The summer of cricket thread 2014

[kerry red]

Interesting idea about Read, one that certainly hasn't crossed my mind.. Not saying that Cook doesn't deserve to be captain anymore but don't see a ready replacement within the current England team. Bell not playing much better than Cook, Prior awful (as referred to), Root too young, Broad possibly injured and maybe a bit too headstrong and Anderson just not imaginative enough - that's all the senior players..
As for tomorrow, expecting a bit of fight but India to bowl us out for around 220 ish. Can't see us winning a test series in a while, hope I'm wrong!

Good call - unfortunately!

[Summerof69]

Another test match...another collapse.

[kerry red]

About time the doddery old farts took a long, hard look at all things England (cricket) .

They furnish England with a real good green top to help their seamers and get stuffed by an Indian team who have probably never, ever seen one.

[Reg Smeeton]

About time the doddery old farts took a long, hard look at all things England (cricket) .

They furnish England with a real good green top to help their seamers and get stuffed by an Indian team who have probably never, ever seen one.

I'd be looking to get shot of Peter Moores pdq....and if he fancies a crack at it, give the job to Jason Gillespie.

[Nomoreheroes]

I think I would like to see the following happen:

- Cook give up the captaincy and take the rest of the series off. Bring in Carberry as a short term replacement.
- Bell to be dropped, but I have no idea who to bring in. Not Morgan nor Bopara! Buttler may be the man for this
- If Prior is fit, play him and make him captain. If not, drop him and bring in either Read or Foster as a specialist captain!
- Anderson to be dropped in favour of Jordan
- Broad to be rested in favour of the best spinner we can find. If we don't have one, then bring in Woakes to shore up the batting a bit too. (I know he was crap last time, but he has supposed to have improved)

[kerry red]

Anderson FFS? Really

[DMR]

Hahahahaha what have I just read? You'd bin off Anderson but elevate Big Cheese Prior to captain? Sweet merciful Jesus.

[JoeMezz]

Good call - unfortunately!

 

[Reg Smeeton]

Anderson FFS? Really

At the start of the series, it was said that the seamers would have to be rotated because of work load in back to back tests. Jimmy and Broad, both look knackered.

You'd prob want to play one and give the other a rest over the next 2 games.  I think Reece Topley at Essex looks a future bowler...could do worse than bring him in.

[Nomoreheroes]

I don't think Anderson has been at his best for a couple of years. I think this has coincided with him believing all the hype about him being the best in the world and the media hype about the battle between him and Dale Steyn. He has subsequently not consistently put the ball in the right place (a la Broad). He still is a very good cricketer and on his day England's best bowler and one of the top bowlers in the world.

However, I think its all a bit cozy between the senior England players. Dropping Anderson for a game might motivate him and others to perform. He didn't like being rested last time (Was it 2 years ago?) and seemed to come back with a point to prove.

The reason for Prior is the fact that everyone knows he hasn't got long left. We need someone short term who can do a job through the rest of this series and is expendable. (If Buttler comes in for Bell it doesn't stop his development either)

Cook scoring runs and leading from the front would be the man to help us build around. However, that ain't working. Maybe Cook has been found out? Maybe the captaincy hangs heavy? Unfortunately, I think its time to find out.

Having said all that, should all of those changes be made? No, probably not. But I hope the selectors think long and hard about them and I hope this is communicated back to the players too!

[Nemo]

Topley just fucked his back I'm afraid. I'd like to see a left hand quick at some point, Gurney is having a decent first class season.

[Reg Smeeton]

Topley just fucked his back I'm afraid. I'd like to see a left hand quick at some point, Gurney is having a decent first class season.

  Typical....I'd noticed he'd got quite  a few wickets in the early season.

 Down the years somewhat strangely we've been a bit short of left arm quicks, I go back to the Somerset great Fred Rumsey, who typically being from Somerset and forming a players Trade Union (PCA)  barely got a look in for England.

Jeff Jones of Glamorgan was sharp, but a promising test career, in fact all career, was truncated by an arm injury which finished him....although he did spawn Simon, who will forever be remembered for his 2005 Ashes contribution.

John Lever was perhaps the pick notably for the 70's Vaseline series in India, a few like Alan Mullally, Mark Illott had a go without ever quite looking convincing.

Tymal Mills, gets it through without having much idea yet of where it will end up

[kerry red]

Freddy is turning his arm over again with Lancs in T20!

[Nemo]

Typical....I'd noticed he'd got quite  a few wickets in the early season.

 Down the years somewhat strangely we've been a bit short of left arm quicks

Ryan Sidebottom had a decent career, still going on the County circuit as well, got 7-for for Yorkshire the other day. Presuming his day his past you have Gurney, Topley (injured), Mills (painfully overrated) and Keith Barker (former footballer, good bowler but not that quick so won't get a look in) as the only prominent left arm quicks that are England qualified. Think there's a young lad at Durham too but his name escapes me.

Edit: quick look at Cricinfo suggests Footit at Derbys has 50 wickets this season, he's had a lot of injuries but was genuinely quick last time I saw him. Can't imagine England ever picking a Derbyshire player though, who was the last, Cork?

[Nemo]

Priors stood down admitting that he's not in the right physical condition. The right decision made by an honourable man.

The selectors have a decision now. Is it Buttler's time?