The Cricket Thread 2016

[cdbearsfan]

It's only one defeat. They've just thrashed Sri Lanka and, before that, produced an impressive series win in South Africa.

There are three tests left and I fancy England still to win the series.

[tomd2103]

Too be fair i'm not a massive fan of Hales, as a 1 day player both formats my choice every time, but his technique isn't the greatest and he is
currently just 'doing enough' to keep his place. I certainly don't think experimenting in this series against a very good team is the answer so
for me Hales keeps his place, if you were to leave him out there isn't exactly anyone out there pulling up trees.....Keaton Jennings from Durham.
He fits the profile of an England player being born in SA....not too sure how far into his 4 yr qualification period..he may have completed it.

Accidentally posted that!!
Vince i certainly would persevere with...technically he is a very good player. Ballance on the other hand not so sure about, his Test average is good and
selectors have given him a second chance, his technique has,maybe, improved he didn't appear to make that step back and across so much in this Test
match so for me he gets the rest of the series as long as we don't go 2-0 down in next one. Who do you replace him with....some will say Bell. Not for me
but am unsure...certainly one for future is our own Sam Hain or Liam Livingstone at Lancs but at least 2 more years.

Moeen Ali...i'm afraid time for a change...don't profess to know answer Adil Rashid probably. Pakistan use just a leg spinner.

So all in all not a massive advocate of change...

Borthwick will get another go at some point, another leggie whose batting is stronger than his bowling but could come in and bat at 6 or 7.

A future opener but probably a year or two away is the boy Bell-Drummond at Kent, only 22, scoring runs for fun and has represented England at youth levels up to U-19s.

I think Borthwick should have probably got a chance ahead of Ballance, who hasn't really shown too much form so far this season. 

Agree about Bell-Drummond, but I think the kid at Worcester (Kohler Cadmore) looks a real talent as well.  I think it also only a matter of time before Sam Hain breaks into the side as well. 

[tomd2103]

It's only one defeat. They've just thrashed Sri Lanka and, before that, produced an impressive series win in South Africa.

There are three tests left and I fancy England still to win the series.

Yep and at a ground we notoriously don't do very well on.  Really looking forward to the rest of the series.

[tomd2103]

Despite batting like a wombat I think Mo needs to play. On a turning wicket, with all their right handed batsmen and their left arm bowlers, assuming we bat first, we need an off-spinner I think.

I think he will play and Rashid will also play if it is a spinning wicket.  Could see Bairstow moving up to five, Stokes at six, Ali at seven, Woakes at eight and Rashid at nine.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd love to see some stats of England's success rate when playing two spinners. I predict it's very low.

[peter w]

worrying if he hasn't as it suggests his purple patch was just that and nothing lasting.

Err, have you seen his batting average for the last 12 months?

Yes. Its been pretty impressive. But not against top class spin./ You can argue that anyone can get out against the best and we seem to struggle against spin in general, but the ugly swipes across the line seemed to show that technically he will struggle over the winter and through this summer.

[UK Redsox]

Quite a knock by Ben Duckett today for England in the A international against Pakistan at 'Nam College

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/1036693.html

[UK Redsox]

I still haven't watched a cricket match at the College; despite working a few minutes' walk away

I've played there though back when my school team (a Comprehensive) made a decent run in a national competition against the posh boys

[Chris Jameson]

worrying if he hasn't as it suggests his purple patch was just that and nothing lasting.

Err, have you seen his batting average for the last 12 months?

Yes. Its been pretty impressive. But not against top class spin./ You can argue that anyone can get out against the best and we seem to struggle against spin in general, but the ugly swipes across the line seemed to show that technically he will struggle over the winter and through this summer.

He can only play against what's in front of him, as I said, he stuck around a lot longer than any other player in the second innings and he's been in tremendous form for over a year now.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Plus you can only get better if you play against top class bowlers. Bairstow shows every sign that he can learn from mistakes.

[Chris Jameson]

Plus you can only get better if you play against top class bowlers. Bairstow shows every sign that he can learn from mistakes.

Absolutely, he learned from his mistakes from when he first got into the England side, worked hard on his batting and Yorkshire and England are benefiting.

[peter w]

worrying if he hasn't as it suggests his purple patch was just that and nothing lasting.

Err, have you seen his batting average for the last 12 months?

Yes. Its been pretty impressive. But not against top class spin./ You can argue that anyone can get out against the best and we seem to struggle against spin in general, but the ugly swipes across the line seemed to show that technically he will struggle over the winter and through this summer.

He can only play against what's in front of him, as I said, he stuck around a lot longer than any other player in the second innings and he's been in tremendous form for over a year now.

Again very true. But the dismissal was such a bad shot I don't think he will learn from it. Shame as he had played stoically up to then. England need him to continue with the bat because with Buttler injured there's no-one in line to come in for him behind the stumps where he is atrocious for international test standard cricket.

[Chris Jameson]

I get it peter, you don't and never will rate Bairstow!

[AVH87]

I'm a big fan of Bairstow. There's about 2 or 3 other positions I'm worried about in our Top 6 before him!

[PGW]

I get it peter, you don't and never will rate Bairstow!

I certainly don't think any fault lies with Bairstow with regard to his dismissal, i would agree that it was a rash shot, but the pressure he and Chris Woakes were
put under by their team mates was immense. Both of them had defended stoically for a long time...Bairstow  (as is Woakes)is still a young player in terms of experience.
In his Intenational career so far most things in general have gone his way and i suppose this is the first time that he and the England team that he has been part of has
been put under any real scrutiny and pressure i suppose Australia (13/14 tour) where Bairstow only played in 2 tests have to be taken into account. On sunday he batted for 207 balls
scoring by his strike rate a modest 48, but of that 200 balls probably 50% were from Yasir. I think the pressure told and he was bowled, you only had to see from his demeanour
how upset he was at the shot he played and the probable consequences for the result of the game.....a big YES, i'm a fan, from me.