The International Cricket Thread

[Beard82]

For me, assuming this and the rest of the series all plays out as expected, it will probably trigger the usual enquiry. 

Personally, I would be mindful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Aggressive cricket is fine.  Bit I think we're not a million miles off - we just need to evolve what were doing.

Value your wicket a bit more, a few more bowlers that can control the run rate alongside the strike players. 

There are talented players in this squad, they just need a bit depth to there game

[Gareth]

For me, assuming this and the rest of the series all plays out as expected, it will probably trigger the usual enquiry. 

Personally, I would be mindful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Aggressive cricket is fine.  Bit I think we're not a million miles off - we just need to evolve what were doing.

Value your wicket a bit more, a few more bowlers that can control the run rate alongside the strike players. 

There are talented players in this squad, they just need a bit depth to there game

I tend to disagree a little, the fact we were so arrogant as to go into the most important test series of all completely cold has to be addressed.  The money around the England team in terms of contracts and staff is huge so there is no excuse to not prepare properly.

Buck stops with Key and he should be gone.  Would be surprised if McCullum is still in charge come summer but I suspect that would have been the case win / lose or draw.  Stokes will be down to his body, does he want to play on in red ball or kill some white ball opportunities

[paul_e]

We have 2 major issues to solve and they were clear before the series so it shouldn't be news.

1. We need to sort out the top 3. If you're top order is functioning you should normally be looking to get through the first 20 overs with no more than 1 wicket gone. That's the new ball seen off and you're into the game. We haven't managed it once in 6 attempts in this series, and that's why we're struggling to put on competitive scores.

2. We need a proper wicketkeeper.

The attack has some minor problems as well but given we've lost Anderson, Broad and Woakes in the course of about 18months that was always going to need some time.

[Beard82]

For me, assuming this and the rest of the series all plays out as expected, it will probably trigger the usual enquiry. 

Personally, I would be mindful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Aggressive cricket is fine.  Bit I think we're not a million miles off - we just need to evolve what were doing.

Value your wicket a bit more, a few more bowlers that can control the run rate alongside the strike players. 

There are talented players in this squad, they just need a bit depth to there game

I tend to disagree a little, the fact we were so arrogant as to go into the most important test series of all completely cold has to be addressed.  The money around the England team in terms of contracts and staff is huge so there is no excuse to not prepare properly.

Buck stops with Key and he should be gone.  Would be surprised if McCullum is still in charge come summer but I suspect that would have been the case win / lose or draw.  Stokes will be down to his body, does he want to play on in red ball or kill some white ball opportunities

I probably wasnt clear - I think there needs to be changes, just maybe not wholesale changes.  I'd keep Stokes 100%, but I wouldnt be surprised if he goes after the white ball money.  Other players like Duckett I think are good - just need a bit more coaching.  Basically - I think its evolution over revelution but with Keys and McCullum they seem to just double down rather than evolve.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s a shame that we’ve only really started to compete in the last two days, as a team. Still given the bar for success is so bloody low, if they win one of the last two it’ll be something to rejoice. We’ve got to break this sequence.

[Somniloquism]

This ashes series must have been the final nail.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yqz5we58jo

[tomd2103]

It’s a shame that we’ve only really started to compete in the last two days, as a team. Still given the bar for success is so bloody low, if they win one of the last two it’ll be something to rejoice. We’ve got to break this sequence.

Ian Healy said before the Adelaide test started that this would be like the first test for England given their lack of preparation before the other two and that the players might be now ready to play.

[Gareth]

For me, assuming this and the rest of the series all plays out as expected, it will probably trigger the usual enquiry. 

Personally, I would be mindful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Aggressive cricket is fine.  Bit I think we're not a million miles off - we just need to evolve what were doing.

Value your wicket a bit more, a few more bowlers that can control the run rate alongside the strike players. 

There are talented players in this squad, they just need a bit depth to there game

I tend to disagree a little, the fact we were so arrogant as to go into the most important test series of all completely cold has to be addressed.  The money around the England team in terms of contracts and staff is huge so there is no excuse to not prepare properly.

Buck stops with Key and he should be gone.  Would be surprised if McCullum is still in charge come summer but I suspect that would have been the case win / lose or draw.  Stokes will be down to his body, does he want to play on in red ball or kill some white ball opportunities

I probably wasnt clear - I think there needs to be changes, just maybe not wholesale changes.  I'd keep Stokes 100%, but I wouldnt be surprised if he goes after the white ball money.  Other players like Duckett I think are good - just need a bit more coaching.  Basically - I think its evolution over revelution but with Keys and McCullum they seem to just double down rather than evolve.

Think Stokes has earnt that right too….amount of times he has put himself through it to rehab for test cricket.

Duckett is a real odd one, do you think he can be coached to not go after every ball? Think he has massive talent but that is a huge ask to turn off the instincts when the only time he sees a red ball is test matches

One thing that I do think gets overlooked a bit is the fact in 2 years we’ve lost Anderson, Broad and Woakes (although he probs would have missed Aus anyway) + Wood is unavailable so majority of our attack for last decade has gone….Aus will have same issue incoming with Starc, hazlewood, Cummins & Lyon all aging similarly

[aev]

The whole thing is built on "vibes".

"McCullum was hand-picked for the role by Rob Key, who is also smart and interesting, but remains a managing director of a huge sporting enterprise who has never had any kind of administration job before, a non-details man who hired another non-details man to look after the details of high performance."

[PaulWinch again]

I do think the Australian media agenda is driving the narrative a bit. They’ve ballsed up this series and they haven’t kicked on, but what Key, McCullum, and Stokes have done is not a complete car crash. They took over a team who had won 1 in 17 and were on the floor. There has been brilliant cricket along the way. They’re guilty of not evolving it to the next stage, but they’re not the mugs they’re being painted as.

[Steve67]

We have won something like 16 out of 33 tests but have only really played India and Australia in that time.  Our cricketers do everything but actually play cricket.  They love the IPL and The Hundred, where they look after their wallets but they need to play red ball cricket more often.  The County Championship needs looking at too.  We are a disgrace to the game, far too undercooked.

[aev]

I do think the Australian media agenda is driving the narrative a bit. They’ve ballsed up this series and they haven’t kicked on, but what Key, McCullum, and Stokes have done is not a complete car crash. They took over a team who had won 1 in 17 and were on the floor. There has been brilliant cricket along the way. They’re guilty of not evolving it to the next stage, but they’re not the mugs they’re being painted as.

I'd say they have played just as much dopey cricket as brilliant cricket.

India are no great shakes, we haven't even played Australia's best xi yet, and it looks as though Cummins and Hazlewood will play one game between them.

I dont think there is that much difference between the teams on paper, but there is a massive difference in application and it appears preparation.