Cricket

[Typhoon]

England have just lost the series, with acting captain Latham getting the winning runs

Let’s get Bairstow back for the India series, with Stokes and Buttler as well.

This isn’t an England team who can compete in the Ashes.

Its over in time for supporters to get to T20 matches. How thoughtful!

No problem with Bairstow, at least he would add some backbone to the team. If we send some of these we're picking at the moment they will get slaughtered on the pitch and by those on The Hill or sitting in The Members.

 

[Busaholic]

We seem fixated by wicket-keeper batsman, presumably because they know the batting line up is likely to fail so need to play seven batsman, only four bowlers so no room for spin.

To give him his due, Bracey has scored a century this year, 118 against Somerset at Bristol on 16th April. The ESPN reporter wrote Not the Bracey we have seen during the last three days, so was he selected on a single performance?

I looked back at the County Championship matches that ended at the end of May (only chosen because they were largely uninterrupted and easy to go through on the BBC website). Six centuries, three by players not qualified for England, one by a discard and two by the relatively inexperienced (who I wouldn't want to throw in at the deep end). It is centuries, and big centuries at that, that win Test Matches, not 40s or 50s. With upcoming series against India and Australia it is difficult to see where the runs will come from, and, should some of those that we have thrust into the limelight of late have a hard time against these two test nations, they may never recover. The only good thing is that we must have a fair chance of making it competitive in the Women's Ashes.

As a Kent supporter, the idea that Sam Billings was any sort of reserve for the Test Team appalls me, he is a white ball cricketer who is pretty good at motivating others. That's it.

Quote from https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...loucestershire-group-2-1244228/match-report-2

Apologies for not spotting the April Bracey century, but my point still stands. Absolutely agree about obsession with wicketkeeper-batsmen. Totally agree about Sam Billings - Olly Robinson (the other one!) on the other hand....

Is Sam Hain now qualified for England? If he is, I think he should be considered. Pope may be the new Bell, for good and ill, but Hain was always being written up as the new Trott, and had the considerable advantage of playing with him at Warwickshire. To my mind Trott is the batsman of recent years most missed by England, even more so than Cook, and maybe equal with Peterson. Jake Libby with Worcs has put in some sterling performances this season as opener, including at Chelmsford with Alastair Cook in the opposition, and I'd seek out Cook's views as to his possible suitability.

Of course, England could do worse than giving Darren Stevens a test debut, especially if the weather's a bit iffy when we play India.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Let’s get Bairstow back for the India series, with Stokes and Buttler as well.

Bairstow has an appalling recent record...since he last scored a hundred about 30 innings ago he has crept over 50 just twice. I've just looked it up on Cricinfo and it's worse than I thought. His technique was found out by Australia in 2019 and nothing has changed. He might have enhanced his reputation by not playing in the recent shambles but hardly deserves a recall.Great one day player though.
I was at the debacle yesterday. Wonderful to be back at a test match...after England went three or so wickets down the crowd went quiet, knowing what was to come....and it did!

 

[HST43257]

Bairstow has an appalling recent record...since he last scored a hundred about 30 innings ago he has crept over 50 just twice. I've just looked it up on Cricinfo and it's worse than I thought. His technique was found out by Australia in 2019 and nothing has changed. He might have enhanced his reputation by not playing in the recent shambles but hardly deserves a recall.Great one day player though.

I’d put anyone above Zac Crawley at the moment

 

[Whistler40145]

England have just lost the series, with acting captain Latham getting the winning runs

Let’s get Bairstow back for the India series, with Stokes and Buttler as well.

This isn’t an England team who can compete in the Ashes.

Would you also bring back Chris Woakes?

 

[Typhoon]

Apologies for not spotting the April Bracey century, but my point still stands. Absolutely agree about obsession with wicketkeeper-batsmen. Totally agree about Sam Billings - Olly Robinson (the other one!) on the other hand....

Earlier I was going to ask for the last time two people with the same name played in the same match for England. I think its a bit early for him. The phrase 'if they are good enough, they are old enough', is fine for the exceptional but that performance was largely gutless, it needs players with strength of character to go out there, stick around, grind them down, don't mind being on a duck for 20 minutes and the cat-calls because they know the bowler is going to take a rest or get frustrated. Send Robinson on a Lions tour.

Is Sam Hain now qualified for England? If he is, I think he should be considered. Pope may be the new Bell, for good and ill, but Hain was always being written up as the new Trott, and had the considerable advantage of playing with him at Warwickshire. To my mind Trott is the batsman of recent years most missed by England, even more so than Cook, and maybe equal with Peterson. Jake Libby with Worcs has put in some sterling performances this season as opener, including at Chelmsford with Alastair Cook in the opposition, and I'd seek out Cook's views as to his possible suitability.

Libby seems to be having a reasonable season, Hain a little less so but they are that bit older which might help; confidence must be shot to ribbons, if they cannot put together a respectable performance against India, they are looking to get tanked in Oz.

Of course, England could do worse than giving Darren Stevens a test debut, especially if the weather's a bit iffy when we play India.

Please no, we'll never bowl anyone out twice in a game without him!

Would you also bring back Chris Woakes?

He might improve the batting line up!

 

[HST43257]

Would you also bring back Chris Woakes?

Him and/or Sam Curran

 

[Busaholic]

Please no, we'll never bowl anyone out twice in a game without him!

Fair enough! I see he's making a telling contribution in the T20 as well, after several seasons out of favour. In fact, Kent would probably have lost tonight if it hadn't been for his late batting cameo.
,

 

[Typhoon]

Fair enough! I see he's making a telling contribution in the T20 as well, after several seasons out of favour. In fact, Kent would probably have lost tonight if it hadn't been for his late batting cameo.
,

Just the one boundary so a lot of running between the wickets, no wonder he didn't take a wicket, the poor man was exhausted.

Out of favour - yes, lent him to Derbyshire in 2019 so they could let others who bowled with more pace be hit to the boundary. The only reason he is back now appears to be that half the squad are on treatment table.

 

[Busaholic]

Just the one boundary so a lot of running between the wickets, no wonder he didn't take a wicket, the poor man was exhausted.

Out of favour - yes, lent him to Derbyshire in 2019 so they could let others who bowled with more pace be hit to the boundary. The only reason he is back now appears to be that half the squad are on treatment table.

He's made a contribution to each of Kent's three wins from a close look at the scorecards. I remember a profile of him in Wisden Cricket Monthly a few years after his debut, which suggested he could have a role in the England cricket team but was perhaps hampered by (a) his 'choice' of county and (b) a feeling he was too much of a 'bits and pieces' cricketer, akin to others like Darren Maddy, Mark Ealham and Jeremy Snape. His ability to strike a cricket ball a long way was mentioned though.

 

[Typhoon]

He's made a contribution to each of Kent's three wins from a close look at the scorecards. I remember a profile of him in Wisden Cricket Monthly a few years after his debut, which suggested he could have a role in the England cricket team but was perhaps hampered by (a) his 'choice' of county and (b) a feeling he was too much of a 'bits and pieces' cricketer, akin to others like Darren Maddy, Mark Ealham and Jeremy Snape. His ability to strike a cricket ball a long way was mentioned though.

His 'choice' of county - Leicestershire, when he was born in .... Leicester. I am no great fan of this constantly moving around from one county to the next but there are favoured counties and Kent is one of them. I wish it wasn't so, players are picked (I won't name them because it wasn't their choice) probably too early, maybe they put in a decent performance or two, then they start to fail in important matches, the bad balls start to outnumber the good, they drop the important catch, they just get a nick to a ball they should have left (or leave one that hits the stumps), spectators and the media get on to them and they return to the county with confidence shattered. About half a century ago we selected someone who looked like John Major's brother, David Steele, been round the county circuit for years; He was a fighter, ground out scores against both Lillee'n Thomson and the Windies. Now, if Root fails, no-one can see where the runs are going to come from. Steele did not fail, didn't get the big scores but stabilised the innings, the man at the other end didn't have to worry about him. Played just 8 tests, with a batting average of over 42!
Now if you play for the likes of Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Northamptonshire you don't stand a chance of representing your country, it is now probably too late to reverse this. However it may be worth looking at the unfashionable counties, do they have batsmen (in particular) who can grind out scores, stick around when the ball is swinging or moving off the seam, doesn't get frustrated when they are scoring slowly (they are supposed to be 5 day tests after all). Instead we have players whose first ball - play yourself in, second ball - expansive straight drive (which is nicked to first slip). bash the bat in frustration on the way up the pavilion steps. We all knew it was coming, how come they didn't?(Slight exaggeration.)

 

[Busaholic]

His 'choice' of county - Leicestershire, when he was born in .... Leicester. I am no great fan of this constantly moving around from one county to the next but there are favoured counties and Kent is one of them. I wish it wasn't so, players are picked (I won't name them because it wasn't their choice) probably too early, maybe they put in a decent performance or two, then they start to fail in important matches, the bad balls start to outnumber the good, they drop the important catch, they just get a nick to a ball they should have left (or leave one that hits the stumps), spectators and the media get on to them and they return to the county with confidence shattered. About half a century ago we selected someone who looked like John Major's brother, David Steele, been round the county circuit for years; He was a fighter, ground out scores against both Lillee'n Thomson and the Windies. Now, if Root fails, no-one can see where the runs are going to come from. Steele did not fail, didn't get the big scores but stabilised the innings, the man at the other end didn't have to worry about him. Played just 8 tests, with a batting average of over 42!
Now if you play for the likes of Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Northamptonshire you don't stand a chance of representing your country, it is now probably too late to reverse this. However it may be worth looking at the unfashionable counties, do they have batsmen (in particular) who can grind out scores, stick around when the ball is swinging or moving off the seam, doesn't get frustrated when they are scoring slowly (they are supposed to be 5 day tests after all). Instead we have players whose first ball - play yourself in, second ball - expansive straight drive (which is nicked to first slip). bash the bat in frustration on the way up the pavilion steps. We all knew it was coming, how come they didn't?(Slight exaggeration.)

A very thoughtful posting. David Sales of Northants had a great batting average, was capable of huge scores, never changed counties and never came near a test team. Wayne Madsen of Derbyshire, who announced his retirement about three years ago but changed his mind, is the sort of batsman akin to David Steele and might do a job. James Foster, widely acknowledged as best keeper in the country and always sold his wicket dearly, but seemingly always out of favour with the selectors. I could go on - my wife says I do!

 

[DarloRich]

God, England were awful against NZ. Awful. Like being back in the 90's.

 

[Typhoon]

David Sales of Northants had a great batting average, was capable of huge scores, never changed counties and never came near a test team. Wayne Madsen of Derbyshire, who announced his retirement about three years ago but changed his mind, is the sort of batsman akin to David Steele and might do a job. James Foster, widely acknowledged as best keeper in the country and always sold his wicket dearly, but seemingly always out of favour with the selectors.

Sales had completely slipped my mind, that he never got a single opportunity to show whether he was up to it. As I remember he was a consistent scorer, a scorer of big hundreds, double hundreds and it is these scores that win matches. Doubtless there will be others. If it is seen that counties like Northamptonshire don't provide players for England, anyone with ambition will want to leave (or not sign up in the first place) and join those counties that do, however anyone who turns out to be a slow developer at these counties or who has a poor season or two may well be kicked onto the rubbish heap, when they might just need to get a little more experience. It is not like football, stacks of teams. If you are not in the 18, you are out.

God, England were awful against NZ. Awful. Like being back in the 90's.

Sorry, I would say worse. In the nineties there were Wassim, Waqar, Mustaq, Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, McGrath, McDermott, Warne, Pollock, Donald. The New Zealand team gave caps to (I think) 17 players. Their main strike bowlers played just one game each. Their captain and talisman batsman played once. A debutant made a double hundred.

The difference is that England's young players are 23/ 24, New Zealand's are 28/ 29. New Zealand has checked out that the batsmen can score consistently, not one year with a couple of hundreds then into the test team; that the bowlers make dismissals on good pitches as well as bad; maybe they've done a tour when they have only played in the state games, and been assimilated into test cricket as 12th or 13th man.

And it was the manner of the dismissals!

 

[High Dyke]

Congratulations to Samit Patel. The first English cricketer to reach 5000 runs and 250 wickets in the T20 format.

Notts Outlaws beat Derbyshire Falcons by two runs.

An almighty ten wicket win for Outlaws this evening. Then again they only had a target of 87, poor batting by Worcestershire.

 

[Typhoon]

Well done, the Kiwis. It was a team that won a team game.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Well done, the Kiwis. It was a team that won a team game.

Indeed, totally correct.

 

[Busaholic]

Indeed, totally correct.

So, this India test team is capable of being beaten on English soil - what chances our home team will manage it?! Olly Stone now out for season, for reasons of injury rather than old tweets!

 

[kje7812]

The second England v Sri Lanka T20 is on BBC 2 now, currently the prematch chat with start of play at 18.30.

 

[Trackman]

The second England v Sri Lanka T20 is on BBC 2 now, currently the prematch chat with start of play at 18.30.

Looks like it starting again after rain, covers are coming off.

 

[Darandio]

They've made bloody hard work of chasing 112 as well.

 

[kevconnor]

Some interesting Cricket last night at Headingley, where Yorkshire were playing Worcestershire. Worcester fast bowler took a triple wicket maiden on his way to getting 4 - 0 in his opening two overs, helping Worcester keep Yorkshire pegged back to 15/4 after five overs. Then came in Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson, after Brook survived the early scare of a dropped catch off Wessels the two players went onto make the second highest ever 6th wicket partnership in t20 amassing 141 runs in 9.1 over. Leaving Yorkshire on 191/5.

Worcester tried to match that but they never looked like licking on in time and the run rate drifted further and further away from them, Once Wessels was dismissed on 77 their hopes were all but Faded, Cox tried to step up with some big hits but they were left needed 23 off the last over. which proved to be too much to achieve.

All round a very entertaining game.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I've had an e-mail from The Hundred telling me that "A Big Name" has been lined up to perform at the opening Woman's match at the Kia Oval on 21st July.

Apparently, the "Big Name" in question is one Becky Hill .... to which I can only say .... "Who?"

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I was pleased to see that Liam Livingstone of Lancashire held his nerve well when coming in when England were 36-4 and finished top scorer on 29 not out, scoring a most outrageous boundary over the wicketkeeper's area with a shot not in the training manuals.

He does open for Lancashire in the T20 version, but coming in at number 6 did not phase him unduly. He only conceeded 10 runs from the two overs that he bowled.

 

[Cletus]

Jimmy Anderson reaches 1000 wickets today.

current figures 10-5-19-7

FIXTURES & RESULTS

live.kentcricket.co.uk

 

[Typhoon]

Jimmy Anderson reaches 1000 wickets today.

current figures 10-5-19-7

FIXTURES & RESULTS

live.kentcricket.co.uk

Congratulations, from a Kent supporter. He truly is one of the greats. Good that he is still prepared to turn it on for his county..

I'm not sure he's going to improve on that - last wicket 10 and 11 together.

 

[SteveM70]

Jimmy Anderson reaches 1000 wickets today.

current figures 10-5-19-7

FIXTURES & RESULTS

live.kentcricket.co.uk

And whilst bowling from the James Anderson end too

 

[Busaholic]

Congratulations, from a Kent supporter. He truly is one of tChe greats. Good that he is still prepared to turn it on for his county..

I'm not sure he's going to improve on that - last wicket 10 and 11 together.

Ditto to all that. Kent's last wicket stand was the highest of the innings, though a certain D. Stevens was highest scorer, but got out to Jimmy. Wonder when a batsman and bowler who dismissed him had larger combined age! Among Anderson's victims was Crawley for a duck, and in other games Sibley also failed to trouble the scorers, but Burns at least managed a single. That's one run from England's Top Three in a total of 35 balls faced: at least Bracey got a few, but I can't imagine he has a Test future. Broad wasn't on show (no surprises) and Stokes's bowling looked to be underwhelming, but he hasn't batted yet. Oh, Dom Bess (remember him?) was in good bowling form and wickets at Northampton - are they producing raging turners again?

How's this for coincidence? Mithali Raj of India has become women's cricket leading international scorer across all three formats combined, just as Sachin Tendulkar of India is for men's: that's not it, it's the fact that both made their international debut at the age of 16 years and 205 days!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Lancashire wicketkeeper Dane Vilas had five "caught behind" in the Kent first innings.

************************************************************************************************

After a good part of the 4-day match has been affected by the weather, Lancashire declared at their overnight score of 259-9 and the final day score last I checked was that Kent in their second innings were 103-5 with rain forecast for the area.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yesterday was the one-day matches between the County Championship teams and those on what I used to recall being called the "Minor Counties" and two of the top teams suffered defeat:-

Cornwall beat Somerset by 5 wickets

Wales Minor Counties beat Glamorgan by 3 wickets