Cricket (None Leicestershire County Cricket Club)

[AKCJ]

3 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

We won't drop Crawley and I'm less arsed about him under McCullum because he clearly plays the role they want, but Emilio Gay should probably be under consideration, as should Tom Haines, Alex Lees has also probably done enough to be considered again as well.

 

Rehan is a better batting/spin option than Bethell.

 

We gave Sam Cook one game and seemingly binned him off because he wasn't great on debut.

 

There will be very, very few changes to the Ashes squad. It's clear they've been building up to it for years.

 

I would imagine that (unless they have a very good series) the likes of Pope and Crawley will be dropped afterwards.

[martyn]

5 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

We won't drop Crawley and I'm less arsed about him under McCullum because he clearly plays the role they want, but Emilio Gay should probably be under consideration, as should Tom Haines, Alex Lees has also probably done enough to be considered again as well.

 

Rehan is a better batting/spin option than Bethell.

 

We gave Sam Cook one game and seemingly binned him off because he wasn't great on debut.

 

This cycle has been about preparing for the Ashes, they've made that clear.

 

Sam Cook is a very good bowler, but he's the archetypal county military medium seamer. He'd be a Woakes type in Australia but 2mph slower and without the batting.

 

Crawley is a safer selection than Pope for me, especially as he has a decent record against both Australia and against 85mph+ bowlers. Watching Ollie Pope bat is stressful and I'd absolutely be in favour of replacing him, but they won't do it now. I hope I'm proved wrong but for me he's a modern day Hick/Ramprakash type, can take county attacks apart but gets exposed at test level.

Edited 4 August 2025 by martyn

[Tommy Fresh]

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

There will be very, very few changes to the Ashes squad. It's clear they've been building up to it for years.

 

I would imagine that (unless they have a very good series) the likes of Pope and Crawley will be dropped afterwards.

Like I said no overly bothered about Crawley anymore, but hopefully we do see some others given a chance after The Ashes if he doesn't do much.

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Like I said no overly bothered about Crawley anymore, but hopefully we do see some others given a chance after The Ashes if he doesn't do much.

Stokes and Woakes might call it a day after the Ashes too.

 

Would be the ideal time to have a reset.

[Tommy Fresh]

5 minutes ago, martyn said:

This cycle has been about preparing for the Ashes, they've made that clear.

 

Sam Cook is a very good bowler, but he's the archetypal county military medium seamer. He'd be a Woakes type in Australia but 2mph slower and without the batting.

 

Crawley is a safer selection than Pope for me, especially as he has a decent record against both Australia and against 85mph+ bowlers. Watching Ollie Pope bat is stressful and I'd absolutely be in favour of replacing him, but they won't do it now, I hope I'm proved wrong but for me he's a modern day Hick/Ramprakash type, can take county attacks apart but gets exposed at test level.

Yeah Pope is one of those who's great at county level but can't consistently transfer that to test level.

 

Don't call Cook up at all then until after this winter, worth noting though that Cook was on the Lions tour of Australia and was actually very good

 

Edited 4 August 2025 by Tommy Fresh

[RowlattsFox]

Problem we have with batters is they are all best suited for 4/5/6. Root is the best option to bat at 3 but he doesn't want to do it. 

 

Next in line might be James Rew but again he's a wicket keeping middle order player. 

 

[martyn]

6 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Yeah Pope is one of those who's great at county level but can't consistently transfer that to test level.

 

Don't call Cook up at all then until after this winter, worth noting though that Cook was on the Lions tour of Australia and was actually very good

 

Fair point on Cook's record in Australia for the Lions. Still don't think they'll take him as he doesn't fit the "profile". This England would take Olly Stone having not played any cricket in a year.

[AKCJ]

10 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Yeah Pope is one of those who's great at county level but can't consistently transfer that to test level.

 

Don't call Cook up at all then until after this winter, worth noting though that Cook was on the Lions tour of Australia and was actually very good

 

Aussie pitches have been very seam friendly for a few years now.

 

England will turn up with Jamie Overton banging it in on a short length. England's problem from day 1 under McCullum is that they've not been adaptable. It's like they decided how every game was going to be played in a meeting on day 1 and haven't actually looked at conditions, form or availability.

[RowlattsFox]

I understood the Overton pick really. Losing Archer and Carse meant they needed to find a bit of pace somewhere. He was shit though. 

 

[CL Fox]

25 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

We won't drop Crawley and I'm less arsed about him under McCullum because he clearly plays the role they want, but Emilio Gay should probably be under consideration, as should Tom Haines, Alex Lees has also probably done enough to be considered again as well.

 

Rehan is a better batting/spin option than Bethell.

 

We gave Sam Cook one game and seemingly binned him off because he wasn't great on debut.

 

Id say of those you've mentioned the only one that's really got an argument is Rehan and his batting has only come to the fote this year.

 

Cook couldnt get Zimbabwe out. Haines might have a shout but Mckinney is far more likely in my opinion.

[CL Fox]

Just now, RowlattsFox said:

I understood the Overton pick really. Losing Archer and Carse meant they needed to find a bit of pace somewhere. He was shit though. 

 

All the picks make sense tbh. They largely disregard county record because they don't mean anything at this level. Brook averaged 37 in county cricket, yet average just under 60 at test.

[RowlattsFox]

With Hindsight should've rested Carse in the 4th Test so he could play the 5th. 

[Lionator]

One person nobody seems to talk about anymore is Matt Potts, I think he’d have been great this series 

[CL Fox]

5 minutes ago, Lionator said:

One person nobody seems to talk about anymore is Matt Potts, I think he’d have been great this series 

He gets big wickets. Smith and Williamson all been done with a nip backer. It surprises me tbh.

[wardyfox86]

57 minutes ago, CL Fox said:

We lose and everyone piles on.

 

Think people need to be realistic about where were at.

 

India - national sport, 1.5bn people

Australia- national sport, weather that helps.

 

We're basically propped up by a failing county system and dwindling resources. This team will be the best team we'll have for a very long time.

Wider perspective as fine after time. But I think the frustration is more focused to moments in this game.

 

From the position we were in, in this game, it should have been seen out. We gave them a way back into it and gave away momentum. This is irrespective of the stature of the game within the country.

 

We didn't walk away thinking "ah well" when we managed to lose to Spurs after being ahead after 93 minutes, just because they have a perceived higher stature in the game.

[CosbehFox]

The Lions are playing in Australia just ahead of England so in reality we have 25-28 players in the country we can use. If someone stands out in the Lions game, they will get to the top of the queue. 

[Tommy Fresh]

24 minutes ago, CL Fox said:

Id say of those you've mentioned the only one that's really got an argument is Rehan and his batting has only come to the fote this year.

 

Cook couldnt get Zimbabwe out. Haines might have a shout but Mckinney is far more likely in my opinion.

Josh Tongue wasn't great against Zimbabwe either....

I think Gay will get a chance eventually

 

[Tommy Fresh]

35 minutes ago, martyn said:

Fair point on Cook's record in Australia for the Lions. Still don't think they'll take him as he doesn't fit the "profile". This England would take Olly Stone having not played any cricket in a year.

Yeah I agree he probably won't go

[StanSP]

2 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

The Lions are playing in Australia just ahead of England so in reality we have 25-28 players in the country we can use. If someone stands out in the Lions game, they will get to the top of the queue. 

Do you think Ahmed will go? 

[CosbehFox]

2 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Do you think Ahmed will go? 

You'd expect him in the Lions squad at least

[CL Fox]

Just now, StanSP said:

Do you think Ahmed will go? 

He's got an outside shout of being in the 17 i think. Purely because he can act as an all rounder and a second spinner.

 

[CL Fox]

6 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Josh Tongue wasn't great against Zimbabwe either....

I think Gay will get a chance eventually

 

Jordan Cox is next in line after Bethell I think - and he's had another good summer.

[RowlattsFox]

Ahmed will definitely go to Australia you'd imagine. He spent most of last winter touring with them too. Think he got a Big Bash gig too so will be out there anyway

[everton carr]

43 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Josh Tongue wasn't great against Zimbabwe either....

I think Gay will get a chance eventually

 

Not sure if Gay can play for England straight away now he's currently playing for Italy who have qualified for the T20 world cup next year

[Chris_OGrady]

1 hour ago, AKCJ said:

I would argue the opposite. The 2005 Ashes was played to a phenomenal standard whereas I think both sides in this series have played some pretty miserable stuff at times.

The Ashes is our big derby and an India series will never quite be the same. I wasn't annoyed at all this morning and felt happy for India because they deserved it. If that was the Ashes I would have been absolutely fuming. It's been a great series and the tests have all ended well, however there have been dull spells where the pitch has been completely flat.