The Cricket Thread 2017

[Gareth]

Can’t believe that Bairstow greeting with a head tap is weirder than Western Australia knowing who has the heaviest head :-)

Was a brilliantly executed piece of gamesmanship by the village idiot Warner who knew exactly what he was doing getting close enough to the stump mic to make the comment - at that point Bairstow was literally the last chance England had to salvage the game.

As for the team, would def swap Bairstow & Mo in batting order, with the rabbits at 9, 10 & 11 I’d rather have Mo going for shots and Bairstow is a more reliable proper batsman for 6.

Bowling I think Ball failed his audition big style but is Overton and better or more likely to step up? Do we go for Crane instead of Ball and try and eek bowlers 4/5 out of Crane / Mo & Root? Woakes we have to hope gets back to 2016 form sharpish as it horribly exposes lack of 4th seamer quality.

[shirley_villan]

Looks like Stokes has been spotted at Heathrow flying out to Oz.

[PaulWinch again]

Supposedly flying to NZ for time with family.

[paul_e]

Supposedly flying to NZ for time with family.

Pretty convenient for him to fly to the same area of the world as England happen to be in (I know he has family there) and flying over just at the right time to be fully acclimatised by the 3rd test.  I suspect we'll see him involved if the 2nd test doesn't go any better.

That said, despite the scoreline, I think it was genuinely a game of fine margins, Letting Smith and Cummins get them back into the game was the key period, once they had a first innings lead it was always going to be a tough game as their confidence was up from clawing their way back into it.

[spangley1812]

From ESPN

Ben Stokes has been spotted at Heathrow Airport, sporting his full cricket kit, fuelling extensive rumours that he is heading to Australia to reinforce England's Ashes squad in the wake of their defeat in the first Test at Brisbane.

An ECB official confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he was at the airport, but insisted that he was not heading out to join the Ashes squad.

[PaulWinch again]

Well I'm assuming the police aren't charging him, otherwise I doubt he'd be allowed leave the country.

[olaftab]

Police can not do anything to restrict anyone before a charge is cited. After that they can restrict up to trial. After trial restriction if required is placed by the Court. (I think😊)

[JD]

Heard today that Stokes is heading here to Christchurch to have a couple of games for Canterbury. Warm up for rejoining England in Oz?   

[PaulWinch again]

Police can not do anything to restrict anyone before a charge is cited. After that they can restrict up to trial. After trial restriction if required is placed by the Court. (I think😊)

Fair enough, I do wonder if anything has changed though.

[OzVilla]

Wouldn't surprise me if he's been given the nod ahead of an announcement. I hope so, England really missed him in Brisbane.

[PaulWinch again]

Just seems odd that he'd suddenly make the decision to go now if there wasn't some expectation he was going to be cleared.

[paul_e]

I agree, I suspect someone has told him that no charges are going to be sought so he's getting near to the squad so when things get announced he can quickly join them.  I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't play a part later in the series.

[Villan For Life]

I agree, I suspect someone has told him that no charges are going to be sought so he's getting near to the squad so when things get announced he can quickly join them.  I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't play a part later in the series.

The third test starts in Perth on 14 December. Ideally we need to avoid defeat in the second test and have Stokes in situ and ready to play with England one down with three to play.

If the Aussies win the second test then we will not recover from that with our without Stokes.

[PaulWinch again]

I would be absolutely astounded if the second Test ends in a draw. I think it's probably 55% chance Australia win, 44% chance England win and 1% chance of a draw.

[paul_e]

I would be absolutely astounded if the second Test ends in a draw. I think it's probably 55% chance Australia win, 44% chance England win and 1% chance of a draw.

It depends on what the pink ball does under the lights. In the games where I've seen it there's been loads of swing once the lights come on.  If that happens it should improve our chances.