Cricket 2022

[IndoMike]

I am sure many people think Crawley has had enough chances but as I said, as far as Stokes and McCullum are concerned the slate was wiped clean when they took over. That is their decision and they see something in Crawley they like. What you or I think doesn't matter.

As for Anderson. He is still out best fast bowler in English conditions. If you are good enough you are young enough as well. When a younger bowler starts bowling well and proving himself, like Potts, then the question will be asked. Our genuine fast bowlers who have shown promise (Archer, Wood and Stone) are all injured. Unfortunately our County Championship has not exactly been the guiding path lately for Test Match quality players. Something that needs to, and it looks like will, change.

This is international Test Match cricket. We have been juggling the team and rotating for the last two years and more without much success. Constantly searching for players and then getting rid of them. Maybe Stokes and McCullum have a point. Play your best team available. Create an inclusive, stress free environment, and allow the players freedom to play the game they got picked for without the threat of being dropped always hanging over them. It has worked so far. Pope has got some runs and Leach a 10 wicket match for example. Bairstow is flourishing. It won't work every test match or series because there are better teams out there at the minute. It won't work for every player, Crawley might be one. There are not exactly many top order batsmen knocking the door down though making a case for selection.

It's Stokes and McCullum's gig and they have the reins. We can only see if it works out. It couldn't get much worse than it has been.

You've broadened the argument to areas which I don't dispute. My post was specifically about Crawley, Anderson,.and changing a winning team.
Of course our opinions count for nothing-neither of us is a cricket expert -but forums are all about expressing opinions, and I think the selectors have gotten this wrong. Whilst there seems to be an improvement, selectors, like football managers, are not infallible

 

[Rosencrantz]

You've broadened the argument to areas which I don't dispute. My post was specifically about Crawley, Anderson,.and changing a winning team.
Of course our opinions count for nothing-neither of us is a cricket expert -but forums are all about expressing opinions, and I think the selectors have gotten this wrong. Whilst there seems to be an improvement, selectors, like football managers, are not infallible

If Overton got six or seven wickets in the match you would have half a point. But he didn't so Jimmy (still our best bowler) comes back in. We are playing India, one of the best teams in the world at Edgbaston. We play our best team which means Anderson.

 

[IndoMike]

If Overton got six or seven wickets in the match you would have half a point. But he didn't so Jimmy (still our best bowler) comes back in. We are playing India, one of the best teams in the world at Edgbaston. We play our best team which means Anderson.

.
Actually India is no longer one of the best teams in the world : their players are more concerned about the Indian cricket Premier League. You could also argue that if Anderson had scored 97:runs in a match - winning performance against NZ he would deserve his place. Difficult for Overton to prove his bowling ability if he doesn't get a chance . Or did you expect him to get a hatful of wickets on his debut on a not very bowler- friendly wicket?

 

[Bridgy 81]

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned already but this test match completes the series from last summer.
The final match then was postponed because of the level of COVID affecting the Indian squad.
India are 2:1 up, so picking our best available team was probably also influenced by that i.e.
we have to win this game to tie the series.

 

[Rosencrantz]

.
Actually India is no longer one of the best teams in the world : their players are more concerned about the Indian cricket Premier League. You could also argue that if Anderson had scored 97:runs in a match - winning performance against NZ he would deserve his place. Difficult for Overton to prove his bowling ability if he doesn't get a chance . Or did you expect him to get a hatful of wickets on his debut on a not very bowler- friendly wicket?

That would be the Test Match ranked number two team in the world then behind Australia at the moment. The India side who were beating us at home last year when this series was disrupted, hence why they are playing this this test. The India side who thrashed us in India last year after beating the Aussie's in Australia with half a team out. The India side with Kohli, one of the best batman in the world today averaging nearly 50 backed up by Pujara and Pant both averaging over 40 with Pant playing a major part in India beating the Aussie's. A genuine international all rounder in Jadeja averaging 35 with the bat and 24 with the ball. High quality fast bowlers in Bumrah, (ave 21) and Shami (27) and the very promising young Siraj. Not to mention R Ashwin, KL Rahul, Rahane and Sharma, the last three all averaging over 49 with the bat who are not even playing in this Test.

Yeah, they're mugs at Test Cricket

As for Jamie Overton, bowlers are there to get wickets. Runs are a bonus and Overton has always had ability with the bat which came to good use at Headingley. Both Broad and Potts took three wickets in an innings. Overton did have that chance. This is a big game though, you pick your best bowler. That's Jimmy.

 

[Rosencrantz]

To get to what is actually happening on the pitch, three wickets for Anderson aside, Potts takes Virat Kohli's wicket to add to the three times out of four he took Kane Williamson. Useful habit of big wickets for the young lad to get into .

Pant and Jadeja now leading a counter attack. Dangerous batsmen who can take the game away from us quickly. Important partnership to break.

 

[Bridgy 81]

Here’s a question.
Although I’m watching the Test with the sound off it looks like we have a sub fielder on again.
It seems to happen quite often these days and the fielder is always an unknown (to me) youngster from the host county, who’s chosen because they’re good at fielding presumably.
But I wonder whether any of these youngsters have ever made it into the Test team proper?

 

[Rosencrantz]

Here’s a question.
Although I’m watching the Test with the sound off it looks like we have a sub fielder on again.
It seems to happen quite often these days and the fielder is always an unknown (to me) youngster from the host county, who’s chosen because they’re good at fielding presumably.
But I wonder whether any of these youngsters have ever made it into the Test team proper?

This youngster is Harry Brooks who has been selected in all the squads so far and is on the edge of all the teams. He is having a very good season. Middle order batsman.

 

[IndoMike]

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned already but this test match completes the series from last summer.
The final match then was postponed because of the level of COVID affecting the Indian squad.
India are 2:1 up, so picking our best available team was probably also influenced by that i.e.
we have to win this game to tie the series.

Of course we want to win and play our best team. The question is what is our best team.

 

[Bridgy 81]

Of course we want to win and play our best team. The question is what is our best team.

Fair enough.
I didn’t realize if you and others reading this thread had remembered that this is the concluding match of last summer’s series, so that was why I mentioned it.