The New Cricket Thread

[Brownie]

Yeah, you can, mate... first morning of an MCG Boxing Day Test is a one-off.

 

Precisely because you're bloated and hazy from Christmas Day, and the answer is to just enjoy and keep going.

 

Forget the state of the series, eat, drink and stay merry.

I know mate but it just means nothing.

 

*sigh*

[Son of L8]

I'm not sure what to make of this Series, probably because I can't get over how bad - most mentally - England appear to be.

 

The England side we played 4 years ago was much better, and had just beaten us 3-0.

 

This England team really has been a massive disappointment. And I can't help but think discord, or indiscipline, or something - other than just talent - is part of it.

 

Because, other than OK bowlers and Steve Smith, Australia is just so-so.

I agree with that about discord and indiscipline completely. This isn't a great England side, but they're not nearly as bad as the three results look (and almost certainly the two results yet to come). You can see in individual performances or partnerships or periods of play that there's enough talent in the XI to give a decent account of themselves and leave a bit of pride out there. Not to win the series, no, but to avoid national humiliation -- yeah!

 

The sessions where everything just falls apart have been, for me, principally mental failures. This team is technically okay but psychologically too weak to reverse a situation when things start to go badly. There will always be times in a Test match when you're pushed up against the wall, and when that happens we're completely hopeless. Great teams know how to stabilize a bad situation and force their way back into a game.

 

I agree with Ricky Ponting the other day that Root doesn't look much like a captain right now. He's new at the job, and obviously a great batsman, but so far the psychological leadership and stubbornness and strength isn't there. That's far from the only problem, but with so many players drifting there's a lot of responsibility on a captain to stand up and show the way when things are going badly.

 

I think of Strauss going for a duck on the first day of the 2010/11 series at the Gabba, the Aussies getting a 220 lead first innings, then the captain came out and made a second-innings hundred in a huge partnership with Cook as part of that 507/1 declared to draw the match. That partnership showed psychological stubbornness and courage as well as technical skill in spades to rescue us from defeat, and possibly changed the whole direction of the series. We're not that much worse technically now, but psychologically we're a shadow of the side we took down there seven years ago. In the same position today we'd have been all out for 200 and given them an innings victory to start the series off instead of a demoralizing draw from a winning position.

[Jairzinho]

Root is also getting fuck all help from other senior players. Broad and Anderson have only ever given a fuck about Broad and Anderson, and Cook is useless.

[A_S]

Jimmy Anderson must actually want a broken arm for Christmas!

[Vincent Vega]

Broad needs dropping. When we beat the Aussies in Oz in 2010 Broad was injured early on and replaced by Bresnan who was pivotal in our win. Great bowler in England, but just not suited to Aussie wickets at all.

[s(k)aturation]

I agree with that about discord and indiscipline completely. This isn't a great England side, but they're not nearly as bad as the three results look (and almost certainly the two results yet to come). You can see in individual performances or partnerships or periods of play that there's enough talent in the XI to give a decent account of themselves and leave a bit of pride out there. Not to win the series, no, but to avoid national humiliation -- yeah!

 

The sessions where everything just falls apart have been, for me, principally mental failures. This team is technically okay but psychologically too weak to reverse a situation when things start to go badly. There will always be times in a Test match when you're pushed up against the wall, and when that happens we're completely hopeless. Great teams know how to stabilize a bad situation and force their way back into a game.

 

I agree with Ricky Ponting the other day that Root doesn't look much like a captain right now. He's new at the job, and obviously a great batsman, but so far the psychological leadership and stubbornness and strength isn't there. That's far from the only problem, but with so many players drifting there's a lot of responsibility on a captain to stand up and show the way when things are going badly.

 

I think of Strauss going for a duck on the first day of the 2010/11 series at the Gabba, the Aussies getting a 220 lead first innings, then the captain came out and made a second-innings hundred in a huge partnership with Cook as part of that 507/1 declared to draw the match. That partnership showed psychological stubbornness and courage as well as technical skill in spades to rescue us from defeat, and possibly changed the whole direction of the series. We're not that much worse technically now, but psychologically we're a shadow of the side we took down there seven years ago. In the same position today we'd have been all out for 200 and given them an innings victory to start the series off instead of a demoralizing draw from a winning position.

 

 

Rep when I've got green again.

 

I wonder if, perhaps, Bairstow should make a better captain, freeing up Root to just bat.

[Jose Jones]

Broad needs dropping. When we beat the Aussies in Oz in 2010 Broad was injured early on and replaced by Bresnan who was pivotal in our win. Great bowler in England, but just not suited to Aussie wickets at all.

Didn’t Finn play the first two matches then was dropped for Bresnan?

[lifetime fan]

Didn’t Finn play the first two matches then was dropped for Bresnan?

 

Finn was dropped when our leading wicket taker in the series.

 

His career has been a downward spiral ever since.

[Jairzinho]

Program on the Sky cricket channel with Atherton interviewing Brearley. Will probably be shown loads of times.

 

Get it watched. Two great captains.

[lifetime fan]

Program on the Sky cricket channel with Atherton interviewing Brearley. Will probably be shown loads of times.

 

Get it watched. Two great captains.

Have it recorded to watch when sober.

[Jairzinho]

Won't spoil your watching of it (not that I could, it's a great watch. Although I could watch these two talk for hours) but Brearley's "I could never vote Tory, but I also can't stand the Guardian clique" - or words to that effect was ace. What a guy.

[lifetime fan]

Won't spoil your watching of it (not that I could, it's a great watch. Although I could watch these two talk for hours) but Brearley's "I could never vote Tory, but I also can't stand the Guardian clique" - or words to that effect was ace. What a guy.

 

 

Never knew of his political views, my ol fella has been badgering me to read his Captaincy book for years.

 

Might give it a go when I've a few days off for my birthday. 

[Jairzinho]

Three best cricket books I've read - all autobiographies -

 

Brearley

Atherton

Stephen Fleming.

 

All intelligent, good captains.

[mouse1989]

Three best cricket books I've read - all autobiographies -

 

Brearley

Atherton

Stephen Fleming.

 

All intelligent, good captains.

Will have to invest in these

 

Best cricketer’s autobiography I’ve read is Thorpe’s. Great insight in how he battled depression and easily my favourite batsman growing up

 

Trescothick Is another that comes to mind

[Jairzinho]

Thorpe was also my favourite batsman growing up.

 

Averaged 45 playing between 93 and 05 (an era of incredible bowlers). Absolute class. 

[lifetime fan]

Thorpe was also my favourite batsman growing up.

 

Averaged 45 playing between 93 and 05 (an era of incredible bowlers). Absolute class.

 

There’s also an element of truth to the point he underperformed, which just shows how ace he was.

 

Lovely to watch.

[A_S]

Great day here. Starc out is a bit of a blow, but with the series won and South Africa away early next year, he needs to be ready for that one.

 

Steyn and AB back for that one adds considerably to the series too. Can't wait.

[lifetime fan]

Tom Curran in for Overton.

 

Can see him being far too aggressive and getting spanked everywhere. Hope I’m wrong obviously.

[A_S]

Tom Curran in for Overton.

 

Can see him being far too aggressive and getting spanked everywhere. Hope I’m wrong obviously.

He's been impressive too.

[lifetime fan]

How long we looking at till the start?

[Jairzinho]

I reckon half 11.

[s(k)aturation]

I'm off there in a minute, lads.

 

Let's hope for a Boxing Day classic.

 

Beer, wine and song for me.

 

Hope England give a good account of themselves.

[Son of L8]

Just over an hour to go. First ball is half four in the afternoon here, so I'll be sneaking off from the Christmas do with a beer to watch the first session.

 

I'd just like to see England play with a bit of pride.

[Pureblood]

They do not deserve my late night support via a delayed internet stream.  

[Rico1304]

Aussies bat.

 

600-5