Cricket - Summer 2024

I’m not sure it’s fair to say it’s all been disappointing since then.

Rain was the only thing stopping us winning the home Ashes - yes we made mistakes in the first two tests, but if the weather had held then no-one would remember that. We embarrassed the Aussies in the final three tests. Definitely disappointing not to get the win but we were quite clearly the better team and the ‘moral’ winners as Australia were only saved by rain.

India away was disappointing but they’re a great side at home with some of the world’s best players. New Zealand away was disappointing, agreed. Couldn’t have done much more than what we did against the WI and against Sri Lanka we only dropped off with the series won and Stokes absent.

As you say however, rightly or wrongly the whole thing will be judged on the next Ashes. Win that and Bazball will be seen to have been a resounding success. Even a draw would arguably put a positive shine on the era, especially if we also beat India and Pakistan. Lose however and it will just be seen as a fun but flawed way to play cricket…

Moral victories are for losers!
We utterly battered the Aussies in that home series all summer, but still lost the Ashes because of a series of dumb tactical decisions in the first two Tests. Just as we didn't win the series in New Zealand because we made an insane declaration because "we don't do draws". Both of those are squarely on Baz and Stokes' heads.

And we could have done better this summer - we could and should have won every Test (given that the weather didn't ruin any of them).

The 2004 team won every Test that summer - seven games against much better opposition (a West Indies team that actually had some players that had played in England before and New Zealand). They were a great team. This England team still hasn't convinced me that it's anything more than loud. And it won't unless it a) beats India next summer and then b) as you say, at least draws the series in Australia.
 
I have felt for some time under this current regime that the England side comes across as arrogant.

They are arrogant in the way that they bat, often disregarding the state of the game or in the case of the last test, the opposition. Meanwhile, when they speak in the media they appear to be so caught up in the ‘style’, that they speak with an air of belittling to those that dare challenge the method when it fails, as it has done on numerous occasions now.

If we go and beat India (they are not the same team away from home!) and Aussie, then all will be forgotten about this summer.

I’m just not convinced that this group are able to relate to the supporters who pay extortionate amounts to go to games or pay for sky subscriptions to watch, and they lack a degree of empathy. Joe Root’s comments post match were bordering on farcical with his cold play reference.
 
I have felt for some time under this current regime that the England side comes across as arrogant.

They are arrogant in the way that they bat, often disregarding the state of the game or in the case of the last test, the opposition. Meanwhile, when they speak in the media they appear to be so caught up in the ‘style’, that they speak with an air of belittling to those that dare challenge the method when it fails, as it has done on numerous occasions now.

If we go and beat India (they are not the same team away from home!) and Aussie, then all will be forgotten about this summer.

I’m just not convinced that this group are able to relate to the supporters who pay extortionate amounts to go to games or pay for sky subscriptions to watch, and they lack a degree of empathy. Joe Root’s comments post match were bordering on farcical with his cold play reference.

We lost the last test but had a record over the summer of 5-1, not sure that really needs beating the best two teams in the world to make us forget it.

We make silly decisions, but I don’t actually think we are that good that if we didn’t and were some ruthless but dull outfit that we would be a lot better. We are better than average, a good but not great team, the bazball confidence might actually cover up some of those flaws sometimes, don’t think if we played traditionally the results would improve, they certainly were not better beforehand.

We might beat India if they struggle to adapt to conditions quickly, fancy a series draw myself, but we are getting ragdolled in Australia, this team isn’t good enough to do well out there whatever way we play. But that’s not that different to most tours down under over the last however many years.
 
The problem remains, as always, the attack for me. I just don't see the current lineup causing Australia issues on their own turf. There just doesn't seem to be anything of note coming off the conveyor belt, and you could argue that Jimmy Anderson is STILL the best bowling option we have, despite him being retired forcefully. Atkinson looks bloody promising, but apart from him? Archer I can't see playing another test, Wood is fragile. Woakes has always struggled outside of home tests.

Batting is a little stronger, but boy do they do some braindead things at times.
 
Not really Summer 2024 here but maybe still so in Abu Dhabi.

Just noticed that (Phil) Salt and (Michael) Pepper opened the innings (not for the first time I expect but I hadn't spotted it before).
Anyway they made a right pickle of it - clearly needed (Phil) Mustard backing them up at no. 3 - so thought it worthy of a condiment comment on here.

 
So India annihilated Australia in Perth (295 runs).
This despite India being bowled out for 150 in the first day.
I am assuming that we will struggle in Australia next year, but they have an aging bowling attack and their top 6 is really struggling. Could we have a chance?
 
So India annihilated Australia in Perth (295 runs).
This despite India being bowled out for 150 in the first day.
I am assuming that we will struggle in Australia next year, but they have an aging bowling attack and their top 6 is really struggling. Could we have a chance?
To be fair their bowling attack looked good, in the first innings anyway. Hopefully though we’ll catch them in a tough period…
 
So India annihilated Australia in Perth (295 runs).
This despite India being bowled out for 150 in the first day.
I am assuming that we will struggle in Australia next year, but they have an aging bowling attack and their top 6 is really struggling. Could we have a chance?

If we have things together, we might - their top six is woefully out of form, and their attack is exactly the same as the one we played in 2017–18!

But where' our Bumrah (or even Siraj)? We're seriously running out of time to put together an attack that can cause problems in Australia.......

Also if India are demolishing Australia in Perth, fresh after being demolished themselves at home by New Zealand......my circular maths suggests that our upcoming tour against the Kiwis might be a tough one!
 
If we have things together, we might - their top six is woefully out of form, and their attack is exactly the same as the one we played in 2017–18!

But where' our Bumrah (or even Siraj)? We're seriously running out of time to put together an attack that can cause problems in Australia.......

Also if India are demolishing Australia in Perth, fresh after being demolished themselves at home by New Zealand......my circular maths suggests that our upcoming tour against the Kiwis might be a tough one!
NZ will be tough, but the NZ attack ( certainly in the first Test) will be totally different from the one who played in India
Bumrah is world class. We seem to have some pace men coming through, but need them fit to have a chance.
 
Not really Summer 2024 here but maybe still so in Abu Dhabi.

Just noticed that (Phil) Salt and (Michael) Pepper opened the innings (not for the first time I expect but I hadn't spotted it before).
Anyway they made a right pickle of it - clearly needed (Phil) Mustard backing them up at no. 3 - so thought it worthy of a condiment comment on here.


Both out trying to push it.

Push it real good.
 
Don't think there are any highlights broadcasts, it is on TNT again like the WI white ball series. Guessing it'll be YouTube highlights again (or fawanews.com of course)
 
Not sure how good a score of 319 for 8 is from NZ.
It was a little surprising that Bashir took 4 of the 8 wickets to fall.
I hope that he proves me wrong, but I am surprised that England still pick Woakes abroad
 
Not sure how good a score of 319 for 8 is from NZ.
It was a little surprising that Bashir took 4 of the 8 wickets to fall.
I hope that he proves me wrong, but I am surprised that England still pick Woakes abroad
I watched some of the game and Bashir bowled a few long hops and wides, but also some beauties and got some extra bounce due to his height. It also seemed he was trying to bowl slower at times and tease some extra spin from the pitch. I read this morning that he has bowled the most test deliveries of any player in 2024. Still only 21 with 12 tests and 41 wickets (he only has 57 wickets in County cricket!), he's looking an increasingly good prospect, in spite of a disappointing Pakistan tour.

Carse and Atkinson also bowled pretty well but Woakes was poor and ineffective in what were broadly British conditions. He's very lucky to be playing given his touring record. I suspect that his lengthening of the batting order might play a part here.

Oh and I thought Pope kept wicket tidily but with Robinson joining the tour, he needs to make some runs as well.
 
I watched some of the game and Bashir bowled a few long hops and wides, but also some beauties and got some extra bounce due to his height. It also seemed he was trying to bowl slower at times and tease some extra spin from the pitch. I read this morning that he has bowled the most test deliveries of any player in 2024. Still only 21 with 12 tests and 41 wickets (he only has 57 wickets in County cricket!), he's looking an increasingly good prospect, in spite of a disappointing Pakistan tour.

Carse and Atkinson also bowled pretty well but Woakes was poor and ineffective in what were broadly British conditions. He's very lucky to be playing given his touring record. I suspect that his lengthening of the batting order might play a part here.

Oh and I thought Pope kept wicket tidily but with Robinson joining the tour, he needs to make some runs as well.
I really like the way that the selectors have gone with, and stuck with, Bashir.
Australia have done incredibly well with Nathan Lyon as an off spinner over the years, and whist Bashir isn't there yet, he has huge promise. He has the extra benefit of being pretty tall.
 
I read this morning that he has bowled the most test deliveries of any player in 2024.
True, although England have played more test matches than any other country in 2024 (and a lot more than most others). So that stat is not necessarily all it seems.
 
True, although England have played more test matches than any other country in 2024 (and a lot more than most others). So that stat is not necessarily all it seems.
I appreciate that but it shows that McCullum and Stokes have the faith and courage to bowl a young inexperienced player. He’s there to actually contribute and learn, rather than being along for the ride, which has happened to others in the past.

At the moment he also looks like a genuine number eleven in the batting order!
 
The catching, or lack of it in most cases, is just amazing.

Not bad from Phillips mind.
 
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