Official England Cricket Thread

[Engels]

Dunno why we don't have one but i'm enjoying listening to Test Match Special (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/vide...de/4304501.stm) thanks to bastard Sky.

Englans currently 290-4 in the second test against Pakistan (119 all out), first test drawn.

Doesn't young Ali Cook look a future England Great.

[clarky]

I rekon Pakistan will frustrate England bowlers and make a big score today unfortuantely.In the other match going on i hope Jayawardene(343 no) hits the world record score and we can stop talking about Lara(401) v England.

[Liam-Manchester]

Superb performance by England- they've finally got ruthless and finished a side off. Maybe now the Aussies will start to stand up and take notice once again- England have long since been written off for the Ashes down under.

Some hugely promising signs for the future in this test. Alastair Cook looks a huge talent with 3 test centuries to his name already. When Flintoff returns England could be spoilt for choice in the batting department, with perhaps no place for Bell who has done nothing wrong and produced another excellent innings in this test. The competition for places is all very healthy though.

The one thing that remains undecided is the 4th bowler. With Monty Panesar in instead of Giles, the lower order loooks weaker which means the 4th bowler needs to be able to bat. Plunkett looks a reasonable batsman but his bowling doesn't yet look dangerous enough to me. If Anderson is brought back in when he returns from injury we are looking at a very long tail.

[clarky]

Theres no way back for michael vaughan and Ashley Giles they are both finnished and its time now to drop Geraint jones and Bring in Chris Read for the next test.

[clarky]

Look as i was saying yesterday

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...nd/5228936.stm
Jones axed as England pick Read
England have dropped wicket-keeper Geraint Jones from the Test squad after 31 consecutive appearances, giving a recall instead to Chris Read.
Jones was suffering a hairline fracture to his right ring-finger but England's management made a point of saying the injury was not an issue in selection.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "The selectors feel this is the right time to make a change."

"Geraint has kept very well this summer, but he has been short of runs."

Read, 27, has had two previous spells with the gloves in England's Test squad, but was dropped in April 2004 during the West Indies tour for Jones to make his debut in Antigua.

But the Nottinghamshire player has put pressure on Jones this season, scoring 601 runs at an average of 42.92, with three centuries.

Read said: "I felt that I kept well in the West Indies two years ago, but I knew that if was I going to get back in the Test side I would have to work on my batting because I hadn't scored enough runs.

"So I made a conscious effort to look at my batting and analyse where I can improve.

"I have worked hard with the help of Mick Newell and Paul Johnson at Nottinghamshire as well as the staff at the ECB National Academy.

"Things have gone well for me and I feel that I have reaped the rewards by scoring well in both first class and one-day cricket over the last couple of seasons."

Jones scored a century in only his third appearance for England, but has failed to follow up his early efforts with the bat.

He has failed to reach 20 with the bat in his last five Tests, although his keeping was excellent at Old Trafford, where he took one stumping and six catches.

Graveney confirmed that the decision to axe Jones had been taken regardless of the injury to Jones' finger.

He said: "The key factor for the selectors was his form with the bat and we believe that he will benefit from having a break from international cricket and spending more time in the middle with his county."

The third Test against Pakistan starts on Friday. Jamie Dalrymple has also been dropped from the squad, leaving 12 players in all.

[Zim Flyer]

Wow, I'm amased they have dropped him. I thought they wouldn't because England won and they would stick to that saying about never changing a winning team.

Re the Test Match, I really enjoyed watching Monty Panesar bowl on saturday, the bloke is a legend.

I agree with Clarky I think Vaughan and Giles are finished. If we can get Jones the bowler and Flintoff back then I am confident about the ashes.

[Engels]

Ok i know this is a bit soon but i'm gonna have a punt at guessing / picking my prefered line up for the Ashes. My assumption is that Vaughn and S.Jones aren't fit but Freddie is...

Only going with 4 main Bowlers here but only if Freddie is fit to bowl... with Collingwood as a 5th bowler.. if you get that

Trescothic
Strauss
Cook
Collingwood (b)
Pieterson
Flintoff (b)
Bell
Read (wk)
Harmison (b)
Hoggard (b)
Pannisar (b)

Hoggy, Harmison and Panisar aren't great batsmen but they are great bowlers and with contributions from a fit Flintoff and Collingwood and batsmen down to number 8 we are stong with both ball and bat.

I'm picking Chris Read over Geraint Jones, it's is a bit of a leap of faith as i can't remember seeing him play to be honest. It's just i'm not that big a fan of G.Jones so am glad to see someone else get a chance and by all accounts his batting has improved a lot that's the reason Jones, terrible with the bat for England, was picked ahead of him in the first place.

I'm interested to see who comes in for the next test as i assume Mahmood is out.

[Zim Flyer]

Originally Posted by Engels

Ok i know this is a bit soon but i'm gonna have a punt at guessing / picking my prefered line up for the Ashes. My assumption is that Vaughn and S.Jones aren't fit but Freddie is...

Only going with 4 main Bowlers here but only if Freddie is fit to bowl... with Collingwood as a 5th bowler.. if you get that

Trescothic
Strauss
Cook
Collingwood (b)
Pieterson
Flintoff (b)
Bell
Read (wk)
Harmison (b)
Hoggard (b)
Pannisar (b)

Hoggy, Harmison and Panisar aren't great batsmen but they are great bowlers and with contributions from a fit Flintoff and Collingwood and batsmen down to number 8 we are stong with both ball and bat.

I'm picking Chris Read over Geraint Jones, it's is a bit of a leap of faith as i can't remember seeing him play to be honest. It's just i'm not that big a fan of G.Jones so am glad to see someone else get a chance and by all accounts his batting has improved a lot that's the reason Jones, terrible with the bat for England, was picked ahead of him in the first place.

I'm interested to see who comes in for the next test as i assume Mahmood is out.

That team looks good, I would prefer a 5th bowler and would have Saj Mahmood in for Collingwood.

[Engels]

I wrote that before the last test where he (Saj Mahmood) was supurb but i think it will come down to what the wickets are like down under.

I think the Colly or Saji debate will be the only notable change (with Flintoff forcing one out) from the summer baring further injuries or miracle recoveries.

What has happened to poor Simon Jones?

But if you want an outside bet for someone to break into the team and push them both out then it will surely have to be the young Stuart Broard. By all accounts he is the best young bowler in the county game and i would think he will certainly travel with the squad

[clarky]

Simon Jones almost certainly wont be fit for the ashes he's a player on his day capable of destroying any team.I would pick him instead of Steve Harmison.Collingwood is an excellent feilder he would keep his place.

Trescothic
Strauss
Cook
Collingwood (b)
Pieterson
Flintoff (b)
Bell
Read (wk)
Harmison/Jones if fit (b)
Hoggard (b)
Pannisar (b)

[Liam-Manchester]

I think that playing only 4 bowlers with Flintoff as one of the four could be a bit of a risk playing on Australian pitches. I think it will be best making the decisions about the team selection on a game by game basis depending on the nature of the pitches and the conditions. I've heard that Perth, that used to be the fastest pitch has now lost its pace. Apparently Brisbane will now be the fastest pitch so it should suit hit-the-deck bowlers like Harmison and Flintoff. Perhaps for the faster, harder pitches England can afford to go with the 4 man bowling attack.

In theory, playing a 4 man bowling attack when Flintoff gets back seems the logical step, with Ian Bell staying at number 6 in the batting order. However, England won the Ashes last summer through having a 5 man bowling attack and one extra bowler than Australia. Perhaps it could be argued that as Monty Panesar is a far more attacking and dangerous bowler than Ashley Giles that England no longer need the 5th front line bowler. However, playing only 4 bowlers makes Panesar's role even more vital. He will be required to bowl a lot of overs and take plenty of wickets. On a pitch that doesn't offer him much assistance I think England need to seriously consider 5 bowlers.

[eusebius]

Fred's back!!!!

[Durbsboi]

Dont feel too down, at least ur'll got beat by a good Indian side,
SA got beat by NEW ZEALAND!

[KiwiBrit]

Dont feel too down, at least ur'll got beat by a good Indian side,
SA got beat by NEW ZEALAND!

Hey, calm down Durbs. Looks like you believe what your big mouthed skipper has been spouting out. SA are favourites in his eyes to win the cup!

[Q-TIP]

My predictions for the England line-up for the GABBA test:

Strauss
Trescothick
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Flintoff
Jones/Read - probably Gones as he is the better bat
Hoggard
Anderson/Mahmood - probably Mahmood on getting 3 wickets against Oz
Harmison
Panesar - this guy is too good to be left out, just field him fine leg to fine leg every over.

[clarky]

It will be interesting to see how Bell gets on after a poor 2005 ashes.It was a great decision to drop him from the squad soon after because he returned with four centuries.
This time England have a spin bowler Monty Panesar not just some guy who pitch's it in the rough like Giles.

[majormystery]

Read will play the first test for sure.
Whether he'll still be there come the 5th test is a different matter.

[Bikkel]

Praise be uponth thee, highlights from The Ashes will be on BBC2 after Newsnight

Do excuse this question: I'm considering an extra set of channels from cable here (Netherlands). Any chance of seeing more cricket if I have BBC3 and 4 too? I think 4's just like the learning zone and I heard mentions of BBC3 with announcements for new comedy. And Grandstand is said to go, so I'm a little confused which sports will stay on BBC TV.

[clarky]

I think it will only be on bbc2 and press the red interactive at 22.00.
Its a shame channel 4 have no more cricket i found the coverage excellent far better than pay tv sky.
Cricket(home tests) allways been a protected free to air sport until this year as sky have the rights to home and away tests.
Plans to have cricket on pay tv in Australia were blocked by the Australian govermant due to public protests while the corrupt uk goverment who are mostly made out of Scots/welsh inored the English cricket fans just as the sport was becoming more popular.

Please sign the petition
http://www.keepcricketfree.com/petition.asp

[gorgu]

Originally Posted by clarky

I think it will only be on bbc2 and press the red interactive at 22.00.
Its a shame channel 4 have no more cricket i found the coverage excellent far better than pay tv sky.
Cricket(home tests) allways been a protected free to air sport until this year as sky have the rights to home and away tests.
Plans to have cricket on pay tv in Australia were blocked by the Australian govermant due to public protests while the corrupt uk goverment who are mostly made out of Scots/welsh inored the English cricket fans just as the sport was becoming more popular.

Please sign the petition
http://www.keepcricketfree.com/petition.asp

You are a grade A prat, so the reaons that cricket is on Sky is because the Scots and the Welsh are at the top of govt eh?

Suppose the fact that English MPs VASTLY outnumber the Scots and the English MPs and could at any point have voted against the legislation is not valid.

Again I say it, you are a GRADE A PRAT.

BTW, i would rather watch cricket on Sky that watch it on nine ten or seven where is Shane 'give me some more birds with tits; Warne hesitates with a run up there is a crappy VB ad.

Ever watched a game on aussie telly, they have adverts where there is a scrum with the league and when there is a lineout for union, christ they cram in as much as they can get!