The Cricket Thread 2016

[paul_e]

I'm not convinced by Hales so doesn't hurt to see Roy in good form. I'd also like to have a look at any other wicket-keepers that we have because i'm really not sure about Bairstow behind the stumps where he is barely county championship level. Given that we're touring India in the winter we really should be starting to look at wicket keepers who can bat, not the other way round. Alternatively, if England are sticking with Bairstow then Buttler shouldn't be wicket keeper in any forms of the game when playing for England until such time Bairstow is competent enough to stake his claims based on his ability behind the stumps.

Hales has just had a very good series, dropping him would send a terrible signal.  As I've said before I push Bairstow to 5 as a batsman and bring Buttler back in at 7 and behind the stumps.  Then you pick between Vince and Roy and maybe a few others at 3.

[PaulWinch again]

Not convinced by Hales? He's been excellent this summer.

[tomd2103]

I'm not convinced by Hales so doesn't hurt to see Roy in good form. I'd also like to have a look at any other wicket-keepers that we have because i'm really not sure about Bairstow behind the stumps where he is barely county championship level. Given that we're touring India in the winter we really should be starting to look at wicket keepers who can bat, not the other way round. Alternatively, if England are sticking with Bairstow then Buttler shouldn't be wicket keeper in any forms of the game when playing for England until such time Bairstow is competent enough to stake his claims based on his ability behind the stumps.

Hales has just had a very good series, dropping him would send a terrible signal.  As I've said before I push Bairstow to 5 as a batsman and bring Buttler back in at 7 and behind the stumps.  Then you pick between Vince and Roy and maybe a few others at 3.

Nasser Hussain was saying exactly that on SKY the other day.   There is also Sam Billings as well. 

[paul_e]

I'm not convinced by Hales so doesn't hurt to see Roy in good form. I'd also like to have a look at any other wicket-keepers that we have because i'm really not sure about Bairstow behind the stumps where he is barely county championship level. Given that we're touring India in the winter we really should be starting to look at wicket keepers who can bat, not the other way round. Alternatively, if England are sticking with Bairstow then Buttler shouldn't be wicket keeper in any forms of the game when playing for England until such time Bairstow is competent enough to stake his claims based on his ability behind the stumps.

Hales has just had a very good series, dropping him would send a terrible signal.  As I've said before I push Bairstow to 5 as a batsman and bring Buttler back in at 7 and behind the stumps.  Then you pick between Vince and Roy and maybe a few others at 3.

Nasser Hussain was saying exactly that on SKY the other day.   There is also Sam Billings as well. 

Billings would be my fall back if Buttler doesn't show better form than before he was dropped.

3 is where I think our options are a little limited.  There aren't many people in the championship who are screaming out for a call up as a top order batsman.  That's the main reason that I'm gutted that Mo didn't take his chance up there.  If we could've got him batting with fluency near the top then we open up the option to keep the 4 quicks but have either an extra spinner if we're not sure about the pitch, or an extra batsman in the middle order or a 5th seamer but still have a spin option to rush through some overs if needed.

[tomd2103]

I'm not convinced by Hales so doesn't hurt to see Roy in good form. I'd also like to have a look at any other wicket-keepers that we have because i'm really not sure about Bairstow behind the stumps where he is barely county championship level. Given that we're touring India in the winter we really should be starting to look at wicket keepers who can bat, not the other way round. Alternatively, if England are sticking with Bairstow then Buttler shouldn't be wicket keeper in any forms of the game when playing for England until such time Bairstow is competent enough to stake his claims based on his ability behind the stumps.

Hales has just had a very good series, dropping him would send a terrible signal.  As I've said before I push Bairstow to 5 as a batsman and bring Buttler back in at 7 and behind the stumps.  Then you pick between Vince and Roy and maybe a few others at 3.

Nasser Hussain was saying exactly that on SKY the other day.   There is also Sam Billings as well. 

Billings would be my fall back if Buttler doesn't show better form than before he was dropped.

3 is where I think our options are a little limited.  There aren't many people in the championship who are screaming out for a call up as a top order batsman.  That's the main reason that I'm gutted that Mo didn't take his chance up there.  If we could've got him batting with fluency near the top then we open up the option to keep the 4 quicks but have either an extra spinner if we're not sure about the pitch, or an extra batsman in the middle order or a 5th seamer but still have a spin option to rush through some overs if needed.

I've heard people call for Borthwick to be given a chance at three, but I would think Vince is next cab off the rank for that position at the moment.  Stokes has got to come back in to the side as well.

[PaulWinch again]

Super knock by Roy again.

[Villan For Life]

Super knock by Roy again.

Pity he didn't take Robin Smith's record for the highest ODI score by an England player, the knock deserved it.

We've come a long way since the World Cup and I think that credit should be given to Strauss for sticking with Morgan who strikes me as the perfect captain for this group of players.

[tomd2103]

Super knock by Roy again.

Pity he didn't take Robin Smith's record for the highest ODI score by an England player, the knock deserved it.

We've come a long way since the World Cup and I think that credit should be given to Strauss for sticking with Morgan who strikes me as the perfect captain for this group of players.

Agree VFL.  England are now a good side to watch in a format of the game which they had struggled in for years.  We wouldn't have got near that total in years gone by, bug there is a new mentality now.  Still not sure out bowling attack in that format is top class, but we look a good side. 

[peter w]

i just don't think ales has got the technique against good swing bowling or spinners. If he proves me wrong against Pakistan and India then fair play.

[Lsvilla]

I didn't want to start a 2017 thread, but international fixtures out and looks like a busy summer for the England boys - first ODI 5th May last ODI 29th September - yes 29th September !
Overall 10 ODI's plus Champions Trophy (ie: min 3 hopefully 5 more), 4 T20's and 7 Tests...before trotting off to Oz in late October to retain the ashes. Good Luck Joe Root, Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow and anyone else who plays all 3 formats........

[peter w]

To be fair it feels like a 29th September right now.

[AVH87]

i just don't think ales has got the technique against good swing bowling or spinners. If he proves me wrong against Pakistan and India then fair play.

I agree with you, people keep talking about his runs against a very, very mediocre Sri Lanka seam attack as if that is the benchmark. They barely had anyone over 6 foot, who could bowl above 80MPH or swing the ball. If he has a good series against one or two of the top nations (Australia, SA, Pakistan, India) then that is the time to be convinced by him.

[PGW]

Are those bananas in the crowd at the SWALEC the same ones that were at Edgbaston.

Surely they would have gone off by now!!!
149/3 27 gone

[paul_e]

Superb performance today, excellent with the bat getting well over par, solid in the field and the bowling is excellent.  I really like Willey and Woakes as the openers.

[paul_e]

There are a couple of fairly important changes coming here - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/1031741.html

So the DRS zone changes to be the entire stumps not middle of leg to middle of off, I understand the need for umpire's call but this seems much fairer to the bowlers now.

After they mention trials of near instant replays to allow the third umpire to call no-balls, that is a much needed change that I support fully.  The sheer number of deliveries where bowlers are overstepping has forced them to act.