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

andy wrote:Burns,Gubbins,Vince?

They can't do any worse than the current lot

Might as well just pick the best 3 slip catchers in county cricket, they will save us 150 runs a test match because of all the drops

Any runs would be a pleasant bonus

Arthur Crabtree wrote:My impression is that (most) home boards started using the warm ups as a means to winning the series, and now it has become standard behaviour. I think those advocating better preparation mean that this shouldn't happen.

Yes, obviously meaningful practice is the key. There's no point playing 5 bloody warm-up games against Glamorgan B on a flat track. The preparation games should be against Division 1 first team opposition, and should be fully competitive four day games. Maybe even give the host team a few bonus points to their CC table score if they win to give them an incentive to play their best XI and prepare a track that gives a chance of a result. Using A teams and/or an Ireland test is another option. I wasn't advocating longer tours for their own sake. We have to move away from this tit-for-tat by home boards giving the tourists no meaningful preparation on purpose. Everybody does it now. I'm not sure who started it (Australia?), but it's become pervasive.

Of course England would be annihilated on rank turners. No one is pretending this result actually means they're a really good side. They've been relying on their bowling to win home series for a long time. Doesn't mean they're not hard to beat at home because of it.

BTW - agree 90% with what sussex said about India's previous series, but I think you're understanding SRT's contribution to the 2007 win. He top-scored with 91 for India in the match that they won, and I vividly remember his battle with Sidebottom and Tremlett on day 3 - he played superbly.

backfootpunch wrote:

andy wrote:Burns,Gubbins,Vince?

They can't do any worse than the current lot

Might as well just pick the best 3 slip catchers in county cricket, they will save us 150 runs a test match because of all the drops

Any runs would be a pleasant bonus

Not Vince, good grief. Maybe Burns, Gubbins, Hildreth?

Would love to see Hildreth finally get a go...