The Official Cricket Thread

[s(k)aturation]

One humiliation each.

 

It's a best of 3 now.

 

This game will mean nothing in 10 days time, just like Cardiff.

 

Bumble reckons spin can be a factor in Birmingham.

 

Set up nicely.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

http://www.3news.co.nz/sport/video-lady-takes-awkward-tumble-at-lords-2015071913?ref=fb#axzz3gNb7zqjr

[Rico1304]

[Guest Pistonbroke]

[Son of L8]

Looking at that graphic ... God we're shit at batting at the top. Just spectacularly awful.

 

How in the fuck has Gary Ballance still averaged nearly 50 in Test cricket when his feet are bolted down behind the popping crease, and why can't he do it -- whatever it was -- anymore? Where the hell did the Ian Bell who made 562 runs in the last home Ashes disappear to? Why have we still not managed to find a competent opener to replace Strauss? He retired three years ago FFS and we're still searching for someone who can see off the new ball occasionally without shitting his kecks.

[Jairzinho]

Fuck seeing off the new ball. Let's bring Hales or Roy in to fucking twat the new ball. Bairstow and Taylor for Ballance and Bell, and Rashid for Ali.

[Barrington Womble]

Looking at that graphic ... God we're shit at batting at the top. Just spectacularly awful.

 

How in the fuck has Gary Ballance still averaged nearly 50 in Test cricket when his feet are bolted down behind the popping crease, and why can't he do it -- whatever it was -- anymore? Where the hell did the Ian Bell who made 562 runs in the last home Ashes disappear to? Why have we still not managed to find a competent opener to replace Strauss? He retired three years ago FFS and we're still searching for someone who can see off the new ball occasionally without shitting his kecks.

Where balance is concerned, I think he just massively lacks technique and now people have watched him and have plans for him, he's been found out. Plus he scored a shitload of those runs against an India team that didn't want to be here didn't he?

 

As for Bell, I'm biased as I've always hated him. I've never looked properly, but he always seemed to score runs in no-pressures situations aside from that one ashes series, which always feels to me like the outlyer in his career.

 

I don't think it's unreasonable to think we should be looking to replace anyone of bell, balance and lyth for the next test and an ideal world all 3. Although I have no idea if we have anyone aside from bairstow is ready.

 

It would be very England to stick with this side or just make one small change after that type of result. We will see how far this "bold" England is willing to go and how much is just lip service.

 

 

[A_S]

What's the go with James Taylor? I thought he showed a bit at the World Cup, but according to cricinfo he hasn't played a FC game since June? His overall numbers are very solid. 

[Spy Bee]

What's the go with James Taylor? I thought he showed a bit at the World Cup, but according to cricinfo he hasn't played a FC game since June? His overall numbers are very solid. 

And if they get all aggressive and bounce him it will just go over his head!

[Jose Jones]

Think Taylor has been placed in the Fairbrother box.

[thompsonsnose]

Taylor got a ton yesterday. Good timing. If Bairstow isnt in the next side, the ECB can fuck off. They will deserve all thats coming.

Bairstow for Ballance, Root at 3, and Rashid for Bell,We would still have Moeen going in at 6/7.

Rashid is highly likely to get more than Bell under any circumstances at the moment.

 

I'd stick with Lyth for now, just, but Rampraksh should get his doggy launcher thing, and be winging balls at him from about 16 yards outside off stump. He needs to make the leave more of a default.

However, Nasser caning him for not leaving on length yesterday was wrong, you can leave happily at Perth, not on an English dung heap designed to play slow and low. Look what happened to Root about an hour later.

Once again Atherton calls it right. Love Athers, real shame he's a Manc.

 

Lyth

Cook

Root

Bairstow

Stokes

Moeen

Buttler

Rashid

Wood

Broad

Anderson

[Spy Bee]

I agree with most of that, but on a pitch with consistent bounce then I think he should have been leaving on length!

[thompsonsnose]

I agree with most of that, but on a pitch with consistent bounce then I think he should have been leaving on length!

Ask Root about that!

[Guest Pistonbroke]

TBF Thommo the ball he nicked was clearly on the rise, looked nothing like staying low. 

[Dougie Do'ins]

Lancs are 566/2   Petersen 270 not out & Prince 220 not out. 

[A_S]

The angle of Lyth's bat is half the problem. That and making Rogers look like a spring chicken. 

[Jose Jones]

The angle of Lyth's bat is half the problem. That and making Rogers look like a spring chicken.

He is a funny looking fellow, Lyth, looks about 20 years older than his age. Has he got alopecia?

 

Still I think he looks a better player than Carberry or Compton, even if the results haven't been there.

[Spy Bee]

James Taylor has gone on to get a double century.

 

I think Root was late on the ball, although it did keep a little low.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Prince has just been caught for 261. Petersen still in on 277.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Prince has just been caught for 261. Petersen still in on 277.

 

Odds on favourites for promotion mate. I'm a Durham lad, we are doing well but need Yorkshire to collapse big style if we have any chance winning the title again. 

[Dougie Do'ins]

Petersen out for 286.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Odds on favourites for promotion mate. I'm a Durham lad, we are doing well but need Yorkshire to collapse big style if we have any chance winning the title again. 

Knowing Lancs, they'll come up, win the league and get relegated the following season like last time.

[lifetime fan]

The Kevin issue should have been sorted years ago.

 

You text the opposition how to get your Captain out, you never play again. Simple as that.

 

The ECB caused this problem with their own 'reintroduction regime bollocks'.

[Spy Bee]

Taylor got 291.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Ashes 2015: Trevor Bayliss says England will discuss changes

England will pick their squad for the third Ashes Test against Australia on Tuesday, with head coach Trevor Bayliss admitting there are "some good players on the outside".

 

Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance and Ian Bell are under pressure, with Jonny Bairstow and James Taylor in good domestic form.

"When you play badly, positions are looked at," said Bayliss, whose side were heavily beaten in the second Test.

Bayliss also hinted there could be room for England's one-day batsmen.

 

"Test cricket is becoming more and more like a one-day game anyway," said the Australian, whose first game in charge saw England beat Australia at Cardiff.

 

"You maybe don't have quite as many short balls bowled at you in a one-day game. But I think you get confidence from batting well anywhere. If you've got one-day form, there's no real reason you can't turn that into runs at Test level."

 

Kevin Pietersen sent this tweet while in Miami on Monday

 

Bairstow and Taylor, who hit 139 and 291 respectively in the latest round of County Championship matches, have both figured in the England one-day team in the past year, while Bayliss's comments suggest players like Alex Hales and 50-over captain Eoin Morgan may be considered.

Hales, once rated as the best Twenty20 batsmen in the world, is yet to play five-day cricket while Morgan played the most recent of his 16 Tests in 2012.

 

It would be a surprise if Morgan, 28, were recalled - he averages just 10 for Middlesex this season and got a pair in his last four-day outing - but he has worked with Bayliss in both the Indian Premier League and Australian Big Bash.

 

The likely contenders   County Runs Average Centuries Fifties

 

*2015 first-class statistics - correct at close of play on 20 July 2015

 

Jonny Bairstow

Yorkshire

906

100.66

5

3

 

James Hildreth

Somerset

1083

47.08

3

5

 

Alex Hales

Notts

732

45.75

2

2

 

Nick Compton

Middlesex

817

38.90

1

5

 

James Taylor

Notts

814

47.88

1

5

Eoin Morgan

Middlesex

61

10.16

0

0

 

Top order form 'a concern'

Bayliss is aware of England's top-order frailties - their third wicket has fallen with 52 runs or fewer on the board in eight of their past 14 Test innings - and says it will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting.

 

Lyth, Ballance and Bell scored 56 runs between them in their six innings at Lord's, while their Australia counterparts Chris Rogers, David Warner and Steve Smith amassed 616.

 

The third Test begins at Edgbaston on 29 July, with the series level at 1-1.

"It's on the mind of anyone when the team is not playing like you would like - those things are always in the back of the coach's and selectors' mind," said Bayliss.

 

"Two Tests ago they were selected for these first couple because they were considered the best players in the country. That doesn't necessarily change after only four innings.

"[but] it's a concern that we are three or four for 40, and they know that."

 

England top order this summer   Innings Runs Average Highest

 

Cook

8

448

56.00

162

 

Lyth

8

200

25.00

107

 

Ballance

8

134

16.75

61

 

Bell

8

116

14.50

60

 

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You have to laugh at the arrogance of KP's tweet, he has been playing T20 only since last winter and his average is pretty mediocre, arrogant piss taking gob shite.