I've mentioned him before but Emilio Gay must be nearing selection but, perhaps, McCullum, Stokes and Key felt duty bound to give Lawrence the opportunity first. Crawley will be back anyway come Pakistan but, given Gay has scored 919 runs at an average of 57.43 it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up being on that tour.
Interesting that he has chosen to move to Durham, which isn't the easiest place to be an opener. Maybe hoping to catch the eye of Stokes!
Durham have also signed Will Rhodes who hit a double ton against Kent this week and will have a very strong batting unit when one adds Bedingham, Robinson, Lees, McKinney and Borthwick to Gay and Rhodes. Trouble is most of their bowling attack is centrally contracted!!!
Been out today, but surprised Root's record 35th ton hasn't raised more comment. A sign of the inevitability of it, and the weakness of the opposition.
A frustrating day yesterday in the Upper Edrich with the weird cloud. Good to see Root get his ton. Whilst listening to the tms team winding up Cook.
Woke up remembering our conversations last night deciding to go to Pakistan in October.
Quite a bit further away, but we've been discussing going back to SA for the winter tour 26/27
Oh yes, we’re defo going that having done it in 2016 and 2024. Can’t believe we have had to wait this long (ashes and India taking priority over the schedule!)
I've mentioned him before but Emilio Gay must be nearing selection but, perhaps, McCullum, Stokes and Key felt duty bound to give Lawrence the opportunity first. Crawley will be back anyway come Pakistan but, given Gay has scored 919 runs at an average of 57.43 it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up being on that tour.
Interesting that he has chosen to move to Durham, which isn't the easiest place to be an opener. Maybe hoping to catch the eye of Stokes!
Durham have also signed Will Rhodes who hit a double ton against Kent this week and will have a very strong batting unit when one adds Bedingham, Robinson, Lees, McKinney and Borthwick to Gay and Rhodes. Trouble is most of their bowling attack is centrally contracted!!!
Interesting how Durham are now able to lure players from "Test" counties, after a period when they lost players to richer counties.
A frustrating day yesterday in the Upper Edrich with the weird cloud. Good to see Root get his ton. Whilst listening to the tms team winding up Cook.
Woke up remembering our conversations last night deciding to go to Pakistan in October.
Quite a bit further away, but we've been discussing going back to SA for the winter tour 26/27
Oh yes, we’re defo going that having done it in 2016 and 2024. Can’t believe we have had to wait this long (ashes and India taking priority over the schedule!)
We lived in Pretoria for 3 years and haven't been back since we left in 2017. Much that we'd love to go back for some rugby, the cricket season is the better time of year! Probably won't even go back to Pretoria, just Cape Town, the winelands and Garden Route. Not sure when the tour was announced but I'm sure I've checked several times and only just discovered when it is!
I lived in Pakistan for 2 years too, and apart from 2 short work trips, I haven't been back since and not planning to go this year.
Of course Atkinson got and fully deserved player of the match (I think) - scoring 2centuries and becoming England's leading test century maker is just not good enough, lol!
Of course Atkinson got and fully deserved player of the match (I think) - scoring 2centuries and becoming England's leading test century maker is just not good enough, lol!
You can't not give it to someone who puts in an honours board display for both batting and bowling though.
(Especially when the only competition for the player of the match would probably have dropped the magnum).
And Atkinson's ton was really important for the match too, rather than being a "soft" hundred against demoralised opposition. If England had been all out for 250-300 in the 1st innings, then the game would have been a lot tighter, and the England bowling under far more pressure.
And Atkinson's ton was really important for the match too, rather than being a "soft" hundred against demoralised opposition. If England had been all out for 250-300 in the 1st innings, then the game would have been a lot tighter, and the England bowling under far more pressure.
Atkinson became only the third man to score a 100 with the bat and take a five-for with the ball in the same Test match for England.
The other two: Tony Greig and Ian Botham.
Greig ‘74 vs West Indies (Bridgetown) Botham ‘78 vs New Zealand (Christchurch) Botham ‘78 vs Pakistan (Lords) Botham ‘80 vs India (Bombay / Mumbai) Botham ‘81 vs Australia (Headingley) Botham ‘84 vs New Zealand (Wellington) Atkinson ‘24 vs Sri Lanka (Lords)
I’ll be interested to see how Atkinson gets on against decent opposition. I think he’s been lucky to start his test career against two dreadful sides.
I think it’s harsh calling Sri Lanka dreadful - their batting isn’t bad . Their bowling lacks menace . I agree that he will have more difficult challenges , especially abroad . That said , Woakes etc have a lot to prove away from home too .
And Atkinson's ton was really important for the match too, rather than being a "soft" hundred against demoralised opposition. If England had been all out for 250-300 in the 1st innings, then the game would have been a lot tighter, and the England bowling under far more pressure.
Atkinson became only the third man to score a 100 with the bat and take a five-for with the ball in the same Test match for England.
The other two: Tony Greig and Ian Botham.
Greig ‘74 vs West Indies (Bridgetown) Botham ‘78 vs New Zealand (Christchurch) Botham ‘78 vs Pakistan (Lords) Botham ‘80 vs India (Bombay / Mumbai) Botham ‘81 vs Australia (Headingley) Botham ‘84 vs New Zealand (Wellington) Atkinson ‘24 vs Sri Lanka (Lords)
Hearing that stat was a reminder of HOW amazing Botham was in his early days.
I’ll be interested to see how Atkinson gets on against decent opposition. I think he’s been lucky to start his test career against two dreadful sides.
I think it’s harsh calling Sri Lanka dreadful - their batting isn’t bad . Their bowling lacks menace . I agree that he will have more difficult challenges , especially abroad . That said , Woakes etc have a lot to prove away from home too .
Their batting is pretty bad when arguably their best batter comes in at number 7.
long shot. I have 2 tickets for England v Australia ODI at Trent Bridge on 19th September . Unfortunately I'm unable to go through illness. Anyone interested?
Shoaib Bashir's journey to date has been truly remarkable and the polar opposite of how most players get to play Test cricket. And what happens now with his career?
This is a lad who went to a school in Surrey that didn't play cricket. He was in the Surrey system from the age of 13 until he was 17 when, just three years ago, he was released by them. The following year he went off to play for Berkshire U18s but at the end of that season (5th September 2022) he made his debut for Somerset 2s. He played one more game for them that season before being offered a contract by them last year. He didn't make his FC debut until June last year and less than eight months later he was making his England debut in India and is now England's number one spinner.
However, let's not kid ourselves that Bashir isn't a work in progress. He has done tremendously well given his inexperience but he simply will not know his game with that pathway and just 18 red ball games under his belt. He's not even Somerset's number one (Leach is and has just taken 12 wickets in a game) so he has to move to gain that experience. He went on loan this season to Worcs for a game when he returned 38-2-162-2. What bet that he ends up back at Surrey? They've just lost to Notts in a game where their opposition's spinner, 16 year old Farhan Ahmed and brother of Rehan, has taken on his CC debut, 10-217 and an economy rate of 2.84 with Surrey's own number one spinner, Cameron Steel, returning 2-163 and an economy rate of 5.09. It's increasingly looking like Surrey shouldn't have released Bashir in the first place!
Whether that is true or not, Bashir has to move because playing just Test cricket between now and matches against India and Australia will not be sufficient for him to hone his craft. He isn't a better bowler than Leach right now and won't get the chance to become that staying at Somerset or just playing Test cricket. Playing in India on bunsen burners is a world away from doing so on a docile pitch here or in Australia.
Shoaib Bashir's journey to date has been truly remarkable and the polar opposite of how most players get to play Test cricket. And what happens now with his career?
This is a lad who went to a school in Surrey that didn't play cricket. He was in the Surrey system from the age of 13 until he was 17 when, just three years ago, he was released by them. The following year he went off to play for Berkshire U18s but at the end of that season (5th September 2022) he made his debut for Somerset 2s. He played one more game for them that season before being offered a contract by them last year. He didn't make his FC debut until June last year and less than eight months later he was making his England debut in India and is now England's number one spinner.
However, let's not kid ourselves that Bashir isn't a work in progress. He has done tremendously well given his inexperience but he simply will not know his game with that pathway and just 18 red ball games under his belt. He's not even Somerset's number one (Leach is and has just taken 12 wickets in a game) so he has to move to gain that experience. He went on loan this season to Worcs for a game when he returned 38-2-162-2. What bet that he ends up back at Surrey? They've just lost to Notts in a game where their opposition's spinner, 16 year old Farhan Ahmed and brother of Rehan, has taken on his CC debut, 10-217 and an economy rate of 2.84 with Surrey's own number one spinner, Cameron Steel, returning 2-163 and an economy rate of 5.09. It's increasingly looking like Surrey shouldn't have released Bashir in the first place!
Whether that is true or not, Bashir has to move because playing just Test cricket between now and matches against India and Australia will not be sufficient for him to hone his craft. He isn't a better bowler than Leach right now and won't get the chance to become that staying at Somerset or just playing Test cricket. Playing in India on bunsen burners is a world away from doing so on a docile pitch here or in Australia.
Umm Jacks too 7-129 in their first innings. I dont think you can call Cam Steel our number 1 spinner hes never been picked ahead of Jacks when both are available. In this match it was clear they had prepared a pitch that turns so we played both. Last match at home Jacks was selected ahead of Steel at the first chance he was available for us all season. Jacks is clear number 1.
I think the bigger regret with Surrey is releasing Moriarty who I think is an excellent spinner but fell victim of our at least 4 quicks and one part time spinner strategy. We dont pick spinners that cant bat (even though its fine for quicks!).
Wonder if Jack Carson might be playing his way into a winter tour spot , 97 with the bat and then 11 wickets in the match against Derbyshire. I realise it's a long shot with Bashir,Leach and Rehan Ahmed though all ahead of him. Probably behind Will Jacks too.
Ollie Robinson went wicketless across both innings.
If Jacks is Surrey's number one spinner then they don't really have a frontline spinner at all because he's taken 7 wickets this season and has, at the age of 25 (some 9 years older than Farhan Ahmed), just 44 wickets from 54 matches to his name. Bashir has 47 wickets and he's five years younger at 20 and has only played 18 matches. But I agree that, as he can't bat, Surrey probably isn't the place for Bashir and it was probably the best thing that could have happened to him when Surrey dropped him. He would probably have ended up like Moriarty or Virdi and going nowhere fast. Presumably, Bashir was let go not just because of Jacks, Moriarty and Virdi but because they also had in the same age group as Bashir, Tommy Ealham, who is still at Surrey but can't get near the red ball side.
If Jacks is Surrey's number one spinner then they don't really have a frontline spinner at all because he's taken 7 wickets this season and has, at the age of 25 (some 9 years older than Farhan Ahmed), just 44 wickets from 54 matches to his name. Bashir has 47 wickets and he's five years younger at 20 and has only played 18 matches. But I agree that, as he can't bat, Surrey probably isn't the place for Bashir and it was probably the best thing that could have happened to him when Surrey dropped him. He would probably have ended up like Moriarty or Virdi and going nowhere fast. Presumably, Bashir was let go not just because of Jacks, Moriarty and Virdi but because they also had in the same age group as Bashir, Tommy Ealham, who is still at Surrey but can't get near the red ball side.
If Jacks is Surrey's number one spinner then they don't really have a frontline spinner at all because he's taken 7 wickets this season and has, at the age of 25 (some 9 years older than Farhan Ahmed), just 44 wickets from 54 matches to his name. Bashir has 47 wickets and he's five years younger at 20 and has only played 18 matches. But I agree that, as he can't bat, Surrey probably isn't the place for Bashir and it was probably the best thing that could have happened to him when Surrey dropped him. He would probably have ended up like Moriarty or Virdi and going nowhere fast. Presumably, Bashir was let go not just because of Jacks, Moriarty and Virdi but because they also had in the same age group as Bashir, Tommy Ealham, who is still at Surrey but can't get near the red ball side.
7 wickets in two games to be fair to the guy.
With all 7 wickets in one game on a bunsen burner. If that one match were the criteria for success than 16 year old Farhan would be selected for England ahead of him. The telling stats are 44 wickets from 54 matches (37 wickets in his previous 53 games) at 42.61 at the age of almost 26. He's not a frontline red ball spinner on two fronts - one because he rarely plays red ball and two because when he does play, he simply does not regularly take wickets.
Surrey were definitely missing a front line spinner this week. I knew it was a spin friendly pitch, but I hadn't realised that in the Surrey second innings the 2 Notts spinners bowled all 53 overs! Quite extraordinary for just 2 bowlers to bowl all 53 overs.
It'll be interesting which bowlers England take to Pakistan, as I don't think it'll be as spin dominated as India was. A massive shame that Dawson is effectively retired from England duty, a 10fer and an unbeaten century in his latest match, and he's only a year older than Leach.
This season Dawson has 706 runs at 58.83 and 42 wickets at 24.24.
Comments
I lived in Pakistan for 2 years too, and apart from 2 short work trips, I haven't been back since and not planning to go this year.
(Especially when the only competition for the player of the match would probably have dropped the magnum).
The other two: Tony Greig and Ian Botham.
Greig ‘74 vs West Indies (Bridgetown)
Botham ‘78 vs New Zealand (Christchurch)
Botham ‘78 vs Pakistan (Lords)
Botham ‘80 vs India (Bombay / Mumbai)
Botham ‘81 vs Australia (Headingley)
Botham ‘84 vs New Zealand (Wellington)
Atkinson ‘24 vs Sri Lanka (Lords)
This is a lad who went to a school in Surrey that didn't play cricket. He was in the Surrey system from the age of 13 until he was 17 when, just three years ago, he was released by them. The following year he went off to play for Berkshire U18s but at the end of that season (5th September 2022) he made his debut for Somerset 2s. He played one more game for them that season before being offered a contract by them last year. He didn't make his FC debut until June last year and less than eight months later he was making his England debut in India and is now England's number one spinner.
However, let's not kid ourselves that Bashir isn't a work in progress. He has done tremendously well given his inexperience but he simply will not know his game with that pathway and just 18 red ball games under his belt. He's not even Somerset's number one (Leach is and has just taken 12 wickets in a game) so he has to move to gain that experience. He went on loan this season to Worcs for a game when he returned 38-2-162-2. What bet that he ends up back at Surrey? They've just lost to Notts in a game where their opposition's spinner, 16 year old Farhan Ahmed and brother of Rehan, has taken on his CC debut, 10-217 and an economy rate of 2.84 with Surrey's own number one spinner, Cameron Steel, returning 2-163 and an economy rate of 5.09. It's increasingly looking like Surrey shouldn't have released Bashir in the first place!
Whether that is true or not, Bashir has to move because playing just Test cricket between now and matches against India and Australia will not be sufficient for him to hone his craft. He isn't a better bowler than Leach right now and won't get the chance to become that staying at Somerset or just playing Test cricket. Playing in India on bunsen burners is a world away from doing so on a docile pitch here or in Australia.
I think the bigger regret with Surrey is releasing Moriarty who I think is an excellent spinner but fell victim of our at least 4 quicks and one part time spinner strategy. We dont pick spinners that cant bat (even though its fine for quicks!).
Ollie Robinson went wicketless across both innings.
It'll be interesting which bowlers England take to Pakistan, as I don't think it'll be as spin dominated as India was. A massive shame that Dawson is effectively retired from England duty, a 10fer and an unbeaten century in his latest match, and he's only a year older than Leach.
This season Dawson has 706 runs at 58.83 and 42 wickets at 24.24.