General cricket thread

[Amirhussain]

Good news, Carberry cancer treatment seems to be going well

http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12150/107238...

[BlackLabel]

Over in South Africa they are playing Sri Lanka in an odi.

cricinfo said:

Asela and Dickwella now left with the salvage job. Asela is greeted by two slips. A swarm of bees now invade the Wanderers. Morris drops down for cover. Mid-on and mid-off go down. Everyone down. Midwicket - is it Andile? - stands upright and does not budge

cricinfo said:

The bees at are it again. The players and the umpires go down, again. They lie on their tummies. Bizarre break in play because of bees (yes you read that right)

cricinfo said:

4.10pm What's happening at the Wanderers? A professional beekeeper has now arrived with a container filled with honey.

3.55pm The SA players are back in the park. Moments later, they head back again. Seems like the bees are still at it. "Play has been suspended until the bees move away" is the message on the big screen. This is un-bee-lievable. Please go the to the Wanderers if you know a way to drive bees away.

Dice: "OHH wow !!! Should have called winnie the pooh bear !! he has heaps of honey !!"

3.30pm Yikes, the bees are back, again. Bees stop play at the Wanderers. De Kock swatting them away with his right glove. The two umpires converge somehow, and they take drinks. Looks like the bees have found a new home in De Kock's helmet.

salehin kibria: "poor Qdk. he doesnt know that swatting bees only attracts them more"

Wanderers' head groundsman comes out with a stick in hand. Will he swat them away? Won't he? Nope, he pulls out.

Scenes at the Wanderers. Morris brings out a fire extinguisher. One of the groundstaff uses it to spray the bees away, and the crowd cheers him on. He seems to have successfully scared the bees off the field (or not), he has his hands aloft, and then takes a high-five from Morris. We will bee back in a bit.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-sri-lanka-2016-17/engine/match/936163.html

[anonymous-user]

Chef resigns as skipper.

Is Root really ready to be Test captain? Im not convinced.

[FiF]

djstevec said:

Chef resigns as skipper.

Is Root really ready to be Test captain? Im not convinced.

No he isn't imo.

[Vocal Minority]

I think if he still has the chef in the squad he'll be ok.

So long as he is ready and prepared to ask advice when needed, and Cook doesn't proffer it unrequested and undermine him (which to be honest he seems too nice and polite to do)

[Leithen]

I'm glad that Cook has stood down. He's had a great innings with remarkable success. I suspect he's still got more than a few runs left in him too.

I'd be happy with Root as Captain - On the proviso that they stick with him through hell and high water. He's got the smarts and could conceivably have tenure for a long time. I also don't see who else would work.

[Gargamel]

Disappointing that this is a shortlist of one.

Cook has been a decent chap, but far too conservative for my taste, numbers guy with a limited "feel" for the game.

[Challo]

Root is the only option for Skipper. Glad Cook has finally stepped down, as I think these summer tests might have been a step to far. Hopefully he can continue with his batting and score plenty more runs.

I dont mind Root to be honest, maybe a little early but with Cook in the squad he will help him through and give him guidance.

[anonymous-user]

Challo said:

Root is the only option for Skipper. Glad Cook has finally stepped down, as I think these summer tests might have been a step to far. Hopefully he can continue with his batting and score plenty more runs.

I dont mind Root to be honest, maybe a little early but with Cook in the squad he will help him through and give him guidance.

I would have preferred Chef to skipper the South Africa series, with ECB and Root knowing he would step down afterwards, then Root in charge from the (hopefully) easier Windies series to find his feet before the Ashes in Aus.

[ChasW]

Gargamel said:

Disappointing that this is a shortlist of one.

Cook has been a decent chap, but far too conservative for my taste, numbers guy with a limited "feel" for the game.

Agree about Cook. Whilst I would always pick him, IMO he was never captaincy material. Not enough guile and, sadly, sounded like a footballer when interviewed. I found it quite painful to listen to at times. Swann would have been a better choice for the early period with Broad taking over. I think it will go to Root now. He has cricketing brain from all accounts.

[zygalski]

Challo said:

Root is the only option for Skipper. Glad Cook has finally stepped down, as I think these summer tests might have been a step to far. Hopefully he can continue with his batting and score plenty more runs.

I dont mind Root to be honest, maybe a little early but with Cook in the squad he will help him through and give him guidance.

Thing is, if not Root then who else?

[Cheib]

ChasW said:

Gargamel said:

Disappointing that this is a shortlist of one.

Cook has been a decent chap, but far too conservative for my taste, numbers guy with a limited "feel" for the game.

Agree about Cook. Whilst I would always pick him, IMO he was never captaincy material. Not enough guile and, sadly, sounded like a footballer when interviewed. I found it quite painful to listen to at times. Swann would have been a better choice for the early period with Broad taking over. I think it will go to Root now. He has cricketing brain from all accounts.

Easy to say in hindisght but who else was there apart from Cook when he got the job ? He was the only realistic choice. Given what had gone before there was also a need for a "safe pair of hands" This was the squad which England took to India under Cook in his first series as full time Captain.


Alastair Cook (c)
Stuart Broad (vc)
James Anderson
Jonny Bairstow (wk)
Ian Bell
Tim Bresnan
Nick Compton
Steven Finn
Graham Onions
Stuart Meaker
Eoin Morgan
Monty Panesar
Samit Patel
Kevin Pietersen
Matt Prior (wk)
Joe Root
Graeme Swann
James Tredwell
Jonathan Trott

I like most people am not a huge fan of Cook's captaincy style but when he got the job he was on a short list of one. There wasn't anyone else.

[Gargamel]

Mohit Ahlawat... Writes history.

[Amirhussain]

zygalski said:

Challo said:

Root is the only option for Skipper. Glad Cook has finally stepped down, as I think these summer tests might have been a step to far. Hopefully he can continue with his batting and score plenty more runs.

I dont mind Root to be honest, maybe a little early but with Cook in the squad he will help him through and give him guidance.

Thing is, if not Root then who else?

Stokes and Broad have met with Strauss in regards to the captaincy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38929267

[Amirhussain]

Gargamel said:

Mohit Ahlawat... Writes history.

But Kohli's recent history making is more relevant. First batsman to register double centuries in four successive series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38928365

[Black can man]

I really don't want Joe Root to become the new England captain.


He's the future of English test match cricket, just let the lad play his game.

[spikeyhead]

Black can man said:

I really don't want Joe Root to become the new England captain.


He's the future of English test match cricket, just let the lad play his game.

He'll either be brilliant or ste, but very unlikely to be mediocre. There's only one way to find out. Having said that, I'd not be surprised if Strauss opted for the more experienced, but likely duller Broad.

[SydneyBridge]

We tend to make our best player the captain, but I don't think that is necessarily the best option

[Hammer67]

The Captain needs to be either a top 4 batsman and/or the keeper.

Bowlers and allrounders rarely work, they tend to either over or under bowl themselves and are unlikely to field at 1st/2nd slip where you are best placed to judge what is happening.

I can't believe Strauss is seriously considering Broad or Stokes for the job, he probably just wanted to get their take on things.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Bairstow as a possibility. Seems that Root is shoed in.

[Amirhussain]

So Root the new test captain it is.