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

Not sure rashid calling Vaughan stupid is a great idea. He's putting a massive target on his head. Also saying he just might find another county after yorkshire commented; not sure given time to find a replacement, he'd have a white ball county now.

Very silly comments by Rashid. If he don't back it up then he's going to get cremated

the daft thing is all players are taught from a very early age how to deal with the media, so quite why he went off like that I have no idea. Far better to take a few key India wickets and then tell MVP where to go

Quite. The obvious thing to say is that MPV is entitled to his opinion, but having been picked to do a job for England, you're going to go out and do it to the best of your ability.

I think there's a genuine concern that Leach isn't match fit, there's a strong implication that he'd be in otherwise. Quite how they're judging Rashid to be fit for the long form I don't know, but if he's training with the squad they must have some idea about his fitness.

Not sure what Bess did wrong, although Agnew suggests it's about having a spinner who turns it away from the right hander, so Bess doesn't fit the bill.

Rashid and Smith are both going to look very silly if Rashid doesn't have some pretty solid returns.

alfie wrote:they might shed a batsman - ie Malan and pick six bowlers...

3 bat 2 wk 6 bowl ... They wouldn't , would they ?

I could see Ed Smith going with something like:

Cook
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Moeen
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

I think it less likely that either Curran (8) or Porter (9) - with Rashid moving up one - would play in this formation. I also doubt he would be as consider Stokes plus 2 spinners in a 5 man attack.

IMO the probable team is:

Cook
Jennings
Root
Malan
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Curran
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Agreed , Ian ...that is the XI I'd expect - and accept as best - from the squad named. Though I'd not be worried if they took Moeen for Rashid (unlikely , I think) or Porter for Curran. It seems fairly balanced.

It is the more "exotic" variations that I fear

Not quite sure with these selectors...

I think this is only the beginning of problems involving spinners in the England test team. When are they going to bowl in favourable conditions given the stupid timing of 4 day cricket

I think Smith's idea is to replace the Test team with the ODI players. He just needs to get rid of Cook, Jennings, Anderson and Broad. Can see Hales and Roy opening soon. There was talk about Roy for the 1st Test according to one paper.

So will they decide on two spinners? If it is one, do they pick the 2nd spinner or the specialist? What happens if Root loses the toss and has to bowl first with two spinners in the team?

IIRC, Wee Davey started life as a grade T20 specialist, with no Shield experience to speak of, and quickly became a stalwart of the Australia side in all forms. Okay ultimately it ended badly, but in between, in terms of his numbers, he was a very successful, very reliable cricketer.

If nothing else, the advent of test batsmen with an aggressive white ball approach has changed test cricket markedly. For good or for ill, there seem to be very few draws these days, and even the idea of meaningful test cricket on day 5 is becoming more of a rarity.

Perhaps the Smith era is geared to making England competitive ahead of a shift to 4 day tests

sussexpob wrote:Not sure rashid calling Vaughan stupid is a great idea. He's putting a massive target on his head. Also saying he just might find another county after yorkshire commented; not sure given time to find a replacement, he'd have a white ball county now.

Very silly comments by Rashid. If he don't back it up then he's going to get cremated

Rashid has done right in criticising Michael Vaughan's comments, who called for Broad to be dropping in the 2nd Pakistan test even though he came away from the previous New Zealand test series with any credibility. If Rashid doesn't perform in the India test, it only justifies the decision to take a break from red ball cricket. His red ball performances for Yorkshire last season was absymal.

Rashid is better off finding another county, mainly because Yorkshire prioritise seam bowling when in red ball cricket and the recent three captains are clueless when it comes to operating spin. In the County Championship this year, a frontline spinner has bowled just 5 overs and that was from one match loanee Josh Poysden.

Alviro Patterson wrote: Rashid has done right in criticising Michael Vaughan's comments, who called for Broad to be dropping in the 2nd Pakistan test even though he came away from the previous New Zealand test series with any credibility. If Rashid doesn't perform in the India test, it only justifies the decision to take a break from red ball cricket. His red ball performances for Yorkshire last season was absymal

Let me get this straight...... Are you saying a player who makes himself available for test selection, who is coming off a bad county season, and who has publicly stated that he does not want to do any of the ground work that would naturally improve that form and make him a better player, would be justified in that decision if he got walloped around in his first game back? Justified to the point that he would be right to name his detractors in the press and call them stupid, while attacking their professional abilities?

The idea he isnt playing red ball cricket is factually a load of sh*t. Hes in the test side. He said he had no passion for this game, but his decision to accept the call says to me that he thinks he is a bit too Hollywood for it all. Well, we shall see wont we. Far from being justified, if he gets smacked around he might actually learn that working hard on his game, while not Hollywood, is what makes great players... and that all those around him to get to that level and thrive need to do the same. He should be shutting his mouth and spending every minute god sends in bowling in the nets to catch up on lost time, not picking battles in the press. Anyone with half a brain when asked would be saying "yep, I am lucky. But now I will work hard and hope I can show what I can do".....

My sympathy for him is gone. If he does badly, the journos should rightfully pick at him like he's a buffet at a wedding. His selection on all levels shows just how badly cricket in the UK has become. Even the administrators dont seem to care. As Oliver Holt said, this decision shows that Smith "hates cricket".

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... -dissected

Just what you want to read before a big series....

Its a lean time for England, which makes you feel like its doubly important where the team is steering itself. But this in actual fact is a concern more than anything.

sussexpob wrote:

Alviro Patterson wrote: Rashid has done right in criticising Michael Vaughan's comments, who called for Broad to be dropping in the 2nd Pakistan test even though he came away from the previous New Zealand test series with any credibility. If Rashid doesn't perform in the India test, it only justifies the decision to take a break from red ball cricket. His red ball performances for Yorkshire last season was absymal

Let me get this straight...... Are you saying a player who makes himself available for test selection, who is coming off a bad county season, and who has publicly stated that he does not want to do any of the ground work that would naturally improve that form and make him a better player, would be justified in that decision if he got walloped around in his first game back? Justified to the point that he would be right to name his detractors in the press and call them stupid, while attacking their professional abilities?

The idea he isnt playing red ball cricket is factually a load of sh*t. Hes in the test side. He said he had no passion for this game, but his decision to accept the call says to me that he thinks he is a bit too Hollywood for it all. Well, we shall see wont we. Far from being justified, if he gets smacked around he might actually learn that working hard on his game, while not Hollywood, is what makes great players... and that all those around him to get to that level and thrive need to do the same. He should be shutting his mouth and spending every minute god sends in bowling in the nets to catch up on lost time, not picking battles in the press. Anyone with half a brain when asked would be saying "yep, I am lucky. But now I will work hard and hope I can show what I can do".....

My sympathy for him is gone. If he does badly, the journos should rightfully pick at him like he's a buffet at a wedding. His selection on all levels shows just how badly cricket in the UK has become. Even the administrators dont seem to care. As Oliver Holt said, this decision shows that Smith "hates cricket".

It's not beyond the realms of possibility Rashid did not want a test recall, but he is hardly going to say no incase if it affects his standing in the England limited overs side.

Rashid taking a hiatus from red ball cricket was entirely justified. What use would a finger spinner have been on green top, pudding wickets prepared in April and early May? The 1st two months of spring was absolutely wet, cold and miserable. Drying weather non-existent in the 1st four months of 2018 as the water tables were above ground lev

Doing successive early season away trips to Taunton, Chelmsford and London watching batsmen dismissed cheaply by dibbly dobbly seam bowling is a fruitless exercise for a spinner. Rashid got more benefit bowling in nets and working on his skills, than going through the motions.

Maybe the journalists and pundits should consider the reasons why Rashid made a decision to take a break from red ball cricket, instead of taking the moral high ground.

Alviro Patterson wrote:It's not beyond the realms of possibility Rashid did not want a test recall, but he is hardly going to say no incase if it affects his standing in the England limited overs side.

Wasnt he on tour with England when he announced he didnt want to play red ball cricket. Hes played white ball series multiple times since. So this isnt a reason that stands up to any scrutiny.

Alviro Patterson wrote:Rashid taking a hiatus from red ball cricket was entirely justified.

I dont think anyone is suggesting Rashid should need to justify not playing for Yorkshire. He does what he wants. What is not justified is picking him in the national team when his most recent form is terrible, and when he has turned his back on the game. For whatever reason, it makes no sense whatsoever. Its a massively damaging precedent to set. The result of the individual decision matter little. If a player not being picked for two years and off the radar can waltz into a national team playing nothing recently, then are the ECB going to force people like Root and Cook to go get form in the county game? Not a chance.

What use would a finger spinner have been on green top, pudding wickets prepared in April and early May? The 1st two months of spring was absolutely wet, cold and miserable. Drying weather non-existent in the 1st four months of 2018 as the water tables were above ground lev

So all spinners should just bugger off on holiday when conditions get tough? On our next Asian tour, should the seamers just turn up the day before and not both with the warm ups or training, because after all the ball doesnt swing? He had an opportunity to play last week didnt he, and declined. And that was admist a record breaking heatwave where it hasntrained in weeks. Another reason that makes no sense.

Id have thought any international player would relish standing out in the toughest conditions. If he did indeed run away from playing on tough pitches, it doesnt really make me think he has it in him to thrive at test level anymore.

Maybe the journalists and pundits should consider the reasons why Rashid made a decision to take a break from red ball cricket, instead of taking the moral high ground.

Oh they are definitely going to do that after he came out and said to someone, who's opinion is pretty much a consensus across the press, that he was stupid. If Rashid dont win the series on his own, he can guarantee every single bad ball will be like a nail in his coffin. As I said previously, which was the main point, the firing back at Vaughan was a moment of absolutely stupidity on his own accord.

His reasons anyway dont matter. Its not about him quitting, its about him quitting and somehow rising in stock with the selectors. Hes dont nothing to justify being picked. Had he taken 3 years off and then came back and blitzed county line ups, then I am sure no one would be saying anything.

If its personal, if its money, if its tiredness...... irrelevant. Not played in ages, shouldnt be picked.

And what's worse for Adil is, should he fail, is that he will get hit by a hurricane of the ECBs creation, and will be swept away with it. The cricketing public is not happy, discontent is simmering under the surface. A massive loss at home to India in the first test with a controversial pick leading the way with a splattergun show of bowling might just blow the doors off. Whether or not thats fair is up to debate, but as I said, his behaviour in calling out Vaughan makes me quite unsympathetic.

I cant see his career on all levels not being affected if he cant pull a performance out the bag. Assuming England dont blink first and not pick him.