English Cricket Thread

[alfie]

Certainly well timed return to runs for Buttler ... must have been quite an innings (haven't watched). Only caveat being India seem to have switched off their game totally in all departments in this random t20 circus.

Good for English confidence winning 4-0. But it is the WCs that count so hope they can bring this when the heat is on.

[sussexpob]

I wouldn't image that India get much grace in any T20Is from their public, so I'd expect the press over there are in a total rage.

Thought it a bit harsh they dropped the kid so quickly as well. Got to be prepared for him to take some time considering his age.

[Durhamfootman]

maybe his selection was in response to some clamour, or expected clamour back home and 3 low scores gave them the excuse to put him back in his box until he's ready?

They certainly don't want to be spoiling him aged 15 in some sort of new Tendulkar quest. He's going to be a great player. Let him grow up first.

[sussexpob]

Press reporting McCullum is being fired today

[sussexpob]

ECB confirm. "Standing down".....

Amazed that Rob Key has not been fired.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Only Tests though. Brand-on continues in shorter formats.

[Durhamfootman]

Looks like Key is busy culling everyone around him

[Durhamfootman]

my advice to the cricketing fraternity.....

never go hot air ballooning with Rob Key

[alfie]

So not altogether surprisingly England now lack a coach and a captain at Test level... have to hope both spots can be filled before Pakistan arrive other than poor old Joe Root being asked to fill in for one while Key doubles as the other

Probably inevitable once Stokes departed. Team is going to need some more hands on work from off field I guess , whether Brook is given the role in all three formats or someone else is parachuted in. Not going to be easy for anyone so I wait with interest to see who will be prepared to grasp this prickly if not poisoned chalice.

Not a good few weeks for England Cricket (despite the easy white ball triumph over India). But we've been hereabouts before (at least those of us who have been following them for too many decades have !) so will keep watching and hoping...

[sussexpob]

I am honestly just shocked at this point. If we were to sum up the entire accountability at the ECB for the debacle of recent times, the only result has been to remove most of the coaches responsibilities he is hired for, while still employing and paying him in a very influential role, and banning two players for breaking a curfew that 3 days ago the PCA found was actually not communicated to players legally or properly, so even that was a mindlessly embarrassing bungle that cost us a senior player and captain. The ECB then adapted the curfew and announced it to great fanfare.... and within 24 hours had already implemented the exception to dispense with it.

English cricket continues to descend into a Norse mythology level of tragedy. Richard Gould's performance yesterday made it clear that they have no interest in changing, they couldn't even sack the coach they scapegoated everything on. When the guy at the very top looks at the last couple of weeks, looks at 6 odd previously contracted players all highlighting how badly they have been treated, and says with a straight face the one reason we need Key is because he is "a great communicator".... don't expect change. Its not happening.Maybe I am just stupid. Maybe I don't have the brain to grasp why the great communicator considers a 3 day gap between limited overs games as an acceptably long period for the team to cut loose and have a party, but a 10 day gap in tests to result in bans if they do the same.

This whole exercise of demoting McCullum at full pay is a sacrifice to keep the Key ethos sailing aimlessly in high waters. That ethos has always been oblivious to empirical evidence or external opinion, and will continue to be.

What sane person would look at Gould and Key, and accept to work with these two planks under these conditions? How can you change a culture in the dressing room, when both of your bosses can't even hold people accountable properly for the previous disaster? And how can you change a culture when your boss refuses to ever acknowledge they have done wrong with action?

All we get is false promises in the last year. Promises that default to nothing after being uttered 2 days previous.

[sussexpob]

People are talking about Flower coming back. Despite my well documented concerns with Flower's previous reign, I actually don't think in the short or medium term that having a person who at the very least demands professionalism and discipline from his players is a bad thing, and Flower has the gravity to at least attempt to steer the culture in the right direction. Flower's major weaknesses as coach are no longer responsibilities that fall under his doorstep too, and while I think in the long term his methods in modern day cricket wear players down, perfection and the longevity of success are the least concern for English cricket at the moment. Its getting to that point, however brief, and resetting the last 4 years of nonsense that is the goal.

But lets be honest here...... Does anyone remotely think that Andy Flower will tolerate taking orders from somone as slack, casual and incompetent as Key? I think there is no way in hell Flower quits a cushty T20 career earning big money to take orders from a person who represent's his anti-Christ.

[sussexpob]

I would put big money on Mo Bobat getting the job....

[alfie]

I see some comments that Dravid is under serious consideration. Might be a goer , if true ?

[Arthur Crabtree]

From Bazball to the Wall?

[andy]

I see some comments that Dravid is under serious consideration. Might be a goer , if true ?

Would definitely take him