The Cricket Thread 2016

[Villafirst]

Vince isn't good enough. Why isn't Root in front of Vince? Root is miles better in all forms of Cricket than Vince.

[PaulWinch again]

Joe Root is one of the best batsmen in the world, as I said earlier it's not a case of dropping them. It's looking at options. Vince also will be a very good player.

[paul_e]

Let's just be quiet and reflect in the glory of the best short format batsman in the world (I know that has huge potential for mockers).  There's something deeply satisfying in watching Buttler smash a 6 as if it's the easiest thing in the world.

[taylorsworkrate]

I think that Dawid Malan should have played ahead of Vince. I see little point in picking someone in the squad from left field in a one off match, if you're then not going to play them.

[PaulWinch again]

This is another battering.

[paul_e]

I think that Dawid Malan should have played ahead of Vince. I see little point in picking someone in the squad from left field in a one off match, if you're then not going to play them.

It's a balancing act really, just getting someone training with a team that are doing so well can be hugely beneficial and I think Vince has done enough to deserve the chances he's been given this series.

This is another battering.

win by 8 wickets with 15 remaining really doesn't do it justice, that was a bit embarrassing for SL.  Can't say I'm upset, I've never liked them as a team and after their last tour in England sending them home having destroyed them in all formats feels like closure.

[Villan For Life]

A couple of points.

With the amount of Cricket to be played over the next 15 months or so I think we are going to see plenty of squad rotation in all forms of international Cricket. We need to make sure that the players are fresh and ready to do battle when it matters.

My other point is that I've been surprised at how poor Sri Lanka have been across all three formats. Yes they've lost some quality players through retirements, but they've been like a rabbit caught in headlights at times. They were always an annoying almost snidey side but through all of that I loved watching their best players.

The Pakistan series will be a whole lot harder.

[AVH87]

Buttler was very lucky yesterday, big outside edge behind not given when he was on about 5. He did go on to make them pay, however.

[PaulWinch again]

I did not expect Ballance to get a call up.

[Chris Jameson]

I did not expect Ballance to get a call up.

I don't think anybody did, he hasn't had a great season until the century against Middlesex.

[aev]

Keith Barker never seems to get mentioned as a possible call up - he is a wonderful player for us.

[PaulWinch again]

I did not expect Ballance to get a call up.

I don't think anybody did, he hasn't had a great season until the century against Middlesex.

It's an odd one, if he's struggling with the same technical issue that cost him his place originally then Amir is probably the last person he'd want to face.

[Villan For Life]

There's plenty of coverage of the return of Mohammad Amir to the Pakistan test side. He's likely to play in the Lords test which starts on Thursday, ironically he's returning to the scene of his crime.

So fellow H&V'ers should he be allowed to play?

For me, he should have been banned for life from the game. Match fixing is wrong and he knew the risks when he joined the other match fixers such as Salman Butt.

One of the arguments put forward by the let him play "brigade" is that he was only 18 when he got caught in a tabloid sting. I just think that at 18 you know the difference between right and wrong.

There's also the question of ICC double standards. Lou Vincent, the Kiwi bowler received 11 life bans for admitting his part in match fixing. He cooperated with the fixing enquiry from the start and plead guilty. Why did they throw the book at him yet let Amir back in after serving his ban? Match fixing is match fixing and Amir should have got the same life ban.

[Dave Cooper please]

No, he should never have played again.

[paul_e]

There's plenty of coverage of the return of Mohammad Amir to the Pakistan test side. He's likely to play in the Lords test which starts on Thursday, ironically he's returning to the scene of his crime.

So fellow H&V'ers should he be allowed to play?

For me, he should have been banned for life from the game. Match fixing is wrong and he knew the risks when he joined the other match fixers such as Salman Butt.

One of the arguments put forward by the let him play "brigade" is that he was only 18 when he got caught in a tabloid sting. I just think that at 18 you know the difference between right and wrong.

There's also the question of ICC double standards. Lou Vincent, the Kiwi bowler received 11 life bans for admitting his part in match fixing. He cooperated with the fixing enquiry from the start and plead guilty. Why did they throw the book at him yet let Amir back in after serving his ban? Match fixing is match fixing and Amir should have got the same life ban.

He was 18 and was talked into it by his captain and the senior bowler in the side and, by all accounts, was told that all the players did it every now and then as a way of earning a bit of extra money.  I think he was put into an impossible position by people who he trusted and he shouldn't be denied his entire career because of it.