Pope has looked horribly out of touch playing for Surrey so far this season. Looks to be desperately looking for that one shot that kick starts his season, but if Crawley can keep getting picked for squads he's nothing to worry about!
Hopefully Cook actually plays and isn't carrying drinks. Bashir and Crawley must have incriminating evidence against Rob Key because they're both in terrible form.
Would have been a good chance to look at Haines or McKinney at the top of the order
Pope has looked horribly out of touch playing for Surrey so far this season. Looks to be desperately looking for that one shot that kick starts his season, but if Crawley can keep getting picked for squads he's nothing to worry about!
Also doesn’t help him that Smith has often been coming in right after him and hitting good scores
If Bashir is picked, it makes you wonder what he can do to be dropped.
A secret he shares with Crawley
I can see the logic with Crawley - not saying he should be picked (he's woefully out of form IMHO), but there's a dearth of openers, he may suit Aussie wickets, was our top scorer in the last Ashes, he scores quickly like they want, he creates a left/right tall/short combo with Duckett etc. There's some logic to it.
Bashir has never looked up to it and currently can't get in a Div 2 side.
Bashir, following his three match spell at Glamorgan during which time he returned figures of 2-304 has now gone back to Somerset but has not been picked for their current match. Some bloke called Leach has achieved figures of 30-12-35-3. Anyone know anything about him?
Bashir, following his three match spell at Glamorgan during which time he returned figures of 2-304 has now returned to Somerset but has not been picked for their current match. Some bloke called Leach has current figures of 22-8-31-3. Anyone know anything about him?
Bashir, following his three match spell at Glamorgan during which time he returned figures of 2-304 has now returned to Somerset but has not been picked for their current match. Some bloke called Leach has current figures of 22-8-31-3. Anyone know anything about him?
Totally bizarre that he can return those figures in Div 2 and still be safe as houses. Leach should be there for the India series
Jordan Cox has had to withdraw due to injury again, James Rew to replace. Such a shame for Cox who seems to have bad luck. Rew definitely deserves his chance though
Jordan Cox has had to withdraw due to injury again, James Rew to replace. Such a shame for Cox who seems to have bad luck. Rew definitely deserves his chance though
You can take the boy out of Kent, but you can't take the Kent out of the boy...
Great batsman but an awful bully. Terrible attitude and behaviour.
Also notice how he leaves before he comes here. King Kohli doesn't want to look like a fool. Then again most Indian players don't seem to like playing abroad.
Kohli retiring now before he gets found wanting again in English conditions fishing at a sixth stump line. Leaves 2 big holes in the Indian batting lineup with Rohit retiring too.
Kohli's averaged 32.56 over the last 24 months, has had nine single digit scores in his last 15 innings and averages just 33.21 in England. Better to go out with people remembering you for the Test batter you were than the one you are. There would have come, with all the up and coming players they have, a point where he would, despite the name and reputation, have been dropped and neither the BCCI or Kohli himself would have wanted that.
Great batsman but an awful bully. Terrible attitude and behaviour.
Also notice how he leaves before he comes here. King Kohli doesn't want to look like a fool. Then again most Indian players don't seem to like playing abroad.
For a few years the Indian team were in his image. Even down to the Kohli beard
Livingstone dropped. Liam Dawson hasn't played and international and I wonder if this is a stepping stone to integrating Dawson into the Test side. One would imagine this would entail some extra remuneration and the promise of a central contract come October but it really wouldn't surprise me if that conversation hasn't happened already.
Liam Dawson in the T20 squad is excellent news, if it leads to bigger things. I can't think of too many people who'd prefer Bashir to face the Aussies next winter than Dawson. Even if he does fail the Charlton Life Brendon McCullum height test.
Liam Dawson in the T20 squad is excellent news, if it leads to bigger things. I can't think of too many people who'd prefer Bashir to face the Aussies next winter than Dawson. Even if he does fail the Charlton Life Brendon McCullum height test.
It's a strange one that Dawson isn't included in the 50 over squad and Tom Hartley (1-215 in List A matches) is but isn't in the T20 squad. Hedging our bets or just a case that this is how the names came out when the balls were taken out of the bag?
Interesting piece on swing/wobble seem bowling in The Telegraph, if you get past the click bait headline. Popped the Telegraph link and an archived version below
So, a bunch of 2nd XI cricketers including three 17 year olds beat Zimbabwe by 138 runs. Now I have no problem with us playing Zimbabwe as a warm up match for the series against India but the advertising of the match and pre-sale of tickets for day 4 of a 4-day Test leaves a bit to be desired especially with the ECB's refunds policy in mind.
The request is to "Please make sure you do not leave orphan seats". The orphans are going to be the ones there on the 4th day not the empty seats! Leaving the "s" off "Tickets selling fast" alsohas to be an ECB employee's idea of humour!
England Men v Zimbabwe - Rothesay Test Match
Thursday 22-Sunday 25 May - Trent Bridge (Ticket selling fast)
Didn't realise it's a 4 day Test match. Why's that ?
(And dont say because Zimbabwe are crap & it wont go past the 4th day).
Next day is a Bank Holiday - it will look really stupid if it ends a draw when a 5th day would produce a result.
It's because Zimbabwe are crap and it won't go past the 4th day (unless it rains that is).
The Test is only there because of the ECB's contractual obligation to Sky to have six Test matches a year here. The ECB is also paying the visitors a tour fee in lieu of a reciprocal trip not sitting in the future tours programme. Zimbabwe are hanging around afterwards to play a 4-day game against South Africa at Arundel as a warm up for the latter's World Test Championship Final.
Comments
Would have been a good chance to look at Haines or McKinney at the top of the order
Bashir has never looked up to it and currently can't get in a Div 2 side.
Rohit retires from Test cricket, so won't tour this summer. A gentle exit, rather than being dropped, I imagine.
Also notice how he leaves before he comes here. King Kohli doesn't want to look like a fool.
Then again most Indian players don't seem to like playing abroad.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2025/05/20/swing-bowling-facing-extinction-england-zimbabwe/
https://archive.ph/pvCKz
The request is to "Please make sure you do not leave orphan seats". The orphans are going to be the ones there on the 4th day not the empty seats! Leaving the "s" off "Tickets selling fast" also has to be an ECB employee's idea of humour!
England Men v Zimbabwe - Rothesay Test Match
Thursday 22-Sunday 25 May - Trent Bridge (Ticket selling fast)
https://www.ecb.co.uk/tickets/2025
(And dont say because Zimbabwe are crap & it wont go past the 4th day).
Next day is a Bank Holiday - it will look really stupid if it ends a draw when a 5th day would produce a result.
The Test is only there because of the ECB's contractual obligation to Sky to have six Test matches a year here. The ECB is also paying the visitors a tour fee in lieu of a reciprocal trip not sitting in the future tours programme. Zimbabwe are hanging around afterwards to play a 4-day game against South Africa at Arundel as a warm up for the latter's World Test Championship Final.