The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Got to say the England ODI side has been a painful watch for the last year or so. I realise it’s depleted, but blimey.

[olaftab]

Awful. England have made such a hardwork  of an innings.

[dcdavecollett]

Hard to blame the players too much, after the domestic 50-over game has been sacrificed at the altar of the 16.4.

[PaulWinch again]

I’m not sure the level of performance over the last year can be put fully at the door of the Hundred. It might be a factor, but it’s not the only point.

[Gareth]

It has to be a huge factor alongside the fact that half the proper squad have finished a test series less than a week ago so aren’t in WI.

The garbage Hundred nonsense has meant next to no 50 over cricket is played by the top players in the English summer….that can’t be ideal for international series

[paul_e]

It's not just the hundred but rather the entire approach to scheduling across English Cricket.

[dcdavecollett]

We play more International cricket than anyone, so it's not surprising the performances are so variable when the games are often non-stop.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Just watched the highlights of day 4 and 5 Headingly 1981. Brilliant (obviously), but equally brilliant to hear the commentary (Benaud, Martin-Jenkins, Graveney, Dexter), all of them of the less is more school now sadly out of favour.

What the commentary reminded me of was Ted Lowe's snooker style.

BTW I'm now running on empty, and I'm well into memories and anecdotes only.

[Steve67]

We play more International cricket than anyone, so it's not surprising the performances are so variable when the games are often non-stop.

You would think we would be a little bit more organised if that was the case. Today we seem to have quite a long tail and used nine bowlers, which just smacks of disorganised thinking.

[dcdavecollett]

I'm sure that mutliple tours can't help, with players needing some rest between tours.

I wonder when the LO sides actually put their probable best eleven out on the pitch?

[PaulWinch again]

This is a brilliant knock from Livingstone.

[PaulWinch again]

To show control when we were wobbling and then that acceleration was top class.

[PaulWinch again]

Impressive by Bethell too, you can see the talent.

[paul_e]

Bethel is still very raw but he's got the potential to be a top class all-rounder in all formats.

[JD]

Another brilliant win for NZ in India. Clean sweep 3-0 in the tests.