The Cricket Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

You've also now got the pinch point where Sam Cook is available for the SL Tests, his performances in domestic cricket definitely merit a pick (and I'm sure he would have been in the squad here but for injuries), but he's going to have to join a queue of two bowlers who are already waiting for a chance. You aren't going to pick all three in that series I wouldn't have thought, so someone is going to go unused/untested and we've not moved forward as much as we could or should have.

You could even have left Atkinson out here if you wanted Woakes' batting at 8 (our tail is properly rubbish, so it is useful) and to test Wood's readiness to bowl at that pace back-to-back. Two good games, we definitely know you're an option now, have a rest and we'll see you in a few weeks.

 

[Sniffer]

If they are looking for an experienced head to lead the attack in Australia I'd sooner be taking a 43 year old Anderson than a 36 year old Woakes.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I think they would love to pick three out of four of Wood, Atkinson, Archer and Tongue in Aus, with Stokes backing them up and Mahmood and Turner possible bolters. They want pace and I get that.

It's more muddled messaging than anything else.

Woakes won't tour again, I'm fairly confident of that.

 

[Tony Towner]

Ropey as hell, but not unexpected. It's a shame both our best captain and most successful one of the last 40 years have both proven to be aresholes

Former England captain Andrew Strauss in talks about buying Hundred franchise

The former England captain Andrew Strauss is in talks about buying into a Hundred franchise

www.theguardian.com

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Windies win the toss and bat

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Not wishing to deride our bowlers at all, but from a team development point of view it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if the Windies could stick a 500 on the board and we see how Bazball2 adapts to that. Would definitely be useful as at least one test of the Ashes Convict CC will post 500 plus.

 

[Sniffer]

Agnew - "we now know why Joel Garner is so huge - 2 starters and 2 main courses at dinner last night - he didn't want to see anything go to waste"

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Joel Garner was as thin as a rake as a bowler. And probably 4 inches taller than Agnew. 6'7" versus 6'3" rings a bell.

 

[Sniffer]

For those not listening to TMS they are now discussing this game.

Leicestershire v Somerset at Leicester, 4-7 Jul 1981

Rather than celebrating the wicket of Richards for 196, Agnew is rather graciously stating that it deflected off a couple of parts of Richards's attire before dropping on the stumps.

Joel Garner was terrifying watching him on the TV let alone facing him in a game. Agnew stating that they had to move the short leg to silly mid off to save him from getting stamped on by the batsmen.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

One of my first games watching Warks in person featured Allan Donald. Mind blowing to see Keith Piper and the slips stood nearer the boundary than the stumps.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Agnew was a complete ferret with the bat. He has said previously that Marshall and Holding scared him more than Big Bird. No idea on his thoughts about Andy Roberts.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Shoaib Akhtar in a ODI at Lords. I'm sure the wicket keeper was nearer Paddington Station than the Pavilion. I never saw Brett Lee live so the Rawalpindi Express is the quickest I have seen. Would loved to have seen Thompson and Lillee in the flesh.

I'm damn glad I was a Somerset fan so I saw Botham Richards and Garner at Taunton.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He was incredible to watch. The speed was breathtaking as I watched from the Compton stand (I think it was the Compton).

I never saw Waqar live. I did see Wasim and Imran bowl live, but sadly no Waqar. If talking about bowlers you wish you had seen live (without saying Larwood and trying to keep it within similar generations), my two are spinners - Abdul Qadir and Bishan Bedi.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We had a pretty good run for overseas players in the 90s - Donald, BC Lara and Shaun Pollock!

We did follow it up with Collins Obuya and Vaughn van Jaarsveld, and the less said about recent imports, the better...

 

[Sniffer]

One of my first games watching Warks in person featured Allan Donald. Mind blowing to see Keith Piper and the slips stood nearer the boundary than the stumps.

Thought the same when I first saw Donald play too. I'd been to test matches and some 50/60 over cup games without ever seeing the fielders so far back.

 

[Sniffer]

We had a pretty good run for overseas players in the 90s - Donald, BC Lara and Shaun Pollock!

We did follow it up with Collins Obuya and Vaughn van Jaarsveld, and the less said about recent imports, the better...

Sangakaara and Steyn arrived later too.

 

[sycophantia]

He was incredible to watch. The speed was breathtaking as I watched from the Compton stand (I think it was the Compton).

I never saw Waqar live. I did see Wasim and Imran bowl live, but sadly no Waqar. If talking about bowlers you wish you had seen live (without saying Larwood and trying to keep it within similar generations), my two are spinners - Abdul Qadir and Bishan Bedi.

Waqar must have been terrifying to face in his pomp.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Sangakaara and Steyn arrived later too.

Dear old Jeets too. What a club legend.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Waqar must have been terrifying to face in his pomp.

The 92 series against England he was just unreal. Don't think I've ever seen anyone swing the ball so late and so fast since.

 

[sycophantia]

The 92 series against England he was just unreal. Don't think I've ever seen anyone swing the ball so late and so fast since.

Also accurate and consistent.