jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Jul 7, 2021 17:44:42 GMT
Glums having a cracking day with the ball, meanwhile Somerset getting held up by some stubborn Leicester batting, Hampshire help up with the weather looking in a good position to get good points, still going to be tight after this round of games Back from Cheltenham. Very little sun, plenty of wind, and it rained. The weather done for Middlesex. The four wickets in the morning fell in gloom under low cloud. After the rain the air was muggy, on the drying field every glos bowler was bowling bananas, even Tom Price who bowled so helplessly against Somerset in his only previous tryout last year. This round of matches have almost certainly decided the top two. Somerset’s draw against Leicestershire takes them through, considering Surrey’s humiliation in this round and Hampshire and Glos meet next week so both cannot pass Somerset. Hampshire virtually certain to mop up Surrey tomorrow, after key wickets this evening. Even if Gloucestershire beat Middlesex, as looks likely, Hampshire will be a long way ahead on points, the draw, the weather created draw means Hampshire join Somerset in Division 1. The media won’t tell you Hampshire are already through this week, there will be some degree of ramping a Gloucestershire win in the last round takes them through. The reality is at least two of the Cheltenham match days next week are a wash out, perhaps even three. View Attachmentwww.yr.no/nb/værvarsel/daglig-tabell/2-2653261/Storbritannia/England/Gloucestershire/CheltenhamThankfully, this looks a little premature following today's heroics from Amla. Let's hope Glos can wrap up the win tomorrow (although I am certainly taking nothing for granted)
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Jun 15, 2021 12:12:46 GMT
they had a ding dong last time they met. Gloucestershire having a mare at the Oval. Lancashire going strong against Yorks. A great day out for our Irish? Sorry - been offline for a bit as panicking about a house move but seems sorted now so free to chat nonsense about cricket again!
The Latvian is right. The wheels have come off horribly for Glos. Think the truth is probably some where in between. I don't think they are as good as their result suggested early or as bad as they have suggested in the last few weeks. Very much underdogs to get through to the next stage now though with Surrey finally clicking.
I went to 3 out of 4 days at Old Trafford for the Roses match. Bliss to be watching cricket again! 1st morning was the key bit after that it was very attritional. I'm probably biased because I see them a lot but I really do think Mahmood and Bailey should be in the England reckoning. More so Mahmood who I think is genuine class but England could do a lot worse than Bailey in English conditions which they have just been done over by New Zealand at their own game. Looking less likely that I'll get my Lancs - Glos game at OT later in the summer but should be some key games played there in September so I'm not complaining as I should be able to watch some good competitive cricket. Would love to go to the return Roses at Scarborough but am busy that week.
Now we have T20 from now to the end of time.....
I only saw bits of it on the TV, but the spell Mahmood bowled early on the (3rd) morning was fantastic. Quick and movement both ways. I can see why the selectors like him. England have a plethora of fast bowlers at the moment. Shame we've got no batters or spinners!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Jun 13, 2021 18:45:08 GMT
Perhaps NZ did change as many but being concerned about England I stand by the too many changes. It will take some time before cricket settles down after the almost cricket-less summer last year. I think we underrated NZ as we always do. Their squad and pool of players is smaller but those in the team are very good, they are not in the top 2 in the world for nothing. Some of the techniques of the England players were poor and they will need to improve before the Indian series and if they go to Australia with this team it could be quite embarrassing. Too many changes is absolutely an issue, but I think the number of changes reflects the state of the game in England and Wales at the moment. Let's be clear. This kind of defeat has be on the cards for years. We won very tight series against the Windies and Pakistan last year and a freak Stokes innings burgled England a win at Headingly and prevented a series defeat. We were in real danger of losing to Ireland in the series before that. My view is that some very favourable pitches have kept us competitive at home over the last 5 years. This year, the management have decided we need to play on better pitches to ensure we're geared up for the ashes this winter. I actually think that's admirable, but I wonder whether this approach will be enough to improve our away performances in the medium term. Firstly, the coach and captain will not survive if we lose to India and then Australia. Nor will Giles. I think India are favourites if we play them on these type of pitches. You have to balance the long term with the necessity to win in the present. Secondly, better pitches in test cricket won't make up for systemic failings in the county game. This is what happens when, for 5 years, you play almost no first class cricket in June, July and August. Quick bowlers and spinners are almost redundant. Batting is too tough and it encourages the kind of mindsets and techniques that prevail in our test team. I reckon the specialist top order batsmen who average North of 40 in first class cricket who are not in the test team at the moment must be limited to Ballance and Hildrith. That is appalling. Finally, the fact that the T20 side will be at full strength again and the test side has been weakened for every test this year says it all. With no Stokes, one of Woakes or Curran should have played and then sat out the T20s. Once Foakes got injured Bairstow or Butler should have been drafted in. Bracey could be a decent top order batter, but he's only got a few years experience as a keeper. Picking him in that role was asking for trouble and will have knocked him back.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on May 3, 2021 18:36:46 GMT
The groundsmen have been struggling to prepare decent pitches at New Road for a few years. They have been very tough to take wickets on during the later stages of matches. As a result a lot of grass has been left on the pitch and that means the result has been decided by the toss. I basically does all sorts on day 1 then nothing there after. I think the extra points for a draw mean Worcester have decided to take the grass off. I think this is a consequence of the floods followed by difficult growing conditions in spring. I know there is talk of looking at hybrid pitches. Anyway, my point is, I would not get too excited by the runs Hameed scored at Worcester. I also think his technique means he has a game that is suited to slow, low pitches. Signs of encouragement in the last round too, but I still think he has a long way to go.
Great chase by Gloucester against Leicester, but I think Leicester were pretty naive. AdmIrable to try and push the game a long like that, but given that they were a bowler down, I was surprised they weren’t a little more circumspect.
I saw a bit of the Somerset game as well. I have said this before, but I really rate Tom Helm. He impresses me every time I see him bowl. Good action, does a bit off the seam, gets good carry and quick enough. Probably hasn’t kicked in as much as I thought he would, but Middlesex have been really poorly managed over the last 5 years haven’t they? A number of players haven’t kicked on and a number of highly regarded players have moved on (mainly to Glos!). To an outsider, Angus Fraser looks like another one who gets a free ride due to his ex-media status.
I also think Overton must be pretty close to an England call up. The standout fast bowler in first class cricket over the last 18 months for my money.
Also a good finish in the Yorkshire v Northants game. Wayne Parnell (a player who I thought Worcester were mad to release, regardless of his Kolpak status, available all year, quick, left handed, good in all formats and a good bat) turned down a number of singles towards the end of the game. Wonder if he regrets that today? Good to see Simon Kerrigan back having an impact for northants.
Anyone got a view on the England restructuring? From an outsiders perspective, it feels like some of the senior players have been gunning for Ed Smith (Broad in particular) for a while. Sounds like a personality thing which is a shame. I can see some logic for losing the chairman of selectors position, it seems a bit antiquated in the 21st century, but does it give the captains and coach a bit too much power? It might make players think twice about discussing mental and technical issues with the head coach? I would be wary if I was Root. Smith was the obvious fall guy should England lose in Australia this winter. Given that the coach hasn’t been in situ for long, the fall guys now are either Root or Giles.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 25, 2021 17:24:30 GMT
Cracking effort by Shaw and Goodman to bat out the last hour!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 25, 2021 17:14:26 GMT
Tense finish at Southampton!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 21, 2021 9:02:11 GMT
Whilst it is clear that this squad isn't good enough, I think we have to be really careful how we proceed this summer. I can't think of a single instance over the last 25 years where we have recruited a new squad over the summer and followed it up with a good season. We've been successful when the likes of Trollope and Clarke have built on the squad they inherited from previous managers. The year we ended up in the conference, we had 7 players who were regulars that had been involved the previous season. The two good years we had under Holloway were a culmination of two year rebuilds.
I think if B***** stays and decides he needs to start again with a completely new squad, he will find it very difficult to get us challenging next season. Not every signing will work out and history tells us that new teams take a while to bed in. B***** will be gone by Christmas if we are in the bottom half next year. I think an organiser at centre half, a goal scorer and a ball winner in midfield could be enough to get us competing at the right end of the table next season but the manager has to carry these players with him, something he has completely failed to do.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 21, 2021 8:42:05 GMT
I would say that the last Gloucestershire batsman to play for England would be Arthur Milton. I can remember from the childhood, him being chosen to play against NZ in a very one sided series in 1958. He scored a hundred, then was selected for the Australia tour in the winter. He played in a couple of tests, without much success, I seem to remember he picked up an injury, as we lost 4-0, He then played a couple of tests against India in the 1959 summer, but again, didn’t make runs, and lost his place for good, as England looked to younger, more inexperienced players. In those days, India were a weak side, we won the series 5-0, and batsmen such as Ken Barrington and Ted Dexter established themselves as great Test batsmen. Tom Graveney played for England whilst with Gloucestershire, but was in and out of the side,. The first test match I can remember, was him playing for England v West Indies in 1957, he scored a big hundred, I can remember watching him on TV, then going up to the dentist in Kingswood, to have a tooth out! In those days, Allen and Mortimer often played for England, even David Smith, a seamer was chosen for a tour of India, playing a couple of matches. Fantastic to see Glo’shire starting so well, and being able to watch it on stream. Bracey is clearly the class batsman we have been lacking for years, maybe we really are now genuinely competitive, with the top sides in the four day game. I enjoyed seeing his disciplined batting, and this format is a pleasant change at the moment from a seemingly endless diet playing Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Glamorgan in the old system. Didn’t expect to beat Somerset so convincingly, great support from Matt Taylor, and Dent really seems to have matured over the last few seasons. Interesting to see if Brathwaite can make a difference, he seems a well organised player, with a decent test record. We are maybe still a batsman short to really push on, time for George Hankins to step up to the plate, he has had plenty of chances, but never really kicked on yet. The arrival of Worrall from Australia should strengthen the seam bowling, hope he stays fit. , Thanks - yes, I was wondering if you had to go back to Arthur Milton but thinking surely there had to be a batsman since then. But I just couldn't think who it would have been. I'm sure Jack has nailed it with Bill Athey although are we absolutely certain he played for England while at Glos? He may well have done - I just don't know for sure. I always associate him with Sussex because that was where he finished when I was young and am just about old enough to remember seeing him play for them. When I was about 5/6 he was one of my favourite players - absolutely no idea why, but I famously had weird prefereces for quite mundane cricketers when I was little. Instead of the superstars I took to players like Asif Din, Arnie Sidebottom and John Carr - I was clearly destined for a lifetime as a county cricket fan from a young age!
I'm not sure I have my Glos chronology quite right - how much earlier than Milton would Tom Graveney have been? Were they contemporaries at Glos? I always think Dave Allen is a bit hard done by in the annuls of Glos history by the way. He should be right up there really but he feels a little bit forgotten. A very good Test record and a decent number of Tests in an era when fewer were played and over 1000 first class wickets. Plus you can't really get more local than him - literally born round the corner. Nice man too, I was coached by him as a junior. His methods were a bit outdated but he was always worth listening to. Should be a stand named after him at least I'd have thought.
I think I'm now a convert to this new format for these exact reasons by the way. It just freshens things up although I am a bit dissapointed that I've missed out Glos visiting Old Trafford in the Championship finally after all these years up here! I know this is a really minor point in the grand scheme of things but Gloucestershire are rubbish at this. Even old Gilbert Jessop has been relegated to a suite following the ground redevelopment. I don't think the new stand has a name. Compare this to Taunton where Botham, Trescothick and Caddick have all had stands named after them. In the same period the likes of Russell, Alleyne, Walsh & Procter have played for Gloucestershire and are genuine club legends. I think we have the Hammond roof and the Grace Gates and that's pretty much it I think. Why they went for the Bristol Pavilion rather than honouring a former player I do not know.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 19, 2021 21:20:14 GMT
Fantastic win for Glos. Their challenge has to be considered real now although I wonder if they may lose Bracey now. Given England's injury woes he must be in the frame.
Which leads me to ask the following question that I'm not sure I know the answer to - When was the last time a Gloucestershire batsman was selected for the England test side and who was it?
I'm not convinced this has happened in my lifetime (1983 onwards). There's been a few bowlers and obviously Jack Russell. But I'm drawing a blank for batsmen in that period. The only one I can think of is Chris Broad but I'm not at all sure that's right as I think he'd moved onto Notts by the time he made his debut.
Any ideas? Have I forgotten someone obvious?
What about Bill Athey? Played for England and Glos I think but can't confirm he did both at the same time as it was way before my time!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 11, 2021 20:21:25 GMT
Great result for both local sides. I have no idea how Somerset won their match. They were completely out of it more than once. Somerset have a reasonable top order, but they have the bowling attack and lower order of a champion. I agree with Wareham, I am surprised they didn’t bring in an overseas top order batsman. Imagine the impact Amla could have made at Somerset? Got to admire their faith in their young players though and to be fair, Able and Bartlett repaid them today.
I didn’t see much from Surrey to make me change my mind on their bowling attack. Dent and Van Burren batted really well, but Surrey just couldn’t keep a lid on the run rate. I’m glad the weather didn’t intervene. It’s taken the best part of 15 years, but it finally feels like Gloucester have put that horrendous period where they were red ball also fans behind them. Some good home grown players, some astute signings and competitive in all three formats. Plenty to admire. Looking forward to the derby next week.
A quick word on my adopted county Worcester. Great mental fortitude from some young players to grind out a draw at Chelmsford. Jake Libby has demonstrated that sometimes one signing is all it takes to knit together a talented, but under performing batting unit. The likes of Barnard and Cox are talented middle order batsmen but they were left horribly exposed for a year or two. Despite having arguably the best red ball spinner in England on the roster, Worcester still haven’t got a front line spinner to play in the Championship, which will hold them back, but I think they will be difficult to beat.
I thought Wareham’s point on Essex’s strength in depth was fair. Without Siddle (who is due back soon) I thought they lacked a 4th bowling option. Somerset on the other hand have Brooks and Davy waiting in the wings. A couple of injuries this season could bring them back towards the pack. Didn’t think the pitch at Chelmsford was great actually. Not a lot of carry, but the kind you see in international cricket from time to time, so probably not a bad thing to encounter some in first class cricket.
Did anyone see the McManus “stumping” for Hampshire against Leicestershire? Pretty hard to believe that he didn’t know that he had the ball in his right glove as he removed the bail with his left!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Apr 9, 2021 12:09:47 GMT
It’s unseasonably cold which means it must be the start of the cricket season! I am really excited about this year. I think the conference format is interesting. I am not necessarily in favour but certainly keeping an open mind. I hope we don’t go back to a one division system because I think that renders the second half of the season utterly meaningless for a lot of counties. I do accept that two divisions can lead to some short term thinking, so perhaps this structure could help alleviate that whilst keeping the season interesting.
Essex are probably favourites again, but it feels like there are some strong sides this year, especially if England don’t need to pick massive squads again. Surrey could be big beneficiaries if that was possible although their bowling attack looks a little light without both Currans. Possibly a bit over reliant on Rikki Clarke? Durham seem to be getting a decent side back together again, which is good to see, although I think their bowling is a bit light other than Rushworth. Notts have been comical over the last few years, but have a side packed with quality and I suspect they will improve this year, particularly if they can get the monkey off their back early on. Kent and Hampshire both look good on paper too. Good to see Liam Norwell playing well for Warwickshire yesterday after a wretched couple of years. They had an attack of Norwell, Hannon – Dolby, Miles and Bresnan yesterday with Sidebottom, Stone and Brookes waiting in the wings, not to mention Chris Woakes. That looks decent too, but I don’t much fancy their batting.
I like to go on spinner watch at this stage of the season. I notice Lancashire didn’t pick poor old Matt Parkinson. He must be pretty fed up having spent the winter sat on the subs bench. Not great news for England, although it’s good to see that Mason Crane has got a game for Hampshire.
In terms of the local sides, Gloucestershire have lost their head coach Richard Dawson. He seemed instrumental in their upturn over the last few years, so it will be interesting to see how his departure affects them. Good to see Mark Alleyne back in the fold even if it is temporary. I am looking forward to seeing a bit more of James Bracey this season and hopefully watching their young all-rounders develop. I don’t want to jinx it but they’ve started brilliantly against Surrey.
Somerset on the other hand have had a really poor start against Middlesex. Did they concede 300 in any of their Bob Willis group games last year? Their batting always looks inconsistent to me, but the bowling attack has won them plenty of games over the last few seasons. Looking forward to seeing whether Lammonby can follow up on last seasons form and whether Craig Overton can stake a claim for an England place. I hope they can win either the BWT or the Championship this year. Given their consistency over the last decade, they deserve some success.
The quality of the streams offered by every county has really improved over the last couple of years. Absolutely perfect for having on in the background whilst WFH, especially now they have decent replays. I like the hub on the ECB website which provides a central point to access every stream. I watched Essex v Worcester yesterday, but have switched to Gloucester v Surrey this afternoon.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Feb 22, 2021 19:17:20 GMT
What a shambles. All this rubbish about establishing a Rovers DNA, and we've done a 180 at the first sign of trouble. Wael has lost any remaining credibility in my eyes. He clearly has no plan beyond the short term.
Setting that to one side though, I just feel a sense of embarrassment and shame. A man with B*****'s history is not someone who should be the focal point of any football club in my opinion. My red line has been crossed and I cannot continue to support this football club in the short term.
We've made a deal with the devil and for what? Given the club's infrastructure and recent history the absolute best we could hope for is a year or two in the division above this one. More likely we're looking at 10th in this division. Is it really worth it?
I don't buy into the view that Rovers fans are better than City fans. I have plenty of very decent mates who support the other lot. It is though an unfortunate fact that they are better than us on the pitch and have better facilities off it. When it comes to attracting new fans what is our point of difference? Does this type of move bring some of our less savory support base to the fore and create a snowball effect?
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Feb 16, 2021 19:40:47 GMT
I’ve really enjoyed this series. England surpassed expectations in the first game. I actually felt that playing on flat pitches would render our spinners useless and would give India the best chance of winning. The danger of playing on a track that turns from the outset is that it could be a bit of a leveller. The BCCI have obviously reaches a different conclusion.
I just wanted to say something on the Moeen situation, and rotation in general actually. Firstly, someone has made a really, really big mistake here. We knew Bairstow, Wood, Buttler etc would be rotated well in advance of this tour. Why wasn’t the Mo situation communicated with the same clarity? It has been made clear that it was pre planned. Root’s post match comments basically throw a guy under the bus. To be clear, I don’t blame Root. Someone in the management team has really got the messaging wrong and it undoes a lot of good work. Due to Moeen’s languid style, I often think he cops more than his fair share of abuse. This won’t help.
Secondly, whilst I do think player rotation is important in this climate, and I find it frustrating to hear someone like Michael Vaughan spouting off given his generations inability to manage the likes of Trescothick and Harmision, I do think we seem to be back in a position where we are prioritising white ball cricket. Why couldn’t Mo and Buttler miss the white ball leg of the tour? All of the multi format players except Root and I think Chris woakes have missed at least two tests so far this winter. Presumably we’ll be at full strength for the white ball tour? I am not asking for Test cricket to be prioritised, but recognise that this series is important and at least give equal weighting to red and white ball cricket.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Jan 25, 2021 19:47:07 GMT
You are a lot more confident than I am! If Sri Lanka can bat all day tomorrow, they will put England under immense pressure on day 5. Even if they only manage 180 in the third innings, England are likely to be chasing 210 with 4 sessions left in the match. That will not be easy. Plenty of work left for England. I am a bit surprised that they didn’t pick Jennings, but I’m glad they didn’t. Crawley and Sibley have both struggled, but they are both young enough to benefit from the experience. It’s interesting to see the next generation of batsmen coming through. With Lawrence making a positive impact, and Pope to come back in, Bairstow will be desperate to do something match defining in the second innings. There must be a chance that this side could move on without him over the next 12 months. Anderson and Broad are ridiculous aren’t they. Anderson is bowling as well as ever, all be it, he has struggled for fitness over the last 18 months. Broad is bowling better than ever. It was a bit of a master stroke retiring them from ODI cricket 5 years ago. Well I enjoyed that. Sri Lanka's 2nd terrible batting effort of the series sunk them but they made us wobble a bit again. Not terribly confident of our chances of turning over an Indian side that will be brimming with confidence. I think we are about right in the World rankings really - a notch behind Aus, NZ and India but a decent way ahead of the rest.
We need that new generation to solidify to push us to the next level. They've shown flashes and are bedding in. I'm certainly not sure about these openers in India - they will need to learn quickly as I expect they will face another trial by spin. Getting Pope and Stokes (is that right?) back will make a big difference. So the batting is a question mark.
The bowling on the other hand looks decent. I think our bowlers against their batsmen will be the more intriguing and higher quality side of the equation in the Indian series.
I'm not as down on Bairstow as you are. I thought he looked alright and contributed to our 2 most important partnership. Although ultimately he missed 2 golden opportunities to push on and stake a claim. I like his experience though. You need some old heads in a side with this many newbies I feel.
Yes. Sri Lanka just didn't get enough in their second innings did they. I don't think they batted very well at all, but Leach and Bess clearly come in to the game more when it's spinning. I saw Phil Tuffnell comparing Embuldeniya and Leach's actions earlier in this test. Basically, he reckons Leach is quite closed off making it difficult for him to create an angle and get any dip on the ball. I think he looks pretty effective when it's turning, but a bit impotent when it's flat. I guess a drawback of him playing lots of cricket on turning pitches might be that he doesn't need to put many revs on the ball. I think India will play us on flat pitches and our bowling attack looks less well equipped in those conditions than there's. I'm glad Sibley spent some time at the crease today. He's a limited cricketer, but he seems to find a way. I agree that he will probably struggle in India, although conditions will probably bring their pace attack into the game a bit more. Jadeja is injured too. Not sure they have another left arm spinner. Perhaps this will help him? It's not necessarily that I have a downer on Bairstow. I think he's one of the top 5 batsmen in the country, and it's a real shame that, for whatever reason, save for a golden 18 month period, he's not really fulfilled his potential. I just feel that he's on the fringes of the first XI at the moment, and there are three young players in Pope, Crawley and Sibley that have all contributed significantly at times in the last 18 months. Things can move on rapidly in sport. Go back 24 months and it was hard to envisage Bairstow falling behind Buttler and Foakes as first choice keeper. He's looked at home in this series, but I think he will feel frustrated that he hasn't been able to do enough to force his way back into the first XI. Looking forward to the India series, but I'll be surprised if we aren't beaten 4-0. I'll be delighted if we can compete with them though. I think Australia and India are the best sides in the world at the moment. I like New Zealand, but I'm not sure there is much between us and them. New Zealand are very good at home, but haven't played a lot of test cricket away from home lately. It's a real shame we only ever seem to play 2 test series against them. I think we have 5 against India this summer, and 2 against New Zealand. I'd rather 4 and 3.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Jan 24, 2021 20:52:24 GMT
This 2nd Test has been a bit more attritional. Short of another SL batting collapse it's looking like it will probably be a draw. Where would England be without Root though? On the one hand it's great he's in such imperious form heading into the India series. On the other hand he's not getting as much help. We do have an inexperienced lineup in these conditions. Makes me think they should have called up Jennings on a horses for courses basis.
Also, is there any more to say about Anderson? Everytime the 'hot take' brigade in punditry land declare him finished he completely embarrasses them!
You are a lot more confident than I am! If Sri Lanka can bat all day tomorrow, they will put England under immense pressure on day 5. Even if they only manage 180 in the third innings, England are likely to be chasing 210 with 4 sessions left in the match. That will not be easy. Plenty of work left for England. I am a bit surprised that they didn’t pick Jennings, but I’m glad they didn’t. Crawley and Sibley have both struggled, but they are both young enough to benefit from the experience. It’s interesting to see the next generation of batsmen coming through. With Lawrence making a positive impact, and Pope to come back in, Bairstow will be desperate to do something match defining in the second innings. There must be a chance that this side could move on without him over the next 12 months. Anderson and Broad are ridiculous aren’t they. Anderson is bowling as well as ever, all be it, he has struggled for fitness over the last 18 months. Broad is bowling better than ever. It was a bit of a master stroke retiring them from ODI cricket 5 years ago.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Jan 17, 2021 22:30:31 GMT
It’s actually developed into a really decent Test match. From a neutral perspective, wouldn’t it have been fascinating if Sri Lanka had set England 150 to win. England will probably feel that they should have scored 500 in the first innings and really put the game to bed.
I thought both Leach and Bess bowled better as the innings went on, which is hardly a surprise given the lack of match time both have had (especially Leach). I take the point regarding Bess and there is a strong case for sticking with him. He’s a bit like Sam Curran in that he usually manages to find a way to influence games. On the other hand, Leach has a really decent record with an average below 30. He’s never really had an extended run in the side. I think his control is decent and would improve with an extended run in the side. I think my question is whether he spins it enough to be effective on flat wickets.
It’s been a real tonic to have some cricket to watch. I’ve really enjoyed both the tv and radio coverage. TMS in particular have done an exceptionally good job of covering the test in my opinion. I know it’s human nature to feel that things were better in the past, but I think this match has demonstrated that we are pretty lucky to have a group of terrific broadcasters covering cricket in this country at the moment. Compared to the quality of the coverage endured by our counterparts in New Zealand and Australia, we are very lucky. I think Sky must be pretty much the only tv broadcaster left who don’t have three commentators working together at the same time. Long may it continue!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Jan 15, 2021 10:43:50 GMT
My overriding thought is one of concern regarding the state of Test cricket outside of England, Australia and India .
I know Sri Lanka have injuries, but the lack of quality in their team is stark. The batting yesterday was abysmal, and that is supposed to be their strength. Looking across the globe, New Zealand are strong at the moment, but they play so few Test Matches that I wonder how long that will last. The South African team has weakened markedly over the last decade. Are they heading the same way as the West Indies? The big three have to stop being so small minded and ensure that the finances of other test playing nations is sound so that they can invest in their first class set up, promote good governance and compete with the pay offered by the T20 circuit.
Regarding this test, Root has batted well, Lawrence looked comfortable and Bairstow reminded us that he has the potential to be a quality test match batsman. The bowling attack was so poor though that I am not sure I am going to read too much into this innings. Despite Bess taking the wickets, Leach bowled better. Bess is the better batsman and fielder, but Leach is the better bowler at the moment. I understand why Bess is a more appealing option in England as it's difficult for a spinner to get into the game (especially given how much the ball has swung over the last 5 years), but, in my opinion, Leach is the clear number 1 outside of the UK and on flat pitches.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Dec 5, 2020 19:48:51 GMT
That was one of the best attacking displays I have seen from a rovers team. I thought the close control under pressure was excellent throughout the team. We kept the ball really well, were prepared to be a bit more direct when the opportunity to get in behind arose and were clinical in the final third. We really needed that, because after Wednesday, I think many of us were worried that this squad had nothing going for it.
The defence is obviously still a concern. I think they are alright individually, but as a unit we are all over the place. Both full-backs were left 2 v 1 too often because the midfield didn't track a runner. There was one cross in the second half that saw Westbrooke at acting centre back, with a free header for their attacker the obvious consequence.
I thought Ehmer was going to be our organiser, but he doesn't look up to that job at the moment. I think we need someone to lead the defence as much as we need a goal scorer when the transfer window opens.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 28, 2020 10:17:25 GMT
Somerset finish as runners up again then. Very little between these two teams, and it really is pretty astonishing that Somerset haven't won the Championship at some point in the last few years. They just couldn't get the couple of quick wickets they needed yesterday to really put Essex under pressure. I wonder whether, on that type of pitch, Jamie Overton's out and out pace might have made a difference?
Ultimately, Somerset's regret may well be that they collapsed in the first innings. Given the weather, the flat pitch and the rules that first innings lead was always likely to prove crucial.
On the plus side, if the proposed conference based format is implemented next season then Somerset's points deduction will count for relatively little. I find it very hard to believe that they won't qualify for the top league in the second stage
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 313
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 26, 2020 10:58:04 GMT
The final is well set up at the moment. The fact that Essex have a (notional) first innings lead means if the game is drawn, they win the trophy. However, the weather forecast looks dry and so you would think there is a decent chance that one of these sides will win the match.
Having got past Somerset's score, I am surprised Essex haven't tried to push on and up the scoring rate. Suggests they have half an eye on the draw, which can be a dangerous mindset.
Can Somerset put a score on the board? I think a target north of 200 will put Essex under pressure. The lord's pitch doesn't tend to break up much though so they will want more than that.
Edit: actually, the forecast doesn't look great this afternoon, which would really put Somerset up against it
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