The cricket thread

Stuckfast

Magnificent collapse from Surrey this afternoon. Six for seven on what looks a thoroughly flat wicket.

Heartfeltdawn

Stuckfast said:

Do you think Overton and Robinson have the pace to be successful in the Ashes? I seem to remember Overton wasn't a huge threat last time around but maybe he's put on a yard or two. I'm sure they will want to play at least one of Archer, Stone and Wood in every Ashes Test though.

I was quite impressed by Ethan Bamber in the Middlesex-Hampshire game. He seemed to be bowling at good pace and was very unlucky -- bowled a lot of absolute jaffas that were just too good to get the edge.

First, I wouldn't ask if they're quick enough to do well in Australia. Waqar Younis was ruddy quick and averaged 40 down there. Allan Donald was rapid yet Fanie De Villiers had a lower average in Australia than AD. Some quicks do well, some don't. It's like spinners: some do and some of the greats have struggled. 

Second, was Glenn McGrath quick enough to be successful in the Ashes? Pace is nothing if you don't utilise it properly. It's why Hazlewood and Cummins are top notch and Mitchell Starc isn't to me.

Overton is more consistent with his pace than he used to be. He also does a lot more with the ball now than he did. As I moaned earlier, player development is something we haven't done well for ages. Look at his Test career: a couple in Oz, a random Test here, one in NZ... it's bullshit. Robinson is pretty similar, does a bit with the ball. His pace isn't outright quick but he does get bounce and he is more accurate than Overton. They're the two leading lights on the county scene and there's not much else. Jamie Porter seems out of the reckoning, Sam Cook is a bit too English swing and seam, and Jamie Overton ain't done shit this year and is an idiot for moving to Surrey.

Bamber's an interesting one because he's a very non-county cricketer type in that he's got more going on upstairs than most, a bit like Zafar Ansari. Not outright quick, sharp pace. He and Saqib Mahmood would be a good combo for the future. Dillon Pennington at Worcestershire is probably the quickest young one out there but having to bowl on that New Road deck must be heartbreaking for him at this time of year. 



Personally, I say fuck all the talk about pace. Pick Darren Stevens. Some absolutely mighty clobber today. 

scrumhalf

Darren Stevens!

After his innings today there isn't a cricketer in the land more worthy of a cap.

crunchman

Anyone know anything about Kyle Jamieson for New Zealand?  After 6 tests he's averaging 13 with the ball and 56 with the bat.

scrumhalf

He's about 9 feet tall.

Heartfeltdawn

Tall, gets the bounce when he hits the deck, and has almost certainly been talking to Messrs Southee and Boult about how to get swing of both types when you pitch it up. This will give you an idea of him. 



Generally operates around 135kph so not dissimilar to Craig Overton. Played all his Tests in NZ so it'll be interesting to see how he handles his first overseas tour. 

Stuckfast

Interesting that they are saying Bracey will keep wicket, I assumed he was in as a specialist batsman. Do they not rate Pope as a keeper?

Wonder if we'll play a spinner.

Heartfeltdawn

It makes sense for Bracey to take the gloves. Long term Pope's a middle order batsman and needs to get his head down. If you start giving him the gloves for a Test or two until Foakes or Buttler come back, then you disrupt that. Far better to let Bracey do it on the basis that it's easier for him to come in and out of the side in a manner of speaking. 

All the talk appears to be of a four man attack. Brave against a side that bats deep and well. Sibley's selection means he will be in, which throws up the question as to why they bothered dropping Burns in the winter if ultimately nothing changes comes NZ time. Broad is VC with Stokes out so presumably he is playing. If we do go with the four man attack and it looks like this then it's a long batting line up with a low overall average between them. 

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Lawrence
Bracey
Broad
Anderson
Wood/Stone
Robinson/Overton

Shame Boult won't be playing, but Southree, Henry, Jamieson, and Wagner is a good mix. With the weather looking hot for the first two days and with a left-arm over bowler in Wagner playing who hits the crease hard and gets some rough going, I would pick Leach and go with the five man attack. NZ have a lot of righties in that batting line up. 

guitars4you

Looking forward to the first test on English soil this summer and looks like the weather will be good for all days

Got my tickets v India at Leeds in August for later in the year so lets start the summer with a good performance and result 

crunchman

Given the weather forecast, they would be stupid to leave Leach out.  Atmospheric conditions aren't likely to be that helpful for the quick bowlers.  That does give a problem with balancing the side though.  Overton isn't good enough to bat at 7.

scrumhalf

The Beeb's weather forecast suggested a possibility of showers late in the day. Of course, you can't have test cricket without rain.

The first of the summer still brings the anticipation I used to have when I was a boy. 

guitars4you

Surely we have a spinner - i know Root can turn his golden arm - But a) it isn't India and b) in this heat will need to rotate pace bowlers, so on a warm day and a the chance of NZ building an innings we need someone to hold down an end and then hopefully offers more after 2/3 days

Heartfeltdawn

1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Joe Root (captain), 5 Ollie Pope, 6 Dan Lawrence, 7 James Bracey (wk), 8 Ollie Robinson, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson

No spinner. From my 6th floor vista in south London, the sky is blue with a few clouds but certainly not heavy overhead Lords superswing conditions. And NZ are batting first. Lordy lordy....

New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson (captain), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Neil Wagner

Of the top 7 NZ batsmen, Colin De Grandhomme has the lowest average at 37 (Conway on debut has no average as yet). Latham, Williamson, Ross Taylor and Nicholls all average 40+. Within English ranks, only Joe Root averages above 40. NZ have a very good side out now and they have reserves. Will Young could have opened and has done very well for Durham this year in hard conditions (if you can score runs at Durham early season, then you can play on seaming decks). Tom Blundell averages 38 and could have easily played in this game. NZ really maximise their talent pool and get everything out of it.

Teetonetal

no spinner,  no genuine all-rounder, 1 newbie, 2 oldies and an injury prone quick.

Hmmm

Perhaps Root now considers himself a front line bowler after his Indian wickets?

Heartfeltdawn

crunchman said:

Given the weather forecast, they would be stupid to leave Leach out.  Atmospheric conditions aren't likely to be that helpful for the quick bowlers.  That does give a problem with balancing the side though.  Overton isn't good enough to bat at 7.

The problem is our top 6 isn't good enough to let Overton bat at 7 or to 'risk' (chortle) a spinner at Lords. Far too much of this "We should pick batting bowlers to make up for the top order failures" has happened in selection over the last few years. 

guitars4you

Teetonetal said:

no spinner,  no genuine all-rounder, 1 newbie, 2 oldies and an injury prone quick.

Hmmm

Perhaps Root now considers himself a front line bowler after his Indian wickets?

agree - looks more questions in this line up and less guarantees for a forth coming Ashes tour and indeed another round against India

I know Jimmy is super fit - But in this heat it is a lot to ask JA and SB to be bowling something around 20 overs each today 

Root bowling in England is a different prospect to Root bowling in India

Gassage

guitars4you said:

Teetonetal said:

no spinner,  no genuine all-rounder, 1 newbie, 2 oldies and an injury prone quick.

Hmmm

Perhaps Root now considers himself a front line bowler after his Indian wickets?

agree - looks more questions in this line up and less guarantees for a forth coming Ashes tour and indeed another round against India

I know Jimmy is super fit - But in this heat it is a lot to ask JA and SB to be bowling something around 20 overs each today 

Root bowling in England is a different prospect to Root bowling in India

It's about 24 degrees! They should be fine!

Heartfeltdawn

The view from my balcony. The Wembley Arch (blue circle) is 16 miles away by foot. Red circle is the rough area of St Johns Wood. 

Ain't that just the loveliest bat all day sky? 

https://i.imgur.com/tYFKUH1.png

Gassage

MCC lads who have played or netted on the ground since the new stands finished have said the ball is swinging less since they were built. Seems to be the case.

Stuckfast

Mark Wood's slowest delivery so far clocked at 91.2mph. That's serious heat.