The Cricket Thread

[Yoss]

Once more, that's not the point. You can't just go around breaking the rules and taking bungs, they are 100% in the wrong.

No of course you can't, not defending what they did (uh. allegedly) for a minute. Nonetheless the fact that there's plenty money in the game is relevant if we're discussing motivation. Yes I'd play for the love of the game too if there was no money going, but it's understandable that players would feel resentful if they see punters paying £80 a ticket and Sky making millions from TV rights if next to f**k all of it is filtering down to them.

[drs]

Over rated beer merchant Flintoff has retired from all cricket - he'll not be missed.

[forehead7]

Absolute wankfest on Sky Sports, I wanna see highlights of the Champion's League!!!

[A-Mac]

Good win from the Bushrangers, Finch with a massive knock.

[Yoss]

Of course he'll be missed, he's the best player England have had in the past 25 years or so.

[drs]

Of course he'll be missed, he's the best player England have had in the past 25 years or so.

is he hell!

englands best hyped player.

[Yoss]

Nonsense. He was the first player since Botham who actually delivered on the hype, on a more than occasional basis. Not for ever and over as long a period as you'd have liked, no, but under Vaughan's captaincy, over a spell of about four years, he averaged over 40 with the bat and well under 30 with the ball - and had an impact on games that was more telling even than those stats.

England are doing okay without him, but there's no question they had a better - and better-balanced - team with him there. Now we've no proper all-rounder and are back having to make the age-old decision about whether to field a sixth batsman or a fifth bowler.

(And his one day stats are terrific, though as it happens I don't really give a stuff about one day cricket.)

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Nonsense. He was the first player since Botham who actually delivered on the hype, on a more than occasional basis. Not for ever and over as long a period as you'd have liked, no, but under Vaughan's captaincy, over a spell of about four years, he averaged over 40 with the bat and well under 30 with the ball - and had an impact on games that was more telling even than those stats.

England are doing okay without him, but there's no question they had a better - and better-balanced - team with him there. Now we've no proper all-rounder and are back having to make the age-old decision about whether to field a sixth batsman or a fifth bowler.

(And his one day stats are terrific, though as it happens I don't really give a stuff about one day cricket.)

Agree with the above. He was an excellent "go to" player if you were struggling for a wicket, or needed to stem a flow of runs, and pre-injury look at times unstoppable with the bat.

No one's really stepped up to the plate yet. Luke Wright's a decent batsman, but tends to get caught in the deep too often, and isn't really a great wicket taker at international level.

Having said that, England's team balance isn't all that bad at the moment, they bat deep now, and have a decent bowling attack. Although you'd have to think any sort of injury to Swann and they'll struggle to take 20 wickets against the decent test sides.

[btb]

Agree with the above. He was an excellent "go to" player if you were struggling for a wicket, or needed to stem a flow of runs, and pre-injury look at times unstoppable with the bat.

No one's really stepped up to the plate yet. Luke Wright's a decent batsman, but tends to get caught in the deep too often, and isn't really a great wicket taker at international level.

Having said that, England's team balance isn't all that bad at the moment, they bat deep now, and have a decent bowling attack. Although you'd have to think any sort of injury to Swann and they'll struggle to take 20 wickets against the decent test sides.

Decent in England.

[Fuctifano]

Well you lost, so YOU must have fixed the match...

Quite depressing, really.

[drs]

Arnie retires from international cricket,

Never given a real chance with England even when the best bowler in the team.

[Yoss]

Ashes squad to be announced tomorrow.

Not many decisions to make, it'll be the eleven incumbents plus Bell as the extra batsman, Davies as the spare 'keeper, one spinner (from Panesar, Tredwell or Rashid) and two more seamers, probably Bresnan and Shahzad unless they pull something from leftfield.

The spinner is the trickiest decision - partly depends on whether they want someone as back-up to Swann in case of injury, or whether they want the option of playign a second spinner, in which case it would be Panesar or Rashid to provide variation. There are a couple of grounds in Aus in which you might consider two spinners - but only really if you've got a five man bowling attack which England currently don't (and I can't see them taking such a big risk in Aus when they haven't been doing so at home to Pakistan or Bangladesh). Also worth noting that the Performance Squad will also be in Australia so if there are any players who might yet need the experience (I'm thinking of Rashid) they can be put therer - doesn't stop them being called upon if need be.

So I'll go with: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Morgan, Bell, Prior, Davies, Swann, Broad, Anderson, Finn, Bresnan, Shahzad, Tredwell

Any thoughts?

[Cowden til i die]

Thank the Lord for E J G Morgan.

[magoo82]

Well played Morgan. Looked like it was gonna be in vain after 6-7 overs of Pakistan's innings though. Crucial double whammy from Broad with a trademark Collingwood special for the first one. Swann put the issue to bed with another stupendous exhibition of spin.

I'm delighted England won the series because it would have been a travesty for Pakistan to go home with anything other than their own completely unjustified sense of indignation and general huff.

[Fuctifano]

Ashes squad to be announced tomorrow.

Not many decisions to make, it'll be the eleven incumbents plus Bell as the extra batsman, Davies as the spare 'keeper, one spinner (from Panesar, Tredwell or Rashid) and two more seamers, probably Bresnan and Shahzad unless they pull something from leftfield.

The spinner is the trickiest decision - partly depends on whether they want someone as back-up to Swann in case of injury, or whether they want the option of playign a second spinner, in which case it would be Panesar or Rashid to provide variation. There are a couple of grounds in Aus in which you might consider two spinners - but only really if you've got a five man bowling attack which England currently don't (and I can't see them taking such a big risk in Aus when they haven't been doing so at home to Pakistan or Bangladesh). Also worth noting that the Performance Squad will also be in Australia so if there are any players who might yet need the experience (I'm thinking of Rashid) they can be put therer - doesn't stop them being called upon if need be.

So I'll go with: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Morgan, Bell, Prior, Davies, Swann, Broad, Anderson, Finn, Bresnan, Shahzad, Tredwell

Any thoughts?

Not really anything different, as you say 13 of them are nailed on- Tremlett's been mentioned as well as a seam alternative but he's been out of the setup for so long it's hard to see him getting in. In past Ashes tours they would take one young pace bowler along, but with the Lions team also in Aus at the same time then there's not so much onus on that.

Good to see that they've managed to get a couple of proper warmup games this time rather than a pointless 2 day match and straight into the tests.

[drs]

The alleged squad according to the morning papers is:

Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson, Eoin Morgan, Steve Davies, Ajmal Shahzad, Chris Tremlett, Monty Panesar.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1314369/England-Monty-Panesar-Ashes-series.html#ixzz10KikySkC

[Yoss]

Nearly right, but it's Bresnan rather than Shahzad.

Most surprising was that Rashid didn't make the B squad, that's a fairly major snub.

[btb]

A couple of surprises (for me anyway) in the England touring party - Panesar (don't see England picking two spinners for any of the Tests & it's hard to see England going for a genuine No. 11 if Swann gets injured Down Under) & Tremlett (I suspect his height (6ft 7") was the major facture in his selection) . My hunch is that Bell will play instead of Morgan but apart from that I see England's main problem being that the fringe players are very much that.

[kullibino]

A couple of surprises (for me anyway) in the England touring party - Panesar (don't see England picking two spinners for any of the Tests & it's hard to see England going for a genuine No. 11 if Swann gets injured Down Under) & Tremlett (I suspect his height (6ft 7") was the major facture in his selection) . My hunch is that Bell will play instead of Morgan but apart from that I see England's main problem being that the fringe players are very much that.

I think they needed to take 2 spinners, didn't want Tredwell (too similar to Swann) and didn't think Rashid was ready to be thrown in at the deep end.

Tremlett has always been a good prospect and it looks like his move to Surry has finally resulted in him forfilling some of his promise.

I'd have probably had Shahzad over Bresnan but his fitness is a bit of a worry.

[MB]

I think they needed to take 2 spinners, didn't want Tredwell (too similar to Swann) and didn't think Rashid was ready to be thrown in at the deep end.

Tremlett has always been a good prospect and it looks like his move to Surry has finally resulted in him forfilling some of his promise.

I'd have probably had Shahzad over Bresnan but his fitness is a bit of a worry.

I'd agree with much of that, though I am surprised Rashid is not in the performance programme squad.

I'm not sure about Tremlett, but with his height he should be able to extract some bounce on the Australian wickets. He's only going to play if Finn gets injured, or is out of form.

Shahzad definitely has more 'nip' than Bresnan and is a better long-term prospect. The latter has secured his place because he can bat a bit.

Let's hope Swann remains fit, or England will be right up against it. Panesar is an attacking spinner, but just doesn't have Swann's guile and variety. Monty is also rubbish with the bat. Can you imagine an 8-11 of Broad, Anderson, Panesar, Finn? It doesn't bear thinking about, both as a bowling and a batting unit.