England Cricket chat

[nellberg]

meanwhile, you have to chuckle (while we can)

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Click to see full-size image.

Haha, saffers stuck them in and all. And Pup wonders why he has a bad rep in Australia. Thinking about getting his book, plenty of controversy in it.

[horseplayer]

Selfless stuff from cook

Very sensible declaration

[horseplayer]

Ball turned and bounced a lot more today

Very unlikely of course but could at least get interesting

[TightEnd]

after the good performance in Rajkot today has been much more like what was feared pre-series

Apart from Cook we've seen a run out, a slog, a dance down the pitch etc. 4 of the 5 batsmen got themselves out. not much patience shown, on a pitch doing a bit more than the first test

[vegaslover]

Our bowling yesterday didn't help either, make it look a lot easier batting than it should have done. Time to rest Ansari, looks average County standard to me

[muckthenuts]

I don't even know how Ansari got picked in the first place. What was someone as average as him expected to do at test level? A specialist batsmen in his place seems like a no brainer, which means it's going to take the selectors forever to figure it out.

[vegaslover]

I don't even know how Ansari got picked in the first place. What was someone as average as him expected to do at test level? A specialist batsmen in his place seems like a no brainer, which means it's going to take the selectors forever to figure it out.

England selectors are poor and have been for as long as I can remember. As strange as picking Batty for the tour was, why drop him when he was probs the best bowler in Bang?

[TightEnd]

think thats a bit harsh. selectors hit with Hameed, picked Duckett and a decade a go these guys wouldn't be anywhere near the team at their ages. that said, Duckett's defence needs to improve but he'll get a run to show he can do that

they don't have much spin to choose from, the domestic game doesn't suit spinners

Leach looks talented but even his coach says he's not ready. Rayner maybe but they weren't awash with options ahead of Batty and Ansari.

Ansari has a great temperament, bats well and has potential (would like to see him rip it more rather than just twirl it). Need to give him a run and then judge.

after all Rashid is seven years older and only just now showing signs of being a test spinner

[rinswun]

Ansari was thinking of retiring from professional cricket as recently as August. Had lucrative job offers in the City and still considering.

[TightEnd]

Ansari was thinking of retiring from professional cricket as recently as August. Had lucrative job offers in the City and still considering.

double first and a masters at cambridge, concert pianist.

dressing room nickname "prime minister"!

[nellberg]

The classic question with ansari is who do you pick instead? No other spinner good enough.  Another batsman would be ballance (not good enough) or buttler (no red ball cricket in a year) I think ansari has done the holding role passably So far.  The days where rashid goes round the park he'll be important.

Duckett will be fine,  he's learning on the job but hopefully Thorpe will be a good help for him.  Hope he doesn't just plonk his front foot on off stump as an over reaction,  as he'll. Then be lbw fodder for the one that goes straight on.

[rinswun]

Ansari was thinking of retiring from professional cricket as recently as August. Had lucrative job offers in the City and still considering.

double first and a masters at cambridge, concert pianist.

dressing room nickname "prime minister"!

Good rugby player too. Played fly half for a very decent school first XV for 3 years.

[vegaslover]

The classic question with ansari is who do you pick instead? No other spinner good enough.  Another batsman would be ballance (not good enough) or buttler (no red ball cricket in a year) I think ansari has done the holding role passably So far.  The days where rashid goes round the park he'll be important.

Duckett will be fine,  he's learning on the job but hopefully Thorpe will be a good help for him.  Hope he doesn't just plonk his front foot on off stump as an over reaction,  as he'll. Then be lbw fodder for the one that goes straight on.

Out of the lot have to go with Batty, though can't just pick 3 spinners if all are poor just because it's India. Wouldn't go near Ballance and he should never have been picked. Buttler should be in team, plays IPL and knows conditions.

[TightEnd]

Bairstow is batting too low at 7.

too good to be batting 7

[vegaslover]

Bairstow is batting too low at 7.

too good to be batting 7

Agree, so often he has to give up his wicket chasing quick runs before the tail runs out