Flintoff Says he wouldn't get a game in the current England Cricket team

http://www.skysports.com/cricket/ne...en-stokes-could-be-better-than-sir-ian-botham

Sorry about me been thread crazy. Just noticed a few things.

 

Totally agree. Barring the top 3 batsmen, it's a cracking team...

 

Been the problem ever since Strauss retired in 2012.
Never would have thought then that the top would have been the problem. Strauss, Cook and Trott with KP at 4. Madness.

 

Jennings has a good chance of settling in and becoming a player, but Ballance has had enough chances now. Saw it mentioned somewhere that Stokes should be considered at number 3...

 

Prefer Ali to 3 than Stokes. On Ballance, Root will want him in. He will trust him with them been really good mates.

 

By the sounds of it, Ballance HAS helped Root settle into his new role, so at least he has contributed that way. But I think longer term, Root will know he needs someone else to bat at 3....

 

Wasn't at a premier league team so no chance

 

wtf

 

To be honest he is almost 40,doesn't play any county cricket and he is probably too busy anyway with his tv appearances.

 

20-20 is the problem. We've loads who can smash it for an hour with a massive bat. Other than Root, who can build an innings or dig in for 6-8 hours (a la Atherton Joburg) to save a test? It's not deemed exciting to watch but it's bloody good cricketing skills, and we're **** at it.

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He's right. Stokes is superior with both bat and ball in my opinion. The game has moved on and Flintoff's main strength that marked him out, his ability to score quickly, is something that English players have in spades.

 

Fair analysis that I think.

Just need that balance (no pun) in the side to be able to grind out a draw and not get out if needed. Vaughan did it to a degree back in 05 I guess. Boycott the first of that type in my time watching cricket, and I know that Botham, and others of that era, also speak highly of Chris Tavaré. Others have mentioned Atherton, that day when he fended off Allan Donald to get a draw was brilliant cricket, and is a dying art.

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Flintoff's biggest plus was having the knack of taking big wickets at important times. Vaughan would throw him the ball and he'd break important partnerships. Oddly enough his batting strike rate is almost the same as Stokes (Flintoff scores 1 run less per 100 balls).

Although Im sure eventually Stokes will end up with better career figures and probably be a better player.

 

All rounders tend to start specialising slightly more in one or other field. Flintoff started as a batting alrounder who's bowling was fairly average. He then changed over his career to be a partnership breaking bowler who could smash the ball around a bit.

Stokes is similar. His bowling is no where near the quality of Flintoffs was when he finished. And if he works on his bowling, takes a more senior role (Flintoff was one of the 3 "specialised" fast bowlers in every England attack. Stokes has the luxury of being the 4th seamer now. Hence why hes bowled the least of all the quicks this innings. Freddie would bowl the most. He was both a strike bowler and a workhorse. Incredible really.

Both extraordinarily gifted cricketers. And if over a career Stokes does as well as Freddie we'll have been lucky to have watched him.

 

Flintoff's ability to lift the crowd is unsurpassed. When Freddy came roaring in it was electric.