Is it the same reason as English football?
I agree with the return of Joe Root as captain (in the absence of J. M. Brearley!). Relieved it’s not gone to Harry Brook who seems to be T20/Bazball all the way as stated earlier in the thread.
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I assume it is humour on first reading?
It’s their response to “clickgate” and yes I read it as humour.
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Even Larry has passed comment today.
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“Jos Buttler became the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 cricket as Manchester Super Giants beat Welsh Fire by nine wickets in The Hundred.” BBC.
Someone can’t count? Just being pedantic.
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Even one of the Sky commentators observed that many people recognise T20 as a format indicator, and it was odd to corrupt this. From what I’ve seen so far, the women’s competition is largely a benefit series for the Aussies and, I hate to say this, but the standard overall has been pretty poor – and, it seems, so have their crowds. For the men, it seems to have descended in to a competition where pace-on is not the way to go, especially if you pitch it half way down, as seems to be the modern way.
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Well well. I thought Pope had used up all his prayers.
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Interesting. Lots of talking points. Squad is for the first 2 matches; Headingley and Lord’s.
For me the headline is Bethel out for the series due to injury and Jordan Cox to bat at 3. He has been selected several times before and then broken a finger or similar so I am pleased he gets another chance. He seems to be ahead of Rew now after the Oval vs NZ when he seemed far more comfortable than Rew in their (admittedly brief) respective innings. Seems odd to have Pope recalled if he doesn’t play. Just cover for the top 5?
Lawrence is in good form, and will bat 6 apparently. Poor guy was asked to open before when he is clearly not an opener. Do they expect him to bowl? Rehan Ahmed seems to have been discarded again and doesn’t seem to be room for Bashir in an 11 without a test class all rounder in the squad (country?). I thought they might recall Overton in Stokes’ position. Not that he convinces me as a Test player really, but that might leave space for a spin option.
Carse back now he is fit, and a recall for Sam Cook who deserves another chance if they get a nice ‘typical English’ pitch at Headingley for instance. Toss up with Robinson for the fast/medium seamer maybe.
So probably Gay, Duckett, Cox, Root, Brook, Lawrence, Smith, Archer, Atkinson, Robinson or Cook, Tongue. Carse to rotate with one or other pace bowler as needed ?
I am going to D1 at Headingley and D4 Edgbaston. Fingers crossed the summer continues.
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There is a renewed, and effective, trend of keepers standing up to the mediums and medium/quicks. Pakistan will be doing it, I read.
At some point soon England may have to pick a proper keeper, but we will see.
Pleased to see that Cox will play.
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I suppose Smith is, in theory, a ‘proper keeper’. Carey and Blundell have recently shown up his limitations fairly sharply. Cox will deputise in this squad I assume. I don’t know who might be an alternative first choice from the county game. Too many batsmen-who-can-keep-a-bit for my liking, but that is the way of things as we have discussed plenty of times before.
Bruce
And there’s the rub IMHO, especially when the gloves nowadays, especially the webbings, appear huge when compared to gloves of yesteryear (even with a raw steak for additional padding!). I wonder how much ‘feel’ there is in these gloves, as they seem akin to baseball mittens to my eyes.
The best gloves look exactly like the cheapest but use much more supple leather and that makes a huge difference. Short gloves seem to be out of fashion, a lot of the bulk in modern gloves is from a longer and more thickly padded wrist protection area rather than thicker palm padding.
Having had a fair few pairs of gloves over the years the most expensive genuinely feel the best and nicest for catching. I don’t think they are any bigger now than 20yrs ago or better/worse. Get what you pay for.
I am retiring (well my knees are) from club cricket at the end of September as a 1st then 2nd team keeper of modest ability!
Bruce
Shorty glove v long glove
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There seemed to be no love lost between the two London teams last night. It got a bit feisty.
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I saw someone arguing that the 100 is a 20 group of ball match, Tests have been played with 6&8 ball overs and 4&5 days, ODI/List A has been played with 40 and 50 overs, so why isn’t it fair to have 100 records under T20? It still feels wrong to me, but I can’t articulate what’s wrong with the argument.
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I wonder if my memory (age!) and/or the pics of these gloves is playing tricks with my memory. I remember debates and disputes about webbing going back many years e.g. some gloves started having webbing between the fingers – and I’m convinced the palm pads are bigger and the finger areas smaller than yesteryear - but then I go back, probably like others here, to the days of batting in rubber-spike gloves!
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They banned a full web between thumb and first finger a bit ago. Not that the current designs with a hole in the connecting strip seems to make much difference to me.
Yes, we had spike batting gloves when I was a kid! Lurid green I think.
Bruce
Just looked, they are collectable according to eBay. £125 on one pair!
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What next for Freddie in the English game?
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