The Cricket Thread 2016

[Villan For Life]

And why does only Chris Woakes seem to have an emergency pack of Benson & Hedgehog strapped between his shoulder blades?

I think that it's some sort of data collection device used by the sports scientists.

[paul_e]

Woakes really has got a golden arm right now, he must have 12-13 wickets across the 4 matches this summer in the first over of a spell, that's a massive bonus for Cook to know he has someone who can come on and do the business so consistently.

[Dave P]

What price for Woakes to win player of the series without winning a man of the match award?

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Sri Lanka all out for 117 (they won the toss and batted first). Australia 66-2 (rain).

[peter w]

Given not only his form but now that England have seen what Bears fans have seen for years, that Woakes can bot as well as bowl, it is probably worth replacing Stokes with Rashid. Obviously Ball and Wood would come into the reckoning and I think there will be a temptation to get Wood back in to give him more international miles on the clock. Shift Ali and Woakes up a slot and slot Rashid in. Edgbaston should suit two spinners and given the size of the thrashing we should be able to go in with 3 seamers and do the job.

The batting is still a worry and we seem to have 3 batsman failing too regularly in the top/middle order. But with Root hitting form, Cook looking more assured, and a good 100 runs or so seemingly guaranteed from the Bairstow/Woakes combination it allows us to go in at almost three quarter strength. Not ideal and it is only 1-1 but I'd like to see Hales, Vince, and Ballance given the series. Out of the 3 I think Vince can become a test player but he is a bit over eager to show his attacking instinct which if curbed would turn him into a very good player. I don't think hales can get away with it too often at the top of the order and I think we'll keep with him until Bell-Drummond is trusted.

If the middle order of Vince/Ballance fails again though, and England don't win, the call will be to bring Bell back. Which I don't think we should.

I'd go with

Cook
Hales
Root
Ballance
Vince - think he'd do better at 5 and Ballance at 4. Ballance at 5 doesn't look right.
Bairstow - thought he had a good test at Old Trafford
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

[paul_e]

I think nI'd be picking between Wood and Rashid depending on the pitch, if it looks likely to turn then the extra spinner might be a good idea but if not the quicker, more aggressive seamer is useful.

[cdbearsfan]

Potentially a quite exciting finish in the Sri Lanka-Convictia test.

[tomd2103]

Given not only his form but now that England have seen what Bears fans have seen for years, that Woakes can bot as well as bowl, it is probably worth replacing Stokes with Rashid. Obviously Ball and Wood would come into the reckoning and I think there will be a temptation to get Wood back in to give him more international miles on the clock. Shift Ali and Woakes up a slot and slot Rashid in. Edgbaston should suit two spinners and given the size of the thrashing we should be able to go in with 3 seamers and do the job.

The batting is still a worry and we seem to have 3 batsman failing too regularly in the top/middle order. But with Root hitting form, Cook looking more assured, and a good 100 runs or so seemingly guaranteed from the Bairstow/Woakes combination it allows us to go in at almost three quarter strength. Not ideal and it is only 1-1 but I'd like to see Hales, Vince, and Ballance given the series. Out of the 3 I think Vince can become a test player but he is a bit over eager to show his attacking instinct which if curbed would turn him into a very good player. I don't think hales can get away with it too often at the top of the order and I think we'll keep with him until Bell-Drummond is trusted.

If the middle order of Vince/Ballance fails again though, and England don't win, the call will be to bring Bell back. Which I don't think we should.

I'd go with

Cook
Hales
Root
Ballance
Vince - think he'd do better at 5 and Ballance at 4. Ballance at 5 doesn't look right.
Bairstow - thought he had a good test at Old Trafford
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

With Stokes out, I think we will go for the extra seamer Peter, so it will be Finn, Wood or Ball.  Bairstow, Ali, Woakes and Brosd will all move one up the order. 

[OCD]

If the middle order of Vince/Ballance fails again though, and England don't win, the call will be to bring Bell back. Which I don't think we should.

I think that has already been started on The Verdict.

[Lsvilla]

Further proof from Pallekele that test cricket remains the best version of the game.

[JD]

Potentially a quite exciting finish in the Sri Lanka-Convictia test.

Great win for Sri Lanka after such a poor first innings.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Very impressive. Does your heart good too!

[Villan For Life]

So the Crims lost to Sri Lanka for only the second time.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-australia-2016/content/story/1040633.html

Incredible that the Aussie tail-enders faced 154 deliveries without scoring a run.

[mrandyd]

Would give you time to get to the bar a few times

[tomd2103]

Interesting discussion on the Cricket Writers Show this morning regarding ECB plans to change T20 in this country to city teams.  I'm sure I heard it said on there that the plan was for 8 teams, which I'm guessing would be Birmingham, London, Nottingham, Leeds, Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff.  Personally, I would probably make it ten and include another London team and probably Durham playing as Newcastle. 

I personally have long thought that is the way it has to go and should be played in one bloc culminating in finals day.  Hearing the discussion today, my support for that system has probably been swayed by the fact that Birmingham would be getting a team and I would still be able to watch T20 at Edgbaston.  I think that such a move would be unpopular in parts of the country and especially in places like Essex and Somerset where T20 is done very well.  It was argued on the show that such a tournament would bring extra TV revenue (also mentioned that at least one game a week would be shown on domestic TV) which would benefit all counties and that there may also be a T20 tournament that runs alongside it.