Cricket World Cup, 2019.
- Thread starter Will_Shahane
- Start date
Denly’s probably saved himself with that 50, but I reckon Roy will be out for Pope or Sibley. Also there’s the question as to whether Jimmy is fit and if so, who does he replace? Our tail would be too long without Woakes and you can’t drop Jofra, so I guess it would have to be Broad unless we go with no spinner, a very risky move.
hindleymonwafc
Vital Champions League
I would stick with Roy but would get rid of Woakes for Jimmy. Woakes is a decent bat but the Aussies have worked him out with the short ball so he offers nowt.
hindleymonwafc
Vital Champions League
Hampton
Vital Football Hero
Have nothing to tell lads sorry - by "hanging with" = he was there and I (after a few beers) thanked him for the pen at Sheff Utd then scuttled off blushing like a schoolboy ?
And yes was a top day but paying the price this morning !
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
We've got a good game to look forward to at Old Trafford now, Hindley. Looking forward to it immensely, should be a brilliant atmosphere following the last Test.
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
Yeah that's a very good point about the rivalry creating a special atmosphere. I just think that Test cricket is so unique and the fact that it takes longer to come to a conclusion than most sports lends itself to ebbs and flows, twists and turns, and pure drama, as we witnessed the day before yesterday. You're right though; it wouldn't be the same if we knocked them off against another side. I just hope that the efforts of Stokes can encourage more people from my generation to get into the game.
Broad must play, no doubt about that, Woakes is the man to make way (IF Anderson is fit) as has been said he’s doing nothing with the bat at the moment nor is he anywhere near his best with the ball....along with Buttler they both seem to have hit ‘the wall’ mentally and both would benefit from a rest, both would be certainties for the NZ/SA series in the Winter but there are question marks over their immediate inclusion.
Woakes as keeper/batsman allowing Bairstow to concentrate on batting?
Not sure what they do at the top of the order though
hindleymonwafc
Vital Champions League
Correct young Will....busy week ahead. Back from Benidorm on the 6th, OT on the 7th, check into the Betty Ford Alcoholics centre on the 8th.
Enjoy mate.
Made in Wigan
Vital Champions League
I presume you mean Foakes as keeper? Yes I can see the logic in that and put bairstow at four. Buttler would be dropped to accommodate this move.
I’d also drop Roy and move Denly to open - though long term I’m not sure there is much mileage in this but think it unfair to blood another debutant at this stage. I’d give Pope a shot at six or even Curran as he shows more heart with the blade then most of the others and his bowling style would be useful against Smith. My concern would be the length of the tail with Anderson hopefully back.
Burns
Denly
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Pope/Curran
Foakes
Archer
Leach
Broad
Anderson
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
Thanks a lot, and the same to you. I’m going on the 7th as well :)
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Yes pal I did mean Foakes at keeper/batsman....on Curran I thought I’d heard that he along with Wood/Rashid/Plunkett were out for the rest of Summer with injury ?....maybe I’m wrong or he’s been reassessed or whatever.....your point re the length of the tail is valid but on present form the ‘useful lower middle order’ Buttler/Ali/Woakes just haven’t been delivering so maybe get the bowling as strong as it can be and put the onus on the top 5/6 to get theirselves in gear ....though Id probably let Stokes have another shot as his last innings showed a bit of promise ?
Made in Wigan
Vital Champions League
Yeah I think he may just scrape into the 11. Needs to pull his finger out though, he’s been letting the country down this summer ?
Watched the highlights of his innings again last night, remarkable construction of a knock under immense pressure. For the second time in six weeks. Utterly brilliant, regardless of whether Australia win/retain the urn.
Aye.....but I think they’ve top weight on now, that defeat must have kicked the guts out of them (mustn’t snigger) and Smith being back, he still has to face Archer knowing he could get his block knocked off, he certainly has a ‘psychological hill’ to climb....I’m not saying he won’t do it but a similar incident it certainly finished Broad as a worthy ‘number 8’
And the fact that they ought to have won but for a crap umpiring decision (note to self; MUST stop sniggering) will be eating away at them.
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
Have any of you seen the new documentary, "KP: Story of a Genius"? I've watched some of it and thought it was quite interesting. Liked the way Nasser Hussain didn't shy away from asking difficult questions. Personally, I'm on KP's side as, based on what I've seen from interviews and anecdotes, I find the assertion that Swann, Prior, Broad, Anderson etc were unfriendly bullies easier to believe than the idea that Pietersen was some sort of egomaniac who fell out with everyone he met. Then again, the stories from some former players e.g. James Taylor, would contradict that view, so I don't know. That's just my gut feel, but ultimately I think it probably isn't black and white; KP had his faults just like Broad, Swann etc had theirs and it's possible that both parties were in the wrong.
The whole thing though is quite sad really; that England Test side from 2009-2013 was the team that got me into cricket... the side that I watched as a young child. Broad, Swann, KP, Anderson, Prior, Cook, Bell, Strauss, Trott were my cricketing heroes that initially inspired me to start playing and watching the game (although Strauss was on the decline by the time I started watching). I don't know if any of you remember Broad's hat trick at Trent Bridge v India 2011? That was the first Test match I ever saw live, and have loved it ever since. Bell was also in great form during that series and became my favourite player; who needed coaching manuals when you could just watch him play? He had such a pure, orthodox technique which would be brilliant to have in this current side (not suggesting a recall by the way!)
. But have you ever seen a more perfect, aesthetic cover drive than this one?...
It feels as though this whole debacle with KP has sullied that era in a way and painted these people who were once my heroes in a completely different light, which is quite sad as it was a fantastic team (probably the best we've ever had). No.1 in the world, whitewashed India at home, victories in Australia and India plus a 3-0 (should've been 4-0) Ashes win - I don't think any other England side can boast these kinds of achievements. Andy Flower truly was a brilliant coach.
The whole thing though is quite sad really; that England Test side from 2009-2013 was the team that got me into cricket... the side that I watched as a young child. Broad, Swann, KP, Anderson, Prior, Cook, Bell, Strauss, Trott were my cricketing heroes that initially inspired me to start playing and watching the game (although Strauss was on the decline by the time I started watching). I don't know if any of you remember Broad's hat trick at Trent Bridge v India 2011? That was the first Test match I ever saw live, and have loved it ever since. Bell was also in great form during that series and became my favourite player; who needed coaching manuals when you could just watch him play? He had such a pure, orthodox technique which would be brilliant to have in this current side (not suggesting a recall by the way!)
. But have you ever seen a more perfect, aesthetic cover drive than this one?...It feels as though this whole debacle with KP has sullied that era in a way and painted these people who were once my heroes in a completely different light, which is quite sad as it was a fantastic team (probably the best we've ever had). No.1 in the world, whitewashed India at home, victories in Australia and India plus a 3-0 (should've been 4-0) Ashes win - I don't think any other England side can boast these kinds of achievements. Andy Flower truly was a brilliant coach.
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
I've heard that he was very good, and I read his autobiography a few years ago, which was interesting. I also really like him as a broadcaster; he has a nice, calm voice for commentary and is always classy. Gower, Atherton, Holding and David Lloyd are the best commentators imo.
Would you say Gower was the most watchable player you've ever seen?
EDIT: Just did a bit of searching, and found this video on YouTube...
Like you say, it's such brilliant, stylish batting... 3:51 and 4:06 especially
. He seemed to make batting look so easy. One thing I've always wondered though is, why did they have the boundary rope so close to the advertisement boards in those days? Imagine diving to try and stop a boundary!
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Made in Wigan
Vital Champions League
The documentary has been on sky a few weeks, its well worth watching the lot.
I don’t think there is anything new in it and I don’t think it will have alter whatever views one had on the big talking points, controversy, his sacking.
Seems the catalyst was the Ipl. He made a good point when he said he just wanted his workload managed when he started playing in the tournament as he had the second busiest schedule behind Dhoni in world cricket. There was a lot of resistance and when the issues began but as he points out that is exactly what happens now.
The main controversy was the texts to the South Africans - effectively he says he text opposition players all the time and never told them how to get Strauss out, directly any road. Can see both viewpoints on this. Strauss is still upset over this judging by his interview but was honest to admit he was a brilliant one off player.
His sacking was unjust. As Vaughan - who says he should never have played again after text gate - says he was scapegoated for the Australian tour debacle with continuous leaking of stories about him to the media with ECB approval it would seem. Says that was unfair and was blamed for the debacle when he wasn't at fault for it and was actually our top scorer. (Think it was the tour Swann quit half way through which was pure cowardice in my opinion - in fact he came across as a tosser in the documentary I have to say, as did Piers Morgan).
Ultimately he was a brilliant batsman but not a team player I don’t believe. Personally I do not think he was managed correctly given his personality and we were robbed of a brilliant player for several years.
I don’t think there is anything new in it and I don’t think it will have alter whatever views one had on the big talking points, controversy, his sacking.
Seems the catalyst was the Ipl. He made a good point when he said he just wanted his workload managed when he started playing in the tournament as he had the second busiest schedule behind Dhoni in world cricket. There was a lot of resistance and when the issues began but as he points out that is exactly what happens now.
The main controversy was the texts to the South Africans - effectively he says he text opposition players all the time and never told them how to get Strauss out, directly any road. Can see both viewpoints on this. Strauss is still upset over this judging by his interview but was honest to admit he was a brilliant one off player.
His sacking was unjust. As Vaughan - who says he should never have played again after text gate - says he was scapegoated for the Australian tour debacle with continuous leaking of stories about him to the media with ECB approval it would seem. Says that was unfair and was blamed for the debacle when he wasn't at fault for it and was actually our top scorer. (Think it was the tour Swann quit half way through which was pure cowardice in my opinion - in fact he came across as a tosser in the documentary I have to say, as did Piers Morgan).
Ultimately he was a brilliant batsman but not a team player I don’t believe. Personally I do not think he was managed correctly given his personality and we were robbed of a brilliant player for several years.
Will_Shahane
Vital Squad Member
Agree on Piers Morgan; I didn't know he sent those messages to Alastair Cook. That was childish and shameful. I loved Swann as a cricketer (possibly the best spinner we've had) but I must say, from what I've seen in terms of interviews and commentary, he doesn't strike me as being a particularly nice person.
moonay
Vital Football Legend
In terms of elegance, I'd say probably, yes. But cricket was a more sedate game even only a few years ago. Stokes's audacious batting puts Ian Botham's hitting in the shade ......... there used to be a Sunday league - 40 overs per side - where 200+ was a winning score.
As for the ropes being close to the advertising signs ......... why not? ......... no-one was ever going to dive to stop a boundary !
