Cricket

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Second ODI

Sri Lanka 256-8 (50 overs)
Dilsham, 88 (7x4)

England 99 all out (26.1 overs)
Senanayake .....7.1-1-18-4
Kulasekera..........6-3-15-3

England's top order did not give the team the start required and when the score was 29-4, matters seemed just to carry on remorselessly towards a very embarrassing defeat with England all out eventually for less than 100.

 

[DownSouth]

Do the international and local cricket players still wear those off white cricket sweaters these days,? they used to look quite smart, but they seem to have been replaced by alternatives in recent years.

The sweater-vest is certainly still issued to players in First Class and Test teams for cool days when extra warmth is needed, but players are more active than ever before so it's almost irrelevant except in the coolest of conditions.

The England team sweater-vest is still around but the colour is very white, although not as dazzlingly fluorescent as the main team kit which looks like it's come out of a washing powder TV commercial. The Australian sweater-vest is still cream with green and gold trim and the proper national coat of arms rather than the stylised Cricket Australia version you see printed on the shirts.

The newer fabrics for the team kit is all about performance and comfort. It's not as big a deal in England as it is in countries which have a summer, but even in England a good moisture-wicking fabric will help a player feel fresher towards the end of a day in the field - their performance will be better than if they had cotton team kit which holds moisture and gets heavy.

Players in a limited overs match at international or elite domestic level will usually be wearing a compression base layer underneath the team kit which will keep key muscle groups activated and wick away moisture - this is about absolute performance. A soft shell vest in the team colours is often made available for cold days and day/night matches when it gets cool in the evening session under lights.

I guess newer fabrics are easier to look after.

This is certainly not the reason - everything is driven by performance rather than laundry costs. It is kind of neat that staying dry on the field and drying quickly after washing do go hand in hand though!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Third ODI

How on earth did Sri Lanka go from being 58-4 in the match against England.....to 67 all out..hock:

 

[ExRes]

Third ODI

How on earth did Sri Lanka go from being 58-4 in the match against England.....to 67 all out..hock:

All down to that Sussex born lad Chris Jordan

 

[Darandio]

And England easily chase the total with 73-0.

Amazing what difference there can be in a couple of days.

 

[stibz]

Third ODI

How on earth did Sri Lanka go from being 58-4 in the match against England.....to 67 all out..hock:

They had a bit of bad luck, you might say

 

[Whistler40145]

Was this down to a poor Sri Lankan team, overcast weather conditions meaning the ball was zipping around or England doing their homework & being more attacking?


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[Oswyntail]

Were any Nigerians involved?

 

[Johnuk123]

Were any Nigerians involved?

Apparently the Sri Lankan team have just been found tied up in their hotel.

 

[DownSouth]

A pair of consecutive ODIs with sub-100 totals and one going each way looks very dodgy and players from both teams should be facing some very probing questions - the recent confession by Lou Vincent illustrated how easy it is to fix international and elite domestic matches in England and there's little evidence that it has become any harder.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Apparently the Sri Lankan team have just been found tied up in their hotel.

.....and all the waiters in the hotel who are from the Indian sub-continent took a day's holiday all at the same time and were last seen with warm white wooly jumpers and white flannel trousers saying they needed to wrap up warm from the cold....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Were any Nigerians involved?

I am just waiting for the time that Nigeria join the ICC and fully expect innings scores ranging from 1203 - 2 declared to 2 all out...

 

[Whistler40145]

Has Chris Jordan done enough for a place in the Test Squad?


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[ExRes]

Has Chris Jordan done enough for a place in the Test Squad?


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I don't see why he shouldn't be given a chance, on his day he's a genuine quick bowler, a more then competent batsmen and a phenomenal fielder in both the infield and outfield, he also seems to be in control of his past injury problems

The downside ?, he won't be available to Sussex

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The downside ?, he won't be available to Sussex

You now know how the supporters of Lancashire cricket club have felt about Jimmy Anderson's occasional County Championship appearances for the county over the years being as rare as hens teeth...

 

[ExRes]

You now know how the supporters of Lancashire cricket club have felt about Jimmy Anderson's occasional County Championship appearances for the county over the years being as rare as hens teeth...

Absolutely, we used to have, no hang on, we have, a keeper called Matt Prior, sometimes, I think ........

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone with any thoughts on the reported return to Lancashire, even if just for the T20 series matches, of Andrew Flintoff. If he were to concentrate on batting and did not bowl, that should help in the stress on his knee joints.

In that T20 competition, after losing their first such match, Lancashire have won the next four, the last being the low-scoring match against Warwickshire.

 

[DownSouth]

You now know how the supporters of Lancashire cricket club have felt about Jimmy Anderson's occasional County Championship appearances for the county over the years being as rare as hens teeth...

Absolutely, we used to have, no hang on, we have, a keeper called Matt Prior, sometimes, I think ........

Maybe the problem is that you have too many teams in the domestic cricket structure to allow fans of all the teams to feel equally invested in the national team. With nine First Class teams and a second division of nine it's impossible for all 18 teams to have a couple of players who are in the hunt for the England First XI or the second-string players who do only the limited overs matches.

Australia's domestic structure of the six state teams with First Class and List A status is more vertical - the second division "Futures League" teams are the youth/development squads of each FC/LA team instead of being different teams altogether. Each state side has at least a couple of players who are either firmly entrenched in the national team or among the possibles, which makes things fairly equitable when the national squad is called up as every state will be affected.

As well as having more united support of the national team from the state associations, the other big advantage of having a deep domestic cricket structure instead of a wide one is that every Sheffield Shield match can have a member of the national selection panel (there are four, including the coach) at the ground in person to see how things are going. Picking up the vibe that teammates and staff were astounded by what looked to be an excellent century may tell a selector more about the actual quality of the player than they'd get by looking at video and stats.

Anyone with any thoughts on the reported return to Lancashire, even if just for the T20 series matches, of Andrew Flintoff. If he were to concentrate on batting and did not bowl, that should help in the stress on his knee joints.

Great for the game. Everyone loves it when a popular retired player suits up for a bit of hit and giggle without any real consequences - remember that with T20 the quality of the play comes way behind the real goals of big publicity stunts, lots of families at the matches and lots of cash in the bank.

It wouldn't be the longest gap between elite matches though - Brad Young came on at Adelaide Oval to a huge cheer last summer after a gap of 14 years since his career as Australia's first-choice ODI spinner (ahead of even Warne) came to a sudden end with a single horrific knee injury. Years later he made it back to playing local cricket for fun in the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association league (not even in the mainstream grade structure!) and his name caught Darren Berry's eye in the paper one Monday morning.

Botham is just talking down Flintoff because he's jealous that he never got the chance to do the same thing (like everything he talks down as a commentator). Smart opposition batsmen will hit the ball to him in the field though - his turning circle was bad enough five years ago and will surely be even worse now!

 

[Chapeltom]

I walked a few miles over to Buxworth today for 1st v 2nd in the Derbyshire & Cheshire League Division Two, they were taking on Hadfield St Andrews. 1:30 start for this 45 over game. Interesting venue, hemmed by the road, the Chapel to Whaley by-pass at wicket ends, and a footpath/gardens on the west/east sides. 13 benches around two sides of the undulating outfield. Just a shame this game was over within 3hrs 25 of starting, with a 25 minute tea. It was quite cool, sun occasionally poking through.

Buxworth were decimated, 4/1 after 4, 7/4 after 8 and 21/6 with 13 overs gone. I reckon most of the 10 strong crowd feared a sub 50 total but Buggy put on 71 for the 7th wicket, but once that went the other three followed within 22 balls. Buxworth 103 all out after 26.2 overs.

Hadfield were strong with the bat too, 16/1 and 20/2 after 8 overs but played some impressive shots, made 39 for the 3rd wicket with 16 overs gone. Buxworth never looked like taking the wickets required and Hadfield eased to victory, with a 4 off the first ball of the 24th over. They won by 7 wickets and with 21.5 overs to spare.

Hopefully choose a longer game next week but there were 7 sixes in this, 5 for Buxworth and 3 went over the clubhouse, 2 onto the road, 1 massive six into a garden and the other onto the football pitch. Enjoyable afternoon and Hadfield should win the league with ease based on this.

 

[Oswyntail]

....like everything he talks down as a commentator...

What is it with some - most - ex-England players who become commentators. Who taught them "I was better at the game, and the game was better when I played"? The worst was Fred Trueman, but Boycott and now Michael Vaughan just cannot bring themselves to say anything positive. Come to tink of it, it might just be Yorkshiremen, because Mike Atherton is quite sensible.

 

[Whistler40145]

I, unfortunately cannot stand Messrs Atherton & Vaughan, they've got too much to say.

Also, how on earth did Andrew Strauss land in the Sky Commentary Box, he's got no charisma.


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[Cletus]

Fantastic innings by Buttler yesterday, not sure why Treadwell had to run him
out as we still would have needed 9 (8 for a tie) from 2 balls.

Jordan is very talented, but is he bowling good enough for test cricket? His bowling is so wayward, so many wides - 8 yesterday.

Not sure about the top of the order either - Cook, Bell, Root & Ballance - too similar. I think I would like to see Hales in there,

 

[Whistler40145]

Should England have batted first, then attempted to get the wickets?


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[Xenophon PCDGS]

Cook now states Buttler is not ready for the full Test Match side. Will that be a reflection on his ability as a wicket-keeper ?

 

[hounddog]

Cook now states Buttler is not ready for the full Test Match side. Will that be a reflection on his ability as a wicket-keeper ?

I would imagine so, not least because Buttler himself has said his keeping's not at the required level yet.

 

[Oswyntail]

.....Not sure about the top of the order either - Cook, Bell, Root & Ballance - too similar. I think I would like to see Hales in there,

I would stick with the first two - each can accelerate when necessary. But the two Yorkshiremen seemed to have no idea how to do so. By all means have them in there, but be flexible enough to switch the order around. Yes, even if the openers have gone cheaply. Have one to keep an end steady while the other end accelerates.

I would imagine so, not least because Buttler himself has said his keeping's not at the required level yet.

And that is why he has come to Lancashire, to get more opportunity to keep wicket and improve. Seems like a sensible plan to me!

 

[DownSouth]

I would stick with the first two - each can accelerate when necessary.

I agree. Bell has real class (even if his recent form has been shaky) and Cook has value as a cool head in the ODI team even if somebody a bit more aggressive like Morgan should be the captain.

But the two Yorkshiremen seemed to have no idea how to do so. By all means have them in there, but be flexible enough to switch the order around.

I agree that Root and Ballance is a bit of overkill, they are basically competing for the same place at first drop. Hales might be good as an opener (shift Bell to four) with Balance at three.

England has very little chance of winning the World Cup next year with no quality all-rounder anywhere in the mix, so perhaps the long view needs to be taken with Joe Root instead of burning him out in an orgasm of short-termism. Keep him away from all limited overs cricket for a year or two while he works to cement a solid technique good enough for First Class and Test cricket, then once he's going well he could be allowed to play some ODIs where he'll score like Bell and Cook - hitting proper cricket shots well and building an innings.

 

[Cletus]

Stokes will probably be the all-rounder when he's fit.

 

[DownSouth]

Stokes will probably be the all-rounder when he's fit.

Bit early to be basing plans on him don't you think? It's probably a good idea to see how he goes in his second major run of international cricket (i.e. the first time where the opposition have had a chance to do proper homework on him) before awarding him a permanent place in the team and anointing him with the honour jinx of being labelled the next Botham/Flintoff/Collingwood.

Ravi Bopara is still a half-decent option for soaking up some of the middle overs of an ODI with the sort of dibbly-dobbly crap that would be good enough to lead the NZ attack. This area is definitely not the worst problem for England - the fact that their spin bowling stocks are even worse than South Africa should be very concerning.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Fifth ODI

England, from being 98-1 then 136-2 to give them an excellent start, collapse to 219 all out after 48.1 overs.

 

[Donny Dave]

Must be something in the pitch which didn't help the new ball, but when it gets a few overs on it, starts doing things....

Sri Lanka started well, reaching 55 before they lost their first wicket, but 2 more have fallen since, and they are now 62-3