General cricket thread

[London424]

Funny Oz story in this tweet

https://twitter.com/achtungjono/status/66519267137...

[Amirhussain]

Double century for Ross Taylor, great reply by New Zealand.

Saffers struggling against spin again.

[johnfm]

Class knock from Taylor.

VERY quick spell by Starc. 160.4 km/hr ( 99.75 mph).

No wonder they couldn't hold the catches!

[Gargamel]

MJ to retire - has 313 test wickets

That is a pretty respectable tally.

[johnfm]

Gargamel said:

MJ to retire - has 313 test wickets

That is a pretty respectable tally.

Always think its odd when guys retire when they can still bowl 90+. You're a LONG time retired..shame, never quite fulfilled his potential.

[SydneyBridge]

Gargamel said:

MJ to retire - has 313 test wickets

That is a pretty respectable tally.

He is going to be missed - a formidable opponent

[hornetrider]

Happy for England not to be facing him first up at the Gabba next time round.

Will miss Mitch's song too. Maybe they'll sing it anyway

[anonymous-user]

SydneyBridge said:

Gargamel said:

MJ to retire - has 313 test wickets

That is a pretty respectable tally.

He is going to be missed - a formidable opponent

Yup, What a legend, especially after the 2010 ashes. I thought he was done for, I laughed when he was reselected. But he came back to decimate England again and again.

I doubt many England batsmen will miss him.

[Amirhussain]

johnfm said:

Gargamel said:

MJ to retire - has 313 test wickets

That is a pretty respectable tally.

Always think its odd when guys retire when they can still bowl 90+. You're a LONG time retired..shame, never quite fulfilled his potential.

All credit to him though, after all the abuse and comments he had to put up with. My favourite Mitchell Johnson moment has to be the century against the Saffers

Why retire now? Would have liked to see him play the third and final test of the series.

[London424]

A good read I thought

KP on Warne

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/nov/18/...

[hornetrider]

Amirhussain said:

Why retire now? Would have liked to see him play the third and final test of the series.

I hadn't realised he was retiring mid-series. That is an odd one - has he picked up an injury? Is he getting spanked around?

[spikeyhead]

For whom the Bell tolls?

he's not touring SA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/34866711

and Compton returns, which is generally a good move, but bringing someone back for a SA tour is a hard place to start.

[AW111]

London424 said:

A good read I thought

KP on Warne

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/nov/18/...

Seems pretty typical KP to me : "I could always pick his bowling" "He wouldn't have got as many wickets with DRS" : FIGJAM.

[hornetrider]

spikeyhead said:

For whom the Bell tolls?

he's not touring SA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/34866711

and Compton returns, which is generally a good move, but bringing someone back for a SA tour is a hard place to start.

I'm pleased to see the return of Compton, glad to see his bridges haven't been burned as I think he was treated pretty shoddily first time round.

[Challo]

Odd why they have left Rashid out of the squad and taken Patel who at 30 is not really one for the future?

[ralphrj]

Challo said:

Odd why they have left Rashid out of the squad and taken Patel who at 30 is not really one for the future?

Reading the comments from the selectors, they feel that the pitches in South Africa aren't going to require 2 spinners so Rashid would probably spend all tour as 12th man. By not taking him on tour he is free to go to Australia to play in the Big Bash which would give him useful white ball experience ahead of the World T20 next year.

[ManFromDelmonte]

Challo said:

Odd why they have left Rashid out of the squad and taken Patel who at 30 is not really one for the future?

Rashid is a long way away from being a test bowler. He needs to work hard at his game to even get in the right ballpark. Going to Australia this winter will be far more beneficial for him than seeing his half trackers and full tosses being hit over Table Mountain. He's also almost 28 so not that different from Patel.

I'm surprised Ansari didn't get the call up, he seems our best shout for the future but again probably needs a bit more time to develop.


Dropping Bell is a big call but I'm pleased for Ballance and Compo. I hope Footitt gets a game too, it's about time we had a left-arm option.

[Challo]

I suppose your right on Rashid, I didn't realise that he was going to the big bash in Oz so I agree that he will get better experience than carry the water.

Will be interesting how they jig the batting order with Bell gone??

1.Cook
2.Hales/Compton
3.Ballance/Taylor
4.Root
5.Ballance
6.Stokes
7.Buttler
8.Ali
9.Broad
10.Jordan/Woakes
11.Anderson

[ManFromDelmonte]

I like that side but I would probably go:

1.Cook
2.Compton
3.Ballance
4.Root
5.Taylor
6.Stokes
7.Ali
8.Buttler
9.Broad
10.Jordan/Woakes/Footitt
11.Anderson

I haven't seen much of Footitt but he could really offer something different if he can at least hold up his end and bowl a solid 15 overs a day.

[Gargamel]

I guess we will have to wait and see but unless Ballance has corrected his technique, then he is going to have another tough tour.

Good player, and made an excellent start, but couldn't adapt once bowlers found him out. I wonder if he has made use of the time out of the team.

Compton I think is a good player and will do well.