Only if the joy of being an England fan on the cusp of our era of dominance can make me intoxicated.
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
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Only if the joy of being an England fan on the cusp of our era of dominance can make me intoxicated.
Steady on, Bashir’s a talent with potentially a high ceiling. Ashwin’s one of the greatest spin bowlers ever. England look very strong for wickets with a bit bounce and pace, less so for the kind of wickets in the sub continent. We’ll need to overcome that before we start talking about dominance imo. But for quicker bouncier wickets our batting & bowling looks extremely exciting.
Lads, stop it 
At this point I can’t if the people replying to the bait are also being sarcastic or not.
At this point I can’t if the people replying to the bait are also being sarcastic or not.
Lads, stop it
At this point I can’t if the people replying to the bait are also being sarcastic or not.
I'm just waiting for people to start comparing Atkinson to McGrath
So it's decided:
Bashir > Starc
Bumrah > Beckham
Carse > Zing
Bashir > Starc
Bumrah > Beckham
Carse > Zing
You miserable sods. I’m just trying to focus on something positive rather than the present depressing shit show at United.
But seriously, NZ are currently of the best test sides in the World and particularly when playing at home. So to absolutely hammer them twice is quite an achievement. Brook is absolutely outstanding, Bethell’s been a revelation really, so has Carse. Wow, just wow really!
But seriously, NZ are currently of the best test sides in the World and particularly when playing at home. So to absolutely hammer them twice is quite an achievement. Brook is absolutely outstanding, Bethell’s been a revelation really, so has Carse. Wow, just wow really!
I'm fully in agreement with you. Was just baiting some others.
Its been a rollercoaster few years with Bazball and ive loved every second of it (almost). The selections have been brave and unorthodox at times, but the most important thing is that there has been a clear vision underpinning the selections and the tactics. England look set to at least pose a challenge in Australia next winter, with a collection of genuine quicks to choose from (fitness permitting). And a style of play that can put any side on the back foot, and force results.
The batting is inconsistent but enough quality in there that one or two can often dig us out of a hole. In Australia to win you need big runs, so I think they need to start scoring 400+ more consistently. Maybe 500+, given the scoring rate, 400 gives the opposition plenty of time.
Spin bowling, and batting against spin in tough conditions, is still a weakness but we can worry about that further down the line.
And anyway, Ahmed's little brother will be in the team by then and he's all set to be the greatest spinner of all time. Probably.
NZ are good but prior to that India win have been on a very underwhelming run. This is far more inkeeping with their last two years.
Top win for England though and much needed.
So you're saying there's a chance....
Big runs haven't really been the case in Australia for a little while now.
Yeah I thought that as I posted, but it just seems different when it's the Ashes. They averaged 400 or so in the first innings in the last away Ashes though. Don't know why some of their recent series have been wicket fests.
Australia always seem to be in awful form heading into every World Cup and Ashes series, and then they up their game from nowhere. Openers out of form? Recall Khawaja and he finds the form of his life. Middle order weak? Concussion substitute Labuschagne drafted in despite a mediocre FC record, and he looks like a Smith regen. Top order crumbling, Travis Head blasts 100 every other innings to change the game. Journeymen like Mitch Marsh suddenly look like world beaters, and their tailenders start to look like genuine all-rounders. They just love beating England.
They turned up this weekend against India to.
Extra pace and wicket taking ability. Plus he's left handed.
It might be a personal take but I've always found left armers harder to face due to the angle as a right handed bat, and Starc is not only a big left armer, but genuinely quick and with a booming, toe-crushing yorker. He can also bowl swing at pace.
Starc gives batsmen more loose stuff to hit but when he's on the money at that speed, it's game over.
He's definitely the focal point of the attack for me although Cummins is a much smarter bowler.
Yup. Nz are struggling tbh and people forget that but for 2 hours of utter madness from England the last series would have been 2-0 to England after a similar level of dominance
Potts in for Waokes. Good change, want to see him get a proper run out.
England under Bazball often half give up in dead rubbers, I wonder if the Kiwis will want this one a tad more.
Looking forward to it regardless.
England under Bazball often half give up in dead rubbers, I wonder if the Kiwis will want this one a tad more.
Looking forward to it regardless.
Would have preferred a few more changes, like Leach coming in for Bashir and Stone for Atkinson to add a bit more zip.
Yeh good shout on Stone. Sounds like a seamers wicket so not sure we will see much of a spinner either way
Looks like Potts is the only change. Seems like a missed opportunity but maybe Stone's not been bowling particularly quickly in nets.
If there's one criticism you could level at England on this tour, it is that the bowling has looked a bit military medium at times.
If its a seamers weak I would have like to see Rehan Ahmed. We've not seen much of his batting for England but he's got runs in County. Always seems weird to me picking a spinner who can't bat and then they hardly bowl.
I guess Bashir is their project atm.
I guess Bashir is their project atm.
Woakes has been the usual. Atkinson has returned decent figures but I haven't been particularly impressed (definitely a bit harsh).
Carse has been excellent with some VERY average Kiwi batting.
Looks a good wicket, can see why England had a dig at bowling but there's plenty of runs on offer here.
May have been a mistake to bowl first here...
Very poor, to put a team into bat and take 0 wickets before lunch.
I thought England bowled well there. Unlucky not to have 1/2.
NZ openers excellent, earnt their luck and put bad balls away.
Still hard to judge the pitch
NZ openers excellent, earnt their luck and put bad balls away.
Still hard to judge the pitch
Finally a bit of luck goes England's way with that leg side strangle.
Getting the tail out cheaply continues to be the biggest issue for this attack, they have done better this series till today but just a crazy last hour today
Poor tactics and poor bowling , trying to buy a wicket and going for 10 an over for last 8 overs, just give Santner a single
Definitely would have taken that score at lunch, even though it felt like England were pretty unlucky not to take a couple of wickets in that first session.
On this pitch and these conditions, very good day for England.
Unlucky not to pick up a wicket in the first session, and the openers played well for the most part. Think England showed good maturity today - a year a go or so you could see England pressing too hard from a situation like that and letting the game get away from them. Really good test cricket approach.
Unlucky not to pick up a wicket in the first session, and the openers played well for the most part. Think England showed good maturity today - a year a go or so you could see England pressing too hard from a situation like that and letting the game get away from them. Really good test cricket approach.
Sometimes Cricket is really boring.
This is one of them
This is one of them
What’s the thought process behind not bringing men up for the fifth ball of the over? Seems a weird one to me.
We'd rather risk the one run an over than the boundary...
Not sure if I agree or not but that's the boring reason I can only assume.
Seems a strange approach considering the end to yesterday (I wasn’t watching) and the usual philosophy of risking runs to take wickets.
It’s not like Santner is usually a huge threat with the bat, we could try putting some pressure on him and getting a wicket
Seems a strange approach considering the end to yesterday (I wasn’t watching) and the usual philosophy of risking runs to take wickets.
It’s not like Santner is usually a huge threat with the bat, we could try putting some pressure on him and getting a wicket
Maybe we have recognised our tail bowling ability is limited, this isn't hurting us TOO MUCH if we keep patience.
But it's a tough watch.
I think these tactics would be understandable with an older ball. I see it pretty unlikely that they couldn’t force an edge quite quickly with some usual new ball bowling.
Time to give the ball to Carse and get this wrapped up.
They were 231 -7 and now 341-9 so 110 put on by the tail, poor bowling and poor tactics
England fans :Let's stay up on a Saturday to watch Zak Crawley bat
England :Let's get to lunch without taking a wicket
England :Let's get to lunch without taking a wicket
Santner 100 for sure. I think having a good attacking spinner can be useful in such situations as well but Bashir ain't that
Also 172-2. It happens.
I don't think this has been tragic tbh, NZ have batted sensibly and well on a fairly flat deck.
But could still be a disaster yet
This may have flattened the wicket out a bit with the sun beating down.