The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Well if he went back in time Silverwood would pick the same teams that he did for the first two tests. That alone should result in him giving his marching orders.

To say we got the balance of the attack right for the pink ball test is just demonstrably wrong. They clearly picked a bowling attack solely thinking about the short evening periods under lights, not the conditions as a whole.

[UK Redsox]

....and when Australia allowed England to bowl in those conditions (by not enforcing the follow-on), they couldn't take advantage.
The only wicket they took was gifted to them by a run-out.

[PaulWinch again]

To be honest the whole Silverwood appointment was weird. He was the bowling coach, he got promoted to Head Coach, and then was made sole selector as well. An absolutely ludicrous overloading of responsibility, on probably the wrong person.

Also one pet peeve for me. A number of players call him “spoons”, which is obviously a nickname from when he was in the ranks. It just shows to me he’s too close to the players. If you’re in the head coach role you need to have some distance.

[tomd2103]

Watched a really good discussion between Atherton, Hussain, Key and Ward on the two tests so far.  Pretty much agreed that the England set up have got pretty much every let decision wrong so far.

The comments Silverwood and Root have come out with over the past couple of days suggest a set up in which criticism isn't really being taken on board.

[Villan For Life]

Silverwood was an uninspiring choice as coach and that decision has backfired, he must go. We need a coach who inspires and makes the right calls on difficult decisions. Silverwood is too close to the players and the lack of discipline is evident.

If he was up for it then I’d consider Eoin Mogan as coach, he’s ruthless, robust and innovative and transformed the one day side. He’s inexperienced as a coach and it’s probably too far out there to be considered. The whole shambles needs a shake up, yet again it’s harder to get out of that team than into it.

[LeeB]

I have to say the comments Root made about the bowling made me raise my eyebrows on several levels, and it seems Ricky Ponting's too.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

I have to say the comments Root made about the bowling made me raise my eyebrows on several levels, and it seems Ricky Ponting's too.

Me too. He’s made a valid point, but throwing the bowlers under the bus can’t help. And giving more ammunition to Ponting wasn’t helpful.

[PaulWinch again]

Another op for Jof. Worrying, I hope he makes a full recovery.

[UK Redsox]

Bumble has retired from commentating

[Steve67]

To be honest the whole Silverwood appointment was weird. He was the bowling coach, he got promoted to Head Coach, and then was made sole selector as well. An absolutely ludicrous overloading of responsibility, on probably the wrong person.

Also one pet peeve for me. A number of players call him “spoons”, which is obviously a nickname from when he was in the ranks. It just shows to me he’s too close to the players. If you’re in the head coach role you need to have some distance.

Couldn't agree more.  We have steadily gone backwards with the current regime. 

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Bumble has retired from commentating

He was a pretty good commentator, and a decent foil to Hussain's snarkiness, but when he slipped into "comedian" mode it became tiresome.

[olaftab]

Another op for Jof. Worrying, I hope he makes a full recovery.

I am afraid that he may never operate at elite level again. That would be a sad loss of talent....best of luck but I feel for him.

[Villa Lew]

Bumble has retired from commentating

I think Sky probably asked him to step down due to his involvement in the Azeem Rafiq affair, where it appears he made a stupid, rather than racist, comment on twitter. Rafiq did not want this, for him the matter was closed as soon as Lloyd phoned him to apologise for any offence caused. Not sure he is retiring from the commentary box rumour has it might be moving to Talksport or BT.



So as well as Bumble, over the last few

[LeeB]

I think commentary teams are moving away from the banter-fuelled old boys set up in general.

[tomd2103]

Bumble has retired from commentating

I think Sky probably asked him to step down due to his involvement in the Azeem Rafiq affair, where it appears he made a stupid, rather than racist, comment on twitter. Rafiq did not want this, for him the matter was closed as soon as Lloyd phoned him to apologise for any offence caused. Not sure he is retiring from the commentary box rumour has it might be moving to Talksport or BT.

No context has ever been given to the comments that have  been attributed to David Lloyd though.  If they were part of a wider honest conversation about why certain tensions exist in grass roots cricket then that is a completely different context to the way they have been presented in isolation.  There of course is the possibility that they weren't said in any such context.