Cricket 2019

[Voll Blau]

Just catching up with the highlights. Wish Channel 5 had kept more of Archer v Wade in. That face. 

 

Going to be more than two decades without a series win here for Australia next time they're back. Glorious.

[Guest MattP]

So sad watching Gower and Botham sign off together, even with champagne - the end of the greatest commentary team ever assembled.

 

Modern World really can go and **** itself. Great shame.

[adam]

Gutted Gower has gone. Probably the best they have on there. Hopefully not being replaced by Nick Knight and Rob Key. Yawn fest them pair. 

[Guest Electric Yetis]

8 minutes ago, MattP said:

So sad watching Gower and Botham sign off together, even with champagne - the end of the greatest commentary team ever assembled.

 

Modern World really can go and **** itself. Great shame.

Botham gone too? Knew Gower was going but not Botham too. 

Really makes no sense, their commentators on cricket are by far the best of any sport they cover. 

[SouthStandUpperTier]

24 minutes ago, MattP said:

So sad watching Gower and Botham sign off together, even with champagne - the end of the greatest commentary team ever assembled.

 

Modern World really can go and **** itself. Great shame.

Were they eased out by Sky, or was it their own choice to go?

[Bobby Hundreds]

1 minute ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

Were they eased out by Sky, or was it their own choice to go?

Contracts not renewed I think. Not sure Botham was that arsed mind, got a wine business to manage.

[Corky]

38 minutes ago, adam said:

Gutted Gower has gone. Probably the best they have on there. Hopefully not being replaced by Nick Knight and Rob Key. Yawn fest them pair. 

It should be Ian Ward. Has the respect of the players and fellow commentators.

[Bobby Hundreds]

If BT have any sense they will snap Lord Gower up. Can see Ian Ward landing the anchor role.

 

Punditry wise, felt Beefy had started to not really care, whereas as someone like Ricky Ponting was fascinating to listen to. Hopefully Warne will get canned too as he’s abysmal.

[RowlattsFox]

Have sky still lost all the winter tours? I suppose no point renewing Gowers contract just got home test matches. Ian ward is good, so should get a promotion. 

[Corky]

10 minutes ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

If BT have any sense they will snap Lord Gower up. Can see Ian Ward landing the anchor role.

 

Punditry wise, felt Beefy had started to not really care, whereas as someone like Ricky Ponting was fascinating to listen to. Hopefully Warne will get canned too as he’s abysmal.

Warne is coaching in the Hundred next year so I doubt he'll be used. Would like more of Kumar Sangakkara, really good to listen to someone who'd played in the same team as many of the players (Burns, Roy, Curran). 

 

 

[Brainy]

23 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Have sky still lost all the winter tours? I suppose no point renewing Gowers contract just got home test matches. Ian ward is good, so should get a promotion. 

Thought Sky had only lost the Ashes in Australia?

[Osavo]

1 hour ago, Walkers said:

Thought Sky had only lost the Ashes in Australia?

Fairly sure this is the case, yes. Remember watching the West Indies tour last winter on Sky I think. 

 

Sad to see Gower go if I'm honest. Also pretty surprised that TMS have chosen not to get him on board, think he'd suit their chatty radio vibe (and demographic they're aiming at) very well. He made sure everyone knew he didn't want to go either  Botham seemed a little less bothered. 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Australia ratings:

 

Warner - 1/10 lowest opening scorer in tests in a 5 match series, finished with a lower average than Leach. Took some good slip catches.

 

Harris - 0/10 did nothing, dropped Stokes, threw to the wrong end in a possible run out, averaged 9, dropped Denly on 0. Cost Australia 2 test matches.

 

Bancroft - 3/10 faced more balls than Warner but offered little else.

 

Khawaja - 4/10 got in a few times but really struggles in English conditions and managed to get himself out. Constantly in and out the team.

 

Labuschagne - 8/10 a real find, deserved a hundred and only failed to score in the last test. Made the crucial breakthrough in the 4th test.

 

Smith - 10/10 One of the greatest batsmen to play the game, idiosyncratically brilliant. Would have been a different result without his runs.

 

Head - 4/10 ran out Buttler at Headingley, probably his highlight. Scored one fifty.

 

Marsh - 6/10 can see why he frustrates Aussie fans so much. Bowled fantastically well but batted like a mug. 

 

Wade - 7/10 lots of annoying chirp but hit two Ashes hundreds and took a few classy catches. Great knock today. 

 

Paine - 5/10 nicest Aussie captain since Border in 1985, crap at reviews, did nothing with the bat but was kept very well. Fell to bits at Headingley and dreadful toss decision in the final test but used his quicks to great effect.

 

Pat Cummins - 10/10 frighteningly good, absolutely number 1 in the world, can only see him getting better and better if he stays fit. 29 wickets @ 19s but amazingly no 5 fer. Put an obscene amount of work in.

 

Peter Siddle - 6/10 didn’t quite work out for him when picked, put on the vital partnership with Smith in the 1st test.

 

James Pattinson - 7/10 bowled well and unlucky not to get more playing time, a much better option to back up the big two.

 

Nathan Lyon - 6/10 started off strongly and cleaned England up at Edgbaston. We played him much better after however and only came back into in the final test. Had a mare in Leeds.

 

Mitchell Starc - 6/10 strangely wasn’t fancied had indifferent first innings but bowled much better in the 2nd innings, averaging more than Warner with the bat. 

 

Josh Hazlewood - 9/10 very similar to Glenn McGrath, nagging line and length at the top of off stump. Deadly combination with Cummins. 

[TheSomersetFox]

 

[walkerleeds]

Anyone else feel a bit sombre it's all over? What a great summer of cricket. 

[HighPeakFox]

Now, where are all the people who were slagging an unchanged squad?

 

Not trying to be clever, just a good example of how people are loud before the fact and rather quiet after it.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

8 hours ago, EastAnglianFox said:

I understand why Leach has become a bit of a likeable cult hero but he's not a great bowler is he 

Third highest wickets for England, behind Broad and Archer

12 at 25 in four tests

More wickets than Woakes and Stokes (in a similar number of overs)

Better economy rate and average than Broad

Better strike rate than Siddle, Starc, Pattinson

 

Plus that vital 1no at Headingley and a higher batting average than Warner.

[HighPeakFox]

4 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Third highest wickets for England, behind Broad and Archer

12 at 25 in four tests

More wickets than Woakes and Stokes (in a similar number of overs)

Better economy rate and average than Broad

Better strike rate than Siddle, Starc, Pattinson

 

Plus that vital 1no at Headingley and a higher batting average than Warner.

You can prove anything with stats...  

[Finnegan]

6 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Third highest wickets for England, behind Broad and Archer

12 at 25 in four tests

More wickets than Woakes and Stokes (in a similar number of overs)

Better economy rate and average than Broad

Better strike rate than Siddle, Starc, Pattinson

 

Plus that vital 1no at Headingley and a higher batting average than Warner.

 

And the most famous glasses cloth in sport. 

[surrifox]

7 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

Now, where are all the people who were slagging an unchanged squad?

 

Not trying to be clever, just a good example of how people are loud before the fact and rather quiet after it.

Two changes in the final test worked a treat - Roy and Overton ( who shouldn’t have been picked ) replaced by the bustling left arm Curran and the deserving Woakes 

[StanSP]

10 hours ago, Goober said:

 

Love this. 

 

At the end of the day, it's just cricket. It's sport. During the game emotions can run high and things happen. Afterwards, everyone game for a drink and a chat after what turned out to be a fairly entertaining series. Good on them all. 

[RowlattsFox]

Interesting winter ahead with the tours of New Zealand and South Africa. Some big decisions, starting with whoever takes over from Bayliss. I'd like to see separate coaches for white and red ball but doesn't seem like they will go with that. There is a talk of a temporary coach for the New Zealand tour. Imagine Stokes, Bairstow, Root and Buttler might get some rest from the early white ball stuff. I heard an interview with Morgan and he wasn't 100% certain he would carry on as captain due to his back troubles.

 

If Roy is serious about test cricket then he needs to get himself to Australia for the winter and play some red ball cricket with the aim of getting back in next summer.

[AKCJ]

15 hours ago, MattP said:

So sad watching Gower and Botham sign off together, even with champagne - the end of the greatest commentary team ever assembled.

 

Modern World really can go and **** itself. Great shame.

Got a lump in my throat watching them sign off. Been listening to them talk for as long as I can remember. I've never really played cricket, most of what I know about the sport has been taught by these men. As you said, such a shame.

 

Here's hoping TMS pick them both us. I'm sure they will offer them the chance.

 

 

[AKCJ]

2 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

Interesting winter ahead with the tours of New Zealand and South Africa. Some big decisions, starting with whoever takes over from Bayliss. I'd like to see separate coaches for white and red ball but doesn't seem like they will go with that. There is a talk of a temporary coach for the New Zealand tour. Imagine Stokes, Bairstow, Root and Buttler might get some rest from the early white ball stuff. I heard an interview with Morgan and he wasn't 100% certain he would carry on as captain due to his back troubles.

 

If Roy is serious about test cricket then he needs to get himself to Australia for the winter and play some red ball cricket with the aim of getting back in next summer.

Roy will have his eyes firmly on the T20 World Cup i'd have thought.

[Bobby Hundreds]

England ratings:

 

Rory Burns - 8/10 scored a gritty ton in his Ashes debut, got in a fair few times but didn’t convert again. Occasionally got caught up in a collapse fest. Wonderful slip fielder, I’d expect him to be in the team a while now.

 

Jason Roy - 1/10 a completely failed experiment, technique was exposed time and again. Very doubtful he’s a test cricketer. Shelled a couple of dollies too.

 

Joe Denly - 6/10 really got into test batting in the latter tests, desperately unlucky not to snag a ton at the Oval. With his age not sure he’s the answer, but if he wants to work hard at his technique and play until 38/39 then perhaps he has a chance.

 

Joe Root - 6/10 less jovial than when he’s playing ODI cricket, looked mentally shattered at times, scored a few half centuries but converted none, becoming a real issue now as Smith and Virat go big. Some strange captaincy decisions at times but desperately unlucky to lose Jimmy in the first test. Seems they are backing him as captain.

 

Ben Stokes - 10/10 bloody superman, the best test innings I have ever seen. Averaged over 50 and put his body through the wringer, he couldn’t even bowl by the end of it. Seems happy as VC and is backing Root. Deserves a holiday!

 

Johnny Bairstow - 4/10 didn’t impress with bat or gloves, scored one 50 and did grab two good stumpings in the final innings. Can he and Buttler exist in the same team? Not sure but personally prefer Jos in the no. 7 role. Needs to rediscover his batting form and practise his glovework to stay in this team.

 

Jos Buttler - 6/10 a quiet series until the last two tests, but showed what he can do coming in with the tail. He’s destructive and a real X factor player. His glovework is certainly no worse than Bairstow’s, but can he feature in this team as just a slogger?.

 

Sam Curran - 7/10 odd him only getting the one game as he is something very different to what we have and makes things happen in both disciplines. Ripped the middle order out the first Oval innings. Not sure management see him as a permanent fixture though. Hopefully can get his pace up in the next few years.

 

Craig Overton - 5/10 strange selection, did little wrong but was on a hiding to nothing. Shamed some of our batters with his defensive technique.

 

Stuart Broad - 9/10 bowled beautifully and is getting better. Has gone from the enforcer to a skilful opening bowler and absolutely demolished the left handers throughout their line up. Hope rumours of his retirement will be put out of his mind as he has plenty left to give.

 

Jofra Archer - 8/10 wasn’t sure he’d do the business but he is a lethal talent. Took his wickets at 20 and grabbed two 6 fers, which in 4 tests is sensational. At OT he was a different character, maybe he was exhausted or maybe it was the crap weather, managing him in shorter spells could help. His batting at time was short of what I’d expect however.

 

Chris Woakes - 5/10 a strange one, he played well in the first test but then declined. Always feel that he needs overhead conditions to be at their most helpful for him to be at his best. Bowled his first test no ball and grabbed a wicket. At times it felt like Root didn’t fancy him. His record away is not great and he could find himself out the team if he continues; like the rest of them perhaps suffering a WC hangover?

 

Jack Leach - 7/10 scored the most famous single in test history, a real cult hero. Has a wonderful defensive batting technique and bowled well despite a few pitches not turning. Not entirely sure he’s the world class spinner we are looking for as being a leftie makes it easy for right handers to see him off. Can’t help but love him however!

 

Moeen Ali - 1/10 seems to have an issue playing against the Aussies, took over 60 international wickets last year but looked shot in his only test with bat and ball. Then he goes back to Worcs and destroys it. A confident Ali would really make us a better outfit.

 

Jimmy Anderson - 2/10 tried his damnedest to get fit but realistically cost us the first test as we were out on our feet for the 3rd innings at Edgbaston. Maybe he could’ve prised Smith out a few times as well?! Don’t see him have many more series in him. Our best ever bowler whatever he decides.

 

Trevor Bayliss - ODIs 10/10 has turned us from weak, old fashioned 250 run plodders to the best white ball team in the world. We could’ve only dreamt of scoring 480 five years ago.

 

 Tests - 6/10 too often collapsed, think we have scored under 100 four times in 2-3 years. Some players are finding swapping formats difficult and their ODI batting strengths become their test batting weaknesses.