The Cricket Thread 2016

[adrenachrome]

The reason it keeps happening is that the sides are basically mirror images of themselves.

The fact is that neither side is actually that good so when one team gets the ascendancy the other just rolls over.  England's batting line up in this series contains some players that are out of form and others that quite frankly arn't good enough.

Nothing wrong with the pitches, everything wrong with the application on both sides.

I expect players to be discarded from both sides before their next Test Matches.

Yes, but it is precisely "the application on both sides", as you correctly point out, which needs explanation. 

What the crickerati seem to be saying, is that T20 cricket is leading to incorrect shot selection and and the cult of the big hitter.  I have a read a few articles stating this case, and will post the links later. 

[OzVilla]

Yeah i ersonally think its a mixture of T20 and a poor mindset where macho 'take it to the bowlers' style batting is the modern way but the players arn't good enough to back it up. Everyone wants to play shots and counter attack like Adam Gilchrist but they just can't. 

They don't have the patience or technique to play their way out of trouble so they instantly go into 'wrestle the initiative' mode and just give their wicket away.

Both sides have been as bad and as good as each other in places.

[adrenachrome]

That seems close to something like the truth, OzVilla.

Here is one of the articles having a pop, from the ToryGraph:

Ashes 2015: Lack of ebb and flow in the series has been a major disappointment
Neither England nor Australia has been able to show real resilience when up against it, writes Simon Briggs

[taylorsworkrate]

We are going to lose this match. Of that there is no doubt.

Since the drubbing in Australia, and the new players bought into the team, England have become incredibly inconsistent. In all fairness, I expected to lose both test series this summer, against an excellent NZ side and Australia. I'd have snapped anyones hand off to draw the first and then win back the ashes. It's been a bit of a mental summer of international cricket full stop, what with the ODI team finally breaking it's shackles.

I actually think our best test performance of the summer was at Lords against NZ. We got ourselves into a losing position on a couple of occasions, but played great cricket to come back and win.

Where we go after this series is anyones guess. I'd suggest Lyth has finally used up his 9 lives, and Hales should be belatedly given his chance, but after that it's difficult to predict the direction the selectors will go in.

[PaulWinch again]

We are incredibly inconsistent, but it comes down to two reasons. Firstly on the whole we have several players finding their way at Test level. But secondly, and it's kind of linked to the first reason, there's a cultural lack of application when the need is to dig in.

[adrenachrome]

We are incredibly inconsistent, but it comes down to two reasons. Firstly on the whole we have several players finding their way at Test level. But secondly, and it's kind of linked to the first reason, there's a cultural lack of application when the need is to dig in.

Yes, but when Australia suffer the same cultural lack of application, it is reasonable to look for universal causes, one of which is all to clear and constitutes the elephant in the room.

[OzVilla]

Atleast a few questions are being answered.

 Moen Ali is proving a vital member of the side and has nailed his spot down when leading into to series it was somewhat uncertain. Mark Wood and Steve Finn have both proved themselves to be excellent support bowlers for Anderson and Broad and Ben Stokes has shown he can be a very useful bowling asset.

Adam Lyth has not shown anywhere near enough to keep his place, jury still out on Bairstow and Buttler.

[PaulWinch again]

It's interesting with Moeen. As is pretty clear I'm a big fan of his, but his bowling has really gone backwards to the point he can't be the first choice spinner at the moment. However at the same time he's batted excellently and improved a lot to the point he should definitely be in the side as a batsman.

[OzVilla]

I feel a bit sorry for Adam Lyth in some ways but I honestly can't think of too many worse performances in a 5 Test series that you've won.

It'd be extremely brave to ever pick him again.

[aj2k77]

It would be extremely stupid as well, I've seen nothing from Lyth that makes me think he can be a reliable test class batsman, he could well be the easiest opener we've had to get out for 20+ years?

[paul_e]

I feel a bit sorry for Adam Lyth in some ways but I honestly can't think of too many worse performances in a 5 Test series that you've won.

It'd be extremely brave to ever pick him again.

The worst thing is they haven't had to do anything special to get rid of him, he's getting out to 4th/5th stump from right arm over the stumps deliveries, a left handed opener needs to be able to play those much better. There's not been many truly terrible shots (although first innings in this match was an awful shot) they're just edges on deliveries that he needs to be able to handle.

[UK Redsox]

It would be extremely stupid as well, I've seen nothing from Lyth that makes me think he can be a reliable test class batsman, he could well be the easiest opener we've had to get out for 20+ years?

It's beginning to look like no one wants to open with Chef.

Who's next in line?

[Chris Jameson]

I like Ali but I find it hard to believe there isn't a better spin bowler in the country than him.

[Proposition Joe]

Atleast a few questions are being answered.

 Moen Ali is proving a vital member of the side and has nailed his spot down when leading into to series it was somewhat uncertain. Mark Wood and Steve Finn have both proved themselves to be excellent support bowlers for Anderson and Broad and Ben Stokes has shown he can be a very useful bowling asset.

Adam Lyth has not shown anywhere near enough to keep his place, jury still out on Bairstow and Buttler.

I don't like Bairstow's stance, i'd prefer it if he was more orthodox.  It worked for Gooch, but Gooch was special.  Also, subjectively speaking, he always looks terrified when he's out there.

I'm not sure about Lyth, I'd be tempted to keep him over the Winter tours because there's no one else, and in the hope that his flaws can be coached out of him.  His county stats suggest there's something to work with there.

[Proposition Joe]

Sigh.  Bell gone, finally, after trying his best to get out for the last 20mins or so.

Our only two decent bats at the crease, it's all down to these.