The Cricket Thread 2016

[spangley1812]

Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales and Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari could make their England Test debuts in the UAE after being selected in the squad for the series against Pakistan.
Hales's county colleague James Taylor is also named, after impressing during the one-day series with Australia.
There is no place for Yorkshire's Gary Ballance and Adam Lyth, with the latter dropped after a poor Ashes series.
The three-Test series begins in Abu Dhabi on 13 October.

[PaulWinch again]

I am quite surprised by the squad selection. I'm delighted to see Taylor in the squad, I'm surprised Hales has made it and I'm quite surprised that Ballance isn't back in.

[UK Redsox]

Squads & press release

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/hales-and-ansari-included-test-squad

[Chris Jameson]

Think Taylor is very lucky to be in the Test squad, he averaged 43.53 in white ball crucket which was boosted by an innings of 291, without it he'd average 28.21, which is very err... average. If they're using his ODI form fair enough but that doesn't explain Hales!

[taylorsworkrate]

Hales scored a shedload at the start of the season, and really should have been picked against NZ. He is just extremely talented.

I think of all the opening options, it was just a no brainer to pick Hales

[PaulWinch again]

Think Taylor is very lucky to be in the Test squad, he averaged 43.53 in white ball crucket which was boosted by an innings of 291, without it he'd average 28.21, which is very err... average. If they're using his ODI form fair enough but that doesn't explain Hales!

I think Taylor is long overdue a chance. Yeah he hasn't had the greatest year, but he's produced over a long period of time. I imagine his ODI form clinched it.

[Dave Cooper please]

Former England one-day captain Paul Collingwood and former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene have been appointed to the England management team as consultants, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.

Two excellent appointments there.

[peter w]

Anyone has experience of dislocations - especially hand digits - and know how long they take to heal?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2015/content/story/920975.html

[paul_e]

Anyone has experience of dislocations - especially hand digits - and know how long they take to heal?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2015/content/story/920975.html

For a thumb you'd be lucky to be back inside a month.

[ACVilla]

Great end to the One Day final, Surrey need 7 off 5 with 1 wicket left.

[Dave Cooper please]

Finn's figures this morning in the warm up game against Pakistan A:

7.3 - 5 - 2 - 4

Impressive.

[Villan For Life]

Moeen Ali out twice in a day against Pakistan A in the UAE today.

We do have a problem at the top of the order and haven't had a settled opening partnership since Strauss retired and our batting has generally been poor since.

Compton, Carberry, Trott, Lyth, Robson and Root have all been tried and have scored 5 centuries as openers between them. If they go with Ali as Cook's 7th opening partner post-Strauss, let's hope it works otherwise our batting malaise is likely to continue.

[Exeter 77]

I hadn't taken much notice of the warm up games until I saw the scores of 192-12 and 198-11 and wondered what the bloody hell was going on!

[Proposition Joe]

I hadn't taken much notice of the warm up games until I saw the scores of 192-12 and 198-11 and wondered what the bloody hell was going on!

Not even playing in the parks did we have such bonkers games!

[PGW]

I hadn't taken much notice of the warm up games until I saw the scores of 192-12 and 198-11 and wondered what the bloody hell was going on!

Not even playing in the parks did we have such bonkers games!

The whole thing does seem barmy but an agreement was made prior to the games starting, 2 x 2 day matches, that each team would have one
day each to bat, hence 12 wickets in the 'A' team innings and 11 in ours. Ali made such a pigs ear of his first innings (7) that he got the opportunity to bat for a 2nd time adding a measly further 13 runs.
James Taylor also batting a 2nd time but originally he retired his first innings along with Ian Bell at lunch and went on to make, i think 61.