The Cricket Thread 2016

[paul_e]

Very good bating performances, Duckett screams out world class, I'd be finding a spot in the test team for him very soon.

[simboy]

Mr Hales and Mr Morgan may not get their places back now

My view exactly. Billings and Duckett could be fighting for a top four spot and Buttler captained well I thought (although his keeping is still suspect) It was a gamble for both Hales and in particular Morgan to duck the one day tour.

Interesting what they do in India.

[PaulWinch again]

Good series win that. Bangladesh is a tough place to win now.

[taylorsworkrate]

Mr Hales and Mr Morgan may not get their places back now

My view exactly. Billings and Duckett could be fighting for a top four spot and Buttler captained well I thought (although his keeping is still suspect) It was a gamble for both Hales and in particular Morgan to duck the one day tour.

Interesting what they do in India.

Hales has scored 4 ODI centuries in the last year. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't in the team for the 1st ODI in India.

Morgan has been a massive part in the change of attitude and approach. Again I'd be shocked if he wasn't back

[Villan For Life]

Mr Hales and Mr Morgan may not get their places back now

My view exactly. Billings and Duckett could be fighting for a top four spot and Buttler captained well I thought (although his keeping is still suspect) It was a gamble for both Hales and in particular Morgan to duck the one day tour.

Interesting what they do in India.

Hales has scored 4 ODI centuries in the last year. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't in the team for the 1st ODI in India.

Morgan has been a massive part in the change of attitude and approach. Again I'd be shocked if he wasn't back

I agree. They will drop Vince and Bairstow from this side and Hales and Morgan will come back. Morgan will be under huge pressure to perform though. We are talking about Hales and Morgan before we even consider Joe Root and Jason Roy who are due to return too. What a fantastic selection headache to have.

I really think this young squad is going to make a massive mark in the one day game. It's been quite some 18 months since the humiliation in last year's World Cup.

[paul_e]

I agree that any talk of Hales being dropped is wide of the mark, along with Buttler he's been the backbone of our improvement in this format and will definitely come back in.  Roy will also come back in, they're as good an opening pair as any in the world and I see no reason to mess with that.  It's unlucky on Billings but that's how it is.

After that you have Root, Stokes, Buttler all batting in the top 7 which gives you 2 spots, probably at 4 and 5.  Duckett has earned the right to take one of those which leaves a straight choice between Morgan and Bairstow for the last spot.  Given that Buttler did a very good job as captain I don't think Morgan's performances as captain have as much sway as they might have so I'd call that a very tough call to make.

The only other decision to make is the last seamer.  Woakes, Rashid and Ali are all firmly established and delivering so do you go with Ball, Plunkett, Willey, someone else? I think I'd have Ball slightly ahead right now but it's easily the hardest selection decision we have at the moment.

[simboy]

I agree about Hales, but suspect he wont want to "opt out" of too many other tours. Roy/Hales opening partnership with Root at three is again a pretty easy choice [assuming Root's back can hold up]

At four I rather like Bairstow who has developed over the last year or so to be an absolutely world class cricketer. At 18/2 who would i rather see striding to the crease, Bairstow every time over Morgan. Similarly Bairstow coming in with 140 on the board in the 35th over would also be my preferred option. As i said earlier Buttler looks an ok captain, who can only get better with input from Root, as well as Stokes around to give advice.

As has been said Woakes Ali and Rashid pick themselves on form, all offer quite a bit with the bat. The final seamer i think is a "horses for courses" type scenario. If its hooping around at Headingley Willey would be my obvious choice, a quick Perth pitch then Plunkett and in the sub continent Ball who has toured a couple of times there with the Lions and clearly learnt how to bowl on such pitches.

if it was thought to be a two seamer conditions then i think Ali would miss out for me with Willey and A N Other. Whilst Rashid may not be the best leg spinner in the World his time in the IPL has clearly paid dividends, and a left arm seamer who can swing the ball in as well as bowl across the right hander just offers something a little different.

However as others have said what a fantastic problem to have after the years of dross we have watched as England fans



 

[Villan For Life]

I thing Morgan just about has enough credit for being a catalyst for our improvement since we lost to Bangladesh in CWC 2015. Since then our form has been fantastic.

If you compare the teams that took on Bangladesh 18 months ago the one that played yesterday then there's some been some significant changes. None of the changes have weakened us. We also nstarted yesterday's game without three of our first choice top four.

CWC March 2015 v Bangladesh

Ali, Bell, Hales, Root, Morgan, Taylor Buttler, Woakes, Jordan, Broad, Anderson

ODI October 2016 v Banglasdesh:

Vince, Billings, Duckett, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Plunkett, Rashid, Ball

Just Ali, Buttler and Woakes survive and in Woakes, we have a player who has improved beyond recognition. Hales, Root and Morgan will come back in and the other new selections have improved us. The only player who played in the CWC game and would still be part of the side is Taylor. I do suspect that Jordan still has a future in ODI cricket. The other newcomer that intrigues me is Billings, not least  because he's a handy keeper. Interesting days ahead.

[paul_e]

I thing Morgan just about has enough credit for being a catalyst for our improvement since we lost to Bangladesh in CWC 2015. Since then our form has been fantastic.

If you compare the teams that took on Bangladesh 18 months ago the one that played yesterday then there's some been some significant changes. None of the changes have weakened us. We also nstarted yesterday's game without three of our first choice top four.

CWC March 2015 v Bangladesh

Ali, Bell, Hales, Root, Morgan, Taylor Buttler, Woakes, Jordan, Broad, Anderson

ODI October 2016 v Banglasdesh:

Vince, Billings, Duckett, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Plunkett, Rashid, Ball

Just Ali, Buttler and Woakes survive and in Woakes, we have a player who has improved beyond recognition. Hales, Root and Morgan will come back in and the other new selections have improved us. The only player who played in the CWC game and would still be part of the side is Taylor. I do suspect that Jordan still has a future in ODI cricket. The other newcomer that intrigues me is Billings, not least  because he's a handy keeper. Interesting days ahead.

Without wanting to beat my own drum Woakes has become the player I suspected was in there about 2 years ago, for a long time he was doing all the right things but just getting the runs or wickets that his effort deserved.  The burst of confidence that comes from taking 9 for 30 odd was all he neeeded and then skittling Sri Lanka just proved he can do it internationally as well.  Since then he's probably been the form player in world cricket, taking wickets regularly, a fair number in the first over or 2 of a spell, scoring big runs at important times and generally looking every inch a world class all rounder.  Second name on the sheet in all 3 formats for me (straight after Root).

[Villan For Life]

I thing Morgan just about has enough credit for being a catalyst for our improvement since we lost to Bangladesh in CWC 2015. Since then our form has been fantastic.

If you compare the teams that took on Bangladesh 18 months ago the one that played yesterday then there's some been some significant changes. None of the changes have weakened us. We also nstarted yesterday's game without three of our first choice top four.

CWC March 2015 v Bangladesh

Ali, Bell, Hales, Root, Morgan, Taylor Buttler, Woakes, Jordan, Broad, Anderson

ODI October 2016 v Banglasdesh:

Vince, Billings, Duckett, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Plunkett, Rashid, Ball

Just Ali, Buttler and Woakes survive and in Woakes, we have a player who has improved beyond recognition. Hales, Root and Morgan will come back in and the other new selections have improved us. The only player who played in the CWC game and would still be part of the side is Taylor. I do suspect that Jordan still has a future in ODI cricket. The other newcomer that intrigues me is Billings, not least  because he's a handy keeper. Interesting days ahead.

Without wanting to beat my own drum Woakes has become the player I suspected was in there about 2 years ago, for a long time he was doing all the right things but just getting the runs or wickets that his effort deserved.  The burst of confidence that comes from taking 9 for 30 odd was all he neeeded and then skittling Sri Lanka just proved he can do it internationally as well.  Since then he's probably been the form player in world cricket, taking wickets regularly, a fair number in the first over or 2 of a spell, scoring big runs at important times and generally looking every inch a world class all rounder.  Second name on the sheet in all 3 formats for me (straight after Root).

I think it's more than a burst of confidence, he's added a yard of pace too and at test level that's the difference between world class and journeyman trundler. He's 27 and if he can stay injury free, he's a natural replacement for Jimmy who has, I fear a maximum of a couple of years left at the top.

[paul_e]

He added that pace 2 years ago but in the county game he was still struggling to dominate sides because I don't think he was willing to take risks, there were lots of safe deliveries from him for a while.  The difference this summer is that he knew he would take wickets so he bowled as if they were a given and that extra belief in his ability made all the difference.

[tomd2103]

Mr Hales and Mr Morgan may not get their places back now

My view exactly. Billings and Duckett could be fighting for a top four spot and Buttler captained well I thought (although his keeping is still suspect) It was a gamble for both Hales and in particular Morgan to duck the one day tour.

Interesting what they do in India.

Hales has scored 4 ODI centuries in the last year. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't in the team for the 1st ODI in India.

Morgan has been a massive part in the change of attitude and approach. Again I'd be shocked if he wasn't back

I agree. They will drop Vince and Bairstow from this side and Hales and Morgan will come back. Morgan will be under huge pressure to perform though. We are talking about Hales and Morgan before we even consider Joe Root and Jason Roy who are due to return too. What a fantastic selection headache to have.

I really think this young squad is going to make a massive mark in the one day game. It's been quite some 18 months since the humiliation in last year's World Cup.

We are in a good place with the 50 over side now.  A lot of options in both the bowling and batting departments and with ICC Trophy over here next summer, we should be in a good place to have a good go at it.

[PaulWinch again]

Duckett needs to be in the Test team, he just has 'it'.

[paul_e]

Duckett needs to be in the Test team, he just has 'it'.

I agree, he looks top class.  One of those players where there's no point waiting for him to get experience and wasting a few years, just get him in like we did with Root and Cook.

[PaulWinch again]

Pretty horrible start.