England's Winter

First topic message reminder :

As per LT's original post:
New Zealand

T20 Internationals

Friday November 1st - Christchurch
Sunday November 3rd - Wellington
Tuesday November 5th - Nelson
Friday November 8th - Napier
Sunday November 10th - Auckland

Squad
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Sam Billings (Kent)
Pat Brown (Worcestershire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Tom Curran (Surrey)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
Chris Jordan (Sussex)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Dawid Malan (Middlesex)
Matt Parkinson (Lancashire)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
James Vince (Hampshire)


Tests

Wednesday November 20th - Tauranga
Thursday November 28th - Hamilton

Squad
Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain
Jofra Archer (Sussex)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Dominic Sibley (Warwickshire)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)



South Africa

Tests

Thursday 26th December - Centurion
Friday January 3rd - Cape Town
Thursday January 16th - Port Elizabeth
Friday January 24th - Johannesburg

Squad
Ill


ODI
Tuesday 4th February - Cape Town
Friday 7th February - Durban
Sunday 9th February - Johannesburg

Squad
Ill

T20 Internationals

Wednesday 12th February - East London
Friday 14th February - Durban
Sunday 16th February - Centurion


Sri Lanka

March 7th - Warm up 1, Katunayake (3 day)
March 12th - Warm up 2, Colombo (3 day)
March 19th - 1st Test, Galle
March 27th - 2nd Test, Colombo

Always said Joel Wilson knew what he was doing

Soul Requiem wrote:

alfie wrote:Crawley playing some attractive strokes ... He has a positive approach which complements Sibley's rather more pedestrian style ; if he can turn bright starts into something more substantial he will create some options when Burns is available again.

Really doesn't look like a bowl first pitch to me.  Doesn't look like a seam only one either...

Burns
Sibley
Crawley

Perhaps? I do like the look of young Zak, he's got good shot making ability that's for sure just needs to tighten up his defence and learn to rotate the strike a bit better when he gets bogged down.

Well that's for the future . Far too early to be more than "perhaps" . Denly is actually doing a sound job at the moment and both of these fellows are going to be tested more over their next few matches as opponents design plans for them based on all the analysis available.
But certainly a possibility at some stage...

Sibley's lucky day ? Caught at gully but saved by a rare on field no ball call !

Another 50 opening partnership for Sibley/Crawley

Sorry Nass but that was absolute b*ll*cks about Jason Roy having ''never ever'' opened the batting for Surrey in Championship cricket. That was how he largely started off in the first XI with Hamilton Hyphen Brown and later Steve Davies. Admittedly, it didn't often work out and was put to rest - which made England's decision in the summer to try him as a Test opener look destined to failure in the eyes of many Oval regulars.

Meanwhile, Crawley and Sibley going well. Some might say a bit of luck going Sibley's way but, there again, Philander doesn't deserve a wicket if he's going to overstep. I'll be interested to see how Patterson goes here - I'm not going to rubbish someone on the basis of one showing but my initial impression in the last Test was that he was out of his depth.

I'm not sure if this is on Olly's bingo card but I disagree with both sides leaving out their main spinner and particularly their replacement by a fifth seamer. Either keep the spinner (which would be my choice as both Bess and Maharaj contributed usefully or better in the last two Tests) or bring in an extra batsman. A fifth seamer shouldn't be necessary if you've already got the right four in your team.

Fifty up and apart from the no ball catch incident they've been untroubled by some rather tame SA bowling. Of course that might have changed the whole situation but that is cricket...Has been good sensible batting.

Drinks and SA will be glad of a chance to pause and review their plans. I think they are in for a lot of work and are going to miss Maharaj. At least England have Root and Denly .

England probably have to play a fifth bowler, so if they think it’s a seam-friendly pitch then they can argue it’s sensible. With Stokes forever being “managed” and Wood being so injury prone, you just couldn’t risk chucking an extra bat in instead of the spinner. Whether Woakes is good enough with the bat to justify being a mixture of the two is up for debate, although you might argue that he and Sam combined are like an extra batsman.

No bite to the South African attack without Rabada or Ngidi, and there’s zero atmosphere from a ground supposedly famous for it.

All feels like a gentle county game in April.

It is still early but SA really look toothless in the absence of Rabada. Philander has been a great bowler but as this series has progressed he has steadily lost his edge...looks tired now , bowled only , what , 16 overs at PE ? And today very much a man on his ceremonial final lap...

Paterson is tidy. Nortje wasn't but hasn't had much opportunity yet. The decision to leave out Maharaj looks sillier by the minute : at least he'd offer some variety.

Wonderful chance for these two bats to rack up scores. And for England to look at 400 plus again.

Nortje back . Needs to have a real go...

Batting paradise. At least it is when South Africa serve this tripe up. Crawley showing a masterful array of shots in that last over.

Duty281 wrote:Batting paradise. At least it is when South Africa serve this tripe up. Crawley showing a masterful array of shots in that last over.

He really has been producing some crisp strikes...and a well deserved fifty now

80 up in the 25th. What was I ever anxious about ?

Chuffed to bits for young Crawley ...it might be a soft ride but noone expected him to get a score when he first was thrown in anf hes got more each innings. Having players around him stay in for more than 2 overs has probably helped but you wouldnt guess he was the least experienced player in the series and hes done more than many old county pros who have gone before him managed in their test top 3 chances.

Way things are going Burns might have to earn a spot in the team.

How very England that we've spent the best part of a decade searching for a Strauss replacement, and now we potentially have three openers.

Yes, lovely fifty for Crawley, some absolutely gorgeous drives included.

Might be him and Jennings opening in Sri Lanka, at the expense of Sibley, if this carries on.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:How very England that we've spent the best part of a decade searching for a Strauss replacement, and now we potentially have three openers.

Yeah ... The only caution is that it seems they are making these runs off some pretty ordinary bowling . Coming up against India or Australia - or even NZ again - might be very different. Not that I'm complaining !

However with Sri Lanka next up they certainly should be settled into their careers perhaps more comfortably than other recent opening candidates by the time they come up against the Big Guns. Which has to help. Good prospects : but remember that Lyth and Robson both had early hundreds to their credit ...

Good response from Nortje to clonk Crawley!


No way Jennings gets in ahead of Sibley for me even if he did well in Sti Lanka last time. This pair are playing without baggage and are part of a pretty amazing turnaround in confidence for englands batting order. Denlys a smaller part of that too, but if you feel Jennings should play I'd see him more vulnerable ( jennings also fills the bowling spot) but really dont mess with this ....as noted we have waited so long for anything even remotely like this

5 players vying for top 3 spots ...two genuine fast bowlers...a third choice spinner with a five for in a first innings....think back a year!

No way would I go back to Jennings, with Pope we've got his close fielding covered.

I wouldn’t go back to Jennings either, but I think the England selectors  have got the opinion that he’s some sort of sub-continental specialist with the bat.

I’d also like to see how Crawley and Sibley fare in sub-continent conditions, especially with the tour to India coming up next winter.

Great to see Crawleys not been unduly affected by taking a 93mph ball to the noggin. Bit of guts too.

The Jennings argument was valid on the basis that Crawley shouldn't be playing test cricket at all, and to wind back my own hype he did still only average 18 prior to this innings. I think this is enough to show he deserves a run, hes shown he can dog out a long stay at the crease and now that he can bat with measured positivity and get runs. Of course batting against chuckers in a sand pit is a very different prospect so theres a call to be made ...as with Bess who off one innings became the new sliced bread (then got dropped for woakes)
Sibleys pushing and average of 40 now which for and england opener is pretty incredible, small.number of tests or not.

100/0. Perfect session and a great run rate.

35 overs left in the day, or two and a half hours, to really push on against a demoralised South African side.

Yep honestly did not expect anything like this. Maybe Archer being out gave them a boost since they hate him so much

100/0 off 30 overs to tea... Perfect session for England

Won toss , no Rabada ...and nothing much in the pitch , contrary to expectations : you'd have to say everything has gone right for England. In truth , since that First Test loss in the illness-riddled early part of the tour , things have generally run their way : even the injuries have actually enabled other players to step in and perform. So the "tour from hell" has turned into "everything coming up roses" ...

It may not last but we should enjoy it while it runs. Unless SA produce a big reversal after the interval you'd think England are looking at setting things up for another monster first innings total . Who knows ? Maybe enough for Joe Root to bowl another twenty five overs spell to achieve a victory on day five

First opening century stand in the first innings for 11 years, yes 11 years.

To bring it up with a boundary to end the session as well...you cant script this.

So the previous one must have been the Lord's Test of the 2009 Ashes?

I was quite critical of Crawley on here but he has grown into the role with each match. That's why I'm some nondescript keyboard warrior rather than an England cricket selector I suppose

Sibley falls glancing a lifting delivery down leg side...good catch de Kock and some relief for SA.
Good job again by Sibley but I'm betting the fast bowlers of India and Australia will be targeting that mode of dismissal when he comes up against them.

Not the first disappointing dismissal for Sibley this series.

Now let’s enjoy Denly’s 27 off 84 balls!

Two century stands in a row, two right handed opening batsmen; between Cook, Strauss, Jennings, Burns, Lyth, Carberry and Trescothick it must be a while since that's happened.

Duty281 wrote:Not the first disappointing dismissal for Sibley this series.

Now let’s enjoy Denly’s 27 off 84 balls!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVixARuhTGs

If cricket hurts you in private it doesn't matter how nice he is in public, Duty.

Oh there's a shock ! Philander back on and has Crawley parrying a shortish delivery to slip to end his excellent innings for 66.
Came rather out of the blue : but those two strikes have changed the game with two new men at the crease.

Looking at that again Crawley seemed to be surprised a bit by the bounce : tried to pull out but too late. He will be disappointed ; but was a pretty good innings and has set things up for later batsmen.

SA will be revved up to enlarge this breach in the wall. Hendricks is bowling quite well in this spell. And perhaps the pitch has quickened up a little...

As I was just saying these two you players lack the guts and concentration to produce real test innings

Soul Requiem wrote:Two century stands in a row, two right handed opening batsmen; between Cook, Strauss, Jennings, Burns, Lyth, Carberry and Trescothick it must be a while since that's happened.

Key and Vaughan I believe. Some time around 2002, the last time we had two RHB openers before these two! Goods knows about that last century partnership between them.

Denlys obviously been stung by some of the comments on here ...positively racing along at the sort of rate normal test player score

To be fair, no spinner = Denly on fire!

Joe Denly really needs to purchase a lottery ticket today...

But alas he can't profit from all those chances...

150/3 and SA are coming back into this.

alfie wrote:Joe Denly really needs to purchase a lottery ticket today...

...off Nortje who really deserves more than the mauling hes taking

Well he got 27...

South Africa have come back into this very well. Now it’s time for the dream trio of Root, Stokes and Pope.

alfie wrote:Joe Denly really needs to purchase a lottery ticket today...

Finally out - can't say it hasn't been coming...that wasn't a great knock.

Do think SA have bowled pretty poorly up front here, lot of bounce in the wicket and just a bit of nibble. A score of over 300 would be more than competitive first up for England I think...

Yeah the worry is everyone else carrying on like Denly did and acting like Bayliss is in charge. Crawley got a bit lax after tea and we know what stokes is like...a world beater when it comes off but maybe a few times top often he can give it away. Pope probably had half a mind on bed noy expecting to bat today and Woakes hasn't seen cricket for a couple of months.
It could still go astray if Root and stokes dont knuckle in and concentrate

I’m blaming all of you for this. You got confident and comfortable, you fools

Still no drama though. England could get bowled out for 250 and they’ll still win this. South Africa are hopeless with the bat.

Duty281 wrote:Still no drama though. England could get bowled out for 250 and they’ll still win this. South Africa are hopeless with the bat.

Yeah I mean it's not like they beat England recently or anything is it

Re: international new zealander of the year or whatever award he got

Nortje strikes at last...Stokes gone cheaply ; three catches now for van der Dussen...and suddenly the home team are on top.

I promise I will never again talk up England after a good opening partnership

Need a partnership now...

That was a very crap shot Benjamin

Gooseberry wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Still no drama though. England could get bowled out for 250 and they’ll still win this. South Africa are hopeless with the bat.

Yeah I mean it's not like they beat England recently or anything is it

A different time, a different game and a different set of circumstances.

Just to clarify, South Africa have had six innings in this series and only made two scores above 250 and none of 300 or more, with zero individual centurions. Hopeless.

Pitch has certainly quickened up since tea - and the SA bowlers have put their backs into it . But that was an awful shot from Stokes. Guess he's entitled to a bad one but his timing could have been better after the fall of three other wickets.
Odd in a way because he's been so patient early in his innings recently ...today he's gone after it a bit too soon - which is the opposite of the successful recent game plan.
Still think they'd want a pretty good total on this . Yes there is bounce and carry ; but it looks pretty good for stroke play and nothing has misbehaved. And England , like SA , are a bit short of variety in the attack.

Pope hasn't forgotten how to play nice smooth strokes like last week , I see

Duty281 wrote:

Gooseberry wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Still no drama though. England could get bowled out for 250 and they’ll still win this. South Africa are hopeless with the bat.

Yeah I mean it's not like they beat England recently or anything is it

A different time, a different game and a different set of circumstances.

Just to clarify, South Africa have had six innings in this series and only made two scores above 250 and none of 300 or more, with zero individual centurions. Hopeless.

All true. But let's get the 250/300 first , eh ? Before we start tempting fate...

Root and Pope are the perfect pairing for England in this situation. Neither have weaknesses in their technique for the SA attack to bombard. They are both very good at keeping the board ticking.

With some partnerships if they survived 10-15 overs under this pressure they might add a streaky 20 runs. If Root and Pope survive 15 overs there's a good chance they will put on 50 and England will be well past the 200 mark on a wicket with plenty in it for the bowlers.

It's a reason I like Pope at 6 so much. He's well suited to most circumstances. If under pressure he has the technique and temperament to battle good bowling. If he's building off a good platform he has all the shots needed to really attack.

Ah well they've got their 5 million runs so we can all relax

Think I will call it a night...try not to lose too many more wickets , eh ?