The International Cricket Thread

[Gareth]

Like I said a week ago, England are going backwards.  I like the fact that they brought in players to have a look at them, but way too many at once and this test was never going to be won having had the issues leading up to it.  The whole English games needs looking at.  Gay and Fisher looks like good players and have a decent future, I hope.

I really like the look of both too, think Baker will be handy once he beds in too.  Gay could possibly be the opener for next few years, pressure will go onto Duckett who hasn’t had any real scrutiny whilst he’s done ok whilst Crawley was so average….

Need a plan for next captain too…I always thought that would eventually be a gig Hain might get (& that’s from a Pear) but they seem to have skipped him pretty much completely at international level.

[Steve67]

Like I said a week ago, England are going backwards.  I like the fact that they brought in players to have a look at them, but way too many at once and this test was never going to be won having had the issues leading up to it.  The whole English games needs looking at.  Gay and Fisher looks like good players and have a decent future, I hope.

But you’re kind of contradicting yourself, the point around us never winning this game given the lead up doesn’t really mesh with the game going backwards. A number of circumstances, some self inflicted some not, meant we had 5 changes - 4 of which almost certainly wouldn’t have happened had things being normal. In other words it was a bit of a freak situation and we’ll probably look very different next Test. There’s lots of promise in Cox, Rew, Baker etc. But you wouldn’t want to be introducing them altogether. Also NZ are a good side. I get it’s frustrating but I don’t think it’s quite the disaster it’s being made out to be.

Needs a wider lens.  Great that some younger players came in, I'm happy with that.  However, overall, after a decent start under BM, we have stagnated.  It is not even arguable, him and Key need looking at.   We are low down in the Test championship table, no longer world champs in one day cricket, hammered in the Ashes.  He also seems to be at odds with Stokes.

[PaulWinch again]

But they have been looked at - now you can debate the decision that was made, but it was specifically made. So it seems a bit daft to immediately revisit after a bad Test. They might not go to turn it around, but it’s too early to make that decision again.

[olaftab]

With respect I think that’s nonsense.

Give me some stats so that I can regard him any where near world Test class? He's easily worked out by better teams and will not open for any of the other top Test nations.

[PaulWinch again]

His average? There aren’t many openers averaging 40. He’s in a rough patch yes, but his average is a better indicator.

[olaftab]

39 is okaish, bloated by a couple of fat hundreds, but that's not top end and in any case only 6 hundreds in 84 test innings is poor return.

[PaulWinch again]

39 is pretty good in this era, he also has test tons home and away against India. You can debate his form - which isn’t great - but to argue he hasn’t proven himself at Test level is pushing it.

[Steve67]

Other opinions are just as valid.

[PaulWinch again]

Of course, but like I say I think there’s a conflation of there are some challenges and everything is caving in.

[Beard82]

I wouldnt read too much into this result.   Its a bad result - but was a mess of a build up for an inexperienced team against a very good NZ side

I think well still win the series - the batting unit needs to find some form.  Bowling wise we were missing 3 strong bowlers.