The Cricket Thread

[dermott]

And how about the Kiwi technique in response?!!

Equally poor. Bizarrely, three batsmen - one England, two Kiwis - bowled shouldering arms. The pitch was helpful without being a minefield.

 

[SydneyChelsea]

Unpopular opinion perhaps, but I love bowling-dominated, low-scoring cricket.

Also, looks like the end for Stokes. Justified?

 

[dermott]

Unpopular opinion perhaps, but I love bowling-dominated, low-scoring cricket.

Also, looks like the end for Stokes. Justified?

I prefer a contest.

You'd have to think Stokes is done given the recent history. The bizarre thing is that, apparently, there was some sort of ECB minder out with them. An ECB minder breaching the curfew.

 

[SydneyChelsea]

I prefer a contest.

You'd have to think Stokes is done given the recent history. The bizarre thing is that, apparently, there was some sort of ECB minder out with them. An ECB minder breaching the curfew.

Yeah it certainly doesn't look great.

There's an irony there too after all the drama about England's Ashes camp at Noosa, where it was reported that Stokes asked the team to go for a run with him and they all laughed him off.

It seems pretty obvious to me that this culture stems from Key and McCullum as much as anyone else, where rules are considered mere guidelines if the ends justify the means.

 

[dermott]

Yeah it certainly doesn't look great.

There's an irony there too after all the drama about England's Ashes camp at Noosa, where it was reported that Stokes asked the team to go for a run with him and they all laughed him off.

It seems pretty obvious to me that this culture stems from Key and McCullum as much as anyone else, where rules are considered mere guidelines if the ends justify the means.

And Key and McCullum are, apparently, untouchable. There's something rotten in the state of ECB. Apologies to Shakespeare.

 

[Boyne]

BBC Sport

Ben Stokes out of England squad, Joe Root captains for se...Ben Stokes will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following an incident in a London nightclub, with Joe Root stepping up as interim captain.

 

[dermott]

BBC Sport

Ben Stokes out of England squad, Joe Root captains for se...Ben Stokes will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following an incident in a London nightclub, with Joe Root stepping up as interim captain.

With, interestingly, vice-captain Harry Brook overlooked as skipper. Nightclubgate.

 

[Boyne]

BBC Sport

Ben Stokes: England captain retires from international cr...England captain Ben Stokes announces his retirement from international cricket during the ongoing third Test against New Zealand.

 

[dermott]

BBC Sport

Ben Stokes: England captain retires from international cr...England captain Ben Stokes announces his retirement from international cricket during the ongoing third Test against New Zealand.

The real whys and wherefores will no doubt leak out at some stage. I have no doubt that the personal toll is a factor but I suspect that a loss of faith in the hierarchy - the ECB, Key, McCullum - was the decider.

The next captain? The vice captain, the flawed Harry Brook? I doubt Joe Root wants it.

 

[Boyne]

The real whys and wherefores will no doubt leak out at some stage. I have no doubt that the personal toll is a factor but I suspect that a loss of faith in the hierarchy - the ECB, Key, McCullum - was the decider.

The next captain? The vice captain, the flawed Harry Brook? I doubt Joe Root wants it.

As you say the whys and wherefores will be made public in due course. Stokes has probably lost faith in the ECB, Key, McCullum. I wonder if they have lost faith in Stokes. Not saying that they have but just speculating and playing devil's advocate.. Timing of his retirement was interesting with a day and a bit of the 3rd Test still to be played. Must have been something to have "forced" him. A lot of people step down from jobs when competitions. events etc. are over.

Agree about Joe Root. He may not mind stepping in as captain on the odd occasion e.g. the recent second test against New Zealand. Will be interesting to see who takes over as captain.

 

[dermott]

As you say the whys and wherefores will be made public in due course. Stokes has probably lost faith in the ECB, Key, McCullum. I wonder if they have lost faith in Stokes. Not saying that they have but just speculating and playing devil's advocate.. Timing of his retirement was interesting with a day and a bit of the 3rd Test still to be played. Must have been something to have "forced" him. A lot of people step down from jobs when competitions. events etc. are over.

Agree about Joe Root. He may not mind stepping in as captain on the odd occasion e.g. the recent second test against New Zealand. Will be interesting to see who takes over as captain.

I think it's somehow telling that he told only Root and Brook the news the night before. Not McCullum. I don't think they had lost faith in him. He's too important to English cricket. Just complete mismanagement from above.

 

[SydneyChelsea]

Following this from afar, Stokes has been vilified unfairly. You have to be doing something wrongly when even Indians and Australians look at England and ask - what the f**k?

Some of our media here has called out his 'main character energy' and I agree with that to an extent, but that same energy has allowed him to carry England from the precipice to success. He deserves every right to call it quits when he feels like it's too much to go on. It's almost as if England's cricket hierarchy feel entitled to something from Stokes, despite what they have been given in the past.

 

[dermott]

Following this from afar, Stokes has been vilified unfairly. You have to be doing something wrongly when even Indians and Australians look at England and ask - what the f**k?

Some of our media here has called out his 'main character energy' and I agree with that to an extent, but that same energy has allowed him to carry England from the precipice to success. He deserves every right to call it quits when he feels like it's too much to go on. It's almost as if England's cricket hierarchy feel entitled to something from Stokes, despite what they have been given in the past.

Stokes is a complicated soul, no doubt. A fascinating character study. He's absolutely entitled to call it quits and I suspect he has finally had enough of the mismanagement above. From McCullum and Key - whose priorities are to hang onto their jobs - to the ECB which makes BlueCo look like gold-standard operators. It was pretty evident from his comments and attitude back at Durham for his county game while suspended that the England relationship was broken. Anyone who expressed shock wasn't reading the tea leaves.

I think he might even reverse his decision were McCullum and Key, for starters, to go.

 

[Clearlake Cartel]

As a neutral (I have tried multiple times but just cannot get ‘into’ cricket) I think there’s a real threat of the sport diminishing massively within England.

It NEEDS characters like Ben Stokes, he’s the only cricketer I could currently name. We’ve always had the Freddie Flintoff/Ben Stokes characters who alongside being great at the sport are also likeable and marketable. Ergo drawing attention to cricket.

I think Football is undisputed. After that though with Rory’s success and the huge uptake in Golf, Luke Littler arguably being the most famous non-football sportsman in the country and the effect that is having for darts. Coupled these traditional sports with the increased accessibility of the likes of Basketball & American Football for European audiences there’s a very real threat cricket falls off over the next decade on these shores, if it isn’t already.

From a grassroots level I can only comment that in the past 5 years the 2 local village teams to me have dropped from fielding 5 & 3 mens teams to 2 & 1 respectively. And the league has gone from 7 divisions down to 3 in the same span.

 

[dermott]

As a neutral (I have tried multiple times but just cannot get ‘into’ cricket) I think there’s a real threat of the sport diminishing massively within England.

It NEEDS characters like Ben Stokes, he’s the only cricketer I could currently name. We’ve always had the Freddie Flintoff/Ben Stokes characters who alongside being great at the sport are also likeable and marketable. Ergo drawing attention to cricket.

I think Football is undisputed. After that though with Rory’s success and the huge uptake in Golf, Luke Littler arguably being the most famous non-football sportsman in the country and the effect that is having for darts. Coupled these traditional sports with the increased accessibility of the likes of Basketball & American Football for European audiences there’s a very real threat cricket falls off over the next decade on these shores, if it isn’t already.

From a grassroots level I can only comment that in the past 5 years the 2 local village teams to me have dropped from fielding 5 & 3 mens teams to 2 & 1 respectively. And the league has gone from 7 divisions down to 3 in the same span.

Cricket in England will always have a grassroots but, for crying out loud, it is being so badly mismanaged. Fewer boys and girls are playing it at school because, especially in inner city areas, grounds are disappearing. Stats reveal that about 7% of kids play cricket. Pathways exist but mainly through posher schools. Beyond that, the game's development is hindered by the pursuit of the mighty dollar. T-20 and its variations are pursued at the cost of skill development. County cricket, the breeding ground for first class cricket, has become the ECB's lowest priority, squeezed aside in favour of T-20 and its variations. Very sad.

 

[Boyne]

BBC Sport
Brendon McCullum sacked as England Test head coach but wi...England are now without a Test head coach and captain as Brendon McCullum leaves after four years in the role.

 

[dermott]

BBC Sport
Brendon McCullum sacked as England Test head coach but wi...England are now without a Test head coach and captain as Brendon McCullum leaves after four years in the role.

Took them long enough. How Rob Key keeps his job remains the mystery. Subject to who replaces McMullum, I would have sixpence on a Stokes comeback. Harry Brook, a McCullum disciple, has much to do to convince he's a Test leader. Quite likely Joe Root will be retreaded one more time given the time frame.

 

[dermott]

Justin Langer a potential candidate to replace McCullum as Test coach. Believe it when I see it. Polar opposite of McCullum, control freak and strong disciplinarian. Had success as Australian coach until results tailed off as his methods ultimately caused a player revolt.

 

[Caps_Lock_King]

Breaking news Sir Garfield Sobers has passed away

 

[Boyne]

Breaking news Sir Garfield Sobers has passed away

BBC Sport

Sir Garfield Sobers: West Indies cricket legend dies aged 89Legendary former West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers, regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, dies aged 89.
Had the honour of seeing him play for the West Indies against England at Lords in 1973. A great player.