The Cricket Thread 2016

[Chris Jameson]

They should play a one off 'Test', North (from Midlands up) v South (the rest) and the winners get the second of the two London Tests. I know who my money would be on. And then do the same against Glamorgan!

[paul_e]

They should play a one off 'Test', North (from Midlands up) v South (the rest) and the winners get the second of the two London Tests. I know who my money would be on. And then do the same against Glamorgan!

I hadn't really thought about it before but this ashes has taken th episs a bit in that regard, the 'northern' test being trent bridge.

[spangley1812]

No one will ever convince me that London should have 2 tests all the time

[bertlambshank]

The next time the ashes are played BT sport have the rights.
This will piss a lot people off.

[spangley1812]

England batsman Joe Root has been rested for the limited-overs series against Australia.

The 24-year-old, England's leading run-scorer during their 3-2 Ashes win, will miss the Twenty20 and five one-day internationals starting on 31 August.

Uncapped Essex left-arm pace bowler Reece Topley, 21, has been named in a 13-man T20 squad.

All-rounder Moeen Ali, rested for the ODIs against New Zealand this summer, has been recalled for both formats.

The one-day squad features five players - Moeen, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood - who helped England win the Ashes.
Topley and batsman James Vince, who were in the squad for the last T20 international against New Zealand but did not play in the 56-run win at Old Trafford, retain their places.

Fit-again seamer Chris Woakes returns after injury.

Topley has taken 16 wickets at an average of 22.93 with an economy rate of 9.02 in 11 T20 Blast games for Essex this season, while Hampshire's Vince is the joint highest English run-scorer in the competition with 641.

There is no place in either squad for Jonny Bairstow. He made a match-winning unbeaten 83 as England clinched a 3-2 win over New Zealand in June, their first one-day series since being knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages.

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Reece Topley (Essex), James Vince (Hampshire), David Willey (Northamptonshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), David Willey Northamptonshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

[cdbearsfan]

The Convictesses have a player called "Villani". Hope they find room for "Robberi" and "Burglari" in the next game.

[tomd2103]

Good win earlier today and we are starting to look a decent limited overs side now.  Ali and Morgan both batted very well and Willey and Stokes held it together well with the ball at the death. 

[Dave Cooper please]

Stokes has the potential to be an absolute legend in all forms of the game, he's inconsistent at the moment but the talent is there.

[paul_e]

Stokes has the potential to be an absolute legend in all forms of the game, he's inconsistent at the moment but the talent is there.

I think the West Indies tour has had a big effect on him before (and during) that tour I thought he was inconsistent but was also very immature.  Samuels showed him up badly and at the time I called for him to come back out of the team until he learned from it but to his credit (and I believe the coaching team as well) he's grown up massively during the summer and now looks ready for international cricket.  I'm happy to admit I was wrong about him.

[PGW]

Chris Woakes in the England side for todays ODI in Southampton:
Hales, Roy, Taylor, Morgan, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Rashid, Woakes, Wood & Finn
Australia - Warner, Burns, Smith, Bailey, Watson, Wade, M.Marsh, Starc, Coulter-Nile & Cummins

[PGW]

Forgot to say Australia won toss and are batting.

[PaulWinch again]

Surprised to see Willey dropped, he's done well and offers a different angle. Nice to see Taylor and Woakes back though.

[tomd2103]

Surprised to see Willey dropped, he's done well and offers a different angle. Nice to see Taylor and Woakes back though.

Agree about Willey, he seems to be improving every game he plays.  Bit harsh on Billings as well, for although I rate Taylor, I would have kept Ali at three and Billings at seven. 

[PGW]

Surprised to see Willey dropped, he's done well and offers a different angle. Nice to see Taylor and Woakes back though.

Yes i was surprised re. Willey being left out, i think that maybe some of these bowlers will get rotated throughout this 5 game series with
Willey certainly getting some game time. I will be very surprised if Woakes plays in all 5 games, would love it if he did must admit. I also think
that James Taylor needs to score runs as he may be the sacrificial lamb if they move Moeen Ali back up towards the top of the order.

Good day for sport today on TV, One dayer, Cyprus v Wales and US Open tennis and sorry not there Bears but Bears on the radio.

[PaulWinch again]

James Taylor is a good player and I think he deserves to be given a chance.