Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Another 50 over game tomorrow, then 7-10, England play Afghanistan.

In the first game there was a 4-fer for Meaker (a bit surprising that this once future of England pace bowling is still on these tours). Jennings made a ton.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/m ... 69643.html

In the second game, Leach and Tom (the elder) Curran took wickets.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/m ... 69644.html

Perhaps of more interest than the form of the players is the increased scrutiny finally being visited on the power behind the power, Andy Flower.

not sure what the point of this series is.
doesn't really fulfil any need that teams do in A tours.
can't be used as a preparation for the bulk of the winter test since 5 test are already finish and think only one test would remain when the first class game finishes.
can't be said to be very strong teams or give any good idea if the players will stand up in Test matches.
England don't even Tour UAE or Sub C for a while and UAE pitches are quite different to indian/Sri lankan/Bangladesh wickets anyway.
it can't even claim that it gives potential winter call up game time when the lads just said 2 days ago it was nice to finally play in the field and none of them played a first class game since September.
Also why tour UAE again when they visited last year and majority of the counties come here during preseason.
would be far better to actually tour Australia/NZ or anywhere where they playing cricket next year or even better try to organise games in Sri lanka, India or Bangladesh, before the Test series starts so potential call ups have game time or have the opportunity to actually push for selection.

Might influence selection for the India ODI section of the winter. And might not too.

All valid points, though I'd still be inclined to view any Lions activity better than none. Always assuming being coached and assessed by Andy Flower doesn't have a negative impact on the player.

True Arthur.
Also in other news don't know how long it is taking to confirm the under 19 series in India, ecb mentioned it few months ago and bcci today said it is happening but not been confirmed yet and that it will allow under 19 players that were not illegible for the Asia cup to play, bcci misread the rules and so picked half the squad ineligible for the tournament.

Think this series was in the pipeline since last year.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Might influence selection for the India ODI section of the winter. And might not too.

All valid points, though I'd still be inclined to view any Lions activity better than none. Always assuming being coached and assessed by Andy Flower doesn't have a negative impact on the player.

What I find annoying is the good press the lions get or the stereotype that they play good standard of cricket and if they play lions they are ready for test cricket.
During India series most English media were acting like the lions were playing cricket somewhere and balance plus duckett should leave to play lions cricket and the lions players scoring runs should join the main side.

You just know they mention Jennings being match ready and played loads of games but in reality he played 2 Odi against awful teams and he said it was great to be playing cricket again couple of days ago.
Not sure that great preparation for the India series.

Don't get me wrong I like the lions set up but in recent time the schedule doesn't help the test team or in this any team.
Last year it was based on white ball cricket and England did well in that aspect. The year before SA tour and that helped England win the following year.
What England getting this year UAE and Afghanistan and Sri Lanka tour 2 yrs before the next Sri Lankan series and that was also after India tour finished.
So players playing in sub c but England don't tour again for 2 and half years.

Not really sure what ecb are doing considering flower and the men at ecb love lions but at the same time their hardly give the players any good or well thought fixture list.
Very odds because when flower was in charge England had a very good lions set up.

Maybe the opportunities aren't there as they were. You can see from tour games and pitch prep that countries want to impede the progress of other countries and actually disadvantage them. Any snub is returned with a little interest. It doesn't really make sense for boards to accommodate other country's A teams, and any favour will be scrutinised for its advantage to the country granting it. Some nations may be willing to host for money, like UAE and SL, maybe WI.

But this is a time where more A tours are happening, even wi and Sri Lanka have full a tours.
Certainly more A tours played now than 4-5 yrs ago.

OK, so it's only England who are getting less out of them, usually going to UAE. Can't imagine England want to save money. The ECB offers little to touring A sides, often scheduling them to play each other, or county reserve teams.

It's been reported that he ECB think Flower's performance get-togethers are more valuable than A games but results don't seem to justify that.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Maybe the opportunities aren't there as they were. You can see from tour games and pitch prep that countries want to impede the progress of other countries and actually disadvantage them. Any snub is returned with a little interest. It doesn't really make sense for boards to accommodate other country's A teams, and any favour will be scrutinised for its advantage to the country granting it. Some nations may be willing to host for money, like UAE and SL, maybe WI.

TBH the reason tour games don't work is that the other side doesn't need to send a strong team, personally don't think the pitches have changed from past years for them but the attitude and the team sent have definitely getting worse.
probably one of the reason why more A teams are being played now since they replacing the warm up games and majority of the time both teams send strong teams and both teams trying to win games can't say the same thing for the warm up games.
plus both teams get something out of it since they are usually reciprocal terms.

Pitches for the Tests, not the tour games.

No Leach again. 40 for Sam Curran, but not much from the top order.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/m ... 69645.html

James Fuller, who is playing for England, was born in SA and is down on cricinfo as a Kiwi. Looks like a T20 specialist.

Sale reporting Flower been promoted although in reality he always had the same role.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/articl ... apers.html
"Flower’s new title, which for some reason the England Cricket Board never made public, is head of the Lions programme. This makes him the most influential voice — effectively another selector — judging who’s ready to step up to full England status. "

The ECB have been deliberately evasive about Flower's role. I guess they now think it's enough time since he 'stepped down' to be more open, but for many he will never be rehabilitated.

A couple of wickets for Rayner. Should be interesting to see him and Leach together against Afghanistan. Together with the Currans, and Overton or R. Jones.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:A couple of wickets for Rayner.

3-fer.