The International Cricket Thread

[LeeB]

I’d say there’s a pretty clear divide - basically first 18 months of this “project” they were very strong and the second 18 months or so they’ve dropped off. This is what I mean by not evolving. They’ve had the odd game where they’ve looked like they might be learning, but then reverted back to what was causing them issues.

I do think the balance between constantly chopping and changing and being too secure in your spot is a tricky one, but feels like we’ve been really bad at developing a squad outside of the first 11.

That first 18 months as well, that's great and everything but then the opposition are going to work to find ways to exploit this approach, which is made easier by the bold statements made by the players.

You're absolutely right that they haven't developed from there.

[olaftab]

The biggest threat to red ball cricket at home is of our own making, the awful awful 100. Basically takes out August, possibly the best moth for playing County and Test cricket.

[tomd2103]

I’d say there’s a pretty clear divide - basically first 18 months of this “project” they were very strong and the second 18 months or so they’ve dropped off. This is what I mean by not evolving. They’ve had the odd game where they’ve looked like they might be learning, but then reverted back to what was causing them issues.

I do think the balance between constantly chopping and changing and being too secure in your spot is a tricky one, but feels like we’ve been really bad at developing a squad outside of the first 11.

That first 18 months as well, that's great and everything but then the opposition are going to work to find ways to exploit this approach, which is made easier by the bold statements made by the players.

You're absolutely right that they haven't developed from there.

I was looking through the results since they took over and they have been pretty decent on the whole:

NZ (H)  2022 - Won 3-0
India (H) 2021/22 - Drew 2-2
SA (H) 2022 - Won 2-1
Pak (A) 2022 / 23 - Won 3-0
NZ (A) 2023 - Drew 1-1
Ireland (H) 2023 - Won 1-0
Aus (H) 2023 - Drew 2-2
India (A) 2023 / 24 - Lost 4-1
West Indies (H) 2024 - Won 3-0
Sri Lanka (A)  2024 - Won 2-1
Pakistan (A) 2024/25 - Lost 2-1
NZ (A) 2025 - Won 2-1
Zimbabwe (H) 2025  - Won 1-0
India (H)  2025 -  Drawn 2-2

They are quite a telling set of results really.  The draw in NZ in 2023 was a bit of an indication of how reckless and stubborn they could be.  Won the first test comfortably by 267 runs and then were comfortably on top at the halfway point in the 2nd, 226 runs ahead after the first innings.  Instead of batting again and really turning the screw to get into a position where the series was wrapped up, get enforced the follow-on, conceded 483 runs and then lost by one run.  That lack of ruthlessness abd wise game management when they have been in strong positions has been a bit of a theme really.

That said, it's a pretty decent set of results really, but the glaring thing that stand out are the results against India and Australia.  Again, with a bit better game management, we could have won the home series against them both, but we've looked absolutely miles away from being competitive against them away.  Surely that's something the ECB need to look at going forward.  They are the blue riband test series and surely the right amount of planning and preparation should go into them?

[tomd2103]

The biggest threat to red ball cricket at home is of our own making, the awful awful 100. Basically takes out August, possibly the best moth for playing County and Test cricket.

Agree, but it's not going anywhere sadly.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

Anyone seen the Duckett video? How wrecked is he?

[PaulWinch again]

No, but he’s got form for silly behaviour with drink. Obviously we probably all of that, but if any of them got obscenely drunk then that is very stupid in the circumstances.

[aev]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/dec/21/england-cricket-machine-collapses-like-castle-of-dust-in-11-days-ashes-australia-cricket

[taylorsworkrate]

I fully agree with them having time to themselves on a long tour, but you just cannot get yourself into the state Duckett has in that video. Its really poor.

I do think the people who filmed it then uploaded it are ****** themselves though....