WI tour of England, July 8-28

[alfie]

Surprised to be able to actually watch this on a stream... Being a 13 a side practice match I wasn't going to sit up all night glued to it but nice to see
* a new prospect in Bracey putting in a claim
* Mahmood keeping up the tradition of emerging fast bowlers taking a wicket early only to discover they'd overstepped
*Jimmy getting a useful run out...seems to be still ticking.
*Denly still good for - nearly - a half century most times.

Didn't stay up for Lawrence but apparently a good knock. Leach looked rather rusty .

It's a start...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Looks like WI are playing themselves too.

The England players involved.

Team Stokes: Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Zak Crawley, Jonathan Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Olly Stone, James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton.

Team Buttler: Rory Burns, James Bracey, Joe Denly, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (c), Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson.

That'll take some pruning down.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wonder if we'll see hand sanitiser slathered all over the ball. I bet experiments are going on.

[mikesiva]

Joshua Da Silva was the star for Holder's XI today with top score of 113* on another rain affected day

The second squad player to put a shift in during these warm up games.

A real talent.

Potential successor to Dowrich with the gloves.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Who will be England's pace bowlers? Wood seemed to be a first choice after SA if not injured. Anderson and Broad. That might be it, plus Stokes if there's a spinner. Which leaves out Archer, and less problematically Curran and Woakes.

[Arthur Crabtree]

With Root out, I guess-

Sibley
Burns
Crawley
Denly
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
Wood
Broad/Archer
Leach
Anderson

[mikesiva]

England squad for first Test: Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Reserves: James Bracey, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, Olly Stone

[sussexpob]

The whole Root leaving the squad thing is a little confusing for me. I read a report that indicated his wifes due date was actually on Day 5, considering the average woman gives birth around 5 days late, is it at all likely that Root is going to play in the second test with only a two day turn around? The second thing I find confusing is the reporting seems to indicate that his period of self isolation starts when he leaves the squad on Wednesday, allowing him to play if the baby is born before Test 2; call me stupid, but with so much made about this biosecure bubble that has been made impenetrable, here you actually have the possiblity that a player could visit the most high risk of all places to contract covid 19 that exists, and could return to a match situation several days before symptoms were to appear.

On average, it takes 5.1 days for people to show symptoms, and tests only come back positive around 24 hours before a person starts to show those symptoms. And even then they are only accurate in providing a positive in 70 percent of cases. So Root could be infecting everyone around him for 4 days, or in the case of delayed incubation, 10 days before a positive test came up considering some people take two weeks to show symptoms.

Why when the rules indicate a period of self isolation of two weeks, is Root able to come back quicker? The opposition are having to isolate for 14 days before being allowed into the biosecure bubble? It seems pretty mad to me, and one positive test risks all internationals being cancelled. Are the ECB making exceptions for a star player? He should really be in isolation for 14 days, and that 14 day period starting when he is back at home after the birth.

Not that I disagree with his choice. He should be allowed the time off, but the rules on his return seem hasty

[sussexpob]

In fact, the biosecure bubble thing is all very confusing in general. A lot of articles are discussing the ECBs plan to "building bridges to the outside world", which takes the form of players being allowed home between the end of the 2nd and 3rd tests. With literally only 2 days between the Pakistan and Windies tests ending and starting, how exactly do the ECB intended to keep a biosecure bubble while allowing the squad to go home only a day or two before a game? It seems on the one hand they are telling us of a military level of strictness and on the other hand they are talking about letting players have freedom to see family and leave the bubble. Again like I said above, all you need is one person to get Covid, and thats the series over; and you couldnt expect to pick it up in testing.

And Giles expressly said not that long ago once the government announced the bars and restaurants will open, that he wont be telling players they cant go; he then waffled on about hoping they were responsible and wouldnt jeopardise the team by engaging in irresponsible behaviour, but what does that mean? If you are making a choice not to tell players they cant go for a pint very purposefully, then does that mean its allowed? Its not very clear at all. Surely the ECB would be mad to let players out their hotel, so why not just say players are forbidden to leave the hotel and that anyone found in a pub is kicked out for the summer?

Sounds like Boris is in charge of it all. There was mass panic when Sam Curran got ill a few days ago, who exactly would it be possible he got Covid if all these measures they talk about are in place? It does make me wonder what the actual reality is. Is this system anywhere near as strict as they say, because some of the measures like each bowler using only the balls assigned to them and what not sound ridiculously unrealistic, as does expecting players to be imprisoned in a hotel for 9 weeks without them ever being allowed a bit of a wander.

[Arthur Crabtree]

It sounds in general people being allowed to do what they want or what business wants is repackaged in lockdown jargon. Contradictions are unravelled by appealing to common sense which means whatever you want it to mean. Rules are widely open to interpretation. The message from the government travel u-turn is that anything goes.

[westoelad]

We're talking about an extremely fit group of young men in both parties. Even if one is tested positive it's extremely unlike statistically that the consequences would be life threatening. Once the series is underway the schedule is so intense I doubt if they'll have the energy or desire to socialize outside the bubble.

[sussexpob]

We're talking about an extremely fit group of young men in both parties. Even if one is tested positive it's extremely unlike statistically that the consequences would be life threatening.

The England team does include a player who is in the highest risk category, and who recently said he thought he might died when a simple illness ended with him in hospital with sepsis. Not sure Jack Leach would be so dismissive of catching it.

Once the series is underway the schedule is so intense I doubt if they'll have the energy or desire to socialize outside the bubble.

More than half this squad is in reserve, so the majority are going to find they dont have a lot to do other than watch the cricket, with the nights and down time filled without the comforts of home. And these are guys that have been through the normal lockdown and now traded it for an extra 10 week one, when other people got to have social distanced BBQs and see family and friends, these got together in a lockdown hotel and havent been allowed out. I can imagine they must be bored as hell and craving human contact and a chance to go out and live their lives a little. Given 1 or 2 days to leave the bubble, Id expect every single one would take it, and a lot of them would take the opportunity to socialise. I wouldnt blame them for it, but it certainly adds a risk to all involved allowing them to do it.

Englands current Captain isnt immune to having the odd night out in between closely packed fixtures. The infamous Bristol night out was in the middle of a series, so its hardly against form to suggest having to play a lot stops members of the squad having a bit of a drink

[westoelad]

If they wish to be involved with England that's the sacrifice they will have to make. If they transgress the road back the penalty is quite severe as a few have found recently. I suspect that there will be a lot of squad rotation with few,if any,having no involvement.

[sussexpob]

If they wish to be involved with England that's the sacrifice they will have to make. If they transgress the road back the penalty is quite severe as a few have found recently. I suspect that there will be a lot of squad rotation with few,if any,having no involvement.

I am not really disagreeing with the point being made Westo, but to me it seems bizarre to make so much of the biobubble they created, only then to say players will be allowed to leave it 1 or 2 days before they could be required to play and well before symptoms would display or be tested for. The results of one positive test in either camp could be devastating for the series, and in turn for the finances of the game as a whole if games are cancelled. Allowing players to put themselves in positions to make choices that could cripple the ECB after all the effort and costs theyve gone to just seems strange to me. If you dont agree then fair play, you have more trust in the players ability to restrain their instincts.

[westoelad]

I don't think that there are any right or wrong answers. To me it's a case of striking a right balance between maintaining the physical and mental welfare of those involved. Presumably experts in both areas have been consulted and come up with what they believe is the best compromise.