Cricket

[TheGayTent]

@kaosmark2 i remember you being keen to see Hameed back given the potential he showed in India. Any more injuries and he will get his chance. 

I’m still not convinced Burns is a long term solution. Hope I’m wrong but I just can’t see him averaging 40+ over any length of time. 

[kaosmark2]

3 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

@kaosmark2 i remember you being keen to see Hameed back given the potential he showed in India. Any more injuries and he will get his chance. 

I’m still not convinced Burns is a long term solution. Hope I’m wrong but I just can’t see him averaging 40+ over any length of time. 

Yeah I saw that. I'm glad to see him looking back in form for Notts. I definitely think Hameed is more likely to be a long-term solution than Burns, but then, Burns is churning out 50s for Surrey right now? I'm also kinda fine with Burns being on the plane to Aus short of a dismal summer. 

Gutted for Foakes, I really like him. Also hoping that we can see how Ollie Robinson does in whites, the wicket clips I've seen of him he looks a talent.

[CG31]

Oh dear, follow on inbound

[TheGayTent]

It’s Lords so no surprise. England will play well in Birmingham

[kaosmark2]

I thought (from highlights) Wood looked quite threatening yesterday, his wickets look great today. I do generally think Wood (and the other high-pacers) are better bowlers when they're bowling fuller and the bouncers are used sparingly but with the threat of them, as shown with his wickets today.

Slow scoring since Root got hit, but no more wickets either. Still think NZ will have slightly too big a first innings lead, but I'm not horrendously worried about a loss at Lords, particularly with Stokes and Woakes missing.

[kaosmark2]

Lovely declaration. Keeps the test exciting despite the rain delay. 

Edited June 6, 2021 by kaosmark2

[TheGayTent]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-9655821/amp/Kent-veteran-Darren-Stevens-offered-chance-play-county-cricket-age-FORTY-SIX.html
 

I’m sure even God can excuse the daily Mail link 

[CG31]

Christ Bracey has been poor hasn’t he

[kaosmark2]

8 hours ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Christ Bracey has been poor hasn’t he

Bigged up for top-order batting then playing at 7. I'm much more worried by Pope's form.

Team balance looks so bad with 4 all-rounders unavailable.

[CG31]

14 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Bigged up for top-order batting then playing at 7. I'm much more worried by Pope's form.

Team balance looks so bad with 4 all-rounders unavailable.

And Crawleys maybe, looked really good in India and got his high score so far with 17. 
Foakes is still Number 1?

But Yh it looks very unbalanced I would agree

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, Gerard the Fab said:

And Crawleys maybe, looked really good in India and got his high score so far with 17. 
Foakes is still Number 1?

But Yh it looks very unbalanced I would agree

I'll be very surprised if Crawley plays in the first test vs India. How they manage his dropping and then return to the side is important, but I'd say he needs time out of the firing line now.

I still don't know what the answer at 3 short-term is, I absolutely think Crawley can be a great 3 for England long-term, but he's clearly struggling. Promoting Pope/Lawrence feels like they're not quite ready, yet possibly better than playing an all-rounder there or shoving Root up. Bracey's an option, but that nightmare debut makes it feel cruel, Hameed maybe?

The reason I say Pope's form is concerning, is that like many of the most aesthetic, free-scoring players, the ways he's getting out are the same way as he scores. His strength is currently his weakness. I generally buy into the hype about him, but I feel he needs a tough but successful innings to really believe. There's also the sense that at some point he needs to move up.

I think Buttler's first choice wickie, with Foakes 2nd. Probably Bairstow or Billings 3rd, Bracey's right down the pecking order, he was brought in as a potential top order bat. It's like when Pope kept.

Stokes/Woakes/Curran/Moeen are all very good all-rounders, any one of whom would hugely help balance a side, when you consider that they've all come in as low as 9 at some point, it's a big shift. Lacking that lower-order batting puts more pressure on an inexperienced middle order, and harder to blood these young players.

[CG31]

Agreed with all above 

what’s your current 11 then

[kaosmark2]

Burns, Sibley, Hameed, Root, Stokes, Lawrence, Buttler, Moeen, Wood, Broad, Anderson. 

I can't see it being Moeen though.

In Australia I'd potentially play Malan 3, have Leach as the spinner, and have 2 of Wood/Archer/Stone/Mahmood alongside one of Broad/Anderson.

[CG31]

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

Burns, Sibley, Hameed, Root, Stokes, Lawrence, Buttler, Moeen, Wood, Broad, Anderson. 

I can't see it being Moeen though.

In Australia I'd potentially play Malan 3, have Leach as the spinner, and have 2 of Wood/Archer/Stone/Mahmood alongside one of Broad/Anderson.

I’d agree with that, I don’t pay much attention on the injury front when are Stokes and Archer due back?

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, Gerard the Fab said:

I’d agree with that, I don’t pay much attention on the injury front when are Stokes and Archer due back?

Stokes for 1st/2nd India test, so very easy to throw Woakes in in place for the 1st if not fit. Archer's longer away but not sure how much.

[kaosmark2]

@TheGayTent What's happening with Northeast's county career? Just seen he's moving to Yorkshire mid-season. I'd thought he'd been doing well at Hampshire (annoyingly, cos fuck Hampshire).

[TheGayTent]

On 7/2/2021 at 8:27 PM, kaosmark2 said:

@TheGayTent What's happening with Northeast's county career? Just seen he's moving to Yorkshire mid-season. I'd thought he'd been doing well at Hampshire (annoyingly, cos fuck Hampshire).

No idea really. He speaks so well but yet seems to rub people up the wrong way. At 31 he’s likely to be another that doesn’t fulfil his potential. although…he’s 14 years younger than God so….

[TheGayTent]

Be interesting to see how Hameed gets on opening against India tomorrow 

[TheGayTent]

Bairstow back 🙄

 

Woakes almost as unlucky as Foakes when it comes to injuries (particularly the timing of them) 

[CG31]

Really enjoyed the Hundred so far, was quite sceptical about it but it’s changed on me

[sirjonnyp]

I stayed up to watch both games last night to see what the fuss was about. Although I get that it isn't marketed at me, I don't get what it is doing different to t20s. Aside from the 5/10 ball change, it really felt like I was just watching t20 games. 

[TheGayTent]

It’s the worst thing to hit the county game ever. 

[kingbadger]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:36 PM, TheGayTent said:

Be interesting to see how Hameed gets on opening against India tomorrow 

Got a ton. Have to think he's really putting some pressure on the current top 3. 

Stokes out for the foreseeable. No excuses now ECB, give the people what they want. Stevens is the late middle order and the new rock.

[TheGayTent]

9 hours ago, kingbadger said:

Got a ton. Have to think he's really putting some pressure on the current top 3. 
 

I think it’ll take more than that - no doubt Silverwood has called him up to see what his temperament is like more than anything else. It’s all about team now in every aspect not just on the field. 

9 hours ago, kingbadger said:

Stevens is the late middle order and the new rock.

The fact two tests are being played in September with the atmospheric conditions that is likely to bring I’d fancy him to do rather well with the ball. 

[kaosmark2]

I was very disappointed with Overton's call-up to replace Stokes. He's not even the best all-rounder in Somerset!

Stevens would be great to see, but there's also spin-bowling all-rounders. Moeen or Livingstone surely worth considering, particularly with Moeen's record at home vs India.

About 8 players I would have called up before COverton to bad 6/7 and bowl 10/innings.