The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

Now I'm not writing Ansari off in the long term, but at the moment I'm not sure what he's really in the team as. He's not there as a batsman because he's coming in pretty low in the order and his bowling appears to need a fair bit of work, when he bowls over the wicket he seems to lose his action. As I say I hope he develops, but at his current stage of development he reminds me a bit of a late 90s early 00s pick. Someone who can do a couple of roles ok, but nothing particularly standout.

On the wider point of the team I think I'd be inclined to say that we haven't got three good enough spinners, so no point in playing three. Three seamers and two spinners should be plenty to bowl the overs. I'd be inclined to get another genuine batsman into that middle order for this tour. The only way we're going to have a chance of covering our spin deficiencies is to get a lot of runs.

[KevinGage]

Largely agree. It would be great if there were three gun spinners ready to hit the ground running but there isn't.

So much work has gone into Rashid and he still looks a million miles away from the finished article. Slow bowlers can come into their own when they get older -Swann was over 30 when he returned to the England side and made an impact. So there is still time.

But Moeen Ali and Batty with Root chipping in as and when required is probably the best way to go.

[claretandbeer]

Comical run out in Pakistan innings v West Indies.Amir thinks he has hit a six.The fielder at long on if he had tried to catch it would have gone over the boundary,so he pushes it back into play .The non striker ,confident also in it being a 6,has walked down towards Amir.In comes the return ,finally Amir realises he has to run .Too late.Comedy gold.
WI now chasing 153 need 65 with 5 wickets left.

[UK Redsox]

Available video is pretty crappy at the moment

https://twitter.com/taimoorz1/status/793753794958004224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Villan For Life]

Spectacular collapse of England-esque proportions by the Aussies in the first test against South Africa in Perth.

Replying to The Saffer's 242 all out, Warner and Marsh put on 158 for the first wicket. They then collapsed to 244 all out which is effectively 88-10.

The Saffers are 104-2 at stumps on day two.

It suggests that all of the top 5 or 6 sides have really good bowling attacks but the batting line ups in each side is short of star quality.

[Dave Cooper please]

I've been saying this for a while, I think Test batting has suffered due to the amount of one-day and T20 games and a strange and relatively recent surge in scoring rates at Test level. The Aussies started it, suddenly deciding that scoring at 2 an over was boring, and they might have been right but it seems that there are very few batsmen these days who can just build an innings and score at a rate dependent on the conditions. Even those who get centuries are dong it in 130 balls rather than the 200+ balls that used to be common, and while I've done no real research, I can't recall too many massive "daddy hundreds" in recent games.
 Don't get me wrong, I'm not moaning about it, we get more positive results and it's more entertaining as a result, but I do love a stubborn 180 ball fifty now and again.

[PGW]

Spectacular collapse of England-esque proportions by the Aussies in the first test against South Africa in Perth.

Replying to The Saffer's 242 all out, Warner and Marsh put on 158 for the first wicket. They then collapsed to 244 all out which is effectively 88-10.

The Saffers are 104-2 at stumps on day two.

It suggests that all of the top 5 or 6 sides have really good bowling attacks but the batting line ups in each side is short of star quality.

Dale Steyn injured whilst bowling he has apparently fractured a bone in his right shoulder for the third time. Is definetly out for the series
and a while longer. I would imagine this is possibly career threatening that it is the third time.

[KevinGage]

I've been saying this for a while, I think Test batting has suffered due to the amount of one-day and T20 games and a strange and relatively recent surge in scoring rates at Test level. The Aussies started it, suddenly deciding that scoring at 2 an over was boring, and they might have been right but it seems that there are very few batsmen these days who can just build an innings and score at a rate dependent on the conditions. Even those who get centuries are dong it in 130 balls rather than the 200+ balls that used to be common, and while I've done no real research, I can't recall too many massive "daddy hundreds" in recent games.
 Don't get me wrong, I'm not moaning about it, we get more positive results and it's more entertaining as a result, but I do love a stubborn 180 ball fifty now and again.

Every side needs a Chanderpaul.

[paul_e]

Spectacular collapse of England-esque proportions by the Aussies in the first test against South Africa in Perth.

Replying to The Saffer's 242 all out, Warner and Marsh put on 158 for the first wicket. They then collapsed to 244 all out which is effectively 88-10.

The Saffers are 104-2 at stumps on day two.

It suggests that all of the top 5 or 6 sides have really good bowling attacks but the batting line ups in each side is short of star quality.

Dale Steyn injured whilst bowling he has apparently fractured a bone in his right shoulder for the third time. Is definetly out for the series
and a while longer. I would imagine this is possibly career threatening that it is the third time.

My Saffer mate reckons he's done.

[tomd2103]

Now I'm not writing Ansari off in the long term, but at the moment I'm not sure what he's really in the team as. He's not there as a batsman because he's coming in pretty low in the order and his bowling appears to need a fair bit of work, when he bowls over the wicket he seems to lose his action. As I say I hope he develops, but at his current stage of development he reminds me a bit of a late 90s early 00s pick. Someone who can do a couple of roles ok, but nothing particularly standout.

On the wider point of the team I think I'd be inclined to say that we haven't got three good enough spinners, so no point in playing three. Three seamers and two spinners should be plenty to bowl the overs. I'd be inclined to get another genuine batsman into that middle order for this tour. The only way we're going to have a chance of covering our spin deficiencies is to get a lot of runs.

Agree about Ansari.  For me it would be a choice between him and Moeen Ali and I think Ali is comfortably ahead at the moment.  Depending on the pitch I would go for a 6-11 of Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Rashid/Batty, Broad in the first test.

[Villan For Life]

So the Crims have lost four tests on the bounce. I wonder when was the last time that happened?

[PaulWinch again]

Not a great start again. The openers and Duckett back in the hutch for 100.

[peter w]

surprise surprise England 3 down already.

[JD]

Root and Moeen looking good at the moment. Fingers crossed they can have a massive partnership.   

[PaulWinch again]

Good from Mo and Root here they need to keep going.