**Official** England in Bangladesh 2016

[91Jmay]

Am I correct that Bangladeshi pitches aren't normally big spin pitches (at least first 3 days)? Feels a bit like we've decided we've flown past the Urals so we must pick 3 spinners rather than actually looking at the real conditions. Reckon we'll do well to win this series. I probably wouldn't take 1-1 now but I wouldn't be far off doing it. Flat pitches do not suit us given our team is built around knocking teams over for 230-300 and runs from one of the 3 reliable batsmen. Feels like Root/Cook need to have great winters else we could get pumped. Fingers crossed one of the young lads comes good and GB stops getting in then getting out daftly. He has played well against spin in past and rotates the strike against it ok but his leg side bias hurt against Pakistan.

As for the bowling, feel like our seamers might dictate the series. Broad could do with wickets in sub prime conditions. He bowled well without much reward in UAE.
Bangladesh should follow Pakistan's blueprint in UAE series. Deadbat Broad (was Jimmy and Broad that series), possibly Woakes and then put pressure on spinners + Stokes.

Will go for 1-0 England, but draw very close second and wouldn't surprise or massively disappoint me. Not discounting a Bangladesh win but can see Root,Cook and Bairstow having enough to guide us to safety. Might look a stupid prediction by I can see Stoke playing a magic innings here as well.

 

[Tom Flint]

I watch quite a bit of county cricket in all forms and whenever I've been to mddsx surrey, batty has always been the most threatening and economical spinner, he has probably bowled better these last few years than he ever has. Forget building for the future we need to win this series. If you were a batsmen can you honestly say you'd rather face batty than moeen?

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Duckett continuing his form in the practice match as well.

Dont quite understand the format of these practice matches. They have scheduled two practice matches (two days each) back to back. Might as well be a 4 day match.

Really wanted BD to bat few but guess not happening

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Root getting out to shabbir is a travesty

 

[Black_Warrior]

Am I correct that Bangladeshi pitches aren't normally big spin pitches (at least first 3 days)? Feels a bit like we've decided we've flown past the Urals so we must pick 3 spinners rather than actually looking at the real conditions. Reckon we'll do well to win this series. I probably wouldn't take 1-1 now but I wouldn't be far off doing it. Flat pitches do not suit us given our team is built around knocking teams over for 230-300 and runs from one of the 3 reliable batsmen. Feels like Root/Cook need to have great winters else we could get pumped. Fingers crossed one of the young lads comes good and GB stops getting in then getting out daftly. He has played well against spin in past and rotates the strike against it ok but his leg side bias hurt against Pakistan.

As for the bowling, feel like our seamers might dictate the series. Broad could do with wickets in sub prime conditions. He bowled well without much reward in UAE.
Bangladesh should follow Pakistan's blueprint in UAE series. Deadbat Broad (was Jimmy and Broad that series), possibly Woakes and then put pressure on spinners + Stokes.

Will go for 1-0 England, but draw very close second and wouldn't surprise or massively disappoint me. Not discounting a Bangladesh win but can see Root,Cook and Bairstow having enough to guide us to safety. Might look a stupid prediction by I can see Stoke playing a magic innings here as well.

The BD pitches do have turn but are very slow usually with low bounce. I wouldn't be too stressed to be honest. BD batsmen get out despite the conditions suiting them because of lack of temperament and ability to bat big and grind the opposition. They tend to have a limit to how long they can bat before throwing it away.

Broad should be really well. Steyn destroyed them last year.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Duckett continuing his form in the practice match as well.

Dont quite understand the format of these practice matches. They have scheduled two practice matches (two days each) back to back. Might as well be a 4 day match.

Really wanted BD to bat few but guess not happening

Done so they have potentially 4 innings over the 4 days with bat and ball. Gives more chance for everyone to get a small go.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

The BD pitches do have turn but are very slow usually with low bounce. I wouldn't be too stressed to be honest. BD batsmen get out despite the conditions suiting them because of lack of temperament and ability to bat big and grind the opposition. They tend to have a limit to how long they can bat before throwing it away.

Broad should be really well. Steyn destroyed them last year.

Steyn had average series iirc. Did not quite manage to get on top by his usual standards

 

[Black_Warrior]

^ Only got to bowl in 1 innings - took 3/30. I remember his wickets..looked as good as ever as he got his 400th wicket.

2nd Test: Bangladesh v South Africa at Dhaka, Jul 30-Aug 3, 2015 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Stace]

That could work okay but Buttler isn't a significantly better keeper to spin than Bairstow, and I don't think Bairstow's batting against spin will make him a hugely prolific run-scorer in the subcontinent. Batting down at 8 you may as well just find the best keeper who can hold a bat.

Billings Billings Billings, not just because i'm biased but England will need to take every chance they get and lets face it there may not be many. Billings is a miles better keeper then both and despite a poor fc record he has IPL experience and in his first go at opening for England the other day he looked good all things considered. Even if he averaged 20/25 with the depth of the batting it shouldn't be a problem. In that 1 innings Billings looked better then all of Bairstow's 3 in the ODI series.

 

[Flem274*]

Bangladeshi pitches are attritional. Often hard for foreign sides to score quickly, Bangladesh definitely have the scoring rate figured out, but the spin there isn't quick spin and the bounce is low.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Steyn had average series iirc. Did not quite manage to get on top by his usual standards

dwta. Thought he bowled brilliantly.

 

[Black_Warrior]

This series could be ugly

Bangladesh struggle for Test bowling options | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[cnerd123]

This series could be ugly

Bangladesh struggle for Test bowling options | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Suprised that Mohammed Shahid wasn't mentioned. He bowled so well vs SA.
Taijul is also the incumbent spinner for the side. Would have expected these two to be a part of the attack

No Jubair and Fizzy will hurt tho. We've got some decent spinners on the sidelines, the second pacer will be the main concern.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

^ Only got to bowl in 1 innings - took 3/30. I remember his wickets..looked as good as ever as he got his 400th wicket.

2nd Test: Bangladesh v South Africa at Dhaka, Jul 30-Aug 3, 2015 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

He bowled well in 2nd test but in 1st test he was struggling. At one point he was going at over 4 ER. Managed to bounce out tail enders only.

1st Test: Bangladesh v South Africa at Chittagong, Jul 21-25, 2015 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[grecian]

I watch quite a bit of county cricket in all forms and whenever I've been to mddsx surrey, batty has always been the most threatening and economical spinner, he has probably bowled better these last few years than he ever has. Forget building for the future we need to win this series. If you were a batsmen can you honestly say you'd rather face batty than moeen?

Moeen more likely to get you out, Batty probably to keep the runs down. I just don't see the same player in the new/old Batty than you do clearly. He probably will be in on the evidence of today, but Moeen will also be in, as I say more for his batting ATM.

Slim pickings today, but Duckett certainly pressing his claims over Hameed, Ballance got some time at the crease, I think it will be:

Duckett
Cook
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Moeen
Stokes
Woakes
Rashid
Batty
Broad

Should be remembered that even though I felt Batty had an average season with the ball last season, he did get a ton, so Broad wharever happens needs to bat at 11, where he belongs now.`

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Suprised that Mohammed Shahid wasn't mentioned. He bowled so well vs SA.
Taijul is also the incumbent spinner for the side. Would have expected these two to be a part of the attack

No Jubair and Fizzy will hurt tho. We've got some decent spinners on the sidelines, the second pacer will be the main concern.

Shahid is injured.

Not sure what happened with Jubair. No domestic teams want him in the team because these teams want all these funky SLAs who are effective in these domestic matches but no where near got any skills for international level. Mosharraf is one prime example. Think BCB needs to have some alternative plan for Jubair's development.

Taskin can be used as short bursts in tests for now but if Mushfiq remains the captain then he needs to be told that he cant ground Taskin into bowling long spells as he has a habit of doing so. Also disappointed with the way that how Abu Hider is being treated. This guy can swing it in both ways with decent pace but not sure why he is not in the contention and not playing practice matches. I think there are some management issues with the bowlers right now and needs to be resurrected asap. Mustafiz was grounded to bowling playing leagues and matches that had nothing to do with his country. BCB should have imposed strict planning for Mustafiz.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

BD should declare now and start bowling. Thats where the problem lies atm. Lets see how the bowlers go

 

[Scaly piscine]

Three caught & bowled, must be fairly unusual.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So has Ansari getting 4 wickets put him in the side for the tests? Going to be a fascinating selection as I bet you could ask 10 people and come up with a totally different side each time.

 

[Howe_zat]

Ansari taking wickets is something I'm not sure is a good thing

I don't really want another player where we have to decide if they're a bowler or not