The Cricket Society IV
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This summer of sport is actually crazy.
Euro 2016
England vs Sri Lanka (last test match and limited overs series)
Zimbabwe vs India limited overs series
England vs Pakistan series
Wimbledon
West Indies vs India series
Olympics 2016
And more...
Euro 2016
England vs Sri Lanka (last test match and limited overs series)
Zimbabwe vs India limited overs series
England vs Pakistan series
Wimbledon
West Indies vs India series
Olympics 2016
And more...
Wimbledon final, Fury vs. Klitschko and Euro 2016 final all on the same weekend.
Thoughts on who is better out of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers?
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
Original post by moment of truth
Thoughts on who is better out of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers?
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
AB by a fair bit in my opinion. He can play anywhere and it'll feel like home. Kohli is a class batsmen in the sub-continent but outside he's yet to persuade me.
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SA fielded eight black players last night - for the first time ever.
They did well to defend such a weak total. We've seen low scoring in this Tri-Series, and it's interesting SA won considering they posted just one more run than against the Windies.
A lot of that has to do with their bowling and fielding.
Sure, Behardien's half-century helped, but their spinners strangled Australia and only Finch managed to get past 30. That's some feat, considering the strength of the Aussies' top order.
Shamsi was particularly threatening and really impressed me. Sure, he only got one wicket and the seam attack will probably get the headlines for tearing through the Australian top four.
They did well to defend such a weak total. We've seen low scoring in this Tri-Series, and it's interesting SA won considering they posted just one more run than against the Windies.
A lot of that has to do with their bowling and fielding.
Sure, Behardien's half-century helped, but their spinners strangled Australia and only Finch managed to get past 30. That's some feat, considering the strength of the Aussies' top order.
Shamsi was particularly threatening and really impressed me. Sure, he only got one wicket and the seam attack will probably get the headlines for tearing through the Australian top four.
Original post by moment of truth
Thoughts on who is better out of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers?
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
Kohli named ABDV as the best batsman in the word after his match winning knock in the IPL semi-final. Both their talents are known and they have transformed cricket in their own ways over the recent past. I am planning to do a post comparing the two within each format so that we can actually see how they compare. ABDV is the more experienced cricketer, but Virat Kohli has achieved so much since coming into the India team and that is likely to continue!
Original post by Enginerd.
AB by a fair bit in my opinion. He can play anywhere and it'll feel like home. Kohli is a class batsmen in the sub-continent but outside he's yet to persuade me.
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ABDV for me, too. They are my top two batsmen in the world, though, and I rate Kohli has a higher ceiling than de Villiers.
A key difference currently is ABDV's ability to tee off right from the beginning. It's interesting, because Kohli is seen as the IPL's best batsman this year, but 11 ABDVs would beat 11 Kohlis by 20 runs, according to the stats.
De Villiers has a habit of finding the boundary more and having fewer dot deliveries. He also uses up less balls at the crease, which is vital in the shorter format of the game when batting orders run deep.
Original post by Enginerd.
AB by a fair bit in my opinion. He can play anywhere and it'll feel like home. Kohli is a class batsmen in the sub-continent but outside he's yet to persuade me.
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That's fair enough. Kohli still has a lot to do outside the sub-continent for sure, but I am confident that he can!
Original post by Mackay
ABDV for me, too. They are my top two batsmen in the world, though, and I rate Kohli has a higher ceiling than de Villiers.
A key difference currently is ABDV's ability to tee off right from the beginning. It's interesting, because Kohli is seen as the IPL's best batsman this year, but 11 ABDVs would beat 11 Kohlis by 20 runs, according to the stats.
De Villiers has a habit of finding the boundary more and having fewer dot deliveries. He also uses up less balls at the crease, which is vital in the shorter format of the game when batting orders run deep.
A key difference currently is ABDV's ability to tee off right from the beginning. It's interesting, because Kohli is seen as the IPL's best batsman this year, but 11 ABDVs would beat 11 Kohlis by 20 runs, according to the stats.
De Villiers has a habit of finding the boundary more and having fewer dot deliveries. He also uses up less balls at the crease, which is vital in the shorter format of the game when batting orders run deep.
AB's ability to hit big from the beginning is obviously one of his main advantages, but the way that Kohli can have a strike rate of over 200 without 'slogging' any deliveries and by just playing proper shots is crazy! Kohli has been in some form recently though. From the WT20 to the IPL, and hopefully he can continue it on for the WI tour.
Like above, Kohli still has a lot to do, but I honestly think that he can take India to test series wins outside of the sub-continent. He will be a better test captain than MS Dhoni, in my opinion.
AB's versatility is just incredible, though. He has played a few match saving innings where he just had to bat a whole day, which you would think is completely unlike him, but he has that special ability.
Original post by moment of truth
That's fair enough. Kohli still has a lot to do outside the sub-continent for sure, but I am confident that he can!
AB's ability to hit big from the beginning is obviously one of his main advantages, but the way that Kohli can have a strike rate of over 200 without 'slogging' any deliveries and by just playing proper shots is crazy! Kohli has been in some form recently though. From the WT20 to the IPL, and hopefully he can continue it on for the WI tour.
Like above, Kohli still has a lot to do, but I honestly think that he can take India to test series wins outside of the sub-continent. He will be a better test captain than MS Dhoni, in my opinion.
AB's versatility is just incredible, though. He has played a few match saving innings where he just had to bat a whole day, which you would think is completely unlike him, but he has that special ability.
AB's ability to hit big from the beginning is obviously one of his main advantages, but the way that Kohli can have a strike rate of over 200 without 'slogging' any deliveries and by just playing proper shots is crazy! Kohli has been in some form recently though. From the WT20 to the IPL, and hopefully he can continue it on for the WI tour.
Like above, Kohli still has a lot to do, but I honestly think that he can take India to test series wins outside of the sub-continent. He will be a better test captain than MS Dhoni, in my opinion.
AB's versatility is just incredible, though. He has played a few match saving innings where he just had to bat a whole day, which you would think is completely unlike him, but he has that special ability.
AB's versatility is criminally under-stated. I see nobody who seems to rate him as one of the sport's great batsmen. Instead, they class him as a white ball specialist.
Remember that a few months ago AB dug in during a Test match against Australia in a remarkable feat of longevity, resilience and endurance.
The man can do it all.
I guess another difference between him and Kohli is that the latter, in a very pure sense, is a batsman. AB is probably more of a hitter in T20 and ODI cricket. But the pair of them manage remarkable shots, constantly perplexing and dumbfounding spectators. AB seems to contort his body and show a dexterity otherwise not possible in other humans. What a batsman.
I think, in an era where T20 and Test cricket are basically different sports, and AB and Kohli are two of the best across all three formats and consistently set the bar higher and higher, there's definitely an argument that they are two of the best to ever set foot on Earth with a cricket bat in their hand.
Hard to say who will be happier after that day's play, really. You'd have banked on SL when they reduced England to 80 odd for 4 on a track as benign as that, but the dropped catch which spared Bairstow has threatened to change the complexion somewhat.
In truth, it wasn't a very good day's cricket.
SL bowled shoddily before lunch, and it was only really when they tried to pin the batsmen down that they got England under pressure. They seemed to prioritise maidens, placing an emphasis on dot balls, and that duly dismissed Hales.
Hales is a great one-day player, and a great striker of the white ball, but you can't play slog shots like he did today in the Test arena. He was duly found out, and he deserved to walk back to the pavilion. Likewise, Compton was playing like a man burdened by expectation - and he surely has just one innings to save his England career now. I felt he gave his wicket away, because the ball wasn't threatening really, and Compton seems to be playing these odd strokes in the hope of getting a score.
Of course, the dull pitch and it being a batting paradise (no surprise Cook won the toss and batted, considering the side who bat first has won every Test between England/SL at Lord's) probably didn't help the batsmen. They probably put themselves under pressure, and thought that they needed a score to silence the doubters because the pitch wasn't doing much and SL's bowling attack isn't elite.
Mathews' captaincy was poor today, as was the majority of the fielding (that dropped Bairstow catch) and batting from England. In fairness, the catch in the slips to dismiss Moeen was exceptional, and Cook batted well. But it was Bairstow's day. He seems to be playing more naturally these days. He's changed his stance, so he's more upright, and he's enjoying a heck of a summer.
Cook batted as he always does. He picked the ball off leg well, got on the front foot, and made a pedestrian 85 without exerting too much. It was a surprise he got out when he did.
Credit to Woakes, too, for providing Bairstow with a decent partner. It was great to see Jonny get another ton. He looked chuff - and rightly so.
In truth, it wasn't a very good day's cricket.
SL bowled shoddily before lunch, and it was only really when they tried to pin the batsmen down that they got England under pressure. They seemed to prioritise maidens, placing an emphasis on dot balls, and that duly dismissed Hales.
Hales is a great one-day player, and a great striker of the white ball, but you can't play slog shots like he did today in the Test arena. He was duly found out, and he deserved to walk back to the pavilion. Likewise, Compton was playing like a man burdened by expectation - and he surely has just one innings to save his England career now. I felt he gave his wicket away, because the ball wasn't threatening really, and Compton seems to be playing these odd strokes in the hope of getting a score.
Of course, the dull pitch and it being a batting paradise (no surprise Cook won the toss and batted, considering the side who bat first has won every Test between England/SL at Lord's) probably didn't help the batsmen. They probably put themselves under pressure, and thought that they needed a score to silence the doubters because the pitch wasn't doing much and SL's bowling attack isn't elite.
Mathews' captaincy was poor today, as was the majority of the fielding (that dropped Bairstow catch) and batting from England. In fairness, the catch in the slips to dismiss Moeen was exceptional, and Cook batted well. But it was Bairstow's day. He seems to be playing more naturally these days. He's changed his stance, so he's more upright, and he's enjoying a heck of a summer.
Cook batted as he always does. He picked the ball off leg well, got on the front foot, and made a pedestrian 85 without exerting too much. It was a surprise he got out when he did.
Credit to Woakes, too, for providing Bairstow with a decent partner. It was great to see Jonny get another ton. He looked chuff - and rightly so.
A fantastic day for SL - and easily their best of the entire series/tour.
Silva batted expertly, on a pitch which offered little for the bowlers. Considering its benign state, he picked his runs really well. You'd probably wager that Woakes was the best of the seamers.
England did well to get 416 - but you imagine Bairstow probably could've got more if he was braver. Of course, he batted extremely well anyway. He deserved his ton. But his strike rate fell towards the end. His score means he now boasts three of the top ten scores ever made by an English wicket-keeper. Stewart only has two, to put that into context. Bairstow has made 594 in Test cricket this year, 1,207 runs in first class cricket. He's having a great calendar year. He deserved to finish not out.
But that drop. It all comes back to that drop. He dropped one in Durham, and he and Buttler aren't great keepers, but that was a dolly today and he has every right to be frustrated. Buttler and Bairstow are excellent with the bat. There's no great wicket-keeper pushing them, so England are opting to pick all-rounders, which is fine. But you need to catch straightforward catches.
Lord's is an odd ground, because the pitch tends to make balls dip as they fly through. Woakes is the quickest bowler, so you could say Bairstow may have been wrong-footed or mis-timed his dive. But neither happened. It was as straightforward a catch as I've seen.
SL bowled pretty well to limit England. Woakes batted well, but Broad was poor in his shot selection. You need to take your chances in this type of game, when a pitch isn't offering much to spin or seamer. Woakes looks like a different cricketer. Lovely footwork at the crease with the bat. He's not flukey or lucky, and he can play some lovely shots. His bowling has improved greatly, too. He has a decent bouncer, and draws the batsmen in.
It's a surprise Finn, who probably bowled the worst of the England bunch, picked up the wicket. Albeit rather fortuitously.
Silva batted expertly, on a pitch which offered little for the bowlers. Considering its benign state, he picked his runs really well. You'd probably wager that Woakes was the best of the seamers.
England did well to get 416 - but you imagine Bairstow probably could've got more if he was braver. Of course, he batted extremely well anyway. He deserved his ton. But his strike rate fell towards the end. His score means he now boasts three of the top ten scores ever made by an English wicket-keeper. Stewart only has two, to put that into context. Bairstow has made 594 in Test cricket this year, 1,207 runs in first class cricket. He's having a great calendar year. He deserved to finish not out.
But that drop. It all comes back to that drop. He dropped one in Durham, and he and Buttler aren't great keepers, but that was a dolly today and he has every right to be frustrated. Buttler and Bairstow are excellent with the bat. There's no great wicket-keeper pushing them, so England are opting to pick all-rounders, which is fine. But you need to catch straightforward catches.
Lord's is an odd ground, because the pitch tends to make balls dip as they fly through. Woakes is the quickest bowler, so you could say Bairstow may have been wrong-footed or mis-timed his dive. But neither happened. It was as straightforward a catch as I've seen.
SL bowled pretty well to limit England. Woakes batted well, but Broad was poor in his shot selection. You need to take your chances in this type of game, when a pitch isn't offering much to spin or seamer. Woakes looks like a different cricketer. Lovely footwork at the crease with the bat. He's not flukey or lucky, and he can play some lovely shots. His bowling has improved greatly, too. He has a decent bouncer, and draws the batsmen in.
It's a surprise Finn, who probably bowled the worst of the England bunch, picked up the wicket. Albeit rather fortuitously.
KL Rahul to replace shikhar dhawan
Yet again, England's top order leave their lower order batsmen with a lot to do.
Surely that's it for Compton? He went off shaking his head, and that makes it seem as if he knows his game is up. He has had chances - plenty of them. He has been a fixture of numerous winning Test series now, and not contributed. How are the selectors supposed to put faith in him when the going gets tough? He simply isn't getting runs - and SL are hardly an elite side.
Vince, too, seems to be on borrowed time. Plenty already think he isn't good enough, and his nature of dismissals (leaving balls outside the off stump) is worrying. It was a shame we didn't see Cook after his injury, because we needed some upper order resilience. Hales batted really well, but this is now Root's first series where he has averaged less than 45 since the 2013/14 Ashes. That's poor form.
You'd have started the day full of confidence as an SL fan, but that quickly wilted. The conditions were favourable for the seamers - and credit to Cook for disrupting the old tradition and throwing the ball to Woakes early doors. He was bowling quick, making use of the slope, and he and Finn caused mayhem. They bowled magnificently.
But, my word, the batting needs work. I'd actually keep Vince - for the Pakistan series, at least. The question for the selectors is who comes in - and at which position. Really, you could bring in somebody at 3 or 5. The former is the most obvious decision, and you'd think it would be Borthwick. Ballance is doing little in the County Championship, and hasn't worked on his flaws. He hasn't done enough to improve his game since the last time he was dropped - and, at his age, you can't be picking Bell.
Surely that's it for Compton? He went off shaking his head, and that makes it seem as if he knows his game is up. He has had chances - plenty of them. He has been a fixture of numerous winning Test series now, and not contributed. How are the selectors supposed to put faith in him when the going gets tough? He simply isn't getting runs - and SL are hardly an elite side.
Vince, too, seems to be on borrowed time. Plenty already think he isn't good enough, and his nature of dismissals (leaving balls outside the off stump) is worrying. It was a shame we didn't see Cook after his injury, because we needed some upper order resilience. Hales batted really well, but this is now Root's first series where he has averaged less than 45 since the 2013/14 Ashes. That's poor form.
You'd have started the day full of confidence as an SL fan, but that quickly wilted. The conditions were favourable for the seamers - and credit to Cook for disrupting the old tradition and throwing the ball to Woakes early doors. He was bowling quick, making use of the slope, and he and Finn caused mayhem. They bowled magnificently.
But, my word, the batting needs work. I'd actually keep Vince - for the Pakistan series, at least. The question for the selectors is who comes in - and at which position. Really, you could bring in somebody at 3 or 5. The former is the most obvious decision, and you'd think it would be Borthwick. Ballance is doing little in the County Championship, and hasn't worked on his flaws. He hasn't done enough to improve his game since the last time he was dropped - and, at his age, you can't be picking Bell.
Amir v Anderson 
Can't wait!
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Can't wait!Posted from TSR Mobile
Great result for Australia in the Tri-Series last night.
SA were cruising in their reply, just one wicket down for 170+ with ABDV and Amla sauntering. Then, the pitch offered something to both the seamers and spinners, and SA came unstuck. It all went downhill for them.
Good to see Zampa retained. On a batting-friendly surface, it was always going to come down to between him and Lyon because only one spinner was realistically going to be deployed. And Zampa
showed more than enough quality in the IPL to prove he deserves an extended run in the national side. He picked up three wickets to boot.
Starc's recall was an obvious decision for Australia - and he skittled SA as they collapsed for 7-40. Great spell of pressure from SA, and a great one-handed Maxwell catch.
The only slight issue for the Aussies, who now lie top with two wins from three matches, is Warner's bruised finger. I hope he's OK, because he posted a match-winning innings last night and is enjoying a purple patch. Smith and Khawaja chipped in, after SA's bowlers did well to limit them to under 300, but it was the Warner show. His first ODI century away from Australia, after five Down Under.
SA were cruising in their reply, just one wicket down for 170+ with ABDV and Amla sauntering. Then, the pitch offered something to both the seamers and spinners, and SA came unstuck. It all went downhill for them.
Good to see Zampa retained. On a batting-friendly surface, it was always going to come down to between him and Lyon because only one spinner was realistically going to be deployed. And Zampa
showed more than enough quality in the IPL to prove he deserves an extended run in the national side. He picked up three wickets to boot.
Starc's recall was an obvious decision for Australia - and he skittled SA as they collapsed for 7-40. Great spell of pressure from SA, and a great one-handed Maxwell catch.
The only slight issue for the Aussies, who now lie top with two wins from three matches, is Warner's bruised finger. I hope he's OK, because he posted a match-winning innings last night and is enjoying a purple patch. Smith and Khawaja chipped in, after SA's bowlers did well to limit them to under 300, but it was the Warner show. His first ODI century away from Australia, after five Down Under.
Original post by Mackay
Yet again, England's top order leave their lower order batsmen with a lot to do.
Surely that's it for Compton? He went off shaking his head, and that makes it seem as if he knows his game is up. He has had chances - plenty of them. He has been a fixture of numerous winning Test series now, and not contributed. How are the selectors supposed to put faith in him when the going gets tough? He simply isn't getting runs - and SL are hardly an elite side.
Vince, too, seems to be on borrowed time. Plenty already think he isn't good enough, and his nature of dismissals (leaving balls outside the off stump) is worrying. It was a shame we didn't see Cook after his injury, because we needed some upper order resilience. Hales batted really well, but this is now Root's first series where he has averaged less than 45 since the 2013/14 Ashes. That's poor form.
You'd have started the day full of confidence as an SL fan, but that quickly wilted. The conditions were favourable for the seamers - and credit to Cook for disrupting the old tradition and throwing the ball to Woakes early doors. He was bowling quick, making use of the slope, and he and Finn caused mayhem. They bowled magnificently.
But, my word, the batting needs work. I'd actually keep Vince - for the Pakistan series, at least. The question for the selectors is who comes in - and at which position. Really, you could bring in somebody at 3 or 5. The former is the most obvious decision, and you'd think it would be Borthwick. Ballance is doing little in the County Championship, and hasn't worked on his flaws. He hasn't done enough to improve his game since the last time he was dropped - and, at his age, you can't be picking Bell.
Surely that's it for Compton? He went off shaking his head, and that makes it seem as if he knows his game is up. He has had chances - plenty of them. He has been a fixture of numerous winning Test series now, and not contributed. How are the selectors supposed to put faith in him when the going gets tough? He simply isn't getting runs - and SL are hardly an elite side.
Vince, too, seems to be on borrowed time. Plenty already think he isn't good enough, and his nature of dismissals (leaving balls outside the off stump) is worrying. It was a shame we didn't see Cook after his injury, because we needed some upper order resilience. Hales batted really well, but this is now Root's first series where he has averaged less than 45 since the 2013/14 Ashes. That's poor form.
You'd have started the day full of confidence as an SL fan, but that quickly wilted. The conditions were favourable for the seamers - and credit to Cook for disrupting the old tradition and throwing the ball to Woakes early doors. He was bowling quick, making use of the slope, and he and Finn caused mayhem. They bowled magnificently.
But, my word, the batting needs work. I'd actually keep Vince - for the Pakistan series, at least. The question for the selectors is who comes in - and at which position. Really, you could bring in somebody at 3 or 5. The former is the most obvious decision, and you'd think it would be Borthwick. Ballance is doing little in the County Championship, and hasn't worked on his flaws. He hasn't done enough to improve his game since the last time he was dropped - and, at his age, you can't be picking Bell.
I agree that there's pretty much no way back for Compton now.
We have our perennial worries about nos 2-4. Compton, Ballance, Hales, Carberry, Lyth, perhaps even Trott even though he was in breathtaking form when he first appeared.
Retirement of Strauss, Pietersen and now Bell too. Give JV another chance.
Original post by rockrunride
I agree that there's pretty much no way back for Compton now.
We have our perennial worries about nos 2-4. Compton, Ballance, Hales, Carberry, Lyth, perhaps even Trott even though he was in breathtaking form when he first appeared.
Retirement of Strauss, Pietersen and now Bell too. Give JV another chance.
We have our perennial worries about nos 2-4. Compton, Ballance, Hales, Carberry, Lyth, perhaps even Trott even though he was in breathtaking form when he first appeared.
Retirement of Strauss, Pietersen and now Bell too. Give JV another chance.
Vince will definitely get the summer, I think. But yeah, the end is nigh for Compton. He's 32, after all. You look at batsmen like Voges and Rogers and Trescothick, who breakthrough to the international scene late and impress, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
I'd look to select Borthwick as soon as possible, to be honest.
Why I'd pay to watch neutral Tests
http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/1024623.html
Can't see it every happening. The only reason I link it is rather than changing Test cricket to a 2 tier system (which doesn't improve anything other than perhaps get a few other countries involved in tier 2 but also make it so that the same 4-6 countries continue to play each other in the top tier).
I think we should use the above neutral test match idea with another to give context to the Test rankings.
The idea would be that within a 2 year period, you would have to play every other country with test status (under the current system) 3 times in that time cycle - home, away and in a neutral country. So if there are 9 test ranked countries, you would play each other of the 8 teams 3 times = 24 test matches for the qualifying ranking.
Countries could play each other as many times as they want (so the Ashes could continue) but they would nominate 1 Test in advance which is to count towards the ranking. It would also encourage more tri-nation series or overlap of tours since if England/Australia were to play the Ashes series in England, if India came along then England could play 2 home matches (against India and Australia), Australia would play 1 away series with England and then play a neutral series with India (and the same for India as the Aus scenario).
You would get more context and rankings would be fair for all countries rather than those who play the most.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/1024623.html
Can't see it every happening. The only reason I link it is rather than changing Test cricket to a 2 tier system (which doesn't improve anything other than perhaps get a few other countries involved in tier 2 but also make it so that the same 4-6 countries continue to play each other in the top tier).
I think we should use the above neutral test match idea with another to give context to the Test rankings.
The idea would be that within a 2 year period, you would have to play every other country with test status (under the current system) 3 times in that time cycle - home, away and in a neutral country. So if there are 9 test ranked countries, you would play each other of the 8 teams 3 times = 24 test matches for the qualifying ranking.
Countries could play each other as many times as they want (so the Ashes could continue) but they would nominate 1 Test in advance which is to count towards the ranking. It would also encourage more tri-nation series or overlap of tours since if England/Australia were to play the Ashes series in England, if India came along then England could play 2 home matches (against India and Australia), Australia would play 1 away series with England and then play a neutral series with India (and the same for India as the Aus scenario).
You would get more context and rankings would be fair for all countries rather than those who play the most.
For all the criticism Alex Hales has put together a good series here.
Compton's done. Borthwick seems to have found himself at the front of the queue, although there are two or three other guys who wouldn't be unreasonable picks. Would be tempted to go back to Bell personally, but would be happy to see Borthwick in.
Vince is a funny one, most of the pundits seem to have decided that he looks fine so the runs will come eventually. He'll get the summer, but two things might threaten his place:
1) The need to drop a batsman if we want to go with Rashid, Ali and four seamers against India (same balance as Pakistan last year)
2) Bairstow's keeping doesn't improve and he's played as a specialist batsman at no.5.
Chances are the Pakistan series will be a shootout between Vince and Borthwick (or whoever replaces Compton) for a top four spot.
Compton's done. Borthwick seems to have found himself at the front of the queue, although there are two or three other guys who wouldn't be unreasonable picks. Would be tempted to go back to Bell personally, but would be happy to see Borthwick in.
Vince is a funny one, most of the pundits seem to have decided that he looks fine so the runs will come eventually. He'll get the summer, but two things might threaten his place:
1) The need to drop a batsman if we want to go with Rashid, Ali and four seamers against India (same balance as Pakistan last year)
2) Bairstow's keeping doesn't improve and he's played as a specialist batsman at no.5.
Chances are the Pakistan series will be a shootout between Vince and Borthwick (or whoever replaces Compton) for a top four spot.
Original post by Louis.
For all the criticism Alex Hales has put together a good series here.
1) The need to drop a batsman if we want to go with Rashid, Ali and four seamers against India (same balance as Pakistan last year)
2) Bairstow's keeping doesn't improve and he's played as a specialist batsman at no.5.
Chances are the Pakistan series will be a shootout between Vince and Borthwick (or whoever replaces Compton) for a top four spot.
1) The need to drop a batsman if we want to go with Rashid, Ali and four seamers against India (same balance as Pakistan last year)
2) Bairstow's keeping doesn't improve and he's played as a specialist batsman at no.5.
Chances are the Pakistan series will be a shootout between Vince and Borthwick (or whoever replaces Compton) for a top four spot.
Hales has done brilliantly - but, **** me, he hates converting starts into tons doesn't he? The guy wouldn't know a century if it bit him on the arse.
Borthwick could potentially be deployed as a spinner when called up, mate. He got eight wickets in his last County Championship game, after all.
Original post by Mackay
Hales has done brilliantly - but, **** me, he hates converting starts into tons doesn't he? The guy wouldn't know a century if it bit him on the arse.
Borthwick could potentially be deployed as a spinner when called up, mate. He got eight wickets in his last County Championship game, after all.
Borthwick could potentially be deployed as a spinner when called up, mate. He got eight wickets in his last County Championship game, after all.
He bowls less and less these days though. Couldn't go with him and Ali as our spinners, and while he could maybe be a second spinner I can't see Ali being dropped for him.
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