Cricket

[Gary Baldi]

I did laugh at Simon Doull's intake of breath at the fact Vince has got to 50 twice in his test career.

At least Bairstow proved what an excellent player he has become. What does our batting coach do other than make new players worse?

 

[tonyw]

So I get that we're not exactly in a golden period for English batsmen right now, and there's not an obvious answer to who's going to be our next genuinely World Class batsman (after Root and Bairstow, I mean).

But one thing that now seems abundantly clear is that it's not going to be Mark Stoneman or James Vince. So why are we continuing to play them over and over again whilst they continue to prove that they're not Test-calibre players?

We don't know if the next guy up is going to be great, but we're never going to know until we give whoever that is a try.
Again I get that there's noone tearing up County Cricket at the moment - but Michael Vaughn and Marcus Trescothick didn't before getting a shot in the England team. The scouts and selectors identified something in them that they thought would translate to Test cricket and they were right. We need to be looking for that again.

What we do know is that Stoneman and Vince are not going to be great, so I see no point in persisting with them.

Rant over.....although I recall saying almost the same thing after the Ashes, and I'm worried I'm going to be saying the same thing when the summer comes round as well.......

 

[Gary Baldi]

Agree. Still no opener. Still no number 3. At least Moeen's poor form has forced a decision with playing a proper spinner and working out the rest. The team is going to have to transition to it's next stage eventually.

 

[Foley]

I don't get why we didn't try Livingstone as he is over there with the squad.

The trouble is, if you look at the bowling we have trouble there as well... Broad and Anderson still seem the only ones to be able to get wickets (let's hope that changes in the second innings)

 

[Gary Baldi]

TBF, NZ have basically had Southee and Boult take all their wickets in this series. It does seem the stirring of Broad about the new ball has done the trick so far.

 

[nige01ox]

TBF, NZ have basically had Southee and Boult take all their wickets in this series. It does seem the stirring of Broad about the new ball has done the trick so far.

He also went away and worked on his action after the Ashes while the others were playing in the one day stuff, trying to get much more side on. Whatever he did it certainly seems to have worked; he seems reinvigorated and his pace was up a good 4-5 mph average over what he was bowling a couple of months ago. I'm pleased as Broad just seems to genuinely love taking wickets for England, and when he gets on one of those spells there's no stopping him.

Worried about the third seamer slot though. Obviously in time Stokes will be back to bowling more overs so it will take the pressure off slightly, but at the mo whether it's Woakes, Overton or Wood that plays, they seem to make more of an impression with the bat than they do the ball (which is practically nil).

 

[makv]

Statto:

“Before Joe Root became captain, he had scored 4,594 runs at 52.8, with 11 hundreds and 27 fities.

Since becoming captain he's made 1,264 runs at 54.17, with two hundreds and 12 fifties.”

So basically, average up, conversion rate down. Interesting.

 

[makv]

TBF, NZ have basically had Southee and Boult take all their wickets in this series. It does seem the stirring of Broad about the new ball has done the trick so far.

He also went away and worked on his action after the Ashes while the others were playing in the one day stuff, trying to get much more side on. Whatever he did it certainly seems to have worked; he seems reinvigorated and his pace was up a good 4-5 mph average over what he was bowling a couple of months ago. I'm pleased as Broad just seems to genuinely love taking wickets for England, and when he gets on one of those spells there's no stopping him.

Worried about the third seamer slot though. Obviously in time Stokes will be back to bowling more overs so it will take the pressure off slightly, but at the mo whether it's Woakes, Overton or Wood that plays, they seem to make more of an impression with the bat than they do the ball (which is practically nil).

I can’t think of an English bowler who’s had as many of “those spells” as Broad has, during all my years watching Test crikkit. The one at Trent Bridge in 2015 is unforgettable. I was at home waiting to go to Truck with my kids, but we just sat and watched. Mesmerising it was.

 

[makv]

Statto:

“Before Joe Root became captain, he had scored 4,594 runs at 52.8, with 11 hundreds and 27 fities.

Since becoming captain he's made 1,264 runs at 54.17, with two hundreds and 12 fifties.”

So basically, average up, conversion rate down. Interesting.

And just out for … 54

 

[Sarge]

And just out for … 54

Drop in form then, what happened to the .17 ?

 

[Gary Baldi]

He also went away and worked on his action after the Ashes while the others were playing in the one day stuff, trying to get much more side on. Whatever he did it certainly seems to have worked; he seems reinvigorated and his pace was up a good 4-5 mph average over what he was bowling a couple of months ago. I'm pleased as Broad just seems to genuinely love taking wickets for England, and when he gets on one of those spells there's no stopping him.

Worried about the third seamer slot though. Obviously in time Stokes will be back to bowling more overs so it will take the pressure off slightly, but at the mo whether it's Woakes, Overton or Wood that plays, they seem to make more of an impression with the bat than they do the ball (which is practically nil).

There has been a lot of criticism of him from the pundits saying since he played in a series against left handers, he's struggled to swing it and got slower. I suspect he's feeling vulnerable because he's batting has got a lot worse in the past few years

Whatever it is, he needs to carry it on...

 

[Gary Baldi]

1st ball of the day. And the 1st NZ wicket

 

[Gary Baldi]

2nd ball of the day. And the 2nd NZ wicket. And it's Williamson...

 

[nige01ox]

2 in 2!! Yes Broady lad! Williamson is the one who you could see batting all day too!

 

[makv]

One of “those spells” again?

 

[makv]

5 slips. Beautiful.

 

[jenksinator]

Agree. We have to start looking at players who can't just play at home but can play in Australia, India and Sharjah.
We have to try Crane and Wood. Then maybe Jennings/ Hameed (if fit), maybe Livingstone.

We have a backbone. Root, Stokes, Bairstow. Malan. But as usual the bowling is the huge challenge

I agree, replacing Anderson and Broad will be difficult. They can’t have long left. There is talent out there, but their combined experience of test cricket can’t be under estimated.

 

[tonyw]

Some decent words from Bayliss about the start of the County season, at the end of a thoroughly disappointing Test winter:

"Those early matches back home, I think, will mean a lot," Bayliss said.
"There are chances available - if you're scoring a lot of runs and taking a lot of wickets, you're going to be very close.
"(But) I don't think there's anyone at home putting their hand up at the moment and saying come and pick me."
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/43626276

Basically every Englishman in County Cricket ought to be thinking that a couple of big hundreds or five-wicket hauls in April & May, and I could get myself in the Test team.
And - in down cycles like we're in at the moment - that's how it should be!

 

[Gary Baldi]

I wonder how many opening batsmen are out there thinking I could have gone to NZ and averaged 10 in the that series? The bar is pretty low Trevor Bayliss.

 

[Foley]

I wonder how many opening batsmen are out there thinking I could have gone to NZ and averaged 10 in the that series? The bar is pretty low Trevor Bayliss.

And bowlers may have got the occasional wicket!

I really hope that Hameed has sorted out his injuries and starts the season well. Maybe Livingstone as well.

On the radio a couple of hacks wondered whether Vince and Stoneman have done enough to hang on in there (after their second innings scores). No ...