We have a very strange season now for selection purposes, with the schedule of matches seemingly chosen to be of no use for summer Tests, with large gaps in country cricket, no gaps in the India Test series and oddly scheduled matches. Jennings is struggling in Test cricket, so he goes back to play a T20 match last night.
Other than the teams left in the T20 blast, for the rest white ball cricket is now over for the summer, despite it still being the school holidays. Indeed over the next few days, ONE Blast match a day is all we have across the whole country! Fine for Sky, but a complete nonsense for the other counties surely?
We have a very strange season now for selection purposes, with the schedule of matches seemingly chosen to be of no use for summer Tests, with large gaps in country cricket, no gaps in the India Test series and oddly scheduled matches. Jennings is struggling in Test cricket, so he goes back to play a T20 match last night.
Other than the teams left in the T20 blast, for the rest white ball cricket is now over for the summer, despite it still being the school holidays. Indeed over the next few days, ONE Blast match a day is all we have across the whole country! Fine for Sky, but a complete nonsense for the other counties surely?
That's what happens when a sport sells its soul like cricket has.
The point that got me most was the scouts for the selection panel were all either out at jollies or playing their own games. Whilst the head selectors were both at the England match sipping champagne.
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
The best batsman in the world , who had 90 something and 100 and something at the time.
Precisely - so he was "in" and Rashid hadn't given him all those runs. Even more credit to Rashid.
Its not that AA, Rashid is meant to be a top line bowler - he should be bowling at these people from the very start of their inninhgs , especially if they are batting at 4/5/6 - the very fact that Root doesnt have the confidence to bowl him should say that he isnt that great a bowler fullstop. Get him out.
The point that got me most was the scouts for the selection panel were all either out at jollies or playing their own games. Whilst the head selectors were both at the England match sipping champagne.
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
it seems the path to the team is via the lions rather than "scouts around the counties" ..say in 10 years time its possible you could have a test team who dont play county cricket at all (they just have a series of 1 day contracts around the globe ala "Rashid and Buttler"
The best batsman in the world , who had 90 something and 100 and something at the time.
Precisely - so he was "in" and Rashid hadn't given him all those runs. Even more credit to Rashid.
Its not that AA, Rashid is meant to be a top line bowler - he should be bowling at these people from the very start of their inninhgs , especially if they are batting at 4/5/6 - the very fact that Root doesnt have the confidence to bowl him should say that he isnt that great a bowler fullstop. Get him out.
Rashid is arguably the best of a bad bunch. Nobody is lauding him as a great test bowler but we have to make do with what we've got for the time being
The point that got me most was the scouts for the selection panel were all either out at jollies or playing their own games. Whilst the head selectors were both at the England match sipping champagne.
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
it seems the path to the team is via the lions rather than "scouts around the counties" ..say in 10 years time its possible you could have a test team who dont play county cricket at all (they just have a series of 1 day contracts around the globe ala "Rashid and Buttler"
Yes, it does seem that players get involved with the lions and A teams, and get promoted from there, and that once you're in their thoughts you stay there. Billings for example was constantly called up last season for England white ball matches as a specialist batsman, when completely out of form at Kent, instead of players (like Denly) who were playing much better
A lot different from the old days where a good performance in the late season Lords final (Nat West?) could earn you an England touring place!
Not bowling very well. Leach needed to take 8 in Essex's recent runchase as Bess was proving fairly useless
England have got into a habit of calling spinners up far too soon, Bess being the latest. Neither Bess nor Mason Crane have 100 first class wickets yet!
The point that got me most was the scouts for the selection panel were all either out at jollies or playing their own games. Whilst the head selectors were both at the England match sipping champagne.
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
it seems the path to the team is via the lions rather than "scouts around the counties" ..say in 10 years time its possible you could have a test team who dont play county cricket at all (they just have a series of 1 day contracts around the globe ala "Rashid and Buttler"
Yes, it does seem that players get involved with the lions and A teams, and get promoted from there, and that once you're in their thoughts you stay there. Billings for example was constantly called up last season for England white ball matches as a specialist batsman, when completely out of form at Kent, instead of players (like Denly) who were playing much better
A lot different from the old days where a good performance in the late season Lords final (Nat West?) could earn you an England touring place!
Getting involved with England has proved the kiss of death for Riley's career...
The point that got me most was the scouts for the selection panel were all either out at jollies or playing their own games. Whilst the head selectors were both at the England match sipping champagne.
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
it seems the path to the team is via the lions rather than "scouts around the counties" ..say in 10 years time its possible you could have a test team who dont play county cricket at all (they just have a series of 1 day contracts around the globe ala "Rashid and Buttler"
Yes, it does seem that players get involved with the lions and A teams, and get promoted from there, and that once you're in their thoughts you stay there. Billings for example was constantly called up last season for England white ball matches as a specialist batsman, when completely out of form at Kent, instead of players (like Denly) who were playing much better
A lot different from the old days where a good performance in the late season Lords final (Nat West?) could earn you an England touring place!
Getting involved with England has proved the kiss of death for Riley's career...
The best batsman in the world , who had 90 something and 100 and something at the time.
Precisely - so he was "in" and Rashid hadn't given him all those runs. Even more credit to Rashid.
Its not that AA, Rashid is meant to be a top line bowler - he should be bowling at these people from the very start of their inninhgs , especially if they are batting at 4/5/6 - the very fact that Root doesnt have the confidence to bowl him should say that he isnt that great a bowler fullstop. Get him out.
No he shouldn't and certainly not when the ball is seaming in English conditions. A comparison for you of all the front line spinners I can think of that have faced India in the last 20 years or so.
The best batsman in the world , who had 90 something and 100 and something at the time.
Precisely - so he was "in" and Rashid hadn't given him all those runs. Even more credit to Rashid.
Its not that AA, Rashid is meant to be a top line bowler - he should be bowling at these people from the very start of their inninhgs , especially if they are batting at 4/5/6 - the very fact that Root doesnt have the confidence to bowl him should say that he isnt that great a bowler fullstop. Get him out.
No he shouldn't and certainly not when the ball is seaming in English conditions. A comparison for you of all the front line spinners I can think of that have faced India in the last 20 years or so.
speaking even as a club player (once of a decent standard) good leg spinners always take wickets ..its their economy that captains always suspect ...they have to be trusted
Rashid is the best Leggie we ve had for a long time but hes not shane warne
according to the 'Times' Joe Denly is well in line to get a spot on the Sri Lanka/West Indies tours .. it's remarkable how at quite a late stage in his career, Joe's bowling has developed so superbly .. another example of how a cricketer has really come of age and developed in his thirties
Well, if he's not bowling at these people from the start then he clearly isnt getting 3,4, and 5 out !
List his wickets then because I think that’s a tad unfair.
To be honest I don’t think Rashid is a great test match bowler and probably never will be. I would be tempted with Ali purely because our top order is struggling so much his runs down the order are extremely stressful.
But no doubt Rashid is getting some unfair stick and he’s done ok. I think in English bowling conditions and the fact India play spin well mean he’s never going to get bowled too often
The best batsman in the world , who had 90 something and 100 and something at the time.
Precisely - so he was "in" and Rashid hadn't given him all those runs. Even more credit to Rashid.
Its not that AA, Rashid is meant to be a top line bowler - he should be bowling at these people from the very start of their inninhgs , especially if they are batting at 4/5/6 - the very fact that Root doesnt have the confidence to bowl him should say that he isnt that great a bowler fullstop. Get him out.
No he shouldn't and certainly not when the ball is seaming in English conditions. A comparison for you of all the front line spinners I can think of that have faced India in the last 20 years or so.
Record better than Monty, Giles, Batty, Dawson, Tufnell, Batty and Moeen. Even Swann, one of our best spinners of all time, isn't that much better.
Rashid's figures are slighty distorted by him only playing until this summer overseas as the second spinner, which will be in favourable conditions. He's never been the sole spinner when playing India at Headingley or Durham when it's cold and seam friendly...
according to the 'Times' Joe Denly is well in line to get a spot on the Sri Lanka/West Indies tours .. it's remarkable how at quite a late stage in his career, Joe's bowling has developed so superbly .. another example of how a cricketer has really come of age and developed in his thirties
When Rob Key was captain of Kent, he never rated Joe as a bowler, so he never got a lot of chances to bowl,, but he is bowling really well now, I have heard he is a Charlton supporter as well.
according to the 'Times' Joe Denly is well in line to get a spot on the Sri Lanka/West Indies tours .. it's remarkable how at quite a late stage in his career, Joe's bowling has developed so superbly .. another example of how a cricketer has really come of age and developed in his thirties
To me he's more of a one day bowler, if the England white ball team wasn't so successful I'm sure he would have been called up, a decent batsman who can also bowl leggies is a useful asset
His red ball bowling is improving though. Kent have sometimes used him as a sole spinner this summer.
according to the 'Times' Joe Denly is well in line to get a spot on the Sri Lanka/West Indies tours .. it's remarkable how at quite a late stage in his career, Joe's bowling has developed so superbly .. another example of how a cricketer has really come of age and developed in his thirties
To me he's more of a one day bowler, if the England white ball team wasn't so successful I'm sure he would have been called up, a decent batsman who can also bowl leggies is a useful asset
His red ball bowling is improving though. Kent have sometimes used him as a sole spinner this summer.
its the white ball game thats producing "all rounders" ..Joe now comes into that mould ..its evident that we no longer produce crease occupiers/accumulators who are just that, and bowlers capable of bowling 40-50 overs in a match
i dont think you are saying it yourself @killerandflash but is Denly a good enough bowler or a good enough bat?
according to the 'Times' Joe Denly is well in line to get a spot on the Sri Lanka/West Indies tours .. it's remarkable how at quite a late stage in his career, Joe's bowling has developed so superbly .. another example of how a cricketer has really come of age and developed in his thirties
To me he's more of a one day bowler, if the England white ball team wasn't so successful I'm sure he would have been called up, a decent batsman who can also bowl leggies is a useful asset
His red ball bowling is improving though. Kent have sometimes used him as a sole spinner this summer.
its the white ball game thats producing "all rounders" ..Joe now comes into that mould ..its evident that we no longer produce crease occupiers/accumulators who are just that, and bowlers capable of bowling 40-50 overs in a match
i dont think you are saying it yourself @killerandflash but is Denly a good enough bowler or a good enough bat?
id say no on both accounts
In white ball cricket yes, red ball probably not but it's not as if many other county cricketers are obviously good enough Test batsmen either! I guess the difference this year is how his bowling has come on (really helped by playing in overseas T20 leagues), and that second string could give him an edge over other middle order players
Pietersen was meant to be only good for one day and t20
Technique for hitting a cricket ball doesn't change, temperament and mindset do. Technically Ali, Jennings, Root, Cook, Billings, Vince, Malan are all competent. The but England have struggled with for as long as I can remember is really digging in and saying to the bowler "get me out, give me a totally unplayable delivery, ball of the century type of shit else I'm staying here"
Nothing at county level replicates that, it isn't like it isnt the same for every other test playing nation. The best test players, batsmen especially, are the ones who can adapt and be mentally strong enough to leave tempting balls they would normally swish at in white ball cricket. So often the batting collapses are not as enforced as the figures suggest. I have no way of backing this up apart from gathering YouTube footage of every England batting prolapse for the last 20 plus years, which would eat my soul, however just think from memory how many times a side has completely smashed our top six by sheer brilliant bowling.
What happens is we lose an early couple, maybe 3 wickets and the panic sets in. Trott and Ballance were good 3s to come in when early wickets went down. Test cricket is tough, it ages players and even remarkably strong mental players get affected by the demands mentally
Bit puzzled that when I previously applied for WC tickets I got 2 matches but was rejected for England vs Bangladesh in Cardiff, yet tickets for that match are back on sale again, and for all price levels. It seems that the previous ballot deliberately only sold a proportion of the tickets
Sussex have a pair of fast bowlers who could be opening up for England before too long (1 day only) .. Mills and Archer
but so far Ben Stokes is MULLERING em ((:>)
Not for much longer
Haven’t seen much of Archer and he seems like a limited overs player like most up and coming youngsters because he’s an all rounder. Can’t imagine he will end up playing for England though
Comments
Other than the teams left in the T20 blast, for the rest white ball cricket is now over for the summer, despite it still being the school holidays. Indeed over the next few days, ONE Blast match a day is all we have across the whole country! Fine for Sky, but a complete nonsense for the other counties surely?
So who was actually looking at alternative players.....
Get him out.
Is he injured?
A lot different from the old days where a good performance in the late season Lords final (Nat West?) could earn you an England touring place!
Number of wickets against India in Tests:
Rashid - 30 @ 34.9
Swann - 41 @ 32.7
Giles - 11 @ 50.0
Panesar - 36 @ 40.9
Moeen - 29 @ 37.4
Tufnell - 4 @ 68.5
Dawson - 2 @ 64.5
Batty - no wickets for 65 runs
Record better than Monty, Giles, Batty, Dawson, Tufnell, Batty and Moeen. Even Swann, one of our best spinners of all time, isn't that much better.
Rashid is the best Leggie we ve had for a long time but hes not shane warne
To be honest I don’t think Rashid is a great test match bowler and probably never will be. I would be tempted with Ali purely because our top order is struggling so much his runs down the order are extremely stressful.
But no doubt Rashid is getting some unfair stick and he’s done ok. I think in English bowling conditions and the fact India play spin well mean he’s never going to get bowled too often
His red ball bowling is improving though. Kent have sometimes used him as a sole spinner this summer.
i dont think you are saying it yourself @killerandflash but is Denly a good enough bowler or a good enough bat?
id say no on both accounts
Technique for hitting a cricket ball doesn't change, temperament and mindset do. Technically Ali, Jennings, Root, Cook, Billings, Vince, Malan are all competent. The but England have struggled with for as long as I can remember is really digging in and saying to the bowler "get me out, give me a totally unplayable delivery, ball of the century type of shit else I'm staying here"
Nothing at county level replicates that, it isn't like it isnt the same for every other test playing nation. The best test players, batsmen especially, are the ones who can adapt and be mentally strong enough to leave tempting balls they would normally swish at in white ball cricket. So often the batting collapses are not as enforced as the figures suggest. I have no way of backing this up apart from gathering YouTube footage of every England batting prolapse for the last 20 plus years, which would eat my soul, however just think from memory how many times a side has completely smashed our top six by sheer brilliant bowling.
What happens is we lose an early couple, maybe 3 wickets and the panic sets in. Trott and Ballance were good 3s to come in when early wickets went down. Test cricket is tough, it ages players and even remarkably strong mental players get affected by the demands mentally
Haven’t seen much of Archer and he seems like a limited overs player like most up and coming youngsters because he’s an all rounder. Can’t imagine he will end up playing for England though