The International Cricket Thread

[Nunkin1965]

This is painful.
Has there ever been a worse England Test Match side?

[Bully2345]

This side really really really can't bat. The bowling isn't great either but we'll keep picking these batsman and the chat will be about whether we pick a spinner or not.

If we somehow put a partnership together and get to the evening session at 200-3 tomorrow, Australia will get another new ball under the lights and it'll be jenga again.

Really depressing

[paul_e]

Absolutely pathetic so far this test. Yesterday was some of the worst captaincy I've ever seen, basically giving up for 40-50 overs until the lights came on. A bit better in parts today but still let them score far too many with the tail after tea, meaning the decision to put us in a few overs at thr end was a really easy one, that's a bigger call with 410-420 on the board. Then our openers go in and don't seem to realise that their only job is to survive until the end of play.

We're already at the point, after 2 days, where our only priority is to avoid the follow-on so we have a chance of getting the draw and dodging a whitewash in the series, fucking woeful. Root won't be England captain after this series unless there's the most dramatic turnaround ever and he must know that or is the bubble so thick that they can't see how badly they're letting the country down tight now?

[tomd2103]

Woakes has not bowled particularly well these first two games. Let’s be honest it’s his batting keeping him in the side.

Simply haven't learnt lessons from previous tours.  If Woakes is going to play on those conditions, he has to open the bowling.  If he's not going to open the bowling, then he shouldn't play as he gets hammered when he comes on when the ball isn't doing anything. 

Still think we would have struggled as our top order just can't perform, but we really needed Archer and Stone as options for this series.

[PaulWinch again]

Thing is you just have to be better than that. You can’t only be useful if opening the bowling, you have to at least be able to bowl tight in the middle overs.

It’s all a shambles though, yet again. This series will lead to a blood letting. Root is a brilliant player, our only consistent quality batter. He’s not a great captain, but I don’t see a viable alternative. Stokes is probably it, but I’m not sure you’d want to add more to his workload. There’s literally no one else who is a definite starter.
Silverwood has had a horrible reign - not all his fault, but my god our poor planning and decision making has to come back to him. Also the decision to combine the coach and selector role to “create more accountability” is utterly brainless. There’s a fundamental conflict in the two roles and they need to be separate.

[Brazilian Villain]

Players off

Before your time I know but this is what came to mind for me.

[UK Redsox]

How young do you think I am ?

[Brazilian Villain]

How young do you think I am ?

After thinking Monty was in his 60s I've decided to err on the side of caution going forward.

[Rory]

How young do you think I am ?

After thinking Monty was in his 60s I've decided to err on the side of caution going forward.

To be fair, that's his own fault for having that username and for posting in full sentences and paragraphs and whatnot. Bloody boffin.

[PaulWinch again]

So by the time I wake up tomorrow just over session will have been played. I’m going to be generous and suspect we’ll be 8 down rather than all out by that point.

[Richard E]

So by the time I wake up tomorrow just over session will have been played. I’m going to be generous and suspect we’ll be 8 down rather than all out by that point.

You could be right, but unfortunately it will be 8 down in our second innings, following on.

[tomd2103]

Thing is you just have to be better than that. You can’t only be useful if opening the bowling, you have to at least be able to bowl tight in the middle overs.

It’s all a shambles though, yet again. This series will lead to a blood letting. Root is a brilliant player, our only consistent quality batter. He’s not a great captain, but I don’t see a viable alternative. Stokes is probably it, but I’m not sure you’d want to add more to his workload. There’s literally no one else who is a definite starter.
Silverwood has had a horrible reign - not all his fault, but my god our poor planning and decision making has to come back to him. Also the decision to combine the coach and selector role to “create more accountability” is utterly brainless. There’s a fundamental conflict in the two roles and they need to be separate.

Agree Paul and in our conditions he does just that.  On his previous trips to Australia he has been cannon fodder coming on 2nd change when the ball isn't doing anything though. 

We were absolutely pathetic on our last two series down there and this doesn't look like it is going to be any better.  The paying public down there do deserve better to be totally honest.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

I watch the highlights with a growing sense of doom and destruction. I honestly doubt my sanity for expecting something brighter.

Even the slight delight of admiring Hameed’s rather excellent “scruffy chic” aesthetic has been obliterated.

[tony scott]

I’m amazed how the Aussies really love these totally one sided match’s

[Rory]

It's because they're savages with no sense of fair play or sporting honour.

But seriously, I think we'd be the same, but unfortunately the Aussies travel a bit better than us so the odd test aside, we rarely give them a shellacking over here in the way they do to us over there.