Cricket

Poor guy. I respect his never say quit attitude but someone should have taken the decision away from him months back.

Hales, Ali, Taylor, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Finn (Jordan)

Looks as solid a side as any we've had for a while. Genuinely wouldn't mind Bell instead of Hales depending on form, now Cook's gone.
 
Morgan has been just as bad with the bat so not much of an improvement IMO. His best quality which makes people think he's captain material is he's cool-headed. So was Cook until all the pressure and scrutiny was dumped onto him with others not stepping up. Someone like Cook led by example with the bat.

Yes his results have shown captaincy isn't for him but with constant changing in the side, and constant changing of what the ECB want going forwards would be difficult for anyone. Strauss led by example but had a sound, solid side who had big enough characters to take responsibility. This lot don't. I think this is precisely why Ian Bell has always turned away from talk of taking captaincy. He just wants to get on with his game, if he contributes the team benefits. Cook was on a hiding to nothing. Credit for giving it all despite his name being dragged into mud for it.
 
Boycott said:
Morgan has been just as bad with the bat so not much of an improvement IMO. His best quality which makes people think he's captain material is he's cool-headed. So was Cook until all the pressure and scrutiny was dumped onto him with others not stepping up. Someone like Cook led by example with the bat.

Yes his results have shown captaincy isn't for him but with constant changing in the side, and constant changing of what the ECB want going forwards would be difficult for anyone. Strauss led by example but had a sound, solid side who had big enough characters to take responsibility. This lot don't. I think this is precisely why Ian Bell has always turned away from talk of taking captaincy. He just wants to get on with his game, if he contributes the team benefits. Cook was on a hiding to nothing. Credit for giving it all despite his name being dragged into mud for it.
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I think Morgan's as good a bet as any. He scores runs when he captains (8 matches average of 71, compared to overall average of 36), and seems to have some leadership ability. And is a shoe in in the side.

The problem is, as much as his form, that England just can't get in a position to use him. He's a very good finisher (alongside Buttler, and to an extent Bopara) but all 3 of them are tasked more often than not with rebuilding the innings rather than cutting loose and playing freely.

The only other option was Root, and I think the ECB are right to protect him and let him develop his game, he's got plenty of time on his side and is a shoe in for England captain in the years to come, no need to over-burden him now.
 
Long over due that Cook was removed as Captain, they should have made the decision in the Summer after the India series. Aside from the first few months in the job he's never looked comfortable in limited over cricket and in the last year he's been desperately poor.

He'll be upset now but in time He might even see it as a good thing, he can go away now and concentrate on sorting his test form out and getting back to his best in that format. If Cook gets back to anything like his peak then we might have a chance in the Ashes.
 
Rohit Sharma is garbage in test cricket. Garbage oversees.

India lost the last 6 wickets for 100 odd runs, Aussie tail got plenty of runs to get out of trouble, and now a batting collapse this morning. They've bottled it.
 
Ojha's been banned from bowling. Not massively surprising but I know there was a few conspiracy 'why no Indian players?' theories knocking around.
 
NinjaFletch said:
Ojha's been banned from bowling. Not massively surprising but I know there was a few conspiracy 'why no Indian players?' theories knocking around.
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The full sleeve brigade clearly knew they were chucking it -- since they opted for the full sleeve in the first place.

Is there anyone who has been banned who was not bowling with a full sleeve? And is there anyone left bowling with a full sleeve in international cricket?

Swann was the only full-sleeve non chucker, evidently.

Ajmal, Narine, Shillingford, Ojha, Senanayake all wore full sleeves.
 
Don't think Narine's been banned properly. Just his quicker ball leg spinner in the CL, imagine he'll get cited during the WC or during the warm ups unless he took it on himself to change up his action in the interim off his own volition.
 
Steyn is lethal. Right now he's in his own league.
 
Williamson just gets better and better IMO. Superb little cricketer, the Kiwis have assembled a very good Test side.
 
ha_rooney said:
Williamson just gets better and better IMO. Superb little cricketer, the Kiwis have assembled a very good Test side.
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Few years back, I posted here that they're going to have one of the top bowling attacks in the world..

Trent Boult is class.
 
NZ have the makings of a very good test side that could become a top 3 side. Latham, Williamson, McCullam, Taylor, Watling, Southee, Boult is an excellent base and they have some good up and coming players in the ODI format that should eventually transition to the test side.

Shame they don't seem to play enough test cricket. I think they barely play 2 or 3 tests at home every summer.
 
What a performance from Williamson and Watling. NZ are fast becoming a very serious test side.
 
Very impressive series for the Kiwis. They dominated third and fourth innngs against SL. Looking forward to their series in England this coming spring.
 
Du Plessis has gone mental! Great knock and still 3 overs left.
 
Samid said:
Crazy game. It's like playing International Cricket (Playstation game) on easy mode, every ball disappears out of the park.
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Really is. Gayle in this form is a joy to watch.
 
Marchant de Lange is a super talent.

24 years of age and generates some serious pace, steep bounce.
 
Saeed Ajmal bowling action will be tested in Chennai on 24th.
 
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Can Rooney bat?
 
De Villiers right now on 57 off 17 balls..just broke the world record for fastest fifty.
 
Partnership is 92 from 31 balls :eek:

De Villiers & Amla are ridculously good. Very humble too.
 
Amla just has smacked two beautiful boundaries and I'm still hoping that AB gets the strike soon.
 
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