England cricket team

[Skippy]

Does Tighty have a job writing for cricinfo? The guy doing ball by ball for them on this Surrey vs Notts semi seems familiar.

[TightEnd]

Does Tighty have a job writing for cricinfo? The guy doing ball by ball for them on this Surrey vs Notts semi seems familiar.

not me

Mr Muthu is sitting watching a TV in India and transcribing a ball by ball

[Skippy]

He's good so it seems like you :-)

My first trip to the oval. Opinion of MAR Galadari?

[TightEnd]

He's good so it seems like you :-)

My first trip to the oval. Opinion of MAR Galadari?

he's the wealthy indian chap who is helping to finance the ground redevelopment

[buzzharvey22]

Disappointing end to a very exciting summer.

We're in a better place than we were 6 months ago, in all forms of cricket. But still a long way to go.

And who the hell opens the batting in the UAE?

[Tal]

Completely disagree. It is a fitting end to a terrible summer's cricket. All but the fourth ODI and the T20 at the start were one sided affairs. As entertaining as watching Ivanisevic v Kraijcek in the 90s at wimbledon. It will be forgotten about shortly and the saddest part is we didn't get more England v New Zealand.

[TightEnd]

its been the worst standard of batting for many a summer, and has really spoilt the games and made far too many one-sided

honourable exceptions to root in the tests, morgan in the odis and rogers/smith on the flatter test pitches



as for the UAE, they won't promote Ali, can't pick Hales...maybe under Bayliss Compton gets the recall?

[HutchGF]

its been the worst standard of batting for many a summer, and has really spoilt the games and made far too many one-sided

honourable exceptions to root in the tests, morgan in the odis and rogers/smith on the flatter test pitches



as for the UAE, they won't promote Ali, can't pick Hales...maybe under Bayliss Compton gets the recall?

Hales has been a real disappointment in this series and I fear he has blown his chances at opening in the UAE. Surely they can't go back to Compton/Lyth/Robson......can they?

Not really sure whom to suggest instead. Would like to see James Taylor in the touring party although clearly he's not an opener.

[buzzharvey22]

I wouldn't mind seeing Ian Bell pushed up to opener for an interim period. I think everybody knows he is just about on his last chance. Why not move him to opener for a year. If it goes well, great, if it doesn't at least it gives time for possibly one of the others to find some form, or somebody to come through the county ranks. Whoever comes in to open now just knows their on a hiding to nothing.

[nellberg]

its been the worst standard of batting for many a summer, and has really spoilt the games and made far too many one-sided

honourable exceptions to root in the tests, morgan in the odis and rogers/smith on the flatter test pitches



as for the UAE, they won't promote Ali, can't pick Hales...maybe under Bayliss Compton gets the recall?

Hales has been a real disappointment in this series and I fear he has blown his chances at opening in the UAE. Surely they can't go back to Compton/Lyth/Robson......can they?

Not really sure whom to suggest instead. Would like to see James Taylor in the touring party although clearly he's not an opener.

We seem to be reluctant to recall guys, but I don't see the problem with it. They must have been good enough to be selected to begin with, struggled and hopefully went away and worked out their issues and can come back stronger. For the South Africa tour I'd be happy enough with Compton for some stability. Lyth will need to go back to Yorkshire and churn out the runs again, but shouldn't be permanently on the scrapheap. Robson was raved about 18-24 months ago, the Aussies were desperate to get him to replace Rogers when he retired, so he must have something about him, just needs to tighten up outside off stump, so a similar issue to Lyth.

For the U.A.E Ali is probably the best option. We're going to want to play 2 or 3 spinners, so that is one way of getting another spinner in. The Pakistani quicks will bowl a few overs up front then come back when it's reversing, so typical opening batsman qualities aren't as necessary as in other conditions. Could easily be spin in from both ends after the first hour of play. It's not ideal, but realistically I can't think of a better option.

I like Taylor, heir apparent to Bell when he retires in the next year or so. As for general batting this summer, the lack of application in general is worrying. There is no period of consolidating, no re-building after a wicket, no playing yourself in, it's just counter-attacking and when they get out "that's the way I play" excuses come out and they get exonerated under the "positive cricket" ideology. Took the Aussies till the 5th test to shelf the ego and show some graft.

[vegaslover]

its been the worst standard of batting for many a summer, and has really spoilt the games and made far too many one-sided

honourable exceptions to root in the tests, morgan in the odis and rogers/smith on the flatter test pitches



as for the UAE, they won't promote Ali, can't pick Hales...maybe under Bayliss Compton gets the recall?

Hales has been a real disappointment in this series and I fear he has blown his chances at opening in the UAE. Surely they can't go back to Compton/Lyth/Robson......can they?

Not really sure whom to suggest instead. Would like to see James Taylor in the touring party although clearly he's not an opener.

We seem to be reluctant to recall guys, but I don't see the problem with it. They must have been good enough to be selected to begin with, struggled and hopefully went away and worked out their issues and can come back stronger. For the South Africa tour I'd be happy enough with Compton for some stability. Lyth will need to go back to Yorkshire and churn out the runs again, but shouldn't be permanently on the scrapheap. Robson was raved about 18-24 months ago, the Aussies were desperate to get him to replace Rogers when he retired, so he must have something about him, just needs to tighten up outside off stump, so a similar issue to Lyth.

For the U.A.E Ali is probably the best option. We're going to want to play 2 or 3 spinners, so that is one way of getting another spinner in. The Pakistani quicks will bowl a few overs up front then come back when it's reversing, so typical opening batsman qualities aren't as necessary as in other conditions. Could easily be spin in from both ends after the first hour of play. It's not ideal, but realistically I can't think of a better option.

I like Taylor, heir apparent to Bell when he retires in the next year or so. As for general batting this summer, the lack of application in general is worrying. There is no period of consolidating, no re-building after a wicket, no playing yourself in, it's just counter-attacking and when they get out "that's the way I play" excuses come out and they get exonerated under the "positive cricket" ideology. Took the Aussies till the 5th test to shelf the ego and show some graft.

Agree with the recalling bit, something England should do more of imo. It is such a big gap between County and Test standard, not everyone can come in and be a success straight away. Some need to go away and work on their game to suit Test cricket. Bell and Collingwood both had phases where they got dropped and went back to Country cricket to work on their game.

[buzzharvey22]

Stephen Finn was recalled (not the first time) and took 8for in his first test back. Looks a different bowler now, long may it continue.

[stato_1]

I have a feeling they'll stick with Lyth, don't even really know who I want them to pick to be fair

[booder]

R.I.P Brian Close.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/34244820

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Close

[TightEnd]

a proper hard man. recalled at 40 to face holding and roberts in 76.

his knees only buckled once