Cricket

[kaosmark2]

The batting today doesn't!

[TheGayTent]

Division 2 of the CC is getting really interesting, despite only the 1 promotion place 

[kaosmark2]

Test squad is somewhat interesting. Very surprised by Gareth Batty getting a call-up, guess they want to see who the best 3rd spinning option will be if needed. Got to hope Hameed does well, but if he doesn't last more than 2-3 series he'll probably still get another chance in a few years.

No surprise Vince is dropped, but there does seem like a lot of batting options given there's only 1-3 spaces. Hard to see more than one of Ballance/Duckett/Butler playing, given how many all-rounders we have and a likelihood of packing the bowling a bit. I'd probably have left Ballance at home.

Cook
Hameed
Root
Duckett/Ansari
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

I'd prefer to see Butler keep wicket, but not quite sure how you can balance the batting lineup if you bring him in. Bairstow, Butler, Stokes and Ali are all lower middle order players really.

Great selection of bowling options though, that leaves out Finn and Wood, both who I feel would get a lot out of subcontinental pitches, but the other 4 seamers are really hard to drop given form/records/batting.

Edited September 16, 2016 by kaosmark2

[TheGayTent]

Given the squad picked I don't see anything wrong with your XI. Duckett is a much better batsmen than Ansari. Though I wouldn't argue too much about playing Ansari which allows you to drop one of Ali/Rashid and play Wood. 

Extremely difficult place to debut, though at least they have Bangladesh first before the Indians. Hopefully, at least one of Hameed/Duckett/Ansari can start in the same way Cook did all those years ago in Nagpur.  

Choosing Batty in the squad is a waste of a pick. 

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, TheGayTent said:

Given the squad picked I don't see anything wrong with your XI. Duckett is a much better batsmen than Ansari. Though I wouldn't argue too much about playing Ansari which allows you to drop one of Ali/Rashid and play Wood. 

Extremely difficult place to debut, though at least they have Bangladesh first before the Indians. Hopefully, at least one of Hameed/Duckett/Ansari can start in the same way Cook did all those years ago in Nagpur.  

Choosing Batty in the squad is a waste of a pick. 

I only vaguely follow the county game so I'll take your word on that, but the stats I've seen back that up. I assumed Ansari would only make it into the batting lineup for his bowling.

Agreed about difficult place to debut, but there's very few with caps with a big statement to be in the squad. I think everyone's sharing your hopes although I suspect it won't be quite as nice.

That was my initial thought, anyone you'd have taken that hasn't gone?

[mjsell]

1 minute ago, kaosmark2 said:

I only vaguely follow the county game so I'll take your word on that, but the stats I've seen back that up. I assumed Ansari would only make it into the batting lineup for his bowling.

Agreed about difficult place to debut, but there's very few with caps with a big statement to be in the squad. I think everyone's sharing your hopes although I suspect it won't be quite as nice.

That was my initial thought, anyone you'd have taken that hasn't gone?

How Batty has been selected ahead of Leach is beyond me.

[TheGayTent]

Jack Leach at Somerset isn't a bad shout thinking about it - the truth is we haven't got much quality to pick from spin wise, but at least Leach has potential. The only potential Batty has is arthritis. I'm convinced Batty is there as much for the fact he plays at a test venue county and will help Ansari settle. 

It pains me to say it but I think Browne at Essex is going to be a very good player. If he has a repeat of this season next year when he's playing in Division One he's bound to make the squad. 

Billings will no doubt make the squad as soon as he moves to a Division One team too....

[mjsell]

Read an interesting comment regarding making an entire England XI of players that have had their entire England careeer since Batty's last appearance:

Carberry
Trott
Bopara
Pietersen
Prior
Ambrose
Bresnan
Swann
Tremlett
Panesar
Onions

Edited September 16, 2016 by mjsell

[pink_triangle]

Thought on the declaration yesterday? I personally had no problem with it. Somerset should have got more points and it wouldn't have mattered. Credit to Franklin, I thought (without the benefit of hindsight) he negotiated a great deal.

[kaosmark2]

I'm fine with it. I understand Somerset's frustration but teams trying to force wins/results is a good thing IMO. 240 off 40 overs is a huge ask in Test cricket, particularly with Yorkshire's weakened batting lineup.

[pink_triangle]

58 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I'm fine with it. I understand Somerset's frustration but teams trying to force wins/results is a good thing IMO. 240 off 40 overs is a huge ask in Test cricket, particularly with Yorkshire's weakened batting lineup.

Weren't you surprised Yorkshire took that deal? Talk about a cricket captain earning his money, Franklin got an amazing deal.

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

Weren't you surprised Yorkshire took that deal? Talk about a cricket captain earning his money, Franklin got an amazing deal.

Yep. 220 or less and I've had understood, 200 would have made a lot of sense. I guess Yorkshire felt they didn't really have any bargaining chips.

[pink_triangle]

11 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Yep. 220 or less and I've had understood, 200 would have made a lot of sense. I guess Yorkshire felt they didn't really have any bargaining chips.

I don't really understand why Middlesex had any better chips, they were also in the win or bust position.

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, pink_triangle said:

I don't really understand why Middlesex had any better chips, they were also in the win or bust position.

Middlesex could pick their time to declare if Yorkshire didn't agree. Yorkshire didn't have that luxury. Still surprised they accepted 240 though.

[TheGayTent]

Awful lot of experts in hindsight...

[pink_triangle]

21 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Awful lot of experts in hindsight...

So who did you think had negotiated the best deal at the time?

[kaosmark2]

Jimmy out of Bangladesh tour and not going to play all 5 in India.

Better to give Wood/Finn/Ball a bowl or mix it up with an extra spinner? I'd quite like to see a bit of Ansari personally, but having 3 not-full-time spinners in the lineup doesn't quite feel right. Wood would be my preference of the pace bowlers, though Finn did very well last time we were in India. Neither screams out as being a great new-ball partner to Broad, although I suspect that will go to Woakes anyway.

[TheGayTent]

My initial thoughts at this time on a Friday are :

am trying to decide which tests to do next summer. 

Together with the fact that the windies are playing at Canterbury in a warm up game - result ! 

[kaosmark2]

12 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

am trying to decide which tests to do next summer. 

I'm meeting my cricket-going mate tomorrow evening so we'll probably chat about that amongst others. I'm currently thinking of trying to get to either Trent Bridge or OT for a South Africa test.

[TheGayTent]

My group has decided Trent Bridge and/or Oval for SA, and Edgbaston for the Windies

I'll also go to Canterbury for the Kent V Windies warm up game 

[kaosmark2]

We can only really justify one Test each summer, so we'll try and make it a SA one and see what deals we can get, which will most likely be outside London.

[kaosmark2]

14 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Jimmy out of Bangladesh tour and not going to play all 5 in India.

Better to give Wood/Finn/Ball a bowl or mix it up with an extra spinner? I'd quite like to see a bit of Ansari personally, but having 3 not-full-time spinners in the lineup doesn't quite feel right. Wood would be my preference of the pace bowlers, though Finn did very well last time we were in India. Neither screams out as being a great new-ball partner to Broad, although I suspect that will go to Woakes anyway.

Wood out as well 

My inclination of trying a 3-spin, 3-seam attack is growing with that news. If we're going to rotate the pacers a bit - which is probably important given how close the games are packed, we're a bit light in the squad now (unless calling up Roland-Jones as well happens).

[TheGayTent]

What a surprise, Hampshire stay up 

[kaosmark2]

I can't help but feel that if this was the cost of the financial aid the ECB gave, they should have decided it back then, not after all the results have happened.

[TheGayTent]

I was planning on going to the Edgbaston test against the Windies. I won't be now - day/night test cricket can suck my balls.