The Cricket Thread 2017

[tomd2103]

We would probably score more runs if we just played the ODI team.

It is a bit strange how our fortunes in the various formats have changed over the last couple of years.  We struggled so badly in ODIs for years, but now we have a strong, settled side with good options to come in. 

[ColinMac]

We would probably score more runs if we just played the ODI team.

It is a bit strange how our fortunes in the various formats have changed over the last couple of years.  We struggled so badly in ODIs for years, but now we have a strong, settled side with good options to come in. 

Anyone would think the whole county structure has been changed to give us the best possible chance in the white ball game at the expense of the county championship, using the summer months for white ball cricket and pushing the 4 day game to the start and end of the summer isnt going to do anything to help produce test match players. Bowlers taking shedloads of wickets on green tops in April and May and September are not going to be ready to step up to test cricket.

[Chris Jameson]

There's far too much one day cricket played, I genuinely have no idea who won what one day series or tournament in recent years as there are so many of them, they just all blur into one. Get the feeling that those in charge wouldn't be too sorry to see the County Championship replaced by yet another one day tournament, then wonder why the national team isn't capable of producing players who can perform at the top level. We seem to have plenty of batsmen who can twat the ball all over the place but nobody who can stick around and build an innings.

[tomd2103]

We would probably score more runs if we just played the ODI team.

It is a bit strange how our fortunes in the various formats have changed over the last couple of years.  We struggled so badly in ODIs for years, but now we have a strong, settled side with good options to come in. 

Anyone would think the whole county structure has been changed to give us the best possible chance in the white ball game at the expense of the county championship, using the summer months for white ball cricket and pushing the 4 day game to the start and end of the summer isnt going to do anything to help produce test match players. Bowlers taking shedloads of wickets on green tops in April and May and September are not going to be ready to step up to test cricket.

Good points CM.  I would also add that the two division system doesn't really work if the best players are spread across both divisions.  In any sport, the top talent pretty much all plays in the top division of their respective sport.  Having international players playing in poor sides against other poor sides probably isn't the best preparation for international cricket.

I still think a regional set up could be added on top of the current structure to ensure games of higher quality.   

[paul_e]

We would probably score more runs if we just played the ODI team.

It is a bit strange how our fortunes in the various formats have changed over the last couple of years.  We struggled so badly in ODIs for years, but now we have a strong, settled side with good options to come in. 

Anyone would think the whole county structure has been changed to give us the best possible chance in the white ball game at the expense of the county championship, using the summer months for white ball cricket and pushing the 4 day game to the start and end of the summer isnt going to do anything to help produce test match players. Bowlers taking shedloads of wickets on green tops in April and May and September are not going to be ready to step up to test cricket.

Good points CM.  I would also add that the two division system doesn't really work if the best players are spread across both divisions.  In any sport, the top talent pretty much all plays in the top division of their respective sport.  Having international players playing in poor sides against other poor sides probably isn't the best preparation for international cricket.

I still think a regional set up could be added on top of the current structure to ensure games of higher quality.   

On that specific point I think the T20 city league may actually improve things because it creates the possibility for players to join different sides for each format.

[PaulWinch again]

The one day cricket brings in the majority of the money, so it has to be there. But money needs to be ploughed into the longer format as that's the foundation of the game. There should also be a percentage on Test matches that have to be shown on terrestrial TV, and the same goes for county cricket. I bet if county cricket was shown on terrestrial tv it would drive some interest back.

[cheltenhamlion]

There are too many teams and too much Cricket, with an unhealthy amount of time spent on the short forms of the game. It's why bowlers struggle with longer spells and are also coached to contain as opposed to taking wickets. And you won't find many batsmen capable of digging in when lamping it is the name of the game. I also wonder whether the way points are calculated in Championship cricket needs to be reviewed. The games are shorter than a test anyway but I don't know if incentivising them to score quickly in the first innings works in the modern climate.

[taylorsworkrate]

Wood and Plunkett are obvious options to come in, but there are worries about the fitness of the former.  I don't know if we should still be holding out any hope for Finn and I suppose the other options are the next generation coming through (Overton, Helm etc.). 

If Wood wasn't made of paper (he he) he'd be perfect as the type of bowler I think would do really well for us in Australia.  Most of them are much stronger on the backfoot than the front so a skiddy bowler chucking them down at 90ish where they can't work out whether or not they can stay back.

I agree and I think Wood could have offered something a bit different.  If the ball isn't doing too much, then Woakes, Broad and Anderson become a bit too similar.  Maybe it is time to look at some new blood, but Broad and Anderson are so effective in home conditions, it would be hard to move on from them for a while.

Broad has had a really poor year, even in the home tests. I get the feeling his decline may be irreversible.

Anderson on the other hand remains a world class operator. He is 2 wickets away from being the highest wicket taking non spinner in test history, he is in exceptional shape for a 35 year old and I think can perform at a very high level for at least another couple of years.

[taylorsworkrate]

I think the massive qualifier with Wood is whether he is 100% match fit. If he isn't his pace tends to be early to mid eighties and he doesn't really offer anything we don't have.

True and I think you would have to look at who he would replace as well.  If he plays alongside Broad and Anderson then we are looking at quite a long tail, so he would probably have to replace one of those two.

Our tail already starts at about no 7 in this series.

[four fornicholl]

India Sri Lanka T20 now, they couldn't could they? Brilliant stuff.

[olaftab]

On our way to a Barmy Army do and MCG there along the Yarra.

[paul_e]

Team announcement: https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/574821?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=England%20Cricket&utm_content=100000117204925+&utm_campaign=Ashes%202017/18

Alastair Cook
Mark Stoneman
James Vince
Joe Root (captain)
Dawid Malan
Jonny Bairstow
Moeen Ali
Chris Woakes
Tom Curran
Stuart Broad
James Anderson

So the simple change of Curran in for Overton, that's what I expected, Ali must've been 50/50 though given he's supposedly been carrying a knock, I suspect if the spinner cover was someone more experienced that call might've been different.

[PaulWinch again]

Good luck to Curran, but I fear he might be one of those players who struggled to play more than 5 Tests.

[Axl Rose]

On our way to a Barmy Army do and MCG there along the Yarra.

Enjoy mate! A Merry Christmas to you.

[olaftab]

Nik enjoy you stay back home despite the Villa. Happy Xmas.