The International Cricket Thread

[Risso]

These openers aren't hanging about are they?

[Gareth]

jaiswal looks pretty handy….McCullum will be enjoying how he has gone about his job.

[PaulWinch again]

There will still be plenty in the pitch, but we’re bowling too poorly to exploit any of it at the moment. We need a bit of a reset, this is still a pitch where 2/3 can go quite quickly.

[taylorsworkrate]

There will still be plenty in the pitch, but we’re bowling too poorly to exploit any of it at the moment. We need a bit of a reset, this is still a pitch where 2/3 can go quite quickly.

I'd add the caveat to the "2/3 can go quite quickly" that you need test match level spinners for that to be a possibility

[PaulWinch again]

The loss of the three reviews is really poor, the first two were dreadful.

[Risso]

It's going to take more than Bazball to get something out of this game and series, we just haven't got the players for it. Stokes will put together some decent heroic knocks you'd imagine but other than that, their bowlers will have a field day as will their batsmen.

[taylorsworkrate]

Winning in India is next to impossible at the best of times. Going there with 3 spinners who between them have played 1 test match, all of whom have very medicore FC records gives you absolutely no chance. Leach is ok at test level, but no more than that really. It really is shocking the lack of competent spin options our system is creating.

[PaulWinch again]

Chastening day - worst bit was the first two reviews, desperate and just poor.

[taylorsworkrate]

Chastening day - worst bit was the first two reviews, desperate and just poor.

It's no surprise how dominant India have been. We've effectively got a trio of county spinners (2 of whom could potentially be ok in a few years, and maybe slightly harsh on Leach) trying to bowl to world class batsmen in their home conditions. Compared to the 3 quality spinners they have. I didn't expect anything other than a 5-0 drubbing and besides some sort of freak cyclone causing play to be abandoned somewhere, today has only solidified that belief.

Ultimately the ECB need to be far more proactive in trying to bring spin bowlers through. There's been a lot thats been excellent about English test cricket over the last 18 months or so, but to go into a tour like this and have these be the best spin options is horrendous

[PaulWinch again]

I think fixing the spin issue is really tough. You’ve got counties that want to protect their interests, which is understandable, and the game just isn’t set up for spinners really.

[Risso]

Winning in India is next to impossible at the best of times. Going there with 3 spinners who between them have played 1 test match, all of whom have very medicore FC records gives you absolutely no chance. Leach is ok at test level, but no more than that really. It really is shocking the lack of competent spin options our system is creating.

Agreed. Leach has been decent, but in a containing and not letting the batsmen score quickly sort of way. He's certainly not a matchwinning wicket taker for the most part.

[PaulWinch again]

Leach is fine, but as you say he’s more functional than devastating. Our problem is all our other spinners are incredibly inexperienced. Tricky one, because you could go to experienced players like Dawson but there’s every chance you still get a hiding - it is the hardest place to go. So I guess they’ve gone with a view that they’ve identified some prospects and want them to get experience. Risky and as seen today can get ugly, but so can being conservative. Personally given the squad available, and Root’s ability, I would have gone sign Jimmy or Robinson in the team. I would just like to have someone who I know can offer control.

The three wasted reviews was really poor and was indicative of panic/rustiness. The last one was fair enough out of context, but due to the first two, which were ridiculous, it wasn’t nailed on enough to risk losing the opportunity for the rest of the innings. But that’s gone now, and tomorrow they have to come out and be a lot more accurate, and hope India make some mistakes.

[Villan For Life]

We will never produce international class, effective spinners when the red ball game in this country is marginalised by the white ball game.

[taylorsworkrate]

We will never produce international class, effective spinners when the red ball game in this country is marginalised by the white ball game.

Absolutely. We haven't had a good spinner since Swann

[taylorsworkrate]

I think fixing the spin issue is really tough. You’ve got counties that want to protect their interests, which is understandable, and the game just isn’t set up for spinners really.

playing pretty much all 4 day cricket in April and May, and then a bit in September certainly doesn't help it. Conditions like those will always encourage teams to stack their bowling with dibbly dobbly seamers. As people have mentioned, the shorter format is the cash cow for the ECB though