Smendrick Feaselberg wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 2:18 am
Day 2 delayed by half an hour due to couple of positive Covid tests from non players in the England camp (including a WAG) and the need to get all the players tested.
Can see this game being curtailed by cases among the players next.
"Treated" myself to watching the morning session and even with a decent display listened to basically 2 hours of the commentators ripping Root's captaincy and tactical decisions (deservedly imo).
Englands best chance of a draw is sadly Covid.
I listened to the morning session today and the medium/quick bowlers bowled well but with not a lot of luck could easily have had them six or seven down at lunch. As I could'nt sleep I decided to listen to a bit of the afternoon session, unbelievable decision to bowl Leach straight after lunch needed to be two of Anderson/Wood/Robinson/Stokes who were still getting something out of the pitch and troubling the batsmen. I like Joe Root as an excellent batsman but his captaincy and team selection (along with Silverwood) is now beyond awful. I remember back in the 80's the boot was on the other foot and we had a spell of dominence, the teams as they are now were really on good terms all very pally, Allan Border was appointed Australian captain and stopped all the laughing and jokes overnight and told his players to treat England as the 'enemy' He brought in several players from Shield cricket and turned it around in two seasons.
Sadly we haven't really got an Allan Border, Joe's not a good captain and the only alternative worth his place in the team is Ben Stokes - We are in a complete mess and we need to find at least five players (Ben Foakes + 4 new Batters) a new Coach (hurts me to say that after the job Silverwood did at Essex) a harder more astute captain.
Australia are currently several classes above England. This series to date has been a hard watch/listen for all English cricket lovers.
Can't see a way out of this, unless Root and Stokes or someone can score centuries and skittle Australia out for less than 200. So having lost the Ashes I'm sure it will be time to see Laurence and other bench warmers be given a chance. England really do have problems in every department and, as each match and year go on the end of Broad and Anderson gets nearer. Hard to say that Crawley's or Burns' test careers are coming to an end - they've really begun.
Good news from Essex though. A great spate of re-contracting but, will there be any overseas signings?
cymruO wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 2:40 pm
Can't see a way out of this, unless Root and Stokes or someone can score centuries and skittle Australia out for less than 200. So having lost the Ashes I'm sure it will be time to see Laurence and other bench warmers be given a chance. England really do have problems in every department and, as each match and year go on the end of Broad and Anderson gets nearer. Hard to say that Crawley's or Burns' test careers are coming to an end - they've really begun.
Good news from Essex though. A great spate of re-contracting but, will there be any overseas signings?
As far as Essex are concerned, good seam bowling options, best off spinner in the world, suspect batting if we make an overseas signing and I’m not convinced this committee will, it has to be a top notch international batter.
cymruO wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 2:40 pm
Can't see a way out of this, unless Root and Stokes or someone can score centuries and skittle Australia out for less than 200. So having lost the Ashes I'm sure it will be time to see Laurence and other bench warmers be given a chance. England really do have problems in every department and, as each match and year go on the end of Broad and Anderson gets nearer. Hard to say that Crawley's or Burns' test careers are coming to an end - they've really begun.
Good news from Essex though. A great spate of re-contracting but, will there be any overseas signings?
As far as Essex are concerned, good seam bowling options, best off spinner in the world, suspect batting if we make an overseas signing and I’m not convinced this committee will, it has to be a top notch international batter.
Essex off-spinner Simon Harmer the ''best off spinner in the world'' ?
I would imagine that Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon would have something to say about that !
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Has to be pretty close. Shows how bad the English cricket has become. These players shouldn’t be anywhere selection. Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
cymruO wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 2:40 pm
Can't see a way out of this, unless Root and Stokes or someone can score centuries and skittle Australia out for less than 200. So having lost the Ashes I'm sure it will be time to see Laurence and other bench warmers be given a chance. England really do have problems in every department and, as each match and year go on the end of Broad and Anderson gets nearer. Hard to say that Crawley's or Burns' test careers are coming to an end - they've really begun.
Good news from Essex though. A great spate of re-contracting but, will there be any overseas signings?
As far as Essex are concerned, good seam bowling options, best off spinner in the world, suspect batting if we make an overseas signing and I’m not convinced this committee will, it has to be a top notch international batter.
Essex off-spinner Simon Harmer the ''best off spinner in the world'' ?
I would imagine that Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon would have something to say about that !
Harmer is better than both of them, If he were able to play International Cricket he would prove it. Ashwin only bowls well in India where ball spins from the off he can’t do it overseas. Lyon doesn’t win games for Australia his record is built on longevity because he’s the best they have.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Has to be pretty close. Shows how bad the English cricket has become. These players shouldn’t be anywhere selection. Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
I know. Its not only embarrassing but sickening too.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
Gotta say I fully agree, but I think there could be some trouble - leadership, morale, discipline - in the squad. Capitulations like we've seen shouldn't happen with today's modern cricketer. Get Eion Morgan in there as skipper, is what I say. He'd sort that out in a minute. And please fellow boarders, don't tell me he is not Test standard - he's one of - if not the - best skipper in International cricket, best top 10 fielders in the game; better with the bat than the current middle order - that'll do for me.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
Gotta say I fully agree, but I think there could be some trouble - leadership, morale, discipline - in the squad. Capitulations like we've seen shouldn't happen with today's modern cricketer. Get Eion Morgan in there as skipper, is what I say. He'd sort that out in a minute. And please fellow boarders, don't tell me he is not Test standard - he's one of - if not the - best skipper in International cricket, best top 10 fielders in the game; better with the bat than the current middle order - that'll do for me.
Get him in. He CANNOT be any worse than the amateurs who are currently embarassing the nation and making us feel sick.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
Gotta say I fully agree, but I think there could be some trouble - leadership, morale, discipline - in the squad. Capitulations like we've seen shouldn't happen with today's modern cricketer. Get Eion Morgan in there as skipper, is what I say. He'd sort that out in a minute. And please fellow boarders, don't tell me he is not Test standard - he's one of - if not the - best skipper in International cricket, best top 10 fielders in the game; better with the bat than the current middle order - that'll do for me.
Agreed, Root is a great cricketer and probably the only player we have at the moment that can bat. However his decisions have been questionable at best, I am not sure if the team have an issue with Root or with the coaching or even the selection board. Morgan is a great leader, good with the bat too.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
Gotta say I fully agree, but I think there could be some trouble - leadership, morale, discipline - in the squad. Capitulations like we've seen shouldn't happen with today's modern cricketer. Get Eion Morgan in there as skipper, is what I say. He'd sort that out in a minute. And please fellow boarders, don't tell me he is not Test standard - he's one of - if not the - best skipper in International cricket, best top 10 fielders in the game; better with the bat than the current middle order - that'll do for me.
Yeah, good call. I'd like to see Root gone as captain. Only thing with Morgan is age.
Frogger wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:23 am
Is this the worst ever England cricket team? Top order has to be the worst in living memory. What makes it even harder to swallow is they are paid and paid well to put that performance in.
Gotta say I fully agree, but I think there could be some trouble - leadership, morale, discipline - in the squad. Capitulations like we've seen shouldn't happen with today's modern cricketer. Get Eion Morgan in there as skipper, is what I say. He'd sort that out in a minute. And please fellow boarders, don't tell me he is not Test standard - he's one of - if not the - best skipper in International cricket, best top 10 fielders in the game; better with the bat than the current middle order - that'll do for me.
Yeah, good call. I'd like to see Root gone as captain. Only thing with Morgan is age.
It's not just Root who needs to go. It's a full clear out that is required from the stuffed suited old boys who are in charge right down to the guy who carries the cricket racquets and ball guards.
There’s some good batsmen and bowlers in that squad, we’ve seen them play well before. Motivation seems to be the issue here. This series they’ve looked hopelessly underprepared, most of them not having played red ball cricket since September. Too much emphasis by the ECB on nonsense like T20 and the 100 means Test cricket has been ignored, despite it being the most popular form of the game here. But the issues lie deeper than that. The county game is dying, with at least one county, Leicestershire, on the verge of administration and attendances barely into double figures most days. The whole game needs a massive overhaul, and the current members of the ECB need to be removed and replaced with people who have an idea.
