Cricket: General Chat

[blandy]

1 hour ago, PaulC said:

When was the last time England lost a home series.

Saffers maybe, when we couldn't get Amla out? Did Sri Lanka beat us, too or was that a draw - I remember going to Headingly where they tonked us. But yeah, mostly we're decent-ish at home.

Pakistan are closer to India than South Africa I'd have thought - they've a pretty decent side.

 

[PaulC]

8 hours ago, blandy said:

Saffers maybe, when we couldn't get Amla out? Did Sri Lanka beat us, too or was that a draw - I remember going to Headingly where they tonked us. But yeah, mostly we're decent-ish at home.

Pakistan are closer to India than South Africa I'd have thought - they've a pretty decent side.

 

Oh yes I forgot about Sri Lanka when Moeen made a hundred and Anderson got out off the penultimate ball or something. Its goes in cycles. India took their time after the likes of Tendulkar and Dravid finished. Australia used to win everything, then South Africa. Maybe its India's turn to dominate.

[sharkyvilla]

19 minutes ago, PaulC said:

Oh yes I forgot about Sri Lanka when Moeen made a hundred and Anderson got out off the penultimate ball or something. Its goes in cycles. India took their time after the likes of Tendulkar and Dravid finished. Australia used to win everything, then South Africa. Maybe its India's turn to dominate.

I read a list of Cook's series as captain and it wasn't pretty reading, bar the South Africa away win and a couple of Ashes.  Losing at home to Sri Lanka ranks as one of the worst performances by any major team ever.  I thought we'd lose this series 5-0 so at least it was better than that, but I expect when it quietens down over the next couple of months they will make a change of skipper.

[PaulC]

Yes its probably for the best given Cook's form with the bat too. Let him focus on scoring runs. the downside is it might have an adverse effect on root's batting

[dAVe80]

Is anyone worried about Root's form, if he takes on the captaincy? That said, is Root the only candidate? Would Stokes or maybe even Bairstow be in the running? 

[sharkyvilla]

2 hours ago, dAVe80 said:

Is anyone worried about Root's form, if he takes on the captaincy? That said, is Root the only candidate? Would Stokes or maybe even Bairstow be in the running? 

None of Kohli, Smith or Williamson's batting form went down the pan when they became captain of their countries, nor did Cook's when he took on ours.  It seems very English to worry about captaincy ruining our best player when everywhere else it's seen as perfectly logical.

[veloman]

Does anyone know what the rationale was in letting Laurie Evans go to Sussex !!!!! I thought he was a pretty useful 1 day player and a damn good fielder. That membership renewal form is edging nearer the bin.

[sharkyvilla]

24 minutes ago, veloman said:

Does anyone know what the rationale was in letting Laurie Evans go to Sussex !!!!! I thought he was a pretty useful 1 day player and a damn good fielder. That membership renewal form is edging nearer the bin.

I think that was the problem, he wanted more than just to play one day cricket.  I'm a Sussex fan but don't know much about him tbh, hopefully he's a decent signing.

[veloman]

19 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

I think that was the problem, he wanted more than just to play one day cricket.  I'm a Sussex fan but don't know much about him tbh, hopefully he's a decent signing.

Unfortunately, I think you'll find he will be  

[dAVe80]

Very decent limited overs player, but inconstant in the County Championship. I think the limited chances he'd get in red ball cricket, helped make his mind up for him. Like any team, if he doesn't want to be here, then send him on his way.  

[mikeyp102]

So Cook has retired the England captaincy. Great player and captain. Hopefully he can still stay in the side and beat more batting records.

Still think it's too early for Root, but there is no one else really 

[dAVe80]

Was going to mention Cook earlier, but got sidetracked. I was critical of him during his time as captain, and considered him too conservative at times. Two Ashes wins though, and a fantastic win in South Africa. I'll remember his time as captain fondly, and agree he certainly is a great player. Hopefully he's now freed up to go on being the run machine he's become.

As for the next captain, has to be Root for me. I'm not worried about it being too early for him. That young man was born to be England captain. He'll thrive in my opinion. I'd like to see Stokes step up to the vice captain spot, or maybe even Moeen.

[OutByEaster?]

I think Root is the obvious candidate - Cook has been a very good captain in my opinion and this now leaves him free to concentrate on his batting and on going on to becoming England's best ever batsman - Root has some good characteristics for Captaincy, but I think it's inevitable that his batting will suffer which is a pity.

 

[blandy]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think Root is the obvious candidate - Cook has been a very good captain in my opinion and this now leaves him free to concentrate on his batting and on going on to becoming England's best ever batsman - Root has some good characteristics for Captaincy, but I think it's inevitable that his batting will suffer which is a pity.

Captaincy hasn't affected Virat Kholi's batting, or that of Kane Williamson, two other players of similar age, experience and talent. I guess the ecb hope is that Root will also thrive on it, because there isn't really any other viable choice at the moment.

as for Cook, I think he was initially a poor captain who improved over time to be decent at it by the end, though maybe India was a step too far. Good choice to step down now.

[AVFC_Hitz]

I can't vouch for Indian media or the kiwi media but I think we destroy our captain's in the papers not on the field.

[lapal_fan]

As others have said, I think he grew into the role.

His record is ok.. Not great, but decent and holds up against his former peers.

India are India, on home turf they are barely beatable, so a credible draw in the 1st test was probably as good as it was going to get without any pro spinners to have a good at them with.  And I still think we batted pretty admirably. 

2 Ashes wins are probably the highlight, even though I've seen it said that those Ozzie teams were bad - they weren't great, but by no means were they poor sides we beat.

a solid 7/10 in the end I think.

I'd love Root not to get the captaincy just yet.. Give it to an interim player like Broad.  He's been there, done it, rarely missed games and is still quite young.  Plus we know from his other captaincy work he doesn't suffer personal performance issues. 

Let Root grow a little more.

Edited February 7, 2017 by lapal_fan

[dAVe80]

1 hour ago, lapal_fan said:

As others have said, I think he grew into the role.

His record is ok.. Not great, but decent and holds up against his former peers.

India are India, on home turf they are barely beatable, so a credible draw in the 1st test was probably as good as it was going to get without any pro spinners to have a good at them with.  And I still think we batted pretty admirably. 

2 Ashes wins are probably the highlight, even though I've seen it said that those Ozzie teams were bad - they weren't great, but by no means were they poor sides we beat.

a solid 7/10 in the end I think.

I'd love Root not to get the captaincy just yet.. Give it to an interim player like Broad.  He's been there, done it, rarely missed games and is still quite young.  Plus we know from his other captaincy work he doesn't suffer personal performance issues. 

Let Root grow a little more.

That's all our reviews gone then!

[Xela]

Cook's batting average as captain was slightly higher than it was when he wasn't 

[dAVe80]

It's official now then.

From the Beeb: Joe Root: England name batsman Test captain, succeeding Alastair Cook

Quote

Joe Root has been named as England's new Test captain.

The Yorkshire batsman, 26, succeeds Alastair Cook, who resigned last week after more than four years in charge.

"It is a huge honour to be given the Test captaincy," said Root, who will be the 80th man to lead the country in the longest form of the game. "I feel privileged, humbled and very excited."

 

Root steps up from vice-captain, with Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes, 25, filling the role as his deputy.

"The senior guys in the changing room play a very influential role and, whilst there's a natural progression for me, it's a huge support to know that they are there to help and advise," added Root.

"We have a very good group of players and I'm looking forward to leading them out in the summer, building on Alastair's achievements and making the most of our talents in the years ahead."

No batsman has scored more than Root's 4,594 runs since he made his Test debut in December 2012.

In the same time period, only India captain Virat Kohli has scored more runs than Root in all forms of international cricket.

"Joe is the right man to be our next Test captain and I'm thrilled that he has accepted the role," said England director of cricket Andrew Strauss.

"He is universally respected by his team mates, passionate about driving the Test team forward and extremely excited about the prospect of leading his country."

Transition of power

Cook resigned on 6 February after a record 59 Tests at the helm.

Before the tour of India at the end of last year, the 32-year-old opener said he was looking forward to not being captain.

As England moved towards a 4-0 series defeat, Cook increased speculation over his future by saying he was questioning his position.

After he resigned, he confirmed he would like to continue at the top of the order, with England director of cricket Andrew Strauss leading the process to appoint a successor.

Root, Stokes, pace bowler Stuart Broad and one-day vice-captain Jos Buttler were all consulted.

But Root was always seen as the clear favourite and was offered the job over the weekend.

With England concentrating on limited-overs cricket for the first part of 2017, Root will not properly pick up the reins for almost five months, with the next Test not until July.

However, after the visits of South Africa and West Indies, he will lead England to Australia for the defence of the Ashes.

Root takes the job with very little captaincy experience - he has only ever skippered in four first-class matches.

However, he likened taking over as leader to becoming a father, a baby son having arrived in January.

"Being a dad, you don't really know what to do until you have to go with it," he told the BBC before Cook's resignation.

"I imagine being captain would be very similar. Until you're in that position I don't think you know.

"I've got quite a lot experience in Test cricket now, but it's one of these things you have to learn on the job."

Stokes' rise to responsibility

For Stokes, the elevation to vice-captain is further confirmation of his importance to the England side after an occasionally turbulent start to his international career.

In 2013, he was sent home from the England Lions tour of Australia for disciplinary reasons after he and pace bowler Matt Coles were found to have ignored the management's instructions over preparation and recovery.

Though he was part of the England squad for the 2013-14 Ashes, scoring a maiden Test century, he missed the 2014 World Twenty20 with a broken hand sustained when punching a locker on a tour of the West Indies.

A spell of drifting in and out of the England team followed, including missing the 2015 World Cup, but he returned to hit the fastest Test century at Lord's - 101 from 85 balls against New Zealand - before smashing England's fastest Test double century against South Africa in January 2016.

"He has real presence and influence within the team environment that serve as a great source of support for Joe," said Strauss. "I have no doubts that the responsibility will also help Ben to continue his rapid rise as a world-class all-rounder."

 

[sharkyvilla]

Good luck to him, I think he will be a lot more positive than Cook.  He just needs a settled side around him and a good start against South Africa before the Ashes.