General Cricket (not the chirpy kind) Discussion Thread

[Nimzonia]

I'm wondering if it was a mistake for England to drop Compton and move Root up to open so soon. I think he was doing better at 6. If he'd been caught on 8 at Lords, he'd be averaging about 15 for the series.

[Liventia]

I agree. I'm still not a fan of Root at the top. He could've gone for 8 at Lord's at 4 at Old Trafford (2nd inns). I'm not convinced about Bairstow either. He's a good fielder and useful sub keeper but he gets bowled far too often.

[Fartsniffage]

I agree. I'm still not a fan of Root at the top. He could've gone for 8 at Lord's at 4 at Old Trafford (2nd inns). I'm not convinced about Bairstow either. He's a good fielder and useful sub keeper but he gets bowled far too often.

But Root didn't. If you want to start looking at when batters could have been caught then I'm pretty sure some averages would tumble..........

[Liventia]

I agree. I'm still not a fan of Root at the top. He could've gone for 8 at Lord's at 4 at Old Trafford (2nd inns). I'm not convinced about Bairstow either. He's a good fielder and useful sub keeper but he gets bowled far too often.

But Root didn't. If you want to start looking at when batters could have been caught then I'm pretty sure some averages would tumble..........

Sure, you've got to take your chances, but aside from his 180 his average as an opener is not good. There's a parallel in the County Championship this year. Derbyshire's opener Chesney Hughes made 270 not out against Yorkshire early in the season on a flat pitch at Leeds (Root and Bairstow both tonned up too). His form otherwise has been awful – Hughes averages over 50 with that Yorkshire knock, and under 20 without. I wouldn't say Hughes looks comfortable at the top of that lineup based on his average, and neither can I say the same for Root.

[Liventia]

England 13-man squad for the fourth Ashes Test, Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground, August 9–13:
AN Cook (cpt), JM Anderson, JM Bairstow, IR Bell, TT Bresnan, SCJ Broad, G Onions, KP Pietersen, MJ Prior (wkt), JE Root, GP Swann, CT Tremlett, IJL Trott (two out, one in).

[Liventia]

Surrey have beaten Somerset and Northamptonshire have beaten Durham in the Friends Life T20 quarterfinals to qualify for Finals Day at Edgbaston.

Northants' win means their two-day first-class tour match against Australians, which was scheduled to take place on August 16–17 between the Durham and Oval Tests, will now be an England Lions v Australians match.

[Liventia]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ncers.html

[Cyborg Holland]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10227389/Monty-Panesar-fined-for-urinating-on-bouncers.html

Monty is probably the least likely person in the entire cricketing world that I'd imagine would do this.

[Nimzonia]

Northants' win means their two-day first-class tour match against Australians, which was scheduled to take place on August 16–17 between the Durham and Oval Tests, will now be an England Lions v Australians match.

Are two day matches considered first class? I thought it had to be at least three.

[DesAnges]

Don't know if anyone is interesting but the cricket sub on Reddit is putting together a panel of users to commentate on the 5th Test and they could use the volunteers.

www.reddit.com/r/redditcommentates

[Liventia]

Northants' win means their two-day first-class tour match against Australians, which was scheduled to take place on August 16–17 between the Durham and Oval Tests, will now be an England Lions v Australians match.

Are two day matches considered first class? I thought it had to be at least three.

Any match in which two sides (themselves with first-class status) are nominally accorded two innings to bat can be designated first-class by a relevant Test board. In this case Northants is a first-class county, the Lions are England's A team, and Australians are a first-class touring team, so the match will have FC status unless something otherwise occurs (cf. Essex v England earlier this series).

[Nimzonia]

Are two day matches considered first class? I thought it had to be at least three.

Any match in which two sides (themselves with first-class status) are nominally accorded two innings to bat can be designated first-class by a relevant Test board. In this case Northants is a first-class county, the Lions are England's A team, and Australians are a first-class touring team, so the match will have FC status unless something otherwise occurs (cf. Essex v England earlier this series).

Yes, but I think they also have to be at least 3 days. I remember Alastair Cook once scored a double century for Essex against the Australians in a two day tour match, but it didn't count towards his FC statistics.

[Liventia]

Any match in which two sides (themselves with first-class status) are nominally accorded two innings to bat can be designated first-class by a relevant Test board. In this case Northants is a first-class county, the Lions are England's A team, and Australians are a first-class touring team, so the match will have FC status unless something otherwise occurs (cf. Essex v England earlier this series).

Yes, but I think they also have to be at least 3 days. I remember Alastair Cook once scored a double century for Essex against the Australians in a two day tour match, but it didn't count towards his FC statistics.

If Wikipedia is anything to go by then you're right, though I'm sure I saw somewhere this was meant to be first-class.

[Nimzonia]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10227389/Monty-Panesar-fined-for-urinating-on-bouncers.html

Monty is probably the least likely person in the entire cricketing world that I'd imagine would do this.

My first thought on seeing the headline was, "That's a novel way of dealing with short-pitched bowling." I wonder what this will mean for his chances of playing for England again. I have seen some clamouring lately for Simon Kerrigan to leapfrog Monty in the England spin pecking order.

[Liventia]

Australia have named a specific 12-man squad for the fourth Ashes Test, Emirates Durham ICG:
MJ Clarke (cpt), JM Bird, BJ Haddin (wkt), RJ Harris, UT Khawaja, NM Lyon, CJL Rogers, PM Siddle, SPD Smith, MA Starc, DA Warner, SR Watson

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

Cheating???

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23598798

errrr...what???

[Liventia]

The England Lions side for the Bangladesh A tour one-day series (three List A matches) has been named:
Luke Wright (capt), Gary Ballance, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler (wkt), Michael Carberry, Chris Jordan, Jamie Overton, Boyd Rankin, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Vince, David Willey. Debut callups for Jordan, Overton and Willey.

---

Fresh off of making his first-class best in Australia A's tour of South Africa, Glenn Maxwell has just made his List A career best score in Australia A's match against India A in their tri-series with South Africa. He's smashed an incredible 145 not out off 79 balls (18x4 6x6), easily beating his previous high of 61; Aus A 298/8 from 50 overs.

[Cyborg Holland]

Glenn Maxwell has just blasted a 79-ball 145 for Australia A vs India A in the South Africa A Tri-Series. He arrived at the crease at 122-5 and stayed not out, hitting 18 fours and 6 sixes.

[Liventia]

England are unchanged for the fourth Test, meaning no Onions. One change for Australia, Jack Bird for Mitch Starc.

[DesAnges]

England are unchanged for the fourth Test, meaning no Onions. One change for Australia, Jack Bird for Mitch Starc.

I'd've brought Onions in, tbh. Ashes are safe, it's his home ground and his first class record in the last few weeks is excellent. Plus it means we could have rested Anderson or Broad, depending on which one is the more injured.

[Cyborg Holland]

Root fails again...

[Nimzonia]

Root fails again...

Looks like it will be a few years yet before England post another opening partnership over 50.

[Cyborg Holland]

Well this has got s***y quickly. And don't count on it stopping...

[Nimzonia]

Well this has got s***y quickly. And don't count on it stopping...

I grew up in the 90s and am naturally pessimistic anyway, so even when England are doing well I tend to regard every run after about 150 as a bonus.

[Chelta]

I the beginning there was the Bird, and the Bird was with God, and Bird was God...

That dismissal from Bird was absolutely sublime. Can see the lad going far.