the problem.

[olaftab]

Both Rashid and Ali are not good enough spinners to do any damage to Pakistan in UAE and their spinners are much better and you can guess how the pitches will be prepared.

[olaftab]

Yes agreed specially in the last two where Saturday and Sunday have been wiped out with lack of cricket for supporters.

I'd much rather England have the series wrapped up than have the matches all go into a fourth or fifth day. No pleasing some folk, we turn in three great performances and wrap the series up when many didn't give us a prayer and people are moaning because we do it too quickly!

No no one is moaning. The result and competitive cricket are two separate things. Good to see Aussies lose but  Sport is supposed to be competitive and always better when fought to the end. Flintoff/Lee situation perfectly illustrated that.

[PaulWinch again]

It depends really. If you're playing so well that it makes all the opposition crumble that's pretty enjoyable. I imagine the fans of the great Windies and Aussie teams enjoyed their success.

[Chris Jameson]

Yes agreed specially in the last two where Saturday and Sunday have been wiped out with lack of cricket for supporters.

I'd much rather England have the series wrapped up than have the matches all go into a fourth or fifth day. No pleasing some folk, we turn in three great performances and wrap the series up when many didn't give us a prayer and people are moaning because we do it too quickly!

No no one is moaning. The result and competitive cricket are two separate things. Good to see Aussies lose but  Sport is supposed to be competitive and always better when fought to the end. Flintoff/Lee situation perfectly illustrated that.

If Australia beat us 5-0 after five close and competitive Tests they wouldn't be gloating and everybody wouldn't be calling us the worst Test side ever, is that what you're saying? I love a great five day Test but equally love the fact it's taken us just over two days to thrash them.

[Chris Smith]

I understand the argument Olaftab is making but top level sport can be very unforgiving and when a team on the up meets one in decline this is what can happen. I think the confidence this will give to the home side will be massive.

The odd thing is that I don't think anyone saw it coming. The Aussies came into the series as clear favourites and yet will go home with several players fearful for their place and with a new captain to find, such has been the dominance England have had.

[PGW]

The 14 man squad for the Oval is:
Cook, Ali, Anderson, Bairstow, Bell, Broad, Buttler, Finn, Lyth, Plunkett,  Rashid, Root, Stokes and Wood

[paul_e]

I understand the argument Olaftab is making but top level sport can be very unforgiving and when a team on the up meets one in decline this is what can happen. I think the confidence this will give to the home side will be massive.

The odd thing is that I don't think anyone saw it coming. The Aussies came into the series as clear favourites and yet will go home with several players fearful for their place and with a new captain to find, such has been the dominance England have had.

I'd like to make an objection, I said before the first test that I thought all their runs were in the top 3.  I genuinely thought that we would win if we could get 2-3 early wickets more often than not because the respective middle orders are chalk and cheese.  Lords did make me nervous though.

[KevinGage]

Can see the arguments for including Rashid ahead of the UAE tour.

But the Australians are currently down at present so keep them down, would be my thinking.  3-2 makes the series seem quite close, when it has been anything but.

The Oval might turn more than some other English grounds, but it is hardly Nagpur.

Most of the Australians have mentioned how hard they have found it to deal with the England attack.
 
The danger is Rashid comes in, they get after him and dent his confidence ahead of the Pakistan series -when he will have a crucial role.

Even the likes of Udal and Tredwell have got a stack of wickets on the sub continent, so if Rashid can't do it over there, he should be nowhere near international selection. A runout at the Oval isn't going to tell us a whole lot prior to that.

[Villan For Life]

Subject to fitness, I would select the same XI for the Oval test. I wouldn't risk Jimmy ahead of a busy winter and would also go all out for a win.

Consider what the Aussies would do if they were 3-1 up with a test to play. They'd be going all out for a victory to really ram home their superiority. We should do the same. They're there for the taking and we should look to do to them what they would do to us if they had the chance.