Random Women's Cricket Thread

[alfie]

Lots of runs this morning ... but lots of wickets too ; so India well on top with England 137/5. Jones sort of saved things with a desperately needed fifty but fell just before lunch : leaves Nat Sciver-Brunt (37no) with a lot to do - and not much support batting available.

[Durhamfootman]

big first innings deficit

I thought England would bat much better than it appears they have

India happily extending that lead to 166 with 10 wickets still in hand

[Durhamfootman]

in complete contrast to the men, India are making a mockery of England's first innings score

are England a bowler down, btw? Filer has only bowled 4 overs

[Durhamfootman]

Heather Knight does 'a Stokes' and announces her international retirement during the test

unlike Stokes, I doubt she'll start turning out for Durham any time soon

[alfie]

Looks as if this Test was one too many games for England after the WC run. Dean and the two young all rounders not playing , Knight on the way out along with Beaumont , and too much left to NSB.

Bit of concern about the batting going forward. Some of these younger ones don't seem up to Tests as opposed to the short stuff ; and with those oldies departing it is going to require some work to fill up a serious top six.

[Durhamfootman]

Feels like England are a batter short. NSB not bowling atm unbalances things

I thought perhaps they were a bowler short too, but Filer is bowling again. I don't know why there was such a big gap in spells for her.

Inroads being made now, but saving this is going to be a very tall order, especially if India decide to give themselves the best part of 5 sessions to bowl England out after setting a 400 target first

[Durhamfootman]

well, blimey. What to say

any improvement in England's global standing after a strong T20 WC campaign has surely been completely undone at Lords over the last 3 days

This is about as bad a performance as it's possible to get for England. Worse than shambolic, really. They've been absolutely crushed

there'll be a lot of head scratching to do after this match. I think there's only one other test match between now and the ashes next year. There is no way that England can afford to hand Australia 4 points.... jeez.... doesn't bear thinking about facing Australia with something like this. Crumbs! They'll do very well from here to even bat 100 overs and score 300 runs across 2 innings

abject ain't in it

[alfie]

It was a shocker all right (think we can assume over quickly later today !)

But as I suggested beforehand I think it can be taken as a bit of an outlier due to the obvious after effects from the WC. Players missing , players on the final lap , players mentally not quite there after the last few weeks. Sure , India were at the WC too ; but I don't think they had quite the same expectation or emotional comedown from the final defeat. So I am not reading too much into this one result.

The problem of course for England is going to be shoring up a batting line-up for Tests (rare as they are) with Knight and Beaumont gone and the young guns seemingly better suited to t20 . So Charlotte has work to do. Going to be tricky but I do think she knows what she's doing.

[andy]

England lose by 270 runs ecclestone fought hard with a half century but England thoroughly out played

[Durhamfootman]

Is there not an opportunity here?

England have now played India and SA with a test v WI scheduled for next year, so it's becoming more frequent than just as a part of a multi format ashes series. It feels like a natural progression in the women's game to me, so maybe the ECB could take a lead on this (what am I saying, FFS )

Tier 1 domestic cricket lasts the whole season and features 16 matches, interspersed with the T20 Blast. There are 9 teams. Would it not be possible to reduce the number of OD cup matches and create a red ball competition? Split the 9 counties into 3 groups of 3 and play 4 matches. There is always a 2 week window in June where the men return to the CC and half of the county grounds are not being used. that would allow for 2 rounds for the women. The women currently play 7 one day games before the Blast starts, that could be reduced to 4 or 5 matches in April (as it is currently) and use the early part of May to play the other 2 red ball matches. It would introduce the red ball skills needed to more players and allow England players to play some red ball games before any summer multi format series

It would be better if there were 10 teams.... 2 divisions of 5, 4 matches, one up, one down and a champion, but I have no idea if there are plans to increase the number of tier one teams to 10.

[alfie]

Sounds like what Charlotte wants to happen - the importance of getting players used to multi day red ball cricket. Will be interesting to see what if anything does happen along those likes.

[Durhamfootman]

it wouldn't be the ECB taking a lead, as it happens. I've just been reading that women play domestic red ball cricket in India

The same article pointed out that Australia were due to play WI in a standalone test recently, but it was cancelled for whatever reason and it's by no means certain that England's test in the caribbean will go ahead either