The Cricket Thread 2017

[Richard]

Plunkett should have come in instead of Curran who I really can't see getting a game.

[olaftab]

Can they do that?

Yes as Ashes is not an Official ICC Trophy tournament so remove or add to squad anytime  you like.

[olaftab]

The most worrying thing was I saw a lot of scared men out there last night. Absolute rabbits in headlights. If their mindset doesn't change Aussies will walk it.

[OzVilla]

Yes, in truth we got bullied by their attack but had nothing to answer back with. Genuine pace and agression is what you need to bring to Australia.

I was talking to my brother a few months ago and I just said we need to bring the fastest bowler we've got irrespective of experience to fight fire with fire at some point.  If that's Ball then were fucked.

[PaulWinch again]

Root is a quality player, but the one issue he has is converting 60-70 odd into big centuries, something he's acknowledged in the past. If we're going to stand a chance, especially with the weakness of our tail, we need him to be like Steve Smith and get huge scores.

It would also be helpful if the police would hurry up and make a bloody decision on Stokes.

[taylorsworkrate]

Thats the reason why Root, wonderful player though he is, isn't at the level of Smith. His mentality isn't as strong. Smith took control of the situation in their first knock and there was no way he was going to get out.

It's also an interesting stat that Root has only scored 1 century in a 2nd innings.

[paul_e]

I think the game was lost when we let Smith and the tail add over a 100 to the score and last at least a session longer than they should've.  If we'd got that spell right we would have been 60-70 up going into our 2nd innings and that completely changes the game.

[Proposition Joe]

Root is a quality player, but the one issue he has is converting 60-70 odd into big centuries, something he's acknowledged in the past. If we're going to stand a chance, especially with the weakness of our tail, we need him to be like Steve Smith and get huge scores.

It would also be helpful if the police would hurry up and make a bloody decision on Stokes.

Cook's the only batsman we have with the mentality to just bat and bat and get the huge hundreds. It seems to be a trait sorely lacking in English batsmen in general. India and Australia have often had players who just occupy the crease and accumulate.

I would say this type of batsman is just as important in Australia as having fast bowlers. If your opposition has rapid bowlers, but they have to toil in the Aussie heat for hours on end it definitely blunts them.

As for what happened last night - I am Jack's lack of surprise. I think if we avoid a whitewash, and the new batsmen consistently get scores, the  I'd call this tour a success. It's come at the wrong time for us in terms of the personnel available and also their stage of development.

[Risso]

Stokes is obviously a huge loss to the squad as well. Ball looks about as threatening as Derek Pringle in his pipe and slippers.

[OzVilla]

I honestly think Stokes and the addition of a bowler with genuine pace and hostility and we'd have probably won this match. As it is the scorecard will read like we've been stuffed.

I said it pre-match we'd miss Stokes all-round presence and Wood's pace and that's how it turned out.  Woakes stays in the absence of Stokes but we need genuine pace that unsettles batsmen from somewhere. At least Adelaide is a day/night so the ball should do a lot more.

[PGW]

I honestly think Stokes and the addition of a bowler with genuine pace and hostility and we'd have probably won this match. As it is the scorecard will read like we've been stuffed.

I said it pre-match we'd miss Stokes all-round presence and Wood's pace and that's how it turned out.  Woakes stays in the absence of Stokes but we need genuine pace that unsettles batsmen from somewhere. At least Adelaide is a day/night so the ball should do a lot more.

Mark Wood starts his comeback tonight playing for the England Lions in a 3 day game. Lets hope he does well and gets through it.

[passitsideways]

I honestly think Stokes and the addition of a bowler with genuine pace and hostility and we'd have probably won this match. As it is the scorecard will read like we've been stuffed.

I said it pre-match we'd miss Stokes all-round presence and Wood's pace and that's how it turned out.  Woakes stays in the absence of Stokes but we need genuine pace that unsettles batsmen from somewhere. At least Adelaide is a day/night so the ball should do a lot more.

On the other hand, if half of the Australian top order hadn't been brainless in the first innings, it wouldn't have mattered.

[PaulWinch again]

Could say the same for England. Most of our batsmen got out, rather than were got out.

[OzVilla]

Well if Wood's only playing his first game back and its a 3 dayer its probably too soon for him for Adelaide as it starts on Saturday.

Aussie media making a huge fuss about the Bairstow headbut. McGrath only knows what he was thinking. This is either going to be a massive team bonding siege mentality revival or it'll turn into a tour from hell very quickly.

[tomd2103]

Well if Wood's only playing his first game back and its a 3 dayer its probably too soon for him for Adelaide as it starts on Saturday.

Aussie media making a huge fuss about the Bairstow headbut. McGrath only knows what he was thinking. This is either going to be a massive team bonding siege mentality revival or it'll turn into a tour from hell very quickly.

Bit concerning that yet another alcohol related behavioural issue has surfaced.  Article in the BBC says that Bairstow had been warned about his behaviour as recently as October, but he's now in the headlines for the wrong reason.  Does maybe suggest a problem with the culture of the team or at best a naivety amongst the players.