Cricket

[kaosmark2]

On 7/10/2020 at 12:53 PM, st dan said:

Interesting chat (again) in our cricket clubs WhatsApp group over who is (or will be) the better all-rounder: Stokes and Flintoff.  

General consensus is that Freddie is the better bowler and Stokes the better batsman - do we agree?
Who would you choose if you could just have one - for me would have to be Freddie, regardless of the talent that Stokes has. 

There still any argument?

[st dan]

10 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

There still any argument?

Game by game the argument begins to disappear - Stokes really has his head screwed on and is thriving, developing and improving game by game. Keep this rate up and he will only be behind Kallis in the best of all time lists! 

Should be a cracking days cricket now - set up perfectly with all outcomes still possible (ok maybe not a WI victory but you never know!). If it gets that far, let’s hope the 5 overs at the end of the day with the second new ball are enough. 

[kaosmark2]

2 minutes ago, st dan said:

Game by game the argument begins to disappear - Stokes really has his head screwed on and is thriving, developing and improving game by game. Keep this rate up and he will only be behind Kallis in the best of all time lists! 

Should be a cracking days cricket now - set up perfectly with all outcomes still possible (ok maybe not a WI victory but you never know!). If it gets that far, let’s hope the 5 overs at the end of the day with the second new ball are enough. 

He's looking ridiculously brilliant isn't he? An 11 over spell in between his slowest century and the fastest 50 by an England test opener. If he plays for another 6 years then he could get some records.

The thing about England's first innings, is that cricket lovers know that sessions like that set up days like this. They're important for the narrative, and sessions like this one matter more because of their scarcity.

[TheGayTent]

25 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

The thing about England's first innings, is that cricket lovers know that sessions like that set up days like this. They're important for the narrative, and sessions like this one matter more because of their scarcity.

England would not be in a position to win this game without Sibley’s knock. This is test cricket. 

[kaosmark2]

Just now, TheGayTent said:

England would not be in a position to win this game without Sibley’s knock. This is test cricket. 

Absolutely.

[TheGayTent]

Broad on it 

[st dan]

1 hour ago, TheGayTent said:

Broad on it 

Yep, showing just why he can’t be left out of the side. I think him and Jofra are cemented in as first choice now, along with any two of Anderson/Wood/Woakes/Curran. Not a bad selection dilemma for a team to have!

[kaosmark2]

I don't think any bowler (not counting Stokes) will play more than 4 tests this summer.

[kaosmark2]

Thoughts on Bess? I rate him generally, but he's been poor this test. Pressure? Right handers? 

[chemica]

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

Thoughts on Bess? I rate him generally, but he's been poor this test. Pressure? Right handers? 

To be honest, with the wealth of talent in pace England have, I probably wouldn’t bother with a spinner. Root can turn his arm over a bit instead. 

[kaosmark2]

OT traditionally spins, and with Moeen and Leach available of be more inclined to get a different spinner in than not go with any. 

Or drop a batsman, but that probably leaves Pope or Burns as the wicketkeeper. 

[TheGayTent]

4 hours ago, chemica said:

To be honest, with the wealth of talent in pace England have, I probably wouldn’t bother with a spinner. Root can turn his arm over a bit instead. 

I’ve no problem with an all pace attack in the right conditions. Horses for courses and all that. 
However, I’d suggest it’s very rarely the case that situation occurs.
In addition, when we have a genuine all rounder in Stokes, there really isn’t any need for 5 pace bowlers, and we don’t need an extra batsman. 

Edited July 20, 2020 by TheGayTent

[kaosmark2]

Old Trafford, unless the pitch is drastically different to both traditionally and one which Roston Chase extracts notable turn on, is not a pitch to play no spinners on.

[TheGayTent]

County season finally starts a week on Saturday !

[TheGayTent]

I applaud the reasoning behind the selection but can’t help but think it puts a lot of pressure on Stokes and Root in the batting line up. 

[kaosmark2]

While Bess has been handy with the bat, Moeen as a bowler batting in the top 7 would have made me feel a lot more comfortable about being a batter down. 

[kaosmark2]

This is the Buttler England want, knuckle down when it's moving, then score rapidly against spinners and once settled. I'm still not sure he's a better option then Foakes, but it's great to see.

My main question is whether 2018 was an aberration of him being particularly in form for Test cricket, or whether 2019 was him being particularly out of form. (I'm happy to somewhat discount his previous stint).

[st dan]

So yeah .... you just don’t drop Stuart Broad. 

[TheGayTent]

Brathwaite the 500th victim for a second time ! 

[st dan]

Will be interesting to see what the rain/light does for the remainder of the days play. Looks like it’s going to be intermittent and possible the WI could hold on for a draw if they have the weather gods on their side. I live just outside Manchester and there are some ominous looking clouds around!

Maybe the 399 runs we set them to win was a tad cautious!! Would have backed us to take another 3/4 wickets with an additional 10 overs or so at the end of Sunday’s play. Hindsight and all that - but yesterday was obviously going to be total washout, and today was always hit and miss.

That being said I do expect us to wrap it up from here. What a great series it has been - with little expectation going into it!

 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2020 by st dan

[TheGayTent]

Finally got back my refund from Emirates today for the SL trip. Hopefully be able to put it towards an India trip in the spring but think that’s probably unlikely too. Can’t see even county cricket having supporters in this season. Have to settle for another England win today against the Irish 

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Finally got back my refund from Emirates today for the SL trip. Hopefully be able to put it towards an India trip in the spring but think that’s probably unlikely too. Can’t see even county cricket having supporters in this season. Have to settle for another England win today against the Irish 

I think if the India series goes ahead it'll be in UAE. And as you said, can't see county cricket matches being open. 

Good to see Hameed in the runs after his county change. Hope that continues. 

Also, fucking Surrey signing Jamie Overton. 

[kingbadger]

20 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I think if the India series goes ahead it'll be in UAE. And as you said, can't see county cricket matches being open. 

Good to see Hameed in the runs after his county change. Hope that continues. 

Also, fucking Surrey signing Jamie Overton. 

In fairness to Overton, as a genuine quick England have one eye on as a potential Ashes touring party member, playing half your games at Ciderabad probably isn't ideal. Correct me if I'm wrong but remembering back scorecards from last year, he didn't feature all too often in 4-day cricket? 

Always shit to see one of the 'bigger' counties snap up homegrown talent from elsewhere, but he's 26 and might see a change as a necessity if he wants to push his way into the England reckoning.

[kaosmark2]

4 hours ago, kingbadger said:

In fairness to Overton, as a genuine quick England have one eye on as a potential Ashes touring party member, playing half your games at Ciderabad probably isn't ideal. Correct me if I'm wrong but remembering back scorecards from last year, he didn't feature all too often in 4-day cricket? 

Always shit to see one of the 'bigger' counties snap up homegrown talent from elsewhere, but he's 26 and might see a change as a necessity if he wants to push his way into the England reckoning.

The Overton brothers and Gregory have both been taking plenty of wickets at Taunton. It's the most spin-friendly pitch in the country but it's not exactly bad for fast bowlers. It's not like the Oval has been a fast-bowling paradise, highest batting/bowling averages in the country recently.

He featured in most of the games he was fit for. As a proper pacer he doesn't play 4 days on, 2-3 days off.

The England management have already made clear they're looking at his development and want to bring him in. J Overton, Stone, and Mahmood have all been given development contracts with a clear eye to taking at least some of them on the Ashes tour alongside Archer/Wood. I'm just tired of seeing the bigger counties, and Surrey in particular, taking talent.

[TheGayTent]

God back in the wickets today and if we can keep the pressure up in the morning, we may have a tidy lead to set up a declaration by close of day 3 against the pesky neighbours from across the water. Come on you Spitfires