England Cricket 2024

MarcusH26

Cox at 3 in NZ with Durham Ollie Robinson as the keeper I would have really liked to have seen as a setup. I just don't know who else is out there that could bat 3 , the Lions squad that's going to SA is full of young middle order players that are learning the game still. 

Addick Addict

Bedsaddick said:

I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well.. 

Crawley averages 31.98 in Test cricket (89 innings) and his FC record of 32.60 is barely any better. He is picked for those big innings that win us matches but the only one of the four games in which he did hit a hundred that we won, three other players scored a ton in the same innings. He is, mainly, for want of a better phrase, a flat track bully who is expected to get us off to a flyer and knock the shine off the new ball. The issue is that if there is any significant seam movement or spin then that approach rarely works for him. 

North Lower Neil

Bedsaddick said:

I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well.. 

Crawley is going nowhere.

Averages high 30s last couple of years, plays positive cricket, makes a tall/short, left/right partnership with Duckett.  Most importantly, we have no other decent openers available.

Pope on the other hand is at risk, but I think they'll stick with him for now.

Bedsaddick

North Lower Neil said:

Bedsaddick said:

I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well.. 

Crawley is going nowhere.

Averages high 30s last couple of years, plays positive cricket, makes a tall/short, left/right partnership with Duckett.  Most importantly, we have no other decent openers available.

Pope on the other hand is at risk, but I think they'll stick with him for now.

He doesn’t average high thirties for England. 

31.98 after his latest failure today .  He looks like an accident waiting to happen. Would you want him going to Australia for the Ashes ? Not me

Leuth

Freddie McCann will start the Ashes ahead of Crawley. There's my shout 

killerandflash

"last couple of years"

Bedsaddick

Leuth said:

Freddie McCann will start the Ashes ahead of Crawley. There's my shout 

I’d have Terry McCann ahead of Crawley. 

Billy_Mix

golfaddick said:

Why do other teams have proper spinners who can move the ball both ways whereas England mostly have "slow" bowlers.  Going back to the days of Embury & Edmonds, through to Ashley Giles and now Leach. 

Leach's lack of a doosra/chuck/mystery ball is way less of an issue than his inability to control length and line, he can't pin batters down for more than 4 or 5 deliveries.
Pakistan's scoring rate today was astonishing when you account for how few boundaries were scored. Saud Shakeel in particular milked the ball away at will, he never had to force the issue, there was always a half-volley or half-tracker or wide ball to work into a gap for runs.  He and Bashir have also learned nothing from these last two matches.  Contrast Rehan Ahmed, took 3 quick wickets simply by bowling wicket to wicket - no ragging, leaping, wonderballs, the (disgracefully doctored) pitch provides all the "variation" any bowler needs.  Bowl a nagging length, a consistent line for the combination of cracks and batter impatience to bring their downfall.  It ain't clever, it ain't revolutionary and Baz McCullum hasn't magicked it up from anywhere but "you miss = I hit" always has its place in cricket, too many bowlers let mythology and their egos get in the way.

Addick Addict

Play starts at 5.43 our time with coverage commencing at 5.30 for those insomniacs amongst us.

Todds_right_hook

All this talk of dropping Crawley but pope at 3 is the problem.

I know nothing about Terry McCann but I would look to have a new opener and drop Crawley down to 3

crawley does have a good average against Australia.

i have just typed “who should bat no 3 for England in the ashes”

Gtp made 5 suggestions, in the following order
 
1. root
2. brook
3. Malan
4. stokes
5. crawley

I’ve also asked for a prediction for the 11 for the first ashes test

1 crawley
2 duckett
3 brook
4 root
5 bairstow
6 stokes
7 jacks
8 woakes
9 wood
10 robinson
11 anderson

summary AI isn’t as good as it’s made out to be!!!

North Lower Neil

Bedsaddick said:

North Lower Neil said:

Bedsaddick said:

I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well.. 

Crawley is going nowhere.

Averages high 30s last couple of years, plays positive cricket, makes a tall/short, left/right partnership with Duckett.  Most importantly, we have no other decent openers available.

Pope on the other hand is at risk, but I think they'll stick with him for now.

He doesn’t average high thirties for England. 

31.98 after his latest failure today .  He looks like an accident waiting to happen. Would you want him going to Australia for the Ashes ? Not me

37.85 last couple of years, which is what I said, and what McCullum and Stokes will consider.

Even 32 isn't 'the mid 20s' like you said.

They are going to look at last year's Ashes rather than him struggling 3 or 4 years ago.

As I say, he's going nowhere, 3 of the top 4 will be there come the Ashes.  4 probably, but definitely Crawley, Duckett and Root.

Bedsaddick

North Lower Neil said:

Bedsaddick said:

North Lower Neil said:

Bedsaddick said:

I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well.. 

Crawley is going nowhere.

Averages high 30s last couple of years, plays positive cricket, makes a tall/short, left/right partnership with Duckett.  Most importantly, we have no other decent openers available.

Pope on the other hand is at risk, but I think they'll stick with him for now.

He doesn’t average high thirties for England. 

31.98 after his latest failure today .  He looks like an accident waiting to happen. Would you want him going to Australia for the Ashes ? Not me

37.85 last couple of years, which is what I said, and what McCullum and Stokes will consider.

Even 32 isn't 'the mid 20s' like you said.

They are going to look at last year's Ashes rather than him struggling 3 or 4 years ago.

As I say, he's going nowhere, 3 of the top 4 will be there come the Ashes.  4 probably, but definitely Crawley, Duckett and Root.

Well I desperately hope you are wrong . I’m just gobsmacked that he’s got to fifty caps . 

lolwray

Addick Addict said:

I see that Nasser's brother, Mel, is in the England Over 60s squad to tour Australia along with two Kent players, Jim Phillips and Simon Routh. Simon has played for Tunbridge Wells for decades and decades (bar two or three years at Hayes) and I played against him as long ago as 1980. It's men like Simon that suddenly make me feel young. And then reality sets in when I try and get out of the chair!!!

When Mel was a young whipper snapper I got him a job with Credit Suisse

Notts_Addick

Nobody can dispute England are incredibly entertaining to watch, but they the cricketing definition of those teams you see who love to pass it round the back at all costs even if it involves losing 6-0. Some of the wickets in the first innings in particular were given away and that’s certainly not the first time either.

It’s all well and good coming out with the bravado and bluster of ‘That’s how we play’ but surely you can play an attractive style whilst also playing to the conditions? There’s a huge amount of goodwill surrounding Stokes, Mccullum etc and rightly so as they have both been a breath of fresh air but at some point the inability (or unwillingness) to adapt is going to catch up on them I feel.

As for the debate on Crawley, whilst I am no fan anyone who thinks he is getting dropped is kidding themselves. They have stood by him through worse form and there’s absolutely no way he is coming out this side anytime soon. One of the biggest issues in the latter parts of Root’s reign as captain was the inability to find a pair of consistent openers and now England have two in Crawley and Duckett I can’t see them scrabbling around again trying to find another, especially given whilst there are contenders nobody immediately springs out as someone you could hang your hat on been better than Crawley. His place is secure. 

The number 3 position is an interesting one, if it were me I would elevate Smith to 3 and get him to concentrate on his batting. His general wicket keeping is fine but you could say that about the vast majority of wicket keepers, the very best earn their stripes with chances like today’s that he put down. 

I’d love to see Robinson get an opportunity at 6 and keep wicket, the NZ series would be a great opportunity given it is likely Smith will miss some of it. Cox is a decent player but Robinson has always struck me as much better batter (and clearly a more talented keeper) and it seems baffling he hasn’t had an opportunity yet. If all goes well in the NZ series you could then elevate Smith to 3 and Robinson as his direct replacement. 

lolwray

Notts_Addick said:

Nobody can dispute England are incredibly entertaining to watch, but they the cricketing definition of those teams you see who love to pass it round the back at all costs even if it involves losing 6-0. Some of the wickets in the first innings in particular were given away and that’s certainly not the first time either.

It’s all well and good coming out with the bravado and bluster of ‘That’s how we play’ but surely you can play an attractive style whilst also playing to the conditions? There’s a huge amount of goodwill surrounding Stokes, Mccullum etc and rightly so as they have both been a breath of fresh air but at some point the inability (or unwillingness) to adapt is going to catch up on them I feel.

As for the debate on Crawley, whilst I am no fan anyone who thinks he is getting dropped is kidding themselves. They have stood by him through worse form and there’s absolutely no way he is coming out this side anytime soon. One of the biggest issues in the latter parts of Root’s reign as captain was the inability to find a pair of consistent openers and now England have two in Crawley and Duckett I can’t see them scrabbling around again trying to find another, especially given whilst there are contenders nobody immediately springs out as someone you could hang your hat on been better than Crawley. His place is secure. 

The number 3 position is an interesting one, if it were me I would elevate Smith to 3 and get him to concentrate on his batting. His general wicket keeping is fine but you could say that about the vast majority of wicket keepers, the very best earn their stripes with chances like today’s that he put down. 

I’d love to see Robinson get an opportunity at 6 and keep wicket, the NZ series would be a great opportunity given it is likely Smith will miss some of it. Cox is a decent player but Robinson has always struck me as much better batter (and clearly a more talented keeper) and it seems baffling he hasn’t had an opportunity yet. If all goes well in the NZ series you could then elevate Smith to 3 and Robinson as his direct replacement. 

So you d have Robinson 6 and Stokes 7 ? I d also be happy to see Smith at 3 ( shame he can't be in NZ ) 

golfaddick

Did I read upthread that Jamie Smith isnt going to NZ  ?  

MarcusH26

golfaddick said:

Did I read upthread that Jamie Smith isnt going to NZ  ?  

Yup not involved as his partner is expecting. 

Notts_Addick

lolwray said:

Notts_Addick said:

Nobody can dispute England are incredibly entertaining to watch, but they the cricketing definition of those teams you see who love to pass it round the back at all costs even if it involves losing 6-0. Some of the wickets in the first innings in particular were given away and that’s certainly not the first time either.

It’s all well and good coming out with the bravado and bluster of ‘That’s how we play’ but surely you can play an attractive style whilst also playing to the conditions? There’s a huge amount of goodwill surrounding Stokes, Mccullum etc and rightly so as they have both been a breath of fresh air but at some point the inability (or unwillingness) to adapt is going to catch up on them I feel.

As for the debate on Crawley, whilst I am no fan anyone who thinks he is getting dropped is kidding themselves. They have stood by him through worse form and there’s absolutely no way he is coming out this side anytime soon. One of the biggest issues in the latter parts of Root’s reign as captain was the inability to find a pair of consistent openers and now England have two in Crawley and Duckett I can’t see them scrabbling around again trying to find another, especially given whilst there are contenders nobody immediately springs out as someone you could hang your hat on been better than Crawley. His place is secure. 

The number 3 position is an interesting one, if it were me I would elevate Smith to 3 and get him to concentrate on his batting. His general wicket keeping is fine but you could say that about the vast majority of wicket keepers, the very best earn their stripes with chances like today’s that he put down. 

I’d love to see Robinson get an opportunity at 6 and keep wicket, the NZ series would be a great opportunity given it is likely Smith will miss some of it. Cox is a decent player but Robinson has always struck me as much better batter (and clearly a more talented keeper) and it seems baffling he hasn’t had an opportunity yet. If all goes well in the NZ series you could then elevate Smith to 3 and Robinson as his direct replacement. 

So you d have Robinson 6 and Stokes 7 ? I d also be happy to see Smith at 3 ( shame he can't be in NZ ) 

Without wanting to open up a debate that has been had a million times before it it were actually down to me I’d find a way of getting Foakes in at 6, and then Smith at 3. I still think it’s madness we can’t find a way of having Foakes in the side and his career has been managed abysmally by the ECB. 

However, for whatever reason the setup don’t seem to fancy Foakes whereas Robinson is much more the ‘profile’ they go for in a batter and is a very decent keeper as well. It’s perplexing to say the least how he hasn’t had an opportunity yet (In my opinion at least). 

NZ seems an obvious opportunity with Smith out but all the signs seem to be pointing to Cox being ahead of Robinson which means he is likely to keep wicket. You could argue there isn’t much between Cox and Robinson batting wise but there is no comparison in terms of keeping ability.

The chance Smith put down today was a really tough one, but a high calibre keeper takes that and potentially breaks up that partnership. Smith is an outstanding player who should be in the side for years to come but I remain to be convinced that he is an anything but an average keeper, and whilst they do seem to be going out of fashion I still think to truly be a world class side you need a decent keeper.

killerandflash

Can Smith score runs AFTER a tough day and a half keeping under the baking sun, that's also a question, and one reason why top keeper batters are so rare and precious.

blackpool72

Brook out.
I can't see this lasting too long today 

Addick Addict

Following a solid start, Brook tries to cut a ball from Noman and merely edges the ball into the gloves of Rizwan for 26 (40)

66-4 (19.4)

Addick Addict

Shocking decision to leave a ball from Stokes and he is out LBW for 3 (9). Has a cursory glance to Root about reviewing on his way to walking off. Talk about muddled thinking.

70-5 (21.2)

AFKABartram

Addick Addict said:

Play starts at 5.43 our time with coverage commencing at 5.30 for those insomniacs amongst us.

So glad I got up early for this… 🙈

Addick Addict

More brain fade - this time from Smith who charges Sajid too early and is bowled by an inglorious hack across the line for 3 (16)

75-6 (24.5)

blackpool72

Six wickets down and most to poor shots. 
Not good enough 

Addick Addict

Root reaches for a ball that turns from Noman and nicks it into the gloves of Rizwan for 33 (52) and to give the bowler his 5th wicket.

85-7 (28)

RonnieMoore

Stokes batting is a major  concern but it’s his captaincy that really is in question especially in this test .. once again lost the  plot at the end of Pakistan innings and let them take control of the game .. 

Addick Addict

Atlinson tries to flick a ball on off stump to leg and is cleaned up by Sajid for 10 (17)

97-8 (32.1)

Addick Addict

Rehan tries to scoop a ball from Sajid, exposes his stumps in doing so and is cleaned up by Sajid for 7 (21)and to give the bowler his 10th wicket of the match

106-9 (34.1) 

Leuth

Fucking India are gonna win this aren't they