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So, ashes squad leaked
Root, Cook, Stoneman, Malan, Ballance, Vince, Moeen, Crane, Foakes, Bairstow, Stokes, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball, Overton.
It is, in all honesty, weak. I just hope the Aussies is weaker and the debutants do well.
Overton? That might boost performance today and tomorrow at Taunton (weather-permitting)!
Stokes remains as vice captain.
I'm not massively confident in that team, to be honest.
Root, Cook, Moeen, Bairstow, Stokes, Anderson & Broad are all top quality players. I just don't see us winning the ashes with a seven man squad.
Aus are in a similar position though in terms of team selection. Here's hoping!
[quote=ransos ]Root, Cook, Moeen, Bairstow, Stokes, Anderson & Broad are all top quality players. I just don't see us winning the ashes with a seven man squad.
I'm not sure who else they could have picked though - apart from Hales (who I'd have picked) the selection looks about the best from the possible options they had. Assuming they weren't going to select a complete outsider which they said they weren't - but then there isn't really anybody obvious knocking on the door for the positions they need anyway.
Woakes/Ball/Overton for the 4th seamer doesn't seem all that weak a link - Woakes has been very good, though his lack of express pace may limit his effectiveness in Australia. I presume Ball is the quickest of those 3? Plunkett unlucky to miss out given his pace - what has he done wrong? Though it seems likely Wood will get a trip with the Lions* so will be available for selection depending on fitness despite not being in the squad - I think he's about the quickest option we have when he's not broken. We're probably OK for bowling as long as nobody breaks down, and at least our bowlers give us a longish tail (arguably there are 5 world class batters in that list of 7).
* it looks like the Lions squad will be stocked with a whole load of backup players who could be selected if they're showing form.
I'm not sure who else they could have picked though - apart from Hales (who I'd have picked) the selection looks about the best from the possible options they had. Assuming they weren't going to select a complete outsider which they said they weren't - but then there isn't really anybody obvious knocking on the door for the positions they need anyway.
I agree there's nobody breaking down the door. On the other hand, Moeen is the only player to have come into the side in the last few years and hold a place down, probably only because he's so flexible in terms of where he can go in the batting order. There's something very wrong with the system...
Personally, I'd take a punt on Buttler (playing Bairstow as a batsman), Leach, Finn and Wood.
[quote=ransos ]Personally, I'd take a punt on Buttler (playing Bairstow as a batsman), Leach, Finn and Wood.
Buttler has been tried and failed, and has played very little red ball cricket recently (and hasn't set the world alight when he has). Maybe worth a place in the squad, but I certainly wouldn't put him in the team. I'd actually be quite tempted to put Foakes in the team - far better FC average than Buttler, in fact a better FC average than any of the recent new batting selections, he's almost worth a punt as a specialist bat!
Leach and Finn must have got a lot of discussion in the selection meeting - I'm sure they'll make the Lions trip, so be available for selection to the team. Wood is still recovering from injury I think, but will probably also make the Lions trip - he'd be in the squad if not the team for me when he's fit.
Anyway, on to today's ODI for a bit. Weather looks good but an outside chance of rain towards the end.
Bat first?
Buttler has been tried and failed, and has played very little red ball cricket recently (and hasn't set the world alight when he has). Maybe worth a place in the squad, but I certainly wouldn't put him in the team.
If Buttler has been tried and failed, he is in very good company! Given his talent, I'd much rather give him another go than Ballance, who appears to have learnt absolutely nothing about the flaws in his technique. Ditto Vince: his unerring ability to edge to slip has me throwing things at the telly. I don't know much about Foakes, but presumably he'd only play if Bairstow was injured. Speaking of keepers, Davies has had a brilliant season for Lancs, scoring over 1,000 CC runs.
My concern about the bowling with this squad is that it's far too samey, and easily neutered.
Top tossing, Eoin.
12:06
England captain Eoin Morgan: "The wicket looks good. There might be a little bit more in it than earlier in the summer so we're going to have a bowl."
*Soul limbo*
Gayle gone!
Gayle back in the hutch with a SR of 50 quite possibly justifies bowling first already!
Tidy start here.
I mean game on
One more cheap wicket and yes, I think it is.
*Commentator's curse invoked*
*Edit - sure you'd said game over! 😀
Good to see that Woakes looks back to form
[quote=howsyourdad1 ]I mean game on
Stealth edit there!
haha I remember saying on this very forum that a game of cricket is never over, that's why its so good. but...
Good to see that Woakes looks back to form
Indeed. I wonder if he's one of those players who needs plenty of overs? He certainly looked undercooked when he was recalled to the test side.
Finally! That 4th wicket partnership was going too well.
Big chase
[quote=howsyourdad1 ]Big chase
How over is the game do you think?
Haha precisely
Hopefully a good- un!!
Moeen v Messrs Duckworth and Lewis.
🙂
Good old DL 🙂
He'd clearly been told that rain was coming. And to crack on to the DL par and beyond. Which he did, in style!
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Ruh Oh, Shaggy...
The Butler/Mo partnership was a biggy- 5 down and 40 behind on D/L was a big ask. It was also naive from Holder bringing on the spinner. IND/Aus/SA/NZ would have known the rain was imminent and bowled out their best bowlers imho.
It seems pretty unequivocal that Stokes has chinned someone. Best scenario now is that it is demonstrated that the bloke laying spark out threatened to use the bottle on Stokes and he was acting in self defense. Doesn't look good, though.
I expect he will have been provoked because not even a firebrand like Stokes is going to risk everything by twotting an innocent bystander, but this is just conjecture.
What a shame.
Yeah, that's not a good look for Stokes. Better be some seriously good witness statements given his previous, or his broken hand will be the least of his ashes worries.
What is he doing being out that late in he middle of a series?
Why be out that late on a Sunday in Bristol, in Mbargo of all places? Asking for trouble.
How pissed must he have been? Ok he got some decent punches in but those aren't the actions of a sober, rational professional sportsman.
Why didn't Hales intervene properly?
Why didn't stokes take one of the many opportunities he had to walk away?
Shameful.
Agreed
What is his previous? Is he a convicted brawler or just the incident where he broke his hand punching a locker?
I've never been a fighter so have no idea how the police will treat him considering the other bloke was armed.
I listened to the whole game up to the point of England's dismal collapse where I finally gave up at 5 down and about 30 runs behind DL....
Oh well - England are pretty resilient these days!
I'd be interested to see the bit before that video started, to see what the guy with the bottle was doing and provocation Stokes had. But that's pretty damming and It's be hard to argue with any police action or ban he might get.
Bugger. One of England's most important players.....
Whilst the cocktail of youth and cash inevitably results in some casualties, I've never understood why such well paid sportsmen (celebs etc) don't have a minder on hand 24/7 to minimise the prospects of such events if they insist on trying to have a night life. I'm surprised their employers don't make it a 'benefit' of their employment or similar contractual arrangement (I do appreciate it's a numbers game).
Fwiw I'm a Judge Dredd fan so no sympathy for drunken aggressors becoming victims.
Not entirely happy with shot selection but can't argue with the strike rate.
Not entirely happy with shot selection but can't argue with the strike rate.
😀
Well, now he’s been arrested he qualifies for the Aussie team (Poor, and 1970’s racist I know)
Listening to TMS yesterday they were querying why the test squad news was leaked. I can’t believe they had to ask that, it was “leaked” to deflect press away from this story
[url= https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/cricket/4563431/ben-stokes-england-axe-shocking-video-street-punch ]sun video[/url]
The press are probably doing Stokes a favour here, given what the defence could make of such publicity if it ever made it to court.
The press are probably doing Stokes a favour here
depends of what the ECB make of their star player brawling in the street I suppose.
I doubt any press reports will have an effect on that, they presumably have the details anyway. I presume there has to be a suspension at minimum, which is likely to make selection even more tricky.
even when it's front page ?
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The other bloke was swinging a bottle around before Stokes started. Is he really going to get more than a caution for a bit of wild flailing, mostly in self-defence, and connecting with one punch?
Not exactly what you want to see from England vice-captain, I grant you. Why couldn't he just nick a pedalo and wobble around Bristol docks for a bit?
[quote=Klunk ]even when it's front page ?
Yes, even then - at least I hope the Sun has no influence on ECB disciplinary proceedings, it certainly shouldn't do.
Unsurprisingly, the convicts are agitating to discourage our possibly soon to be convict from attending their colony...
That headline should read "England's desperation to retain The Ashes....". Don't forget that my gloating Aussie pals 😀
They also seem to have forgotten that we did quite well enough without a star all-rounder in 2010 😆
[quote=howsyourdad1 ]That headline should read "England's desperation to retain The Ashes....". Don't forget that my gloating Aussie pals
Or maybe "Australia's desperation to win the Ashes shows in economy with the truth". Warner wasn't suspended for any Test matches, and "provoked" is an interesting interpretation of that incident.
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41427891 ]ah bless poor lass[/url] is feeling fragile !
Yes, even then - at least I hope the Sun has no influence on ECB disciplinary proceedings, it certainly shouldn't do.
Members of the ECB board are understood to have spoken on Thursday morning via video conference, and the footage obtained by The Sun newspaper has been reviewed at the highest levels of the organisation.
it may not have "influence" but has brought things to a head!
Stokes and Hales have both been suspended by the ECB.
they were very naughty boys.
Ya know. The way I read the report was he was put upon by 2 lads one with a bottle and he fought them off. Good on him I thought.
Having watched that video it looked pretty wrong.
There's a moment at the beginning where Stokes has almost both guys pinned down. He's laying into one. The other guy gets a kick in the head from the other lad who's got white trainers. I assume that was Hales.
Then really Stokes shoulda walked away but he keeps going after them until he flattens one guy.
Pretty horrible really. I'm disappointed - I'm going to the ODI at Soton tomorrow and won't get to see Stokes. His Ashes tour must be in jeopardy also.
I don't see what choices the ECB have after watching that. Regardless of what happened before the video you can't claim self defence after the initial scuffle.
Ummmmmm that video.im guessing it's hard to be semi famous.
He had the red mist for sure but someone came at him with a bottle and that could be life ending. That may be him done in the international game all for a night on the piss.
Good brawler for a cricketer I hope he comes out the other side mentally intact
Starts of as self defence ends up as assault on people who clearly dont want to fight.
Never really sure how much things like this should impact on sport. Its not good but plenty of folk have criminal records and dont lose their jobs.
I think they did want to brawl a cricket star then they found out he is more than handy so backed off. We will never know I guess.
I hope the ecb support him with any issues if it's a stress/drink problem. Wonder if there is a drinking culture at his club*
It looks bad for him, think he will be banned for a period but should be allowed back having served his punishment.
His job is professional sportsman so he needs to set an example, and be made an example off for unacceptable behaviour. But if his job was anything else he would be allowed to continue having served whatever punishment (there maybe some jobs that he wouldn't be allowed to continue in), but most importantly he should be given help.
An interesting twist in the latest story:
"In a further twist to the saga, it has been claimed by Piers Morgan, the media personality, that Stokes' involvement in the incident came in defence of two gay men who had been subjected to homophobic abuse in the bar. ESPNcricinfo understands that this is consistent with the players' version of events"
Though I tend to agree with JY, the initial incident looks like self defence and if he'd stopped there he'd probably escape without being charged, but then he keeps going after them when they've thought better of it.
Starts of as self defence ends up as assault on people who clearly dont want to fight.
I think the bloke only changed his mind on the fighting front when it became apparent he would lose. Nonetheless, it's not pretty watching I have to agree.
And worse, the Aussies as usual seem to love throwing stones in their own [s]glass[/s] Warner house
More top tossing from the skipper.
England bowl first.
Last TMS of the 'summer', always a melancholic day
Big stuff from Gayle!
Big, but short.
That's the thing with Gayle, he's entertaining but he never feels a true threat
WI still have lots of Hope though
Roy 😡 👿
They should be playing battleship, it's a bit last day of school this match
More marvellousness from the Beeb online commentary team
Eng 226-1
Bairstow 90, Root 31
On the subject of if you need a red cow and a white cow to make a pink one, someone has pointed out that the thing you really need is a bull. Fair point.
James Pattinson out of Ashes
howsyourdad1 - Member
James Pattinson out of AshesPOSTED 1 DAY AGO #
I'm not quite sure why some England cricket followers are being so pessimistic about the Ashes.
We're not brilliant at the moment and we may be missing Stokes, but the Aussies are in a worse state. We have big question marks over key places, but we have more certain picks than they do.
Who worries me in the Aussie side?
Warner - yes a bit, but he'll fail as often as not.
Smith - grudgingly yes, but he's still the worst no 1 test batsman I can remember (half ironic, half serious).
Starc - yes, but he's only one bowler and he has had his share of injuries.
Hazlewood - nice stock bowler, not much more.
Then you're into the rest.
Pattinson is already up the ladder, again.
Cummins will not last a full series, three certainties in life, death, taxes and Pat Cummins injuring himself.
Who's the keeper at the moment? Wade? Crap keeper who can't buy a run at test level.
Nathan Lyon? Not the worst, but most definitely not a great. Ali is nearly as good a bowler and is far from a total rabbit with the bat.
Steve O'Keefe? Samit Patel is a better round-arm pie chucker than him.
Jackson Bird? Medium pace filth.
Joe Mennie? Slow medium pace filth.
The Marshes? Would struggle to get in the England team, even at the moment.
We're a way better team than them.
Hmmm, I think the problem will be England's bowling. I can't see Broad and Anderson's relative lack of pace being too threatening on Aussie pitches. If the Aussies win the tosses expect some big scores and the usual England collapses.
Dannyh I actually agree with you, England have nothing really to fear other than the conditions. Lyon has improved though
howsyourdad1 - Member
Dannyh I actually agree with you, England have nothing really to fear other than the conditions. Lyon has improved thoughPOSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST
Lyon is a pretty good bowler, but it will be important when he gets chucked the ball for the first time in the series. If it's against new middle order batsman having to rebuild after the quicks have taken wickets it is a lot different to him being thrown the ball in desperation after thirty overs with England 130-0.
Oh and Nevill is the keeper. Better than tin-mitts Wade with the gloves, but a rabbit with the bat.
Even without Stokes we are the better team.
David Warner - what a dildo!
First blood to the Aussies in the women's ashes.