The International Cricket Thread

[KevinGage]

Stokes is, what 35 years old now?

He'll be 37/38 by the time the next Ashes rolls around.

That's old for a Test cricketer anyway. But particularly one that gets through the workload he does. And he's been no stranger to injury over the years. That was one of my concerns on him getting the captaincy: how many games he'd actually play. And could he go the distance in a five game series.

In fairness, he's managed that far better than I thought he would.

But might be time to step away now.

[KevinGage]

I personally don't have an issue with players letting their hair down (within reason) at the end of the game.  Or even between games, as was the case in Noosa.  Australia away is a tough long series (even if it's shorter overall than it was 20/30 years ago due to the modern cricket calendar ). It's prob better from some to be out when the chance allows it. Rather than sitting in their hotel room, constantly replaying the events of the last match in their head and torturing themselves more than the Aussie bowlers already were. Get out and enjoy the country (it's a great country) and the company of your teammates for a bit.

Unfortunately there are a lot of puritans attached to the ECB. And people of bad faith taking snaps of the players during their downtime and selling it to the papers.

Aussie players have been known to have a beer (and the occasional skirmish) on England and other international tours too. They're a better side, yet don't seem to be held to the same standard.

Stokes - and maybe even Harry Brook and Ben Duckett - might be better off throwing their lot in with franchise cricket around the globe. More money and less scrutiny. What's not to like?

Leave the Test team with bland, anodyne players. Players who'll say all the right things in press conferences and will be tucked up in bed by 10.30pm each night. But still won't beat Australia or India.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I don't disgree on players letting their hair down but your point only really works if these players with a bit about them are beating the likes of Australia and India. They aren't. I know you know that but people are going to be less forgiving when those results aren't there.

[paul_e]

Also there's a big difference between being in a fight in a nightclub at 3am and being in bed by 10:30pm.

Relax, have a break and a few beers, break up the stress, fine with all that, but being in a night club and creating enough attention that you either start trouble or attract it doesn't seem like it's about stress relief to me.

You only need curfews if the players don't have the common sense to show a little restraint.

[Villan For Life]

Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect.

He was a great batsman, a fantastic captain and the NZ side that he led always played hard but fair, unlike their cousins from across the Tasman Sea. He seems to be a decent person too.

It’s unusual for a player to quit part way through a series but it has happened before.

[Monty]

Bit strange, bit sudden! But a great player, one of my faves of my lifetime honestly. Huge achievements for NZ as player and captain.

[PaulWinch again]

That’s such weird timing. I feel privileged enough to have been there in person for a century he scored against England. A brilliant player.

[Bully2345]

I believe the Lords lunches are worth hanging on for one more game

[paul_e]

A lot of players do like Lords as their last game so I can see that. Just a bit of a surprise that it wasn't already announced or announced immediately after the game.

Either way, good luck to him, he was one of that little group of truly exceptional batters who all pushed each other a few years ago, it was a privilege to see him, Root, Smith and Kohli all play at the same time but I reckon they'll all be retired fairly soon.