English cricket thread

phelans shorts

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Timing would suggest it’s the player who got recalled the week before the investigation started, which would prompt players who might have deemed it not worth it into raising issue. A player who was also named in the Azeem Rafiq testimony.

This obviously isn’t me saying it is him, but there’s a couple of factors pointing at that.
 

IRN-BRUno

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If Curran loses his spot for Livingstone so that Stokes can inexplicably keep getting picked it’ll be a joke.
No chance of that now, superb again today especially in the 18th over. Really encouraging for England if he can keep developing into a reliable death bowler.

Could do with Rashid finding some form in these last 2 games before the tournament starts.
 

Utd heap

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No chance of that now, superb again today especially in the 18th over. Really encouraging for England if he can keep developing into a reliable death bowler.

Could do with Rashid finding some form in these last 2 games before the tournament starts.
Yep Curran is nailed on.

I'd imagine the original intention was to switch between Livingstone and Ali depending on form and conditions, but Ali looks superb with the bat at the moment. Hopefully the Stokes spot does come under some pressure.
 

IRN-BRUno

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Yep Curran is nailed on.

I'd imagine the original intention was to switch between Livingstone and Ali depending on form and conditions, but Ali looks superb with the bat at the moment. Hopefully the Stokes spot does come under some pressure.
Stokes opening the bowling was interesting, if he can get through a couple of overs in the powerplay you could probably leave out a bowler.

Buttler
Hales
Malan
Stokes
Brook
Livingstone
Moeen
Curran
Rashid
Wood
Topley

Still gives you 7 options with the ball and that batting line-up between 3-8 could pretty much switch into any order depending on conditions/bowler.
 

Robindinho

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Squad for Pakistan has been named.

Jennings recalled, looks like Jacks or Livingstone to be the 2nd spinner, Broad on paternity leave...

 

paulscholes18

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Surprised Livingstone got called up, didn't play county cricket this season. Guess Foakes drops to 8 in the batting

Jennings
Crawley
Pope
Root
Brook
Stokes
Jacks / Livingstone
Foakes
Robinson/ Anderson
Wood/ Overton
Leech
 
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ha_rooney

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Squad for Pakistan has been named.

Jennings recalled, looks like Jacks or Livingstone to be the 2nd spinner, Broad on paternity leave...

That’s a stronger squad than I expected which is good to see.

Duckett was so good in the T20s, I hope he gets his chance to play.
 

Trequarista10

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Surprised Livingstone got called up, didn't play county cricket this season. Guess Foakes drops to 8 in the batting

Jennings
Crawley
Pope
Root
Brook
Stokes
Jacks / Livingstone
Foakes
Robinson/ Anderson
Wood/ Overton
Leech
Yeah I think something like this is highly possible. My first impression was it'd be 3 seamers, Leach and Stokes, but that'd leave only 1 seamer in reserve and 3 batsmen/batting all rounders, which isn't the squad composition England usually go for (plenty of bowlers called up, only 1 or 2 batting reserves). So two seamers, Leach, Stokes as the occasional 3rd seamer, and a spinning all rounder. With Wood and Stokes' injury records though it would be somewhat risky. The order may change a bit - could easily even move Foakes to 6 as he's more conservative and genuinely capable of building big innings over a long time, with Stokes and Livingstone/Jacks at 7 and 8 having a blast with the tail.

It's a really interesting squad selection - vastly different approach to what we've seen in recent years, which is quite exciting in and of itself. Lees being dropped is fine, Jennings being recalled shows we aren't afraid to go back to tried and tested options, and from memory he always did well in spinning conditions. Duckett too, and wouldn't be surprised to see Duckett open either ahead of Jennings or together with him at some point in the series. Also good to see we aren't picking 80 mph nibblers who do well in England, just because they have done well in England and feel like they deserve a call up. Anderson and Robinson the only two who are genuinely good enough overseas, then Overton and Wood for some fire power.

My one surprise or criticism would be calling up both Jacks and Livingstone, but not a second front line spinner. Tbh Root is probably a better spinner than both of them, so unless the coaches have seen something we haven't and think one of them has some hidden potential to cause a threat at test level with the ball, it leaves a ton of work on Leach. I would have had one of Parkinson, Bess or the lad from Notts. The latter two could bat at 8 so it'd still be a strong batting line up. If Livingstone or Jacks can chip in decently with the ball and smash a few runs down the order it's extremely high reward, but think an alternative option in reserve would have been useful in case plan A doesn't work out.
 

FlawlessThaw

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Rearranged from previous Covid affected tours I think. Definitely seems pointless especially when you consider the bowlers that England are missing through injury, going to Pakistan and just being rested after playing in the World Cup throughout.
 

TwoSheds

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Opportunity to run out some of the lads who've been in and around. Only Malan and Willey seem to have impressed though so hard to say what we've really learnt. We all know they're good players and hardly youngsters. The one positive I could see would hopefully be if Roy can turn up in the remaining 2 games.
 

Djemba-Djemba

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Opportunity to run out some of the lads who've been in and around. Only Malan and Willey seem to have impressed though so hard to say what we've really learnt. We all know they're good players and hardly youngsters. The one positive I could see would hopefully be if Roy can turn up in the remaining 2 games.
That might be the only slightly interesting thing about this series.

Roy's form has been shocking all year, hopefully he can recover.
 

FlawlessThaw

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Opportunity to run out some of the lads who've been in and around. Only Malan and Willey seem to have impressed though so hard to say what we've really learnt. We all know they're good players and hardly youngsters. The one positive I could see would hopefully be if Roy can turn up in the remaining 2 games.
England’s top 6 only has 3 guaranteed starters IMO with Bairstow, Root and Buttler. So in theory plenty of spots up for grabs from the batters in this tour. I don’t see any of the bowlers except maybe Willey or Dawson featuring in the ODI squad from todays line up. Be good to see how Sam Curran fairs at number 7
 

IRN-BRUno

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Rehan Ahmed called up for the Pakistan tour.

Jimmy Anderson was at 46 international matches when he was born.
Can't see him playing unless the series is done before the final test but a great experience for him at least.

Nice to see Jofra back as well, speed gun apparently had him hitting 90mph and he struck Crawley on the helmet in his first over.
 

paulscholes18

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Rehan Ahmed called up for the Pakistan tour.

Jimmy Anderson was at 46 international matches when he was born.
Got a bit of a tonking 0/73 off just 8 overs, surprised he got the nod over Matt Parkinson.

Good for Archer to get overs in his legs after a long lay off.

No messing about from England 501 off 79 overs Vs the Lions
 

FlawlessThaw

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Got a bit of a tonking 0/73 off just 8 overs, surprised he got the nod over Matt Parkinson.

Good for Archer to get overs in his legs after a long lay off.

No messing about from England 501 off 79 overs Vs the Lions
Must have been a complete road to be fair.
 

phelans shorts

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Can't see him playing unless the series is done before the final test but a great experience for him at least.

Nice to see Jofra back as well, speed gun apparently had him hitting 90mph and he struck Crawley on the helmet in his first over.
You never know, we’re presumably going to see some absolute dross red ball players like Livingstone get a game