International cricket thread

Rashid Khan is great fun to watch when he gets going with the bat.

Cruel luck, a game of inches, no one states the obvious, pie chucker Jordan strikes again, every time I watch that man I wonder what does he do? A taxi driver who has no passengers is a driver, he’s a bowler who often goes for loads, hate to be paying his wages 0/58 today, and the commentator says the opposition has found a way to get over the line, 50 off his last 17 balls from Jordan was the way, last time I watched international cricket he was destroyed in a T20 series in the Caribbean, and the time before that he was bowling in South Africa, and the only bowler worse than him was also bowling for England, Tom Curran, how do they get selected?

Yeah I’m not slating the chap coz I dislike him, but I just think he’s a poor cricketer, him Tom Curran, and I never took to Jason Roy, ungainly slogger, I’d watch Kane Williamson all day, and my favourite England player is James Vince, but he’s frustrating sometimes

Roy , talent there, just too many times you see the guy and it’s technique, just a rank bad shot around the corner. He as often gets himself out as others get him out.

Vince, I think is just too far away from an international cricketer in 13 tests, 22 innings and averages 24.90 with the bat. Had his opportunity, not taken it. 3 50’s in 22 innings, guy is 31 .. test debut 6 years ago… hmmmm… spent the peak of his career underachieving, 22 innings and only an average the mid ‘20’s…. First class average is 39.31 which isn’t really all that… thing with Vince is in FC cricket when he goes big it’s usually BIG.. 240 his top score for Hampshire… but need to convert domestic form, consistency and ability into the international landscape… has his chances, didn’t do it…. Next

We interviewed twelve Ben Stokes,and in the end we decided Ben Stokes was the best of those we interviewed.

Thankless task at present and hopefully his mental health isn't adversely effected.

Relying on a near 36 and 40 year old to save things says it all. I'd have thought this was the best time to rebuild rather then act like your in a "win now" mode. This isn't a decision that Stokes should have been allowed make.

I agree with this, they are almost always coupled together as Broad and Anderson, but Jimmy Anderson is a class act, and Broad has looked like he’s filling in time, also for a man who once made 169 in a test against Pakistan, he’s turned into a complete rabbit, an odd 20 or 30 wouldn’t hurt.

No brainer to bring Jimmy and Broad back into consideration. The so called red ball reset was needed for the top seven and spinner. Seamers always tried hard often having to bowl twice in the same day. And having countless catches dropped.

On Fisher, thought he didn't look out of place in the game he played. Was accurate at decent pace. Similarly with Mahmood, he looked good in that West Indies series also and he too with a modest first class career so far.

Having the attributes needed for test level is more valued to selectors as stats can be skewed by the super bowler friendly conditions they tend to have at times.

Enjoy the IPL in the background, coverage isn't bad and most of the commentators are decent, Kevin Pietersen is terrible though. But all of them sound great (:pac:) when it's time for the Swiggy five or a nice chat about how lovely the Tata SUV thing looks.

Brendan McCullum apparently new England Test coach. Another media friendly appointment, quite like him as a player but not convinced he's a good choice.

Awful sad news Andrew Symonds has died in a car crash. Just 46 years old. He was only in the news the other day after Stokes beat his record for most sixes in a county innings. Clue as to what kind of ball striker he was. One of the all time great fielders. Really distinctive with the hair, the zinc and his imposing physique. That pitch invader that time picked the wrong shoulder to run into.

Often the best part of watching BBL games. The impression of Boycott he did was spot on. That's him and Warnie gone from that commentary box now.

ban cut as he claimed he took his old man’s heart meds accidentally…ICC believes him apparently…

on realising that I’d have called my GP and cricket South Africa, but he didn’t… I’d be struggling with his version of events to put it diplomatically….quite a limp wristed response by the ICC….

The ICC integrity unit with not much integrity.

Disappointing selection for me. I felt that because the English test side has been in such disarray that it was pretty much an open audition for anyone in the past month, so to see little change is poor from what was supposed to be a set of fresh eyes on the whole situation.

I didn't think much about Alex Lees in the Caribbean but in fairness he has begun the season well at Durham and will get another opportunity. I don't think Crawley is a test opener. He likes to play his strokes too much and has only 1 fifty from 8 knocks this season so far. We know that Rob Key used to always rave about him when on commentary, so it's no huge surprise that he has been selected. A good few of the old guard in Robson, Jennings and Sibley have shown good form to push for selection in the future and even Ben Compton out of Kent has vastly outperformed Crawley.

Big surprise to have Ollie Pope at 3. He has struggled in test cricket but his volume of runs and continued consistency means he just can't be ignored. I'm not sure about him at 3 though or what they have seen to justify that. All too often he has looked like a rabbit in the headlights at test level. He has a good bit of experience gained now and really should be kicking on.

With Root at 4 and Stokes at 6, England are still opting for Bairstow at 5 it seems but it's nice to see Harry Brook get noticed for his incredible form. Malan has had a good start to the season and could have been picked for the number 3 spot, but it looks like his test career could now well be over. Foakes had a poor series in the West Indies but deserves a long run in the side at 7.

With the amount of injuries amongst their bowlers, England were always likely to bring back Broad and Anderson. Ollie Robinson should be their frontline bowler this summer but it has been a disaster for him since the turn of the year.

Matthew Potts has come from nowhere to earn his selection and should start ahead of Craig Overton, who despite his good form just isn't a Test match bowler in my opinion. Not a huge lot of depth in English bowling now. The various ones that were tipped as outsiders for the test squad such as Hannon-Dalby are just your average county bowler.

Surprised as well that Parkinson didn't get the nod. Jack Leach bowled well at the weekend to show that he still has it, but Parkinson deserves his go as we have seen what Leach is at test cricket and Parkinson should have got a chance for an extended run in the side. He is the top wicket taker in the country, so what more do they want him to do?

All in all, a poor selection when you consider that batting has been England's biggest problem over the past year and they pretty much picked the same players again. Bairstow and Crawley are an issue for them in that in 1 in 6 innings or so, they may score a hundred and that seems to secure their place for the next while whilst ignoring the other 5 innings of low scores.

Archer out for the entire summer now, he has to be a bit of a worry for them at this stage.