Official Gibbs Ban Thread

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Regardless of whether selecting him is correct in the here & now, it is a tacit admission that they've been whistling in the dark for the better part of four years.

But surely admitting error is a step in the direction of success. Late, yes. But still necessary.

 

[BoyBrumby]

But surely admitting error is a step in the direction of success. Late, yes. But still necessary.

Well, yeah. It's the whole "constant repeating of the error over the preceding four years" I really have the objection too. If they're suddenly going to hold their hands up now one really has to wonder why they couldn't have believed the evidence of their own eyes before. As I said, it just smacks too much of desperation.

 

[Complicated]

Nixon seems to provide that bit of grit that England have been lacking. He's combative, and that is probably just what's needed to try to fire up his team mates. He took it to Hussey and got on his nerves, it didn't work in the end, but the intent was there.

I think he's a much better choice then Geraint and Read.

 

[archie mac]

Nixon seems to provide that bit of grit that England have been lacking. He's combative, and that is probably just what's needed to try to fire up his team mates. He took it to Hussey and got on his nerves, it didn't work in the end, but the intent was there.

I think he's a much better choice then Geraint and Read.

I thought Reid the best keeper in the Ashes by quite a distance tbh

 

[shortpitched713]

I thought Reid the best keeper in the Ashes by quite a distance tbh

Too injury prone for mine.

 

[archie mac]

Too injury prone for mine.

And his batting holds him back, but still I was quite impressed, very clean with his glove work

 

[Slow Love™]

You didn't spot them doing just that?

Nah, I didn't, to be honest - I missed some of England's innings but saw all Hussey's, I thought. Noticed Nixon was mouthing off a fair bit, but wasn't that clear on what was being said, myself.

But if the umpires intervened they obviously either waited too long, or it continued too long after they did.

 

[wpdavid]

LOL.

To be honest, once things get to this level, with the abuse going on for 15 minutes etc (and Hussey's retaliation) I think the umpires should at least step in and tell the players to cut it out. Anybody read Ian Chappell's column the other day about all this? His opinion is that things are just getting too mouthy out there of late - also, with everybody knowing the stump mikes are in place, I really think the players need to exercise more responsibility.

Probably true about the stump mikes, but it's not easy to take Chappelli seriously on this one, after his boys lifted the bar on this particular event 30 years ago.

 

[shortpitched713]

And his batting holds him back, but still I was quite impressed, very clean with his glove work

Actually, I was trying to make a joke with your misspelling of read, but apparently that one just went right over your head.

 

[Richard]

TBF tho the only reason I can see him having been picked is because he's a combative soul. I suppose Leicester's 20/20 form has probably helped his case, but really he's short of the requisite quality in either discipline.

Plus there's the obvious abandonment of any pretence our selectors may've had regarding working towards a plan for the WC by suddenly plucking a 36 year old from CC. Smacks of desperation.

Given that the World Cup is around the corner I think it smacks of a last-minute change of mind. There's nothing wrong with picking a 36-year-old if the culmination of 4 years' wait is coming-up any day now.

I hardly see, either, that there were resoundingly better candidates. The only wicketkeeper-batsman I see as remotely plausible as an alternative to Read in ODIs in the next 4-8 years is Steven Davies and with his oh-so-magnificent List-A-OD average of 17 I think the worst possible thing to do with his career would be to pick him for ODIs right now.

EDIT: Davies is a lefty! I'd never taken note of that before now!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Richard]

Regardless of whether selecting him is correct in the here & now, it is a tacit admission that they've been whistling in the dark for the better part of four years. In a way it's nice that they've held they're hands up, but in most walks of life if you said "Er, actually we haven't a clue and have been totally arse-about-face in our whole philosophy" you'd be handed a P45 pronto.

Tell me - were you screaming non-stop throughout Geraint Jones' ODI career "HE'S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH BATSMAN!!!!!!!! WHY ARE YOU PICKING HIM??????"

'Cos unless you were, you've no right to be criticising now. And far, far too few were. I was one who was, of course.

 

[Richard]

Nah, I didn't, to be honest - I missed some of England's innings but saw all Hussey's, I thought. Noticed Nixon was mouthing off a fair bit, but wasn't that clear on what was being said, myself.

But if the umpires intervened they obviously either waited too long, or it continued too long after they did.

I think it pretty much stopped once they stepped-in...?

 

[Richard]

Actually, I was trying to make a joke with your misspelling of read, but apparently that one just went right over your head.

To one whose location still read "Amrica" that's not one ur in a gr8 pos 2 b jokin bout...

 

[silentstriker]

To one whose location still read "Amrica" that's not one ur in a gr8 pos 2 b jokin bout...

Harsh.

 

[shortpitched713]

To one whose location still read "Amrica" that's not one ur in a gr8 pos 2 b jokin bout...

Its a joke. A lot of people don't seem to understand so I suppose I'll have to change it now.

 

[Richard]

Harsh.

Sorry, wasn't meant to be, was meant to be as much of a joke as Read=\=Reid.

Guess yet again I've been misconstrued in my seriousness.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Sorry, wasn't meant to be, was meant to be as much of a joke as Reid=\=Reid.

But Reid does = Reid..

 

[Richard]

Whoops...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Given that the World Cup is around the corner I think it smacks of a last-minute change of mind. There's nothing wrong with picking a 36-year-old if the culmination of 4 years' wait is coming-up any day now.

I hardly see, either, that there were resoundingly better candidates. The only wicketkeeper-batsman I see as remotely plausible as an alternative to Read in ODIs in the next 4-8 years is Steven Davies and with his oh-so-magnificent List-A-OD average of 17 I think the worst possible thing to do with his career would be to pick him for ODIs right now.

EDIT: Davies is a lefty! I'd never taken note of that before now!!!!!!!!!!!

Potato, Potarto. You say change of mind I say desperation; amounts to the same thing.

Nothing against Nixon; combative, unorthodox, decent(ish) glovework, but won't score enough runs at the highest level. As we're already seeing. Read looked out of his depth in the CT, but I personally thought he had enough credit in the bank to get another go.

Pothas (newly a Pom) is the obvious choice. May not have had his most productive year in one-dayers, but his career average for List A is very healthy. Three years Nixon's junior too.

 

[Richard]

Pothas is England-qualified? He's up and available for England selection?

How braindead do you have to be to pick Nixon ahead of him?

Never thought I'd hear you pushing the selection of a Saffie-who-initially-only-moved-through-flying-the-flag-of-convenience, though, DB!