| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread 10:53 - Jan 31 with 77667 views | Superhoops2808 |
Cricket 2025 County/International Thread by Superhoops2808 9 Apr 2024 13:39With the football season coming to a close in a months time, some here will turn their attention to the smell of freshly mown grass and long days sat in the hot sunny weather watching the great game of cricket.
As a member of Kent Cricket Club, I got to enjoy my first match of the season against Somerset at Canterbury over the last few days. Unfortunately, as is always the way starting the season this early, the first day was lost to rain. In fact nearly all the games were affected by rain, some without a ball even being bowled.
But I did manage to get to see 2 centurions at Canterbury yesterday and a very enjoyable day of cricket (even if I did get sun burned head - Yes I know should have taken a cap).
Did anyone else get to see cricket over the last few days? I know we have several Middlesex supporters who no doubt enjoyed the 'runfest' at Lords (over 1300 runs I believe)
I've started a new thread for the 2026 season, and I've started it now because the T20 World Cup starts a week today. (And in fact 2 months and we will be chatting county cricket red ball)
In a group with Italy, Nepal and Scotland and a pretty solid squad I expect that we will progress beyond the group stage. After that who knows and will depend on fitness. Curran and Salt played very well in the first game warm up game v Sri Lanka but tougher tests are ahead. Anyway, here is the squad for England (albeit still provisional).
Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.
Be relying on Archer to stay fit (as per usual) - But hope that Brook finally stands up as captain, and Banton and Jacks perfom like we know they can at county level. If all that clicks should be a good watch. |  | | |  |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 20:01 - Jun 28 with 2888 views | Superhoops2808 |
I need to have a read of everything as been out today but at first glance pure petulance from Stokes today going out to open and throwing away a game that was there for winning. 1-2 wickets overnight and a good shout to remember and then maybe be there to hit the winning runs. I note people saying about the ECB but I have not read that anywhere
On a positive, Kent inflicted only the 2nd defeat on a superb Hampshire side today  | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 20:22 - Jun 28 with 2775 views | Malintabuk |
I'm totally speechless at that end of day fiasco.... what poor old Gay must have thought heavens knows.
You are picked as an opener and come in at 6... after what are suppose to be the "senior" members of the team... behaving like .... well think I would insultclub cricketers....
I know it will not happen... but I really hope never see Brook again in an England shirt...a player with so much talent... who is absolutely wasting it...
It was always going to be a virtually impossible task to save the test, let alone win it.... but at least make NZ work for it!!!
They were actually laughing at the dismissals.... |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 20:44 - Jun 28 with 2709 views | Superhoops2808 |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 20:22 - Jun 28 by Malintabuk |
I'm totally speechless at that end of day fiasco.... what poor old Gay must have thought heavens knows.
You are picked as an opener and come in at 6... after what are suppose to be the "senior" members of the team... behaving like .... well think I would insultclub cricketers....
I know it will not happen... but I really hope never see Brook again in an England shirt...a player with so much talent... who is absolutely wasting it...
It was always going to be a virtually impossible task to save the test, let alone win it.... but at least make NZ work for it!!!
They were actually laughing at the dismissals.... |
I have already said there is a rift in the squad and todays behaviour was clear for all to see.
Brook because as several have said doesn't have a brain cell is easily led and just did as Stokes said thinking it was clever. Probably sore that as vice captain he wasn't covering Stokes last test | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 22:10 - Jun 28 with 2618 views | Clive_Anderson |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 19:23 - Jun 28 by GaryBannister86 |
As a man whose love for English cricket is the only thing to come near to QPR on the sporting front, I sincerely hope I am wrong, but regardless of how we play we just aren't good enough. Everyone forgets how bad we were before Bazball and Stokes. They tried, and sometimes succeeded, to drag us away from our relentlessly timid approach that doesn't work either.
When Alec Stewart or whoever comes in and tells everyone to defend for 100 overs, we will still lose. We lack the talent. The ECB has made sure of that with their murdering of the county game. Now we are removing our best bowler, skip and fielder so good luck with that. The Ashes next summer fill me with dread. No change of coach or MD is going to turn our bowling attack into a good one.
Brook as Test skipper? The mind boggles.
To be honest I would try and get Flower back and go full bore on his highly disciplined, mechanical approach and hope it works with an average cohort.
I mean seriously...if you have watched O'Rourke, Smith, Henry - each one would be our best bowler.
I just don't know where we go from here. There's no Gooch or Hussain to pick us up from the floor. [Post edited 28 Jun 19:28]
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Exactly, people moan endlessly about "Baz Ball" but we were total garbage for years before and played a lot better afterwards and it was about 10 times more exciting.
Since then we've lost two of the best bowlers we've ever had so obviously the results are going downhill but it's not just a tactical issue. And there doesn't seem like there's any new world class talent coming up any time soon. | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 22:11 - Jun 28 with 2612 views | numptydumpty |
There is something not quite right with Brook.
When he first came in, I thought what a player we have here, but after his initial outstanding start in test cricket, he is sliding down a hole at break neck speed, generally through sheer stupidity of shot selection.
You cant get 365 to win playing in t20 style. Almost was like a last hurrah for Bazball today. It wasnt going to work ever. |  |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 22:12 - Jun 28 with 2615 views | TomS |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 17:11 - Jun 26 by flynnbo |
Ireland women beat India women-superb result. |
The Irish men's team have just beaten India again in a T20, to win the series 2-0. |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 08:33 - Jun 29 with 2427 views | DWQPR |
The management of this team has been appalling, culminating in the embarrassment of the Ashes last winter with the total lack of preparation made us look like a pub team at times. And now with Stokes gone, unless we revert to Root as captain then I cannot see anybody else in the team that has the experience or leadership qualities to take over. Absolute joke, exemplified perfectly by that idiot Brook giving his wicket away. You’re supposed to value your wicket especially in test cricket yet Brook sells his for next to nothing like a cheap tart. That bloke for all his scores he has made is a liability. He was the one responsible for losing the last test against India last year and although he scored a big hundred in an earlier test he was very lucky not to be out on the second evening for four from a no-ball from Bhumra, which he skied.
The bowling department is like a game of musical chairs. Not one bowler you could say is the leader of the attack, I thought Atkinson could be that person, but he has no gravitas whatsoever, Tongue, seems more happier skittling out the lower order and Robinson is a sick note when he’s not plainly unfit. Archer, well, great bowler, when fit but if he prioritises the IPL over England then he can do one. And as for Bashir? What more can be said. Nowhere near test quality and had to move counties because he wasn’t even first choice spinner at his last county.
So now we have to replace one of the best all-rounders the game has ever seen? The cupboard looks very bare and the only person I can think of is Rehan Ahmed. | |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 08:43 - Jun 29 with 2417 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 08:33 - Jun 29 by DWQPR |
The management of this team has been appalling, culminating in the embarrassment of the Ashes last winter with the total lack of preparation made us look like a pub team at times. And now with Stokes gone, unless we revert to Root as captain then I cannot see anybody else in the team that has the experience or leadership qualities to take over. Absolute joke, exemplified perfectly by that idiot Brook giving his wicket away. You’re supposed to value your wicket especially in test cricket yet Brook sells his for next to nothing like a cheap tart. That bloke for all his scores he has made is a liability. He was the one responsible for losing the last test against India last year and although he scored a big hundred in an earlier test he was very lucky not to be out on the second evening for four from a no-ball from Bhumra, which he skied.
The bowling department is like a game of musical chairs. Not one bowler you could say is the leader of the attack, I thought Atkinson could be that person, but he has no gravitas whatsoever, Tongue, seems more happier skittling out the lower order and Robinson is a sick note when he’s not plainly unfit. Archer, well, great bowler, when fit but if he prioritises the IPL over England then he can do one. And as for Bashir? What more can be said. Nowhere near test quality and had to move counties because he wasn’t even first choice spinner at his last county.
So now we have to replace one of the best all-rounders the game has ever seen? The cupboard looks very bare and the only person I can think of is Rehan Ahmed. |
Brook's a batting genius but a grade-one plank in the brains department. If McCullum can't coach him how to build an innings then a Flower-type disciplinarian has to come in before the guy's talent is completely wasted. He's still got an incredible record, so wanting him out of the side - especially this one - is ridiculous.
I agree that he can't captain the side. Root is an average captain and hates the job but we have to beg him to do it. Then at least he can message Stokes before the Ashes and ask him for one last hurrah - if he's fit he would do it for Root I reckon.
But where does all this leave the side? In shambles. Rehan has to play against Pakistan and as an all-rounder too.
Duckett
Gay
Bethell
Root (capt)
Brook
Ahmed
Rew (wk)
Atkinson
Robinson
Archer
Tongue
Hardly sets the pulse racing, does it? Aussies must be loving it, all their OAPs queuing to get on the plane next summer to achieve their dream. Warner will probably come out of retirement. |  | | |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 09:52 - Jun 29 with 2341 views | TheChef |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 14:38 - Jun 27 by Superhoops2808 |
How was yesterday Chef? Was it a tad on the warm side? I was down at Canterbury last night and even at 21:00 it was 28c with no shad during the early part of the evening.
Sadly another disappointing innings from Stokes and Smith. Certainly need to up our game if we are to salvage anything from this test when they have a quality spinner and the pitch will only favour him in the 4th innings s |
Yeah had a great day thanks (probably the best day of the Test for England, barring a miracle today).
Was already incredibly hot when we got there at 10.30. Fortunately at lunch time the sun went behind the Radcliffe Road building so we were in the shade all afternoon. Nice to see Duckett get his ton.
Very sad about Stokes retiring; certainly the timing is odd, either the news was about to be leaked or he had planned it as a fck you to the ECB. Now I wasn't expecting him to continue for too much longer but the timing is dreadful, I've got no idea who follows him as captain. Key and McCullum totally mishandled the nightclub incident and plenty more besides, they have to go too. |  |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 11:24 - Jun 29 with 2261 views | derbyhoop |
I said England will struggle to get 250. I'll make that 150 after a shorter from Smith to Gay; and a run out of Root, FFS |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:03 - Jun 29 with 2202 views | RBlock |
Yesterday was a real disgrace. Petulant childish bullsht, throwing away a test match for what? To stick two fingers up at the ECB? Stokes opening the batting and having a swing in his last innings, I maybe understand. Why they then felt the need to shuffle the rest of the order instead of just getting on with a proper 4th innings chase against a very depleted bowling attack, I can't understand.
The best of Stokes with the bat, isn't just when he's swinging it but the discipline, focus. and shot selection shown to really make a score against the odds. That's not at all what we saw yesterday and it all just feels like self-indulgent nonsense. |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:19 - Jun 29 with 2141 views | Clive_Anderson |
As usual when restarting the innings the next day we lose 2-3 wickets almost immediately. I might start betting on it as it is as regular as clockwork. | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:21 - Jun 29 with 2140 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:03 - Jun 29 by RBlock |
Yesterday was a real disgrace. Petulant childish bullsht, throwing away a test match for what? To stick two fingers up at the ECB? Stokes opening the batting and having a swing in his last innings, I maybe understand. Why they then felt the need to shuffle the rest of the order instead of just getting on with a proper 4th innings chase against a very depleted bowling attack, I can't understand.
The best of Stokes with the bat, isn't just when he's swinging it but the discipline, focus. and shot selection shown to really make a score against the odds. That's not at all what we saw yesterday and it all just feels like self-indulgent nonsense. |
That's a good shout, RBlock. His famous Headingley innings all you see now is him going beserk when he was stuck with Leach, but didn't he start really slowly and just dug in? It seems to be the fatal flaw of Bazball, you have to go hard from Ball 1 and also go hard regardless of circumstance, be it the pitch or the game situation. Why can't they just tweak this? Doesn't seem that hard. [Post edited 29 Jun 12:21]
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:25 - Jun 29 with 2128 views | Rangersw12 |
Gutted about Stokes a true great
Surely it's time for some adults to take over
So Alec Stewart should replace Key and Andy Flower should replace McCullum IMO
God knows who will be captain as you can't give it to Brook after yesterdays innings | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:33 - Jun 29 with 2112 views | Hunterhoop |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 19:23 - Jun 28 by GaryBannister86 |
As a man whose love for English cricket is the only thing to come near to QPR on the sporting front, I sincerely hope I am wrong, but regardless of how we play we just aren't good enough. Everyone forgets how bad we were before Bazball and Stokes. They tried, and sometimes succeeded, to drag us away from our relentlessly timid approach that doesn't work either.
When Alec Stewart or whoever comes in and tells everyone to defend for 100 overs, we will still lose. We lack the talent. The ECB has made sure of that with their murdering of the county game. Now we are removing our best bowler, skip and fielder so good luck with that. The Ashes next summer fill me with dread. No change of coach or MD is going to turn our bowling attack into a good one.
Brook as Test skipper? The mind boggles.
To be honest I would try and get Flower back and go full bore on his highly disciplined, mechanical approach and hope it works with an average cohort.
I mean seriously...if you have watched O'Rourke, Smith, Henry - each one would be our best bowler.
I just don't know where we go from here. There's no Gooch or Hussain to pick us up from the floor. [Post edited 28 Jun 19:28]
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With all due respect, mate. As someone who watches a fair amount to county cricket and certainly pays attention to all the scores, I disagree that there isn’t the talent in county cricket. There is. The issue is the England set up doesn’t pay much attention to it.
Gay (as we’ve seen), Rew, Cox, Hain, Abell, T Rew, Clarke, Kellaway, Tribe, Barnard, Gregory, Lawrence, Hameed, Carlson, Bamber, Cook, Coles, Porter, Potts, Sanderson, Sharma, Foakes, Holden, McKinney…
These are all lads who might be able to hold their own at International level, and much like Tresco and Vaughan, they might have the mentality to prosper at International level.
England also have had a very strong recent U19 crop. Kent vs Middx the other day had 3 of the Eng U19 team, which reached the WC final, playing in a county match the other day, along with Sharma who was the what before. There’s a really strong batches of you guys coming through (more bowling than batting in this cohort).
The issue is England aren’t selecting a balanced side with the right balance of skills and character to create a strong team.
Duckett, Bethell, Brook, Smith…all very similar in approach and mentality. Not sure you can have a top 6 where only 2 are willing to ever bat time. Likewise, why are we picking a spinner who isn’t close to being one of the best in the country and has done nothing at county level?! It’s lunacy.
I genuinely think you could pick a side from the county set up to beat England in a Test match, not because the England XI isn’t more talented - it is - but because of the mental/character side of the game. I certainly think they’d run them close. Look at Crawley! Gone back to the county set up (div 2) and he’s statistically one of the worst openers in county cricket!
The issue is Key and McCullum. |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:47 - Jun 29 with 2088 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:33 - Jun 29 by Hunterhoop |
With all due respect, mate. As someone who watches a fair amount to county cricket and certainly pays attention to all the scores, I disagree that there isn’t the talent in county cricket. There is. The issue is the England set up doesn’t pay much attention to it.
Gay (as we’ve seen), Rew, Cox, Hain, Abell, T Rew, Clarke, Kellaway, Tribe, Barnard, Gregory, Lawrence, Hameed, Carlson, Bamber, Cook, Coles, Porter, Potts, Sanderson, Sharma, Foakes, Holden, McKinney…
These are all lads who might be able to hold their own at International level, and much like Tresco and Vaughan, they might have the mentality to prosper at International level.
England also have had a very strong recent U19 crop. Kent vs Middx the other day had 3 of the Eng U19 team, which reached the WC final, playing in a county match the other day, along with Sharma who was the what before. There’s a really strong batches of you guys coming through (more bowling than batting in this cohort).
The issue is England aren’t selecting a balanced side with the right balance of skills and character to create a strong team.
Duckett, Bethell, Brook, Smith…all very similar in approach and mentality. Not sure you can have a top 6 where only 2 are willing to ever bat time. Likewise, why are we picking a spinner who isn’t close to being one of the best in the country and has done nothing at county level?! It’s lunacy.
I genuinely think you could pick a side from the county set up to beat England in a Test match, not because the England XI isn’t more talented - it is - but because of the mental/character side of the game. I certainly think they’d run them close. Look at Crawley! Gone back to the county set up (div 2) and he’s statistically one of the worst openers in county cricket!
The issue is Key and McCullum. |
I really hope you are right, Hunter, of course. I am also a big fan of the county game, as well as Super Kent, and I would quickly add Dawkins and Singh to your list.
But your post all feels a bit 90s to me, where after every single Test defeat we were drawing up fresh XIs and the next bloke off the country rank would be the key to our turnaround.
Let's face it, after their starts to the season we all hoped Baker and Rew would be the magic bullet. They could still be, will of course take time.
I still don't look at your list with any great hope - some of them (Lawrence, Hameed, Potts, Foakes, Cook) have already had a go without huge success - where are the true world-class performers amongst the youngsters going to be? Agreed that the new regime (surely inevitable) will need to rely on the county game so much more. But if Stewart takes over, all it means is we go back to Burns, Sibley, Foakes. Sideways and backwards, everywhere we go....
The one Surrey man I would like to see back is Sam Curran. Proper grit as well as talent, and I feel like Mitchell's innings yesterday should be played on repeat to the squad by the new management.
I'm just down on it all at the moment with the disappointment I think. Someone will come riding to the rescue and get us all going again :-) | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 13:04 - Jun 29 with 2055 views | RBlock |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:33 - Jun 29 by Hunterhoop |
With all due respect, mate. As someone who watches a fair amount to county cricket and certainly pays attention to all the scores, I disagree that there isn’t the talent in county cricket. There is. The issue is the England set up doesn’t pay much attention to it.
Gay (as we’ve seen), Rew, Cox, Hain, Abell, T Rew, Clarke, Kellaway, Tribe, Barnard, Gregory, Lawrence, Hameed, Carlson, Bamber, Cook, Coles, Porter, Potts, Sanderson, Sharma, Foakes, Holden, McKinney…
These are all lads who might be able to hold their own at International level, and much like Tresco and Vaughan, they might have the mentality to prosper at International level.
England also have had a very strong recent U19 crop. Kent vs Middx the other day had 3 of the Eng U19 team, which reached the WC final, playing in a county match the other day, along with Sharma who was the what before. There’s a really strong batches of you guys coming through (more bowling than batting in this cohort).
The issue is England aren’t selecting a balanced side with the right balance of skills and character to create a strong team.
Duckett, Bethell, Brook, Smith…all very similar in approach and mentality. Not sure you can have a top 6 where only 2 are willing to ever bat time. Likewise, why are we picking a spinner who isn’t close to being one of the best in the country and has done nothing at county level?! It’s lunacy.
I genuinely think you could pick a side from the county set up to beat England in a Test match, not because the England XI isn’t more talented - it is - but because of the mental/character side of the game. I certainly think they’d run them close. Look at Crawley! Gone back to the county set up (div 2) and he’s statistically one of the worst openers in county cricket!
The issue is Key and McCullum. |
Agree the issues is Key and McCullum, absolutely. The whole thing stinks of a lack of accountability - Harry Brook needs a clip round the ear and to be told to bat properly when he gives his wicket away, not just having a laugh about it.
Jamie Smith can bat properly, he was excellent against India last summer and was very good for Surrey this season in the Championship. Needs proper coaching to do it properly and more often, cutting out his brainless chips to mid-wicket.
Completely correct to identify the mental/character side of things, which is mad given you'd say those are Stokes' strongest attributes. How have we got ourselves into this position? | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 14:02 - Jun 29 with 1957 views | plasmahoop |
I'm a bit sad Stokes has gone. Top player and top bloke. And was a really good captain as well. Yes bazball lost its way in the end, or has it's limitations, but as has been pointed out we had one one in 17 tests beforehand and were lame. However currently we are a total shambles, and don't seem to know what we're doing. As for the captaincy I really don't know. Brook just seems like a bit of an airhead and id prefer him to knuckle down a bit first. For the all rounder slot we could really do with Sam Curran being able to bowl again as he's the only around who could potentially bat at 6 and be a capable fourth seamer. Definitely got to change mccullum too and have a new coach with a different vision | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 14:45 - Jun 29 with 1899 views | CamberleyR |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 12:33 - Jun 29 by Hunterhoop |
With all due respect, mate. As someone who watches a fair amount to county cricket and certainly pays attention to all the scores, I disagree that there isn’t the talent in county cricket. There is. The issue is the England set up doesn’t pay much attention to it.
Gay (as we’ve seen), Rew, Cox, Hain, Abell, T Rew, Clarke, Kellaway, Tribe, Barnard, Gregory, Lawrence, Hameed, Carlson, Bamber, Cook, Coles, Porter, Potts, Sanderson, Sharma, Foakes, Holden, McKinney…
These are all lads who might be able to hold their own at International level, and much like Tresco and Vaughan, they might have the mentality to prosper at International level.
England also have had a very strong recent U19 crop. Kent vs Middx the other day had 3 of the Eng U19 team, which reached the WC final, playing in a county match the other day, along with Sharma who was the what before. There’s a really strong batches of you guys coming through (more bowling than batting in this cohort).
The issue is England aren’t selecting a balanced side with the right balance of skills and character to create a strong team.
Duckett, Bethell, Brook, Smith…all very similar in approach and mentality. Not sure you can have a top 6 where only 2 are willing to ever bat time. Likewise, why are we picking a spinner who isn’t close to being one of the best in the country and has done nothing at county level?! It’s lunacy.
I genuinely think you could pick a side from the county set up to beat England in a Test match, not because the England XI isn’t more talented - it is - but because of the mental/character side of the game. I certainly think they’d run them close. Look at Crawley! Gone back to the county set up (div 2) and he’s statistically one of the worst openers in county cricket!
The issue is Key and McCullum. |
Perhaps we need to go back to the days up to the early-mid 70s when they used to have a 'test trial' match early in the season between England vs The Rest. |  |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 15:35 - Jun 29 with 1844 views | daveB |
Stokes one of my favourite ever players but that was all a bit John Terry forced guard of honour yesterday, really pathetic and just thrown the test match away |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 18:38 - Jun 29 with 1731 views | numptydumpty |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 15:35 - Jun 29 by daveB |
Stokes one of my favourite ever players but that was all a bit John Terry forced guard of honour yesterday, really pathetic and just thrown the test match away |
The timing of the Stokes announcement was strange. The gung ho mentality of the chase was full on madness. And yes the cupboard is bare in terms of captaincy currently and talent as selected presently.
Test cricket for England seems to be heading towards the Nasser Hussain doldrums of the 1990s.
Think we have two or three years of mediocrity coming our way sadly. | |
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 19:48 - Jun 29 with 1670 views | Hunterhoop |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 18:38 - Jun 29 by numptydumpty |
The timing of the Stokes announcement was strange. The gung ho mentality of the chase was full on madness. And yes the cupboard is bare in terms of captaincy currently and talent as selected presently.
Test cricket for England seems to be heading towards the Nasser Hussain doldrums of the 1990s.
Think we have two or three years of mediocrity coming our way sadly. |
Numpty, your memory is going. Hussein pulled England out of the doldrums. He was appointed captain in ‘99 when the international set up was a complete mess. They lost at home to the Kiwis to drop to bottom (of the then 8 Test nations) in his first series, I think. From there, he rebuilt the whole set up with Fletcher and paved the way for Vaughan winning the Ashes in 2005. Hussein was a great captain (Gabba toss decision apart) in England’s history. He turned around the mess of the 90s.
That mess was across a variety of captains: Gooch, Atherton, Stewart mainly.
Hussein would genuinely be my preferred candidate as Director of Cricket to replace Bob Key. | | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 23:28 - Jun 29 with 1501 views | Kiwi76 |
Wee plug for NZ who lost first test, probably our best ever batsman retired and we ended with probably our 7th/8th bowlers due to injuries to claim series.
Can be very proud of that and good to have different players stepping up when needed.
We’ve given Stokes some stick in past as would have loved him to choose NZ but huge respect for him.
Really curious what happens with McCullum - scoring at 5-6/over in test cricket is fun and no longer days of 240/4 like years gone by but…. There has to be some nuance to it or just looks bloody stupid. Would think he’s gone isn’t he? |  | | |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 06:57 - Jun 30 with 1426 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 23:28 - Jun 29 by Kiwi76 |
Wee plug for NZ who lost first test, probably our best ever batsman retired and we ended with probably our 7th/8th bowlers due to injuries to claim series.
Can be very proud of that and good to have different players stepping up when needed.
We’ve given Stokes some stick in past as would have loved him to choose NZ but huge respect for him.
Really curious what happens with McCullum - scoring at 5-6/over in test cricket is fun and no longer days of 240/4 like years gone by but…. There has to be some nuance to it or just looks bloody stupid. Would think he’s gone isn’t he? |
Hey - NZ were fantastic. They always seem to be patronised a little on the Test stage "getting the maximum out of their abilities", but for all the chat around England's increasingly bizarre approach I though NZ were just the better side. You've got grafting batters like Mitchell that we so desperately need more of and superb bowlers in Henry, Smith and O'Rourke - each one of them would play 100 tests for England. I thought Henry missing would be crucial - but no. O'Rourke's going to be brilliant. [Post edited 30 Jun 7:14]
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| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 08:53 - Jun 30 with 1339 views | numptydumpty |
| Cricket 2026 County/International Thread on 19:48 - Jun 29 by Hunterhoop |
Numpty, your memory is going. Hussein pulled England out of the doldrums. He was appointed captain in ‘99 when the international set up was a complete mess. They lost at home to the Kiwis to drop to bottom (of the then 8 Test nations) in his first series, I think. From there, he rebuilt the whole set up with Fletcher and paved the way for Vaughan winning the Ashes in 2005. Hussein was a great captain (Gabba toss decision apart) in England’s history. He turned around the mess of the 90s.
That mess was across a variety of captains: Gooch, Atherton, Stewart mainly.
Hussein would genuinely be my preferred candidate as Director of Cricket to replace Bob Key. |
More than likely my memories of certain things are fading Hunter. Either that or selective memory recall. If you got me on faded memories over Bothams ashes, you would be doing well, as can remember all of that very very clearly.
Always associated Hussain with miserable defeats - probably more based on his persona in the commentary box and dry humour about his own shortcomings.
You couldn't see McCullum considering he has weaknesses - ie bordering on an arrogant type personality. Key to me comes across as the blind optimist no matter what.
BTW apologies. Accidentally down voted your post. Was meant to up vote. Finger issues !!!
Anyhow in addition to my selective memory recall being bad. How about this one.
https://youtube.com/shorts/3Hn
Botham who had an autobiography called "Don't tell Kath" ie his wife and remember the quote, "What goes on tour, stays on tour."
So Botham criticising Stokes is a tad "Pot and Kettle." [Post edited 30 Jun 23:04]
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