Cricket Thread

[Bean]

Well... ****. Looks like we found the sport England can play.



NZ v England final here we come.

 

[ncurd]

WOOOOoOOOoOoOoOO!!!!??

 

[Rich Taff]

WOOOOoOOOoOoOoOO!!!!??

The lion sleeps tonight?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Very impressive. If we win Roy must surely be player of the tournament. Bereft without him, world beaters with him.

 

[Rich Taff]

Fantastic performance, Aussies didn't know what hit them (quite literally in the one guy's case, though he did well to catch his helmet).

NZ in the final with Ferguson playing are a different animal to the one that played in the group stages. Could be a great game.

Very impressive. If we win Roy must surely be player of the tournament. Bereft without him, world beaters with him.

This England team is like a machine, it just doesn't function without all the pieces.

I Think there's going to be a big hunt on for another opener when this world cup is over.

I think it was Shane Warne who said he'd actually play Buttler as an opener, for the fear factor.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think it was Shane Warne who said he'd actually play Buttler as an opener, for the fear factor.

Wasn't that tried a few years ago, and didn't it fail miserably?

 

[ncurd]

Wasn't that tried a few years ago, and didn't it fail miserably?

Not in an ODI, they tried it in a test once

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions.asp?PlayerID=3888

But that was madness a test opener is a complete different skillset I do think he capable of batting 4 but I'm not surprised 5 is his best position.

T20 he does open and its by far his best position
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions_T20.asp?PlayerID=3888
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/IPL/PlayerPositions.asp?PlayerID=3888

So for ODI again he does better up the order why he ever comes in at 6 is madness
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions_ODI.asp?PlayerID=3888

So yeah its an experiment I'd try in ODI's which is what Warne was on about.



As to Tests Buttler's main issue is not skill he had oddles of it is how quickly in his career he was tagged as a white ball specialist. Hell I still think despite all his T20 heroics one day cricket is his best format where he can have a over or two to get his eye in. Like a lot of IPL players he doesn't get enough red ball cricket and as such that aspect of his game is lagging massively behind. At Somerset he was dveloping nicely but then his international career took over and he went to Lancashire to help push that along. He'll get better at tests but I don't think he'll ever open because he doesn't play in the county championships.

So with Vince a no and Roy very likely to open you need to be looking at the CC for players....problem is its been a bowlers game all summer and no opener is screaming to get picked. So we are boned.

 

[Reiser99]

I think if both teams play well then England will win. They are the more complete side. However, NZ are more than capable of winning so there can be no room at all for complacency.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Not in an ODI, they tried it in a test once

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions.asp?PlayerID=3888

But that was madness a test opener is a complete different skillset I do think he capable of batting 4 but I'm not surprised 5 is his best position.

T20 he does open and its by far his best position
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions_T20.asp?PlayerID=3888
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/IPL/PlayerPositions.asp?PlayerID=3888

So for ODI again he does better up the order why he ever comes in at 6 is madness
http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerPositions_ODI.asp?PlayerID=3888

So yeah its an experiment I'd try in ODI's which is what Warne was on about.



As to Tests Buttler's main issue is not skill he had oddles of it is how quickly in his career he was tagged as a white ball specialist. Hell I still think despite all his T20 heroics one day cricket is his best format where he can have a over or two to get his eye in. Like a lot of IPL players he doesn't get enough red ball cricket and as such that aspect of his game is lagging massively behind. At Somerset he was dveloping nicely but then his international career took over and he went to Lancashire to help push that along. He'll get better at tests but I don't think he'll ever open because he doesn't play in the county championships.

So with Vince a no and Roy very likely to open you need to be looking at the CC for players....problem is its been a bowlers game all summer and no opener is screaming to get picked. So we are boned.

Thanks for the detailed answer.

I am so out of touch with cricket nowadays I'm slightly ashamed

 

[Zapphod]

I think if both teams play well then England will win. They are the more complete side. However, NZ are more than capable of winning so there can be no room at all for complacency.

Haha I suspect even the most ardent NZ supporters deep down know we aren't going to win this short of an English bus crash on the way to the match.

NZ cricket is like being a NZ rugby league supporter, the season always starts well until the media start hyping them as world beaters then it starts to go down hill until it becomes a "mathematical chance" of making the finals and then they collapse in a screaming heap.

If by some miracle our batting doesn't collapse our bowlers will, I don't expect this game to even be close.

 

[Reiser99]

Haha I suspect even the most ardent NZ supporters deep down know we aren't going to win this short of an English bus crash on the way to the match.

NZ cricket is like being a NZ rugby league supporter, the season always starts well until the media start hyping them as world beaters then it starts to go down hill until it becomes a "mathematical chance" of making the finals and then they collapse in a screaming heap.

If by some miracle our batting doesn't collapse our bowlers will, I don't expect this game to even be close.

I get what your saying but even before the match before India everyone had written NZ off and then nobody gave them a hope in hell after their first innings. As an England fan I won't relax until after the game because England are just as capable of a collapse as NZ.

 

[Zapphod]

I get what your saying but even before the match before India everyone had written NZ off and then nobody gave them a hope in hell after their first innings. As an England fan I won't relax until after the game because England are just as capable of a collapse as NZ.

In part you are correct we are capable of beating any team including England but this is the game that matters so we won't, I wouldn't call them chokers because I just don't think they have the skill or consistency to win.

The match against India was an anomaly as it was broken up and disjointed but we batted badly, bowled "ok-ish", fielded brilliantly and India fell over, but we only do that once every ten or so games we are done, that was our final.

My personal opinion is that neither team really should be there I rate England about third behind both India, Australia but on current form ahead of South Africa and New Zealand is at the top of second string nation's (nation's that can beat anyone but don't usually) and on a par with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Basically I see this as third vs sixth in the world or if you prefer bottom of division one vs top of division two.

 

[Reiser99]

In part you are correct we are capable of beating any team including England but this is the game that matters so we won't, I wouldn't call them chokers because I just don't think they have the skill or consistency to win.

The match against India was an anomaly as it was broken up and disjointed but we batted badly, bowled "ok-ish" and fielded brilliantly and India fell over, but we only do that once every ten or so games we are done, that was our final.

My personal opinion is that neither team really should be there I rate England about third behind both India, Australia but on current form ahead of South Africa and New Zealand is at the top of second string nation's (nation's that can beat anyone but don't usually) and on a par with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Basically I see this as third vs sixth in the world or if you prefer bottom of division one vs top of division two.

That's fair enough, though personally I think England are above Australia with the group game as the anomaly, especially as we missed Roy massively. India and England for me are the top two and while I think India are probably a slightly stronger side overall, England have been more consistent over the last 4 years since the previous world cup.

 

[Zapphod]

That's fair enough, though personally I think England are above Australia with the group game as the anomaly, especially as we missed Roy massively. India and England for me are the top two and while I think India are probably a slightly stronger side overall, England have been more consistent over the last 4 years since the previous world cup.

I probably wouldn't disagree with that.
Australia are certainly a shadow of their former self and I have no idea what has happened to South Africa but they can't seem to buy a win these days.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I probably wouldn't disagree with that.
Australia are certainly a shadow of their former self and I have no idea what has happened to South Africa but they can't seem to buy a win these days.

Unlike the Hansie Cronje era?

 

[Reiser99]

I probably wouldn't disagree with that.
Australia are certainly a shadow of their former self and I have no idea what has happened to South Africa but they can't seem to buy a win these days.

South Africa seem to be lost without Steyn. I know he's a fantastic player, but they were abysmal this year. Be interesting to see how they react, both as a team and a nation in the wider sense. The government unfortunately has a history of involving itself in sport.

 

[Zapphod]

Unlike the Hansie Cronje era?

Haha well played.

South Africa seem to be lost without Steyn. I know he's a fantastic player, but they were abysmal this year. Be interesting to see how they react, both as a team and a nation in the wider sense. The government unfortunately has a history of involving itself in sport.

Very true, maybe they will rebuild sensibly after this but as I am not convinced their rugby has recovered from the mess of the last world cup I really don't know.

 

[Zapphod]

Unlike the Hansie Cronje era?

Haha well played.

South Africa seem to be lost without Steyn. I know he's a fantastic player, but they were abysmal this year. Be interesting to see how they react, both as a team and a nation in the wider sense. The government unfortunately has a history of involving itself in sport.

Very true, maybe they will rebuild sensibly after this but as I am not convinced their rugby has recovered from the mess of the last world cup I really don't know.

 

[Zapphod]

Unlike the Hansie Cronje era?

Haha well played.

South Africa seem to be lost without Steyn. I know he's a fantastic player, but they were abysmal this year. Be interesting to see how they react, both as a team and a nation in the wider sense. The government unfortunately has a history of involving itself in sport.

Very true, maybe they will rebuild sensibly after this but as I am not convinced their rugby has recovered from the mess of the last world cup I really don't know.

 

[Zapphod]

Unlike the Hansie Cronje era?

Haha well played.

South Africa seem to be lost without Steyn. I know he's a fantastic player, but they were abysmal this year. Be interesting to see how they react, both as a team and a nation in the wider sense. The government unfortunately has a history of involving itself in sport.

Very true, maybe they will rebuild sensibly after this but as I am not convinced their rugby has recovered from the mess of the last world cup I really don't know.