Big changes needed to the county system. Get 4 day cricket back in the summer months. Get dukes to produce a slightly different ball (with a different seam - so similar in a way to the kookaburra ball). Produce better wickets for the batsman to play on and make it tougher for the bowlers. Then it's all about skills, developing variations etc.
In limited overs the bowler has to give the batsman more scoring opportunities because of the nature of the rules around where you can pitch it and the field settings, plus the different ball and usually flatter wicket. Put a moving red ball in and allow unlimited bouncers,legside targeting and you can usually set a plan for each batter over a number of overs/innings and exploit their technical deficiencies. In the case of England how many get out to shots they have to play to stop the ball hitting the stumps? Not many I think, therefore they are playing unnecessary shots based on limited overs mindsets.
Unfortunately I don't see it changing. They've sold their soul to sloggit cricket and only really give a damn in Tests when we play Australia.
We’ve arranged 3 ODI’s in Holland for late June next year. I guess we’ll field our “seconds” but it takes out 3 weeks from the busy calendar. Why ?
Senior players like Stokes and Buttler were talking a good game before the match started and then got out to stupid shots in the first innings. Buttler shouldn't play in another test ever again. Our night watchman couldn't last out the day. Our bowlers did well to get us back in the game and then were let down again by our top order. Crawley is another who shouldn't see another test match. When they go to the West Indies it needs to be a new squad.
It’ll certainly be a blend of old and new for the Windies squad. Unfortunately not much was learned from the Lions tour because of covid and the weather. One player who will be desperate to play is Archer. Is he fully fit now ?
Out until next summer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sk...-until-next-summer-after-fresh-injury-setback
There are plenty of issues with the game that has led to this poor standard. Quality of coaching at kids level, inclusivity of the game at kids level, county championship scheduling and pitches etc… but I still find it hard to believe that not a single player has come through any of the 18 counties, in six years, with the necessary ability to do well in test cricket if given the right environment. Look at Olly Pope for example. Made a great start to his test career, solid technique, excellent FC record. But has since regressed. In the past Ian Bell and Joe Root would find themselves on a similar position and got through. Some of it down to the player and some down to how the captain, coach and selectors have handled them. Even Cook looked like he couldn’t hold a bat at one stage under Strauss. Then had a bradman like ashes.
i watched the 1st session and bulk of the last session overnight and it really was breath taking test match cricket, any neutral would have enjoyed it. i can't do the same again this evening, and expecting me to wake up 5 or 6am to see that we've lost by 8 or 9 wkts cannot fault our bowling or fielding, though only caught last bit of their wagging tail where i read they probably got 30 or 40 too many, but was with an old ball, if you can find it, watch the c&b effort from robinson where stokes had to complete his over
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/c...land-Australias-Ashes-Test-ahead-planned.html More positive cases in the England camp. It's still getting played and will be over before most of us wake up in the morning anyway.
main question is will it go to sidney for the new year test? then once players start with positives hell will break out? i'd be well pissed if we let them into our country due to superstar status
They will definitely go to Sydney but as you say if positive cases start within the playing groups then the **** will hit the fan.
Im off to bed game will be over before tea - not even sure the Aussies will need to bat again but probably will need to knock off a few - less than 50 for sure though