The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

We look in poor shape for Australia, but Robinson looks a good bowler.

[PaulWinch again]

They can’t continue with Crawley.

[TopDeck113]

I went yesterday and we looked a poor, sloppy team in the field with no spark.  Broad I reckon is gone and if Archer was fit shouldn't be in the Test team.

However, the biggest concern is the batting. Simply not good enough at the top of the order. If the Ashes goes ahead this winter, we're going to be blown away.

[Meanwood Villa]

Got a couple of day four tickets for this series. Not sure if I'll see any play with our batting line up.

[olaftab]

We look in poor shape for Australia, but Robinson looks a good bowler.

I reckon bowling will be ok come end of the year however batting is very fragile for a test team so it's not going to be pretty in Australia.

[Flamingo Lane]

Bloody hell.  Buttler.  What was that?

[Steve67]

Brain dead cricket from Curran. Broad follows quickly. Fuck sake.

[PaulWinch again]

Root excellent.

[tomd2103]

I fear for this series and the Ashes, it’s getting back to 1990’s levels of ineptitude. As memorable as the World Cup win was, it’s clearly come at the expense of test cricket.

Think the ECB have a lot to answer for really.  They have sidelined the County Championship to the point where it is just a footnote in the domestic season and the real highlight of the season is getting as many pissed up idiots as possible at Edgbaston singing Sweet Caroline on T20 finals day. 

I may be out of step, but for me the County Championship is the biggest prize and the competition should be the bedrock of the game in this country.  I just can't see how you fit everything in now though and the 50 over tournament has now been downgraded to a reserve team competition in favour of The Hundred.  Young players coming through now see the rewards on offer in the white ball competitions around the world and develop a game suited to those forms of cricket. 

[tomd2103]

I went yesterday and we looked a poor, sloppy team in the field with no spark.  Broad I reckon is gone and if Archer was fit shouldn't be in the Test team.

However, the biggest concern is the batting. Simply not good enough at the top of the order. If the Ashes goes ahead this winter, we're going to be blown away.

Don't think Silverwood was the right person for the job to be honest as something hasn't been right with the test set up for some time now and it needed a new approach.  They still seem to be persisting with this mantra of "that's the way we play" after batsmen are continually getting themselves out and the problems just persist.  New Zealand are an example of how test cricket should be played, but the England set up has seemed too "matey" for some time now. 

[UK Redsox]

Mo recalled for the second test.

I hope that he plays (ahead of Lawrence), otherwise what's the point in bringing him in.

I'd also like to see Hameed start ahead of Sibley

[dcdavecollett]

Agreed.

[PaulWinch again]

They need to start getting their selection right. I’m still annoyed by how Bracey was treated - chucked in in a position in wasn’t selected for against the world’s best Test side. That will have set him back a lot.

[UK Redsox]

Looks like Broad is out of the Second Test and there's doubts over Jimmy as well

Saqib Mahmood called up

[UK Redsox]

Broad confirmed as out of the rest of the India series