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Now that the World Cup’s done and dusted we can turn our attention to the next major event. For me the most interesting questions about team selection are; 1) Do we open with Jason Roy? For me it’s a no brainer. I know all the arguments against- he doesn’t even open for Surrey, he struggles against the moving ball etc- but I feel that he’s in such good form and the alternatives are so mediocre that it would be silly not to. If he does come off he could give us control of the game in the first couple of hours. Him and Rory Burns for me. 2) Now that Jofra Archer has to have a place in the side, who are the other two quick bowlers going to be. If fit I guess Anderson has to play and I would give the third spot to Woakes but this means no place for Stuart Broad and the 90 mph+ Mark Wood. 3) Which spinner to go with - Ali or Rashid? Ali’s batting form seems to have dipped but it’s still not an easy decision to make. Any thoughts?
Its not blathering- With good captaincy, India should've won that series. England's batting was godawful that series, other than a few matchwinning performances from Curran and a few decent knocks from Buttler. Root was in bad form by his high standards, Cook was living off his double century against Australia and consistently failed until the oval send off. That England team was not particularly strong, as proven by the consistent selection of Keaton Jennings and the fact that they were basically 70-4 in every innings. And England was greatly helped by bad captaincy, poor selection (selecting 2 spinners at lords, persisting with injured ashwin) and lack of killer instinct
Separately, no one cares about the test rankings, other than maybe being 1st. My point is that England's test team is overrated by its own cricketing media which seems to think that England's incredible ODI team will translate to a good test side.
And as for Australia, its nonsensical to think that their current rankings mean anything. They played a year without the best test batsman in the world, and another world-class batsman. Would India have won the series against Australia with Smith and Warner? Probably not
It absolutely is blather.
You can get lucky in one match, especially an ODI. It is very, very hard to win a single Test by being lucky and you don't win a series 4-1 without being better than the opposition. And India were and are the No 1 test side in the world; better than Australia in all departments.
You can get lucky in one match, especially an ODI. It is very, very hard to win a single Test by being lucky and you don't win a series 4-1 without being better than the opposition. And India were and are the No 1 test side in the world; better than Australia in all departments.
I never said India were unlucky- they lost because of bad captaincy, but England, by no stretch, played well in that series other than Curran, Jimmy Anderson
But your point about luck in test cricket is not true, either. at the lords test last year, india batted first in overcast seaming conditions and were bowled out cheaply. when england batted, the sun was shining and conditions became really batter-friendly. luck is a massive part of the game, particularly in england where batting conditions can change so radically, even between sessions... edited to add that england drew the last test of the 2005 ashes due, in part, to bad lighting, rain and thunderstorms... there's no way you can deny that luck isnt part of the game
australia's bowling is also much better than indias...
I see Cameron Bancroft top-scored in the Aussie trial, grinding out a gritty 91. Now he’s taken the rough edges off his technique, he’s the perfect man to take the shine off the new ball.
With the England cricket team it is unlikely matches go into the 5th day unless weather affected either when winning or losing them. I cannot see games against the Aussies going the full way usually due to kamikaze batting. The Irish also look like they need their equivalent of a Boycott or Tavere to occupy the crease.
I'm not sure that Ireland would have got the runs in yesterday's conditions, but with that cloud cover they had no chance. The first ball of the day wrote the whole of today's script.
I think that the developing nations find it harder to bat than bowl, but let's be honest would you have fancied us to get 180 in today's conditions?
At least that monkey is now off India's back for the lowest test match score at Lord's. I bet Farokh Engineer and Bishen Bedi were cheering every England wicket the closer it got to 42.
About 0.31 in. Geoff Arnold and Chris Old the destroyers that day.
I missed this morning's (brief!) innings but enjoyed the first two days. Great to be watching cricket again and looking forward to The Ashes and hopefully an English victory.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I missed this morning's (brief!) innings but enjoyed the first two days. Great to be watching cricket again and looking forward to The Ashes and hopefully an English victory.
You're a Gent, sir! At least someone's happy cricket is on Sky.
You're a Gent, sir! At least someone's happy cricket is on Sky.
I love the Sky coverage, Sheen.
Bumble's brilliantly laconic, Holding is sarcastic and withering but that great drawl allows him to get away with it, Gower's impossible to dislike and Botham's...well... Botham.
They're knowledgeable and hugely entertaining. And - football commentators please note - gentlemanly and not in the least patronising towards their dear neighbours.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Bumble's brilliantly laconic, Holding is sarcastic and withering but that great drawl allows him to get away with it, Gower's impossible to dislike and Botham's...well... Botham.
They're knowledgeable and hugely entertaining. And - football commentators please note - gentlemanly and not in the least patronising towards their dear neighbours.
Changing the subject, is anyone going to beat Limerick this year (apart from Cork and Tipp already)?
Changing the subject, is anyone going to beat Limerick this year (apart from Cork and Tipp already)?
Great question.
I don't think Limerick are spectacular, to be honest. They could be, but they're not yet. They also have a notoriously fickle, bandwagoning support base that will do them no favours.
Last year they were very lucky in the Semi-Final that Cork suffered huge injuries before and during the game and then for the Final Galway were wrecked with injuries as well. It was the luckiest Championship win in living memory.
Cork have proved twice since then that if you out-work, out-press and out-tackle them then you will out-score them. Their talent - as it stands now - is overstated.
But the alternatives are also incomplete:-
Kilkenny - dogged, relentless but rebuilding Tipperary - mad talented, but lack pace in the backs Wexford - tactically superb, but defensive and shouldn't be allowed to put up a big score by a serious opponent.
I make Limerick slight favourites, with Tipp most likely to dethrone them.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I never said India were unlucky- they lost because of bad captaincy, but England, by no stretch, played well in that series other than Curran, Jimmy Anderson
But your point about luck in test cricket is not true, either. at the lords test last year, india batted first in overcast seaming conditions and were bowled out cheaply. when england batted, the sun was shining and conditions became really batter-friendly. luck is a massive part of the game, particularly in england where batting conditions can change so radically, even between sessions... edited to add that england drew the last test of the 2005 ashes due, in part, to bad lighting, rain and thunderstorms... there's no way you can deny that luck isnt part of the game
australia's bowling is also much better than indias...
[Post edited 25 Jul 2019 18:13]
Rubbish from start to finish.
India came to England as (rightly) top team in the world and got hammered 4-1. Doesn't fit your narrative so you have to pretend it doesn't count. It does.
No, Australia don't have better bowlers than India, let alone "much better." They don't even have better bowlers than England, whose bowlers aren't as good as India's overall. Clue: there is such a thing as spin bowling. Also, accuracy.
No, you don't win or draw test matches due to weather on the last day. There are 5 days and two innings each.
I don't think Limerick are spectacular, to be honest. They could be, but they're not yet. They also have a notoriously fickle, bandwagoning support base that will do them no favours.
Last year they were very lucky in the Semi-Final that Cork suffered huge injuries before and during the game and then for the Final Galway were wrecked with injuries as well. It was the luckiest Championship win in living memory.
Cork have proved twice since then that if you out-work, out-press and out-tackle them then you will out-score them. Their talent - as it stands now - is overstated.
But the alternatives are also incomplete:-
Kilkenny - dogged, relentless but rebuilding Tipperary - mad talented, but lack pace in the backs Wexford - tactically superb, but defensive and shouldn't be allowed to put up a big score by a serious opponent.
I make Limerick slight favourites, with Tipp most likely to dethrone them.
I'll be amazed if limerick don't win it. Tipp the only ones who can stop them
I don't think Limerick are spectacular, to be honest. They could be, but they're not yet. They also have a notoriously fickle, bandwagoning support base that will do them no favours.
Last year they were very lucky in the Semi-Final that Cork suffered huge injuries before and during the game and then for the Final Galway were wrecked with injuries as well. It was the luckiest Championship win in living memory.
Cork have proved twice since then that if you out-work, out-press and out-tackle them then you will out-score them. Their talent - as it stands now - is overstated.
But the alternatives are also incomplete:-
Kilkenny - dogged, relentless but rebuilding Tipperary - mad talented, but lack pace in the backs Wexford - tactically superb, but defensive and shouldn't be allowed to put up a big score by a serious opponent.
I make Limerick slight favourites, with Tipp most likely to dethrone them.
Harsh on Limerick? You’ll not much better, but from afar it seems that hurling is in a golden age with all the powers pulling their weight. You can see how quickly talented teams like Tipp, Waterford and Galway slide down the ladder when they aren’t at their best. Cork and Clare look good enough to have won championships in a less competitive age. Such a contrast with the football.
I think the series will be pretty competitive. I heard Pat Howard (ex-Wallabies but recently the Cricket Australia conditioning coach) speak at a function last week and he said the Aussies have prepared better than ever before (due to Justin Langer’s positive influence) and that they are determined to prove some people wrong.
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