The International Cricket Thread

[Nev]

It depends who they replace Gower and Botham with. Gower is one of a dying breed, calm, understated, knowledgeable and literate. I'm not so keen on Botham but one only has to listen 5Live lately to fear that noise, hyperbole, barking ignorance and worst of all, banter are on the agenda.
Let's hope TMS continues to resist such claptrap.

[Villan For Life]

It depends who they replace Gower and Botham with. Gower is one of a dying breed, calm, understated, knowledgeable and literate. I'm not so keen on Botham but one only has to listen 5Live lately to fear that noise, hyperbole, barking ignorance and worst of all, banter are on the agenda.
Let's hope TMS continues to resist such claptrap.

Atherton and Hussain offer much more insight than Gower or Botham. Have you noticed that neither Botham or Gower never did the third man/analyst role in the commentary box? That suggests that they weren’t prepared to move with the times.

I like Ian Ward and think that he’s a natural replacement for Gower. I think Holding is leaving too which will leave a huge hole. However they have some great “pundits”, Warne and Ponting have been brilliant.

[hilts_coolerking]

It depends who they replace Gower and Botham with. Gower is one of a dying breed, calm, understated, knowledgeable and literate. I'm not so keen on Botham but one only has to listen 5Live lately to fear that noise, hyperbole, barking ignorance and worst of all, banter are on the agenda.
Let's hope TMS continues to resist such claptrap.

Atherton and Hussain offer much more insight than Gower or Botham. Have you noticed that neither Botham or Gower never did the third man/analyst role in the commentary box? That suggests that they weren’t prepared to move with the times.

I like Ian Ward and think that he’s a natural replacement for Gower. I think Holding is leaving too which will leave a huge hole. However they have some great “pundits”, Warne and Ponting have been brilliant.

Gower did do a little bit of third man this game, but in the main you're right.  He and, especially, Botham are not natural analysts or deep thinkers about the game.  Atherton and Hussian are the two gems in that commentary box, although Ponting has also been great to listen to this summer, he always spots something.  Warne and Bumble have both become boring.

[tomd2103]

Lots of deficiencies in the Test set up that need addressing, but a drawn Ashes series to put alongside the World Cup is a pretty decent international summer when you consider some of the dross served up in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. 

2-2 is probably about right - after all if Lord's hadn't been so weather affected we'd probably have won there. Stokes' brilliant rescue act at Headingley notwithstanding, Smith was the difference between the two sides and his absence in that Test probably is the reason they haven't won the urn outright.

Agree with this summary.  I hope the fact that we have managed to salvage a draw doesn't mean we paper over the cracks and pretend everything is fine.  We need to rethink our approach to test cricket and have done for some time. 

Hopefully Burns can really kick on from here and become an established test opener and that we can find him a suitably reliable partner.  Denly has done enough for me to keep his place for the time being, but I would move him to three which will allow Root to go back to his favoured position at four.  Similarly, I would move Stokes down to six and bring in another front line batsman at five, which could be Pope.  It would then be a straight choice between Bairstow, Buttler and Foakes for the keeper spot at seven. 

The bowling depends on how long Broad and Anderson go on for I suppose. Those two with Archer looks our first choice attack at the moment and Leach has probably done enough this series, though an in form Moeen Ali would provide better balance at 8.

[Nev]

I agree on Ward, gutted that Holding is leaving, his lagubriuos, laid back style perfectly compliments the more enthusiastic contributions from the Australians. I don't mind Ponting but Warne annoys me a bit for no obvious reason.

I hope it doesn't end up like the 20/20 coverage, particularly finals day which is not my sort of thing at all.

[taylorsworkrate]

They have to find a way of getting Broad, Anderson and Archer into the team. Our 3 best seam bowlers by a distance.

The problem does come as people say, with Leach also, it would make a very long tail. If Moeen could rediscover his very best form then that solves the issue.

That feels a bit fanciful at present though.

[taylorsworkrate]

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Stokes
Moeen
Curran
Archer
Broad
Anderson

That would be my team for the first test of the New Zealand series. There are no test championship points at play, so an opportunity to give the likes of Sibley, Crawley and Pope a real chance. Obviously the Moeen selection depends a lot on his latter season form and state of mind.

Edit. Just realised there is no keeper in this team! Maybe Buttler for Curran and move Moeen down to 8

[Lsvilla]

I agree on Ward, gutted that Holding is leaving, his lagubriuos, laid back style perfectly compliments the more enthusiastic contributions from the Australians. I don't mind Ponting but Warne annoys me a bit for no obvious reason.

I hope it doesn't end up like the 20/20 coverage, particularly finals day which is not my sort of thing at all.

Is Holding definitely leaving ? Sure he mentioned that he was going to be in South Africa this winter.

[paul_e]

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Stokes
Moeen
Curran
Archer
Broad
Anderson

That would be my team for the first test of the New Zealand series. There are no test championship points at play, so an opportunity to give the likes of Sibley, Crawley and Pope a real chance. Obviously the Moeen selection depends a lot on his latter season form and state of mind.

Edit. Just realised there is no keeper in this team! Maybe Buttler for Curran and move Moeen down to 8

Pope has played keeper a fair bit.

[tomd2103]

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Stokes
Moeen
Curran
Archer
Broad
Anderson

That would be my team for the first test of the New Zealand series. There are no test championship points at play, so an opportunity to give the likes of Sibley, Crawley and Pope a real chance. Obviously the Moeen selection depends a lot on his latter season form and state of mind.

Edit. Just realised there is no keeper in this team! Maybe Buttler for Curran and move Moeen down to 8

Pope has played keeper a fair bit.

He has, but probably should be allowed to concentrate on his batting if selected and not burden him with the gloves. Buttler, Bairstow or Foakes is a pretty healthy trio of options for the keeper / 7 spot.

[taylorsworkrate]

I wouldn't include Bairstow in the options to be honest. His batting has fallen off a cliff in test cricket over the last couple of years. That's coincided with his excellent form in ODI's but he isn't showing the willingness to make the necessary adjustments in the longer format.

[Steve67]

Pleasing not to have lost the series but this Aussie side, Smith apart, has been rescued by their bowling and England's frailty with the bat.  A really enjoyable series to watch, although neither side reaches the heights of sides gone by.  Burns and Denly seem to be settling and should keep their places squadwise.  I hope that someone gets hold of Archer and makes him a more ruthless and hungry bowler.  Hopefully, Wood and Stone are fit to select for the NZ tour. 

[taylorsworkrate]

Pleasing not to have lost the series but this Aussie side, Smith apart, has been rescued by their bowling and England's frailty with the bat.  A really enjoyable series to watch, although neither side reaches the heights of sides gone by.  Burns and Denly seem to be settling and should keep their places squadwise.  I hope that someone gets hold of Archer and makes him a more ruthless and hungry bowler.  Hopefully, Wood and Stone are fit to select for the NZ tour. 

Archer, Wood and Stone all fully fit and firing would be an exciting proposition. Unfortunately both Wood and Stone appear to be held together by sticky tape.

[PaulWinch again]

If Burns continues to do well he’s ultimately a captaincy option.

[SoccerHQ]

Didn't realise Channel 5 highlights are also ending....I like that team of Mark Nicholas, Vaughan and Sir Geo...... sorry Boycott.

I know BBC are showing the Hundred but who's showing the home test highlights from next year?