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

[1961_vintage]

I think we have a potentially very good captain available. Step back into the squad Roy Burns. Opening bat, captain of Surrey, averages 30 in tests.

Too nice?

 

[KS55]

Just scored a pleasing 56 down at Hove in the drawn pre-season match. However, there would be too many question marks over his inclusion as an opening bat, too unorthodox, before he’d faced a delivery.

I was thinking of Brearley. He could hardly hold a bat, but was a fantastic leader of men. Maybe the captaincy would cause him to be more solid.

 

[Gabriel]

I was thinking of Brearley. He could hardly hold a bat, but was a fantastic leader of men. Maybe the captaincy would cause him to be more solid.

Different times, I suppose, and England then had better quality and players who could be guaranteed a place. That said, if precious few others are guaranteed their berth today, what difference would another make? However, Rory was deemed dispensable during the Ashes, not playing in Melbourne and Sydney, and dropped entirely for this ‘reset’ tour, so it’s difficult to imagine the ECB now deciding to recall him let alone make him captain.

 

[unicorn]

I think we have a potentially very good captain available. Step back into the squad Roy Burns. Opening bat, captain of Surrey, averages 30 in tests.

Thirty ! Nice guy. Openers averaging 30 doesn't win tests.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Different times, I suppose, and England then had better quality and players who could be guaranteed a place. That said, if precious few others are guaranteed their berth today, what difference would another make? However, Rory was deemed dispensable during the Ashes, not playing in Melbourne and Sydney, and dropped entirely for this ‘reset’ tour, so it’s difficult to imagine the ECB now deciding to recall him let alone make him captain.

Best option is to tempt Cook out of retirement.

 

[Gabriel]

Best option is to tempt Cook out of retirement.

Think that would be hugely humiliating for Root, particularly if the decision for him to stand down were not of his volition.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Think that would be hugely humiliating for Root, particularly if the decision for him to stand down were not of his volition.

Whoever takes over, should it happen, will be humiliating for Root.

 

[Gabriel]

Whoever takes over, should it happen, will be humiliating for Root.

To an extent, yes, but recalling someone who has retired from the Test arena and from whom you took the mantle five years before would be highly irregular, even by England standards.

I said before that any ‘reset’ would only work if England were prepared to face further embarrassment and be prepared to sacrifice a couple of more series. One bad (nay terrible) day yesterday and some in the media want Root out and Broad and Anderson reinstated for the New Zealand series. With no obvious successor they arguably need to back him and keep developing younger bowlers.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

To an extent, yes, but recalling someone who has retired from the Test arena and from whom you took the mantle five years before would be highly irregular, even by England standards.

I said before that any ‘reset’ would only work if England were prepared to face further embarrassment and be prepared to sacrifice a couple of more series. One bad (nay terrible) day yesterday and some in the media want Root out and Broad and Anderson reinstated for the New Zealand series. With no obvious successor they arguably need to back him and keep developing younger bowlers.

Ollie Pope seems to be a bit of a golden child, maybe he could be given a go?

 

[Gabriel]

Ollie Pope seems to be a bit of a golden child, maybe he could be given a go?

Can’t even hold down a position in the team, largely because he’s young and developing and partly because Bairstow, sans gloves, has been re-accommodated. Ollie is averaging over 50 for Surrey but as you know it takes time for County form to translate into Test form.