The International Cricket Thread

[Villan For Life]

The selection is jumbled and inconsistent, that has to come from the three man selection panel of Key, McCullum and Stokes.

Now I want to avoid another review of English cricket which seems to happen after every Ashes defeat, these reviews get us nowhere. However something needs to change, there’s an arrogance around our test side that is not acceptable. I think this arrogance comes from a group of 8 or 9 players who know that they are guaranteed picks. The trouble is some of them are just not good enough at the highest level.

[PaulWinch again]

There also shouldn’t be a complete disconnect between county cricket and the Test team.

[Dave P]

Let’s start with the basics. You need a wicket keeper, not someone who is a good bat, hoping one day to be any good. Smith is not a Carey or a Foulkes - he’s a decent number 6 or 7, maybe even a number 3 now the Pope selection has so obviously failed.

You need a spinner. Not a bloke who is ok as a Test number 8 and can turn his arm over. It has to be someone who can average better than 5.5 runs an over with the ball. I didn’t mind them trying the Bashir experiment but to take him … and then not use him on the friendliest of spin pitches so far - strange.

An opener who can bat for more than 15 overs - only one is ok. I like Duckett and think he is a Test player - but Crawley? Really. Sibley or Jennings or someone who’s played grade cricket and knows the conditions … there must be some.

Have a number 3 that you can rely on to stick around and blunt the attack - Pope might be a dashing 5 or 6 but not a 3. Bethell? Hasn’t got a first class 100 and spent last summer waiting to play IPL or some other short format stuff. No doubt a good player but let the county scene at least see him and see if they can work him out.

County cricket - use it to develop Test players. Love it, cherish it, not treat it like some inconvenience between some non entity competition and the inconsequential 100.

Anyway what do I know, a paying member of the public, when I can afford the crunching prices.

Absolutely this.  Word for word.

[cdbearsfan]

At least absolutely ruining last year's County Championship with that Kookaburra nonsense turned out to be worthwhile.

[Beard82]

Unfortuantely so many of the concerns that people have had all along have played out in the most hideous fashion.

Pope, Crawley - just not good enough.  Cramming the team full of batters at the expense of specialist keeper and spinner has paid of as they havent delivered with the bat.  Continuing to give away cheap wickets by swining the bats when it not the time or place.  A pace attack that offers no control (Archer aside). 

Its a shame because it all feels so avoidable.  Few expected us to win, but I was hoping it would at least be competitive. 

All a bit of a balls up. 

[PaulWinch again]

Which was confusing anyway, given they generally utterly disregard county cricket and its importance.

[PaulWinch again]

Unfortuantely so many of the concerns that people have had all along have played out in the most hideous fashion.

Pope, Crawley - just not good enough.  Cramming the team full of batters at the expense of specialist keeper and spinner has paid of as they havent delivered with the bat.  Continuing to give away cheap wickets by swining the bats when it not the time or place.  A pace attack that offers no control (Archer aside). 

Its a shame because it all feels so avoidable.  Few expected us to win, but I was hoping it would at least be competitive. 

All a bit of a balls up. 

The bowling part is really odd. It’s like they’ve forgotten that one of the absolute musts is having control. It’s fine to have one wildcard in your attack like Tongue, but you have to get control from the rest.

[Baldy]

Australia play cricket like it is a 5 day test.

England play cricket like it is a 2 day test.

It's 5 days for a reason!!

[Beard82]

As its christmas, and at christmas you get what you want... or some such bollocks...

I think Archer plays the innings of his life, and Stoke finishes on 185 not out. 

---------

I know ill doz off after the first few overs and awake to hear that the Aussie at 130-1 but til that point I choose to believe, being christmas and all.

[KevinGage]

Archer has looked way more competent with the bat than most of the top order batsmen, in fairness.

[tomd2103]

Let’s start with the basics. You need a wicket keeper, not someone who is a good bat, hoping one day to be any good. Smith is not a Carey or a Foulkes - he’s a decent number 6 or 7, maybe even a number 3 now the Pope selection has so obviously failed.

You need a spinner. Not a bloke who is ok as a Test number 8 and can turn his arm over. It has to be someone who can average better than 5.5 runs an over with the ball. I didn’t mind them trying the Bashir experiment but to take him … and then not use him on the friendliest of spin pitches so far - strange.

An opener who can bat for more than 15 overs - only one is ok. I like Duckett and think he is a Test player - but Crawley? Really. Sibley or Jennings or someone who’s played grade cricket and knows the conditions … there must be some.

Have a number 3 that you can rely on to stick around and blunt the attack - Pope might be a dashing 5 or 6 but not a 3. Bethell? Hasn’t got a first class 100 and spent last summer waiting to play IPL or some other short format stuff. No doubt a good player but let the county scene at least see him and see if they can work him out.

County cricket - use it to develop Test players. Love it, cherish it, not treat it like some inconvenience between some non entity competition and the inconsequential 100.

Anyway what do I know, a paying member of the public, when I can afford the crunching prices.

Not too much to disagree with there to be honest.  It's a tough one as test match cricket involves playing in completely alien conditions which makes playing in those conditions very tough.  We look miles away from being competitive in Australia and India and don't want to seem to try and give ourselves the best chance of doing so with proper preparations. It also doesn't look.like the players are really up for the challenges those kind of series present.