******Cricket Thread******

[supercity88]

There are some questions to be asked - bizarre bowling tactics in the 2nd innings at Lords for example. But the failings of this team come down to fragile batting so many times, I'm not sure what he can really do as a captain.

He's too negative as a captain. Too risk adverse. He set fields yesterday that enabled the single to be taken far too easily. That allows players to get in and rotate the strike. If he was more aggressive and willing to accept they might score 20 odd quick runs but would have to take a risk and could get out doing it he'd be more successful. The field at Lords was unforgivable. Ridiculous setup to bowl at a weak tail.

Standards need to be higher. If I was leading that team I'd be fuming at some of the poor fielding for example. The batting yes, that's largely each man having to improve himself but there's a lot to the game he struggles with which is why his win percentage as captain is so low and his loss percentage is so high.

 

[jimharri]

There are some questions to be asked - bizarre bowling tactics in the 2nd innings at Lords for example. But the failings of this team come down to fragile batting so many times, I'm not sure what he can really do as a captain.

Agreed. Yes, some of his tactics re the bowling have been dreadful. But I'm not sure you can lay our woeful batting displays at his door. Individuals have to stand up and be counted. And there's precious few of them. Ironically, he's been by far the standout English batsman in this series. But a lot of his team are mentally weak. The Aussies will tear us to pieces in the winter.

 

[ancoats]

There are some questions to be asked - bizarre bowling tactics in the 2nd innings at Lords for example. But the failings of this team come down to fragile batting so many times, I'm not sure what he can really do as a captain.

how about being a captain for a start ? stop being mates with the rest of the team
stand up to challenge and don't let the bowlers do what they want i.e setting their own field
also maybe ask them to bowl proper line and lengths or if you don't take them off

but sadly its terminal and far to late by the ECB to do anything before the ashes. in a way the blame should be on the door step of the ECB as well. far to much has gone in to ODI cricket that test cricket is dead in england

 

[The blue phantom]

An 100 run First innings lead at home and absolutely blown away. Fuckin shocking.

 

[Gray]

Atrocious.

 

[Gabriel]

We just don't seem to have the players in the longer format. We're lacking a spinner. Jimmy isn't going to go on bowling forever. Archer has a major injury and Wood is also often injured. And who can come in other than Stokes to address our batting frailties?

In ODI's we were just stuck in the old ways of playing the game. We saw what the best sides were doing and brought in an aggressive style that would win more games than it lost. Playing our best test players in ODIs wasn't working. Instead we had specialists that could score aggressively. We were sharp in the field and we were able to reduce the scoring and take wickets in the middle order. In Morgan we have had a captain who is willing to play risky cricket to get results and it works more often than not.

England don’t seem to be interested in developing spinners. Leach took 18 wickets out in India, Moeen 8, yet they bring back the latter not so much for his bowling but to shore up the creaking batting. Moeen took 5 wickets in the last tour to Australia, Lyon took 21, so I’ve no idea what constitutes planning.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Not often a side loses if they score 450+ in an innings. Just it's normally the second innings.

India weren't that quick, but they stayed in and kept things ticking along. Having a whole bunch who like batting for a long time whether they score or not helps.

 

[ancoats]

That’s just not a discussion that will be had until after January. Seems to be accepted amongst the media that he’ll captain them Down Under.

England are scheduled to play three tests in the Caribbean in March, so if there is to be a new captain, then that will presumably be their initiation.

the damage has gone to far in test cricket in england and its dead
its now time to build a test team without white ball cricketers in the squad..
forget ODI cricket from crossing over into test cricket its not working. now is the time for england and the ECB to get a jump on the rest and build a test team only. county cricket is full of good players and great with red ball

let be honest here india and the rest right of the test teams are also poor at test cricket ? but are better far far better than england.. this is why if you build a test team it will be the jump start test cricket needs in england and in the world of cricket

 

[Gabriel]

how about being a captain for a start ? stop being mates with the rest of the team
stand up to challenge and don't let the bowlers do what they want i.e setting their own field
also maybe ask them to bowl proper line and lengths or if you don't take them off

but sadly its terminal and far to late by the ECB to do anything before the ashes. in a way the blame should be on the door step of the ECB as well. far to much has gone in to ODI cricket that test cricket is dead in england

A bold move would have been to drop Broad and Anderson for the two Test series against New Zealand earlier in the summer. The New Zealanders might have been peeved about a drop in quality before the ICC game, but it would have given Root a chance to freshen up the attack and introduce new blood.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

A bold move would have been to drop Broad and Anderson for the two Test series against New Zealand earlier in the summer. The New Zealanders might have been peeved about a drop in quality before the ICC game, but it would have given Root a chance to freshen up the attack and introduce new blood.

Are there that many other seam bowlers to choose from? Currans come and go, Wood can't play two in a row, Archer/Stokes are out, Woakes is only recently fit. Overton+Robinson+2 starts becoming difficult - Mahmood? But he looks to have got injured this week.