jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Knee bend
Sept 12, 2020 21:28:26 GMT
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 21:28:26 GMT
I don't agree that you need statistics on the number of applicants to demonstrate that it's disproportionately harder for a black person to become a manger. The number of black men given the opportunity over the last 20 years should be evidence enough in my opinion. I do not think we will find a consensus so let's move on. How else are you going to know who has even applied if you don't have that data? So now you are saying 'given the opportunity' so you are arguing for quotas after all. OK then. You do realise that you've just removed from the employer the ability to recruit based on competence, don't you? A final comment for clarification. I am not arguing for quotas.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Knee bend
Sept 12, 2020 21:04:09 GMT
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 21:04:09 GMT
Your post completely misses the point of an unconscious bias. I think it's irrefutable that the number of black managers are proportionately low. Do you agree? If it's not as a result of racism, either conscious, or not then why are there fewer? It's not just an issue in football either. BAME people are desperately underrepresented in the boardroom of UK companies. Why is this in your view? Is it because BAME candidates aren't as capable as their white counterparts, in which case, what does that say about opportunities given to BAME people and education in this country? Or is it because hiring managers have an unconscious bias? I don't really see a third option here. Proportionately low compared to what? To help move this along, so that we don't play 'Post ping pong' for the next hour, I'm guessing that you think that the number of black players should translate into black coaches and managers? If so, then just give me your data for applicants and their success rates. I can explain why bot BAME individuals, and females for that matter, and white people from particular socio-economic groups, aren't represented at board level in numbers that reflect their % of the population, but that's pure politics. If epping says it's good then we'll do that discussion. I don't agree that you need statistics on the number of applicants to demonstrate that it's disproportionately harder for a black person to become a manger. The number of black men given the opportunity over the last 20 years should be evidence enough in my opinion. I do not think we will find a consensus so let's move on.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 20:35:28 GMT
The fact that there are virtually no black managers suggests an unconscious bias in those hiring, does it not?Personally, I am not for quotas, because if you are hiring and you have an unconscious bias then a candidate you have prejudged is unlikely to be successful anyway. Does it? You've made that accusation so the burden is on you to demonstrate it. I would have thought that candidates were judged on their merits, but before we can even have that discussion you'll have to give me your figures for applicants based on skin colour, then we can understand precisely what it is that we are talking about here. If there's racism somewhere let's work together to root it out. Your post completely misses the point of an unconscious bias. I think it's irrefutable that the number of black managers are proportionately low. Do you agree? If it's not as a result of racism, either conscious, or not then why are there fewer? It's not just an issue in football either. BAME people are desperately underrepresented in the boardroom of UK companies. Why is this in your view? Is it because BAME candidates aren't as capable as their white counterparts, in which case, what does that say about opportunities given to BAME people and education in this country? Or is it because hiring managers have an unconscious bias? I don't really see a third option here.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Knee bend
Sept 12, 2020 20:01:06 GMT
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 20:01:06 GMT
Bristol is a multicultural city. The crowd at Rovers is not representative of this. If this forum is also predominantly white, male and middle aged then I think you to recognise that perhaps it's not wholly relevant if you feel a little jaded by a short lived protest. Some of the political views of the BLM group may be far removed from your own, as indeed they are from mine. But, at the moment, taking a knee clearly represents a very specific sentiment. Mainly, that black lives matter as much as white ones. How many black managers are there in English football? How many black coaches? How many black administrators? This is institutional racism and the protest should continue until people recognise this and until things start to change. Can you please highlight at what point and in what way people with skin that isn't white are being discriminated against in their attempts to become football managers or administrators? Or are you arguing for quotas? The fact that there are virtually no black managers suggests an unconscious bias in those hiring, does it not? Personally, I am not for quotas, because if you are hiring and you have an unconscious bias then a candidate you have prejudged is unlikely to be successful anyway.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Knee bend
Sept 12, 2020 19:55:52 GMT
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 19:55:52 GMT
Bristol is a multicultural city. The crowd at Rovers is not representative of this. If this forum is also predominantly white, male and middle aged then I think you to recognise that perhaps it's not wholly relevant if you feel a little jaded by a short lived protest. Some of the political views of the BLM group may be far removed from your own, as indeed they are from mine. But, at the moment, taking a knee clearly represents a very specific sentiment. Mainly, that black lives matter as much as white ones. How many black managers are there in English football? How many black coaches? How many black administrators? This is institutional racism and the protest should continue until people recognise this and until things start to change. I'm not jaded, it's just pointless. Anybody without psychiatric issues knows that all lives matter, a knee bend won't any difference to their issues, they need professional help. Institutional racism, again a load of sports people taking a knee is going to make diddly squat difference to this, institutional racism needs to be dealt with by the institutes involved. Which is not what some preeminent black sports men and women are saying. Different sport, but Michael Holding for one
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 12, 2020 19:38:42 GMT
Bristol is a multicultural city. The crowd at Rovers is not representative of this. If this forum is also predominantly white, male and middle aged then I think you to recognise that perhaps it's not wholly relevant if you feel a little jaded by a short lived protest.
Some of the political views of the BLM group may be far removed from your own, as indeed they are from mine. But, at the moment, taking a knee clearly represents a very specific sentiment. Mainly, that black lives matter as much as white ones.
How many black managers are there in English football? How many black coaches? How many black administrators? This is institutional racism and the protest should continue until people recognise this and until things start to change.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 9, 2020 9:53:04 GMT
Interesting article from Mike Atherton in The Times today. I have mixed views about this. Promotion and relegation makes the end of the season really interesting for spectators, but I think it's difficult to argue that Counties like Notts and Hampshire haven't become short termist. It's also pretty clear to me that there are a number of Counties who have very little interest in First Class cricket as it stands at the moment. I guess you can argue either way, whether it's a good thing or not that Counties lose their best players to the big clubs. It's an interesting idea. Should still make for good cricket in Septemeber and I like the idea of maintaining a final. What do you guys think? www.thetimes.co.uk/article/good-news-this-county-conference-system-is-here-to-stay-possibly-permanently-l22w6ggvf
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 9, 2020 9:14:08 GMT
It's still pretty well poised today. I think Somerset will win, but I think Worcester have done well. Only side to score more than 100 in an innings against Somerset this season apparently. They were a bit unlucky that Josh Tounge had a back spasm and could only bowl off a shortened run up. Might have been the difference between chasing 200 and chasing 250. I thought Craig Overton looked lively yesterday. I can see why the selectors like him.
I also read that Durham have re-signed Scott Borthwick. I really hope this is a sign that they have come out of the other side of their financial difficulties and are in a position to build again. I think England, and English cricket in general are stronger for having a good Durham side.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 7, 2020 18:48:20 GMT
My Dad (who, unlike me, is a Somerset fan) has been trying to watch this game online but said Worcester had it behind a paywall. Is that right or is there another way to watch it? I don't think he thought he'd be able to watch enough overs to make it worth paying for.
Looks like Somerset have pulled it right back and should be favourites now if their batting holds up reasonably well in the 2nd innings. You'd back Leach to make a 200 run lead to stand up in the 2nd innings. Shame that Lancs seem to have scuppered Derbyshire's chances right at the end. That was shaping up to be the feelgood story of the cricket season.
He’s right, it is behind a paywall. I only got access to it because apparently I’m what Somerset call a “2020 Hero”! I’m a member but got the normal letter saying, I could have a refund or waive the refund and get various stuff and a large discount on 2021 membership. They need the money! I opted for the latter and was consequently given access to various streams to watch every match so far which has been good when I wasn’t doing anything else. Yes we pulled it back in the last hour of the afternoon. But a Somerset collapse is never far away. Hoping we get 200-250 tomorrow to give them a target over 250. But we’ll see having already lost a wicket. It's not behind a paywall. It's free to purchase a digital subscription from Worcestershire's website. The link I shared (to the Somerset website) is really useful.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 7, 2020 15:50:11 GMT
I watched most of yesterday but very little of today so far. Worcestershire were unlucky first off esp Leach who made the Somerset players play and miss a lot. But then they bowled too wide and didn’t take advantage of the conditions. But I thought it was a good score but today Worcestershire are playing well I presume. Still a long way to go but I’d say Worcestershire will be happier than Somerset. Btw, the stream from Worcester was very good to watch with local commentators making for a more interesting day than listening to Sky! I presume at the moment the weather is unlikely to come into this. edit: just looked again and Worcestershire have lost 3 wickets in 5 runs. It’s an old adage but wickets do change matches, get one and others follow just like yesterday. My Dad (who, unlike me, is a Somerset fan) has been trying to watch this game online but said Worcester had it behind a paywall. Is that right or is there another way to watch it? I don't think he thought he'd be able to watch enough overs to make it worth paying for.
Looks like Somerset have pulled it right back and should be favourites now if their batting holds up reasonably well in the 2nd innings. You'd back Leach to make a 200 run lead to stand up in the 2nd innings. Shame that Lancs seem to have scuppered Derbyshire's chances right at the end. That was shaping up to be the feelgood story of the cricket season.
www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/club-news/worcestershire-live-stream-members-instructions/It's complicated! Somerset's website simplifies matters a lot. It's free to register basically. Somerset are well on top but the pitch doesn't usually deteriorate. If anything, it has died in the 4th innings in recent years and there have been some monster chases.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Sept 7, 2020 11:08:39 GMT
Very even game at the moment at New Road with Worcester 67/1 in reply to 250. Really good to see Leach playing some cricket. I think he's bowling quite nicely at the moment but Worcester have battled hard. I think Somerset got a decent score on the board yesterday in tougher than expected conditions. I wouldn't like to predict a winner at this stage, but Somerset usually find a way. I didn't see too much play yesterday, just a few overs after lunch, when I thought Pennington bowled really well and got Worcester back in to the game with a hostile spell.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 28, 2020 14:49:25 GMT
He's saying there has been a miscarriage of justice and surely will be fighting to clear his name of it happened how he said. Appeal lodged. He's just making himself look daft. He went out, got drunk, acted daft, the Police arrested him, he made it 10 times worse by thinking he was special, now he's acting like a spoilt child who won't apologise. No doubt he'll be demanding that Interpol set up a task force to track down these mystery Albanians. Idiot. It does strike me as odd that there was such a short space of time between the incident and the case being heard in court, but I am not an expert in either the Greek, or UK legal system, so perhaps that is normal.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 27, 2020 13:22:51 GMT
Gloucestershire bowled neatly in the only match I’ve seen to base my thoughts on. But it was quite a helpful pitch. This season has been quite unique in that every county has had a free run insofar as whatever league they were in at the start they will be in the end. And that was why I said Richard Dawson will have had the chance to see where he needs to recruit for next season. This season will also allow counties to see their home grown players more because there are no overseas players. Some players will grasp that opportunity to get more experience and it will make them better players. Was Jerome Taylor going to play Championship cricket this year? He played T20 only for us over the past few years but was very effective in that. But at 35 or 36 next year he will not be getting any better. However it’s best not to write players off. Peter Trego didn’t play red ball for us last season and then was released yet he said been opening the bowling for Nottinghamshire this season and getting wickets. It’s a great story. I’m pleased for him because he wouldn’t be able to do that in the Somerset team. He’s a fit and competitive guy but the Nottinghamshire attack must be much weaker than in previous years for him to be able to do that. Really surprising. I’m sure Worcestershire v Somerset will be a proper game. Two good teams going for the win. Being a few points ahead the onus must be on Worcestershire to prepare a result wicket and not the flat track they did for the Warwickshire match. An interesting stat from the Somerset games so far: Glamorgan scored 131 and 166, Northamptonshire scored 67 and 154, Warwickshire scored 121 and 140-8, Gloucestershire scored 76 and 70. No team has scored over 166 against us and obviously no team has scored a batting bonus point against us! Cue Worcestershire to get 401-6 and get 5 bonus points! Yep, Taylor was signed to play in all formats. Definitely not writing him off, but Taylor and Trego are completely different types of bowler. Taylor was all pace and not a lot else. If he's lost that then how effective will he be? You are right about Notts. Ball and Fletcher have both been injured. In previous years they have seen a lot of Broad and they've also had James Pattinson. They have also lost Luke Wood to Lancashire who I think is a terrific cricketer. Worcester will want to win, but as you say, this year is a bit of a free hit. I think they are determined to play proper long format cricket this season, even if it isn't in their immediate interests. Worcester are in Division 2 and were terrible last season. I think they would view a draw against the second best team in the Country as a really good result. I actually think, weather depending they will still try and produce a flat pitch. The issue at New Road over the last few years, is that the pitch doesn't deteriorate. If there is something in it on day 1, then the toss becomes really, really important. I think Worcesters best bet is to play on a flat track and hope they can exploit Somerset's weaker suit, their batting. If the game is played on a green pitch, I think Somerset will win comfortably. I think the Blast starts today doesn't it? Lovely weather for it!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 27, 2020 11:28:34 GMT
The weather stayed kind for enough time to get the two wickets. Well deserved in the end. It seems a shame that James Bracey wasn’t playing in this match, has he played at all this season or is he part of club England? Really needs to be playing cricket with some meaning and not just nets. The two division County Championship will continue in 2021 so Gloucestershire will still be there which I’m pleased about but does anyone think they’ve had a lucky escape this season in the sense that had it been a normal season they may well have finished in the relegation places? I’ve watched them bat in this match via the Somerset You Tube channel and in this second innings they batted very poorly. Has it helped Richard Dawson realise that they need some extra batsmen in place for 2021? Hopefully Bracey will be back, but a bit of a wasted year. Another point, and I expect others to disagree with me: the bonus points allocation seems unfair to me. Had rain stopped us winning at yesterday’s evenings score the bonus point situation would have been, - Worcestershire 410-7 13 points v Warwickshire 355-9 dec 13 points. yet - Somerset 237 and 223-1 It would have been 12 points v Gloucestershire 76 ao. and 63-8. It would have been 11 points. Fortunately we won but even if we hadn’t it seems unfair that we would have had less points than two teams who had batted out for a high scoring draw and only 1 more point than a team we had effectively thrashed! I’d say it was time to even up the bonus points for batting and bowling. Although even then the difference between Somerset and Gloucestershire points would still have been 1 point. I think it’s very strange! I don't know. I think it's quite hard to read too much into this season. Glos had invested in a strong overseas and would have had Bracey. Plus it's quite conceivable they might have signed a few more in the run up to the season given that they seemed prepared to spend a bit this time. Also, even though Somerset embarrassed them, they actually are quite a decent side in some ways. They're flawed but they have a decent battery of seamers and the batting has some potential. So I'm not sure they'd have been nailed on to go down especially in a league of 10.
I think the whole bonus point system needs to be overhauled. It makes no allowance for conditions/relative state of the game and creates some weird situations.
They have just signed Tom Lace from Middlesex. The batting unit is really inexperienced, especially when Roderick leaves at the end of this season. I think there is a lot of potential though if they can keep hold of them. I am not quite so optimistic about the state of the seam bowlers though, aside from Payne and Higgins. Not sure they have much strength in depth if they pick up an injury or two, and probably lack a bit of pace. I know they signed Jerome Taylor, but he's 35 and I think he's past his best. I think they could have done a bit more towards the back end of the Pakistan series to get Bracey, Leach and Wood some cricket. They could have swapped the reserves after the West Indies series. I actually think though, that Bracey will have benefited from spending the summer in that set up. Netting against the best bowlers in the country, being around the best batters and coaches in the country is not a bad opportunity for a 23 year old. You wouldn't want to do it every season, but as a one off, I think it will have done him some good. Should be an interesting last round in the Bob Willis Trophy. I am not in favour of scrapping relegation, because it leads to too many dead matches, but I quite like the playoff idea as a compromise. Worcester have remembered how to bat this year, and the top 3 have been in really good form. Tom Fell in particular is a really good news story. I think they could give Somerset a game at New Road.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 24, 2020 14:57:33 GMT
Can Jimmy get to 600 wickets? There is a small chance that this might be the only chance he gets to do it......He's very unlikely to tour in the winter and who knows what the selectors will be thinking when they come back in May next year. As long as he stops relying on his team mates to catch them, then I reckon he's got a decent chance.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 24, 2020 14:53:23 GMT
Yes, you’re correct irish, it is a very strong quick bowling line up. And Gregory, afte his England release has only played one match. Better than most I’d suggest. It’s why JOverton has gone to go to Surrey. We will miss him and he has the potential of all our fast bowlers to be the best, truly quick. However COverton has signed for another 3 years. After everyone complaining that Taunton was “fiddled” for our spinners we now see they won’t bowl a single over there this year. Actually Leach will probably not bowl an over anywhere! How ridiculous. No one will show me that the way England manage their players is anything other than stupid. It was obvious Leach wouldn’t play for England, send him back to Somerset for some meaningful cricket at least. The weather looks like it will stop us winning again. And as to being our year, it won’t count as a County Championship even if we were to get to Lords and win. And getting there is far from straightforward. Mind you I do like this means whereby all teams have a chance to do win the competition. However, in this 4th round of matches and the 5th round there will be some meaningless matches taking place. Usually in the 2 division set up most matches have something riding on them. I absolutely agree with you on Leach. It basically got to the point where they couldn't pick him as he hadn't played for the best part of a year. I know we have to have covid substitutes but couldn't they have swapped Leach for Virdi after the West Indies series? Or even, given the unlikely event that we'd need a sub, we could have placed Gareth Batty on standby. He isn't playing for Surrey, but he could have been a player coach for the last 3 tests. I know Somerset have had bad luck with the weather, but, had Worcester not been so comically cautious against Glamorgan, where they set 360 from 50 overs, having batted very slowly on the last day, Worcester would have had a cracking chance of reaching the final. I think the last game is at New Road isn't it? Lots of runs scored there this year. I am surprised Moeen Ali didn't play a couple of games for Worcester given that most of the white ball players were released to play for their counties.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 23, 2020 18:14:59 GMT
Yes. Gloucestershire had us on the ropes but one thing about Somerset is that this season one batsman seems to get runs. Today it was Bartlett, last week it was Davies and Overton. If we can get a first innings lead then we have a good chance to get another win, weather permitting. Our bowlers are knocking everyone over this season and only the weather stopped us making it 3 wins out of 3 last week so it’s best not to count our chickens. I’m sure Gloucestershire will look to make it hard tomorrow. Can we just pretend this fixture never happened?!
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 21, 2020 9:23:54 GMT
Looking at the forecast, I think there is a decent chance of a result in this test.
We're also more than half way through the domestic season. I have some thoughts on the format of the Bob Willis trophy and the domestic game in general. I think the first class game is at a clear crossroad and I cannot see it going back to the pre covid structure. I think now is the time to be radical, but not in the way that the buffoon Colin Graves would advocate. The clear positive this year has been the amount of cricket played during the actual summer. I also don't mind the idea of a final to decide the champion.
The problem with regionalisation is that there are a lot of dead rubbers. Even with two rounds to go, the south east group is basically sewn up, and the central group is between Worcester and Somerset.
I know I am in the minority, but I am not adverse to 3 divisions of 6 in future. The top 2 in division 1 could play off for the Championship, at the league winners ground to preserve some kind of advantage. The bottom 2 in division 1 could playoff against the top 2 in division 2. Same in division 2 / 3. This means a minimum 10 first class games for all counties, with more than half playing 11. You have to try and play at least half the games at the height of summer. The final could be televised. To facilitate this, I would scrap the hundred. You could have a two division set up with a clear monetary advantage given to sides in division 1. Sky and the BBC could show all games from divison 1. If the BBC are worried about the length of the games, ensure games are finished in 3 hours by enforcing over rates. Finals day could be 1st vs 2nd from div 1 and maybe 2nd vs 3rd from division 2 (with the top side going up automatically). Play it over the summer holidays, and keep it to 6 weeks maximum. I also think you should have completely separate rosters, one for Championship / List A cricket and another for T20.
I would play the 50 over competition in April and May. I don't think the white ball is as affected by early season conditions. That leaves all of June and half of July and September for Championship cricket. I'd also like the pink ball to be used for a couple of matches, with the aim of developing it so that it could superseded the red ball and do away with bad light as a result. It's also much easier to see the pink ball as a spectator.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 10, 2020 12:47:58 GMT
Just watched the two wickets of England fall, and can't help feeling that if England appealed the way that Pakistan, do then there would be mutterings of over enthusiasm from those "within" England can be just as bad. Stuart Broad's "celebrappeal" is arguably against the spirit of the game and it usually passes without comment. Besides, given the "umpires call" ruling, appealing as enthusiastically as possible feels like a legitimate tactic to me. Buttler and Woakes were great yesterday. It's clearly the kind of innings that the England management have been desperate for Buttler to play since he came back in to the side, and to be fair, it's difficult to see Ben Foakes playing that kind of innings. The way he took the game to Pakistan was really impressive. I hope he kicks on from here but I have my doubts. He's played a lot of test matches and his average, and number of match winning performances are sparce. Good to see Woakes finding some form with the bat again. For my money, he is our best bowler in English conditions at the moment. I know he has a dismal record away from home, but he is hindered by the presence of Broad and Anderson. How often does he get the new ball? How often does he get to bowl to the lower order? How often is he picked in a balanced attack that contains some pace and variety? I am not suggesting it would be a sensible tactic, but I wonder what the impact to Anderson and Woakes's respective records away from home would be if Anderson became the change bowler and Woakes became the new ball bowler? I think Jimmy is probably lucky that Stokes is unavailable for the next test. He may have found himself rested had we been able to go back to 3 front line seamers. I don't think he had an especially bad game actually, it's just that Woakes and Broad are bowling better than him at the moment. I think I'd rest Archer next time round. He is off the pace at the moment. He is still a very good bowler when operating at 85mph, it's just that we have a lot of those. The bowling coach and head coach need to try and work out what's caused the drop off in pace. If he's worried about his injury and he doesn't trust his body, or if it's just a lack of rhythm, then perhaps switching to the one day squad might be an option. I'd pick Wood, Anderson, Broad and Woakes. Our batting still looks light though. I am not usually in favour of playing with no spinner, but I am sure England will give some consideration to dropping Bess for an out and out batsman. From a neutrals perspective, it's a bit of a shame that Pakistan couldn't get over the line in this test. I am not writing them off, because Pakistan usually do well when their backs are to the wall, but it will be really difficult for them to win the series from 1 down I think.
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jackthegas
David Pritchard
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Post by jackthegas on Aug 5, 2020 12:41:39 GMT
It is difficult to get the balance right at the middling level, although I have played at plenty of really poor first XI grounds too. Should be easier at the top and the bottom though.
It feels wide open across the board doesn't it? Yorkshire will have Bairstow back for a couple of games. It will be interesting to see how he goes. Ditto Moeen Ali at Worcester, who looked absolutely shot again last night. Somerset feel a bit light on batting to me, but they certainly have plenty of depth to their batting order. The Higgins LBW wasn't the only contentious one. Roderick was given out LBW off the bowling of Leach. He offered no shot, but it looked far too high for me when I saw the highlights earlier on. You're always vulnerable if you score less than 300 in the first innings on a decent batting track though.
I think my take away from the ODI series is that England do not have a replacement for Plunkett at the moment and are overly reliant on Rashid to take wickets between overs 10 and 40. I can't remember may occasions over the last 4 years in which England didn't take a single wicket in the middle overs. Perhaps Wood or Archer could fulfill that role when they are back in the side, but the three they picked yesterday are either good at the start, or at the death. I think we've also learned that Vince isn't really a good enough backup. I would much rather have seen Livingstone or Hain get a run out.
The test series should be a cracker. I can't wait to watch Pakistan bowl. My only complain is that this is only a 3 test series. It makes the first test really important, as I am not sure I can see either side coming back and winning from 1-0 down.
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