The Cricket Thread.

[victor meldrew]

Originally Posted by DB83

If memory serves in India score 400 and lose by an innings. A case of history repeating itself ?

Will there be changes for the next test ? The series is gone. Nothing to lose by blooding the players who have just put their feet up.

My take on this. Rest Cook who is having a nightmare and allow Bairstow to open with Stoneman. Give the gloves to Foakes. Also rest Ali and let Crane have a twirl.

Curran for Broad.

Might as well find out.

[DB83]

The really sad thing today was there was a window of opportunity to save the game.

3 hours lost due to leaky covers and the threat (rightly as it turned out) of more rain. Yet they could not even get as far as tea.

[DB83]

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

Curran for Broad.

Might as well find out.

Yes. Forgot that one. Stu has lost his mojo.

[Hikarufan]

I've never seen it rain like that in Perth during a game of cricket. With all the tests, one day games and T20, I don't remember it ever raining in about 30 years.

It looks like our big test is when we tour South Africa in February next year.

[bloke57]

A bit of a sad debacle really - but somehow I don't feel too bad about it.

I knew from the start that we just do not have the bowlers for Oz conditions and it's very difficult to beat them in their own back yard.

Without seam and swing, you need express bowlers - and we don't have those because the rewards aren't there on English pitches. Add to that Cook, Root and Ali not firing, and we were always going to be in trouble.

But you know what? Well played Australia - you got it right and have a diamond in Steve Smith. Hope to get you next time you scamps!

[countjimmoriarty]

Originally Posted by westernlover47

woeful Cook should quit

Some people have very short memories.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. He's just out of nick at present, unfortunately.

[themidlander]

A great deal of the blame on the current situation with regard to English cricket must be laid at the door of the selectors. For a couple of years it has been obvious that the batting was weak and too much was put on Cook & Root with the middle order often saving the team & the bowling was not selected with Australian conditions in mind. I personally think it is time to ditch the selectors and give the team management the job of selecting the team/squads in the future, they certainly can't do a worse job!

[judy84]

Originally Posted by countjimmoriarty

Some people have very short memories.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. He's just out of nick at present, unfortunately.

Yes but after a while cricketers have to retire, otherwise we would get Boycott from the commentary box.
In the last year he has scored 1 century (243 against Windies currently being thrashed by NZ on an easy Edgbaston wicket) and 1 half-century in 23 test innings.
Root has already said that these senior players won't be replaced....so expect 5-0.

In addition to the other changes, i think Overton has a cracked rib and probably needs replacing.

[rupertramjet]

Selectors are strange creatures, I have seen it from both sides, at both club and representative level. I found it easier at club level, because I knew the players both personally and on the pitch, so a decision was made, by me at least, on suitability for the game involved, at representative level, I found it far harder, firstly I was one step removed, I had sen the player play, had even had a chat with them, I was one of the first Womens Rugby coaches at senior level, and in many cases had even coached them, but I had no real understanding of them in the middle of a game, how they reacted when things were going wrong, how they dug in and supported another player who was struggling, it was even worse selecting for a tour, for both the Army and County and other sides, my bias, I admit sometimes showed, this player was from my Regiment, He or She was from my club, so yes guilty as charged!

The National selectors are even further away from the reality of the players, a player can be superb when everything is going well, but fall apart when the rest of the team are not a hundred per cent. Unless you are there in the middle you can not see that, or understand it. I stopped playing top flight Rugby Twenty years ago, my adopted sons play at the very top today, they are physically and mentally different animals to my generation, my oldest is bigger than me in every way, he is a centre/flyhalf, I was a prop, I do not feel qualified to make selection choices today!

To me there has to be a second route, perhaps several of the current county coaches, allied with the England Coach and Captain?

[bp666]

Originally Posted by countjimmoriarty

Some people have very short memories.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. He's just out of nick at present, unfortunately.

I agree with you somewhat on this statement Jim, and I thought the same thing when Ponting started his decline. I thought passing on the captaincy and slipping down the order 1 or 2 spots would lengthen his career.

That didn't happen - age catches up with them - yes they still have the class, but the reactions are slightly slower and that's all it takes at the highest levels. They can still have their good days, but these are further and further apart.