The Official Cricket Thread

[King Emlyn]

Is that the best ODI series involving England ever? 

 

It must be. Every game was close.

Can't think of a better one, so many promising young players coming through. Exciting times.

[King Emlyn]

I'll be gutted if Rashid doesn't get a call for the ashes.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I see Scotland beat Ireland again. 

[Vincent Vega]

That was superb wasn't it? The whole one day series was fantastic and it was brilliant viewing with three of the games being very close. I've never seen an England one day crowd look so happy as they did when Liam Plunkett smashed the six that took us over 400 for the first time, they were literally dancing in the aisles. Sport is meant to be entertainment, not the fucking chore England have put us through for years.

 

I think we got a bit of luck with Trent Boult's injury, I'm not sure we're winning yesterday's match if he plays instead of two of those rookies (though one of those made a very good contribution with the bat). Corey Anderson was also a massive miss for the Kiwis. Saying that, England's batting was fantastic with even the lower order guys playing their parts. Morgan lead the team by example and it's great to see him back in nick, as he is a brilliantly entertaining player at his best. I think we still have room for improvement with the bowling, but if we can keep scoring 350 plus, that becomes less important.

 

I'll be gutted if Rashid doesn't get a call for the ashes.

Spybee has been banging the drum on here for Rashid for years, but all I really knew was that he was a key player for Yorkshire, but he's been very impressive in this series. He really spins the ball and I could see him having even top batsmen in all sorts of trouble. his batting is also very good, so much so he is a genuine all rounder. Ali has gone a bit off the boil lately, if he starts the Ashes that way, it surely won't be long until Rashid is replacing him in the team.

 

I really hope this is the beginning of something exciting for England, the new broom of first Farbrace, then Strauss and with Bayliss to come. An exciting, brave England team is what most of us want, one that may get beaten, but if it does, it goes down fighting. I was dreading the Ashes series this summer and thought we were heading for a serious bumming, but I'm looking forward to it now and hoping some of this new positive approach pays dividends.

 

I also love the fact that no one is talking about that egotistical knob Pietersen, long may it continue.

[Spy Bee]

Fairly amazing how England have gone from maybe their worst ever ODI side to maybe their best ODI side within 5 matches!

 

Never been to the cricket, see tickets for the ODI v Australia at Headingly are still available....Hmmm...

Didn't realise. Just booked to go there with my old man!

[A_S]

No need for Cook, Bell, Broad or Anderson to be in our ODI side again.

If they're not going to be part of the next World Cup, there is no point in them playing ODI's anymore. They are all still fine Test players though, so it would be a bonus to have them rested regularly and extend their Test careers into their mid-late 30s

[Jairzinho]

If they're not going to be part of the next World Cup, there is no point in them playing ODI's anymore. They are all still fine Test players though, so it would be a bonus to have them rested regularly and extend their Test careers into their mid-late 30s

 

Yeah, I'd still have them all bar Broad in the test side.

[Jose Jones]

Yeah, I'd still have them all bar Broad in the test side.

Who are you having in place of Broad? What's your bowling attack?

[Jairzinho]

Who are you having in place of Broad? What's your bowling attack?

 

Depends on the pitch, overhead conditions, score in the series, etc. Broadly speaking though (no pun intented) -

 

 

 

Anderson, obviously. I'd like to see Rashid in the team. I like the look of Wood. Probably have Stokes as the 4th seamer, batting at seven. So need one more. I'd love to see a left armer, but I'm not convinced by Gurney. Maybe give Willey a go in the test side. Finn would be the sensible choice probably.

 

Cook

Lyth

Ballance

Bell

Root

Buttler

Stokes

Rashid

Wood

Finn/Willey (the latter moved up to nine)

Anderson

 

Something like that. Taylor in for Ballance possibly.

[Total Longo]

Not convinced by Finn at all.

[Spy Bee]

broad and Ballance will start this series, but they need to show some form. My problem with Broad is that he's really patchy. He can have a great spell, but has never found great consistency. 

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Not convinced by Finn at all.

 

Me neither, If things are going well as a team and the wicket/conditions are bowler friendly he looks unplayable at times, but if things are on the other foot he drops his head fat too often and takes a pasting, Broad is the same. 

[lifetime fan]

Not convinced by Finn at all.

Neither is Cook, so it's pointless picking him.

[rubble-rouser]

Finn will replace Anderson in the next year or so. Broad will be around for the next 2-3 years. I don't like him, he's nowhere near as menacing as he thinks, his attempts to bounce out tailenders are risible and have cost England over the last 2 years. But Broad is capable of getting wickets in clusters and has looked more dangerous over the last 2 months than he had in a long time previously. Plus England reckon he has Clarke's number on a pacey pitch. 

There is every chance that Footit will get a game - no  point being in the squad at age 29 if he is not played. 

 

I would be very reluctant to bring Rashid into the team right now. It would be a bold and positive move, but he bowled a lot of filth in the ODI series (as well as some very good stuff) - lots of short balls and full tosses .The Aussies might do a Kerrigan on him if he is picked. And I  wouldn't pick him based on his batting in an ODI series when he would be coming in at 8 or 9 against Harris, Starc and Johnson. No idea what the answer is on spinners, but he should definitely have played in the WI, although England woudl probably say they hoped Tredwell would do better and earn a place. 

[Spy Bee]

You could bring in Moeen Ali for Ballance and have a twin spin attack. 

[Jose Jones]

Depends on the pitch, overhead conditions, score in the series, etc. Broadly speaking though (no pun intented) -

 

 

 

Anderson, obviously. I'd like to see Rashid in the team. I like the look of Wood. Probably have Stokes as the 4th seamer, batting at seven. So need one more. I'd love to see a left armer, but I'm not convinced by Gurney. Maybe give Willey a go in the test side. Finn would be the sensible choice probably.

 

Cook

Lyth

Ballance

Bell

Root

Buttler

Stokes

Rashid

Wood

Finn/Willey (the latter moved up to nine)

Anderson

 

Something like that. Taylor in for Ballance possibly.

 

Yeah, it's a bit slim pickings on the bowling side though isn't it?

Anderson is a couple of years off his best, lost a little bit of pace and has more unthreatening days than he used to.  Broad is Broad.  Finn has got worse, and none of the spin options are anything close to world class.  Really need to get a few top class operators through sharpish.  Any promising young quicks at county level?

[Jairzinho]

I honestly don't watch enough county cricket any more to say. For various reasons I've completely lost interest in watching it.

[Spy Bee]

I still think Anderson is bowling as well as he ever has.

[Son of L8]

That change of shot from Root was unbelievable.

[mouse1989]

Need to get mccullum here. Already 35 from 14 balls

[mouse1989]

Need to get mccullum here. Already 35 from 14 balls

Got him next ball!

[mouse1989]

Williamson is just brilliant to watch. Makes it look so easy

[King Emlyn]

Another great win

[Guest Pistonbroke]

That was a good win by us to round off a thoroughly enjoyable series against a very good New Zealand team. Root batted well and some really good bowling by Wood, Willey and Stokes, even Finn who didn't take a wicket had good figures for T20, although NZ collapsing helped him get those 2 cheap overs in at the end. Also a huge doff of the cap for Morgan who captained the side well in the white ball games. Just hope the feel good factor carries over to the Ashes!! Bring it on.

 

Now we have another bowler called Willey we need another player called Holding, Sucking or pulling.

 

It was also ironic watching cricket in the sunny climate of manc land whilst it was fucking pissing it down over here in normally sunny Germany.  

[Guest Pistonbroke]

McCullum gracious as ever in defeat. I really like the way NZ approach the game and how they play it, a nice change to when you see certain other teams whinging and making excuses about umpires etc etc. Doffs cap again.