England test tour of Pakistan December 2022

[Kenneth Viljoen]

The cricket from England this year has been fascinating and phenomenally engaging which I think has made people assume the results are too and that's... not quite the case?

This is the best season and a half England cricket has had since the far off halcyon days of... 2018. They came off a disasterous away Ashes followed by another shocking spring tour to NZ, then had a winning summer which included a 4-1 win over India and in the autumn whitewashed Sri Lanka away. It's not a million miles away, is it?

I'm excited for what this team can do, but let's not pretend England never won a test series before Brendon McCullum taught them how to play.

Recency Bias may be at play , but from the time BMac took charge there has been some outrageous results from England..

England's top 5 highest successful run chases at home are :

1.378/3 vs India @ Edgebaston 2022
2 362/9 vs Australia @ Headingley 2019
3.315/4 vs Australia @ Headingley 2001
4.299/5 vs New Zealand @ Trent Bridge 2022
5.296/3 vs New Zealand @Headingley 2022

3 of England's top 5 most successful Test run chases ever at home have come in the last six months under McCullum..


There were concerns how would Bazball work against a quality pace attack , they made a mockery of India's 378 in the 4th innings , New Zealand the world test champions on English soil hardly 12 months before the series against BMAC's England were neutralised , England's Pacers outbowled SA's pace attack winning by an innings in the second test , and 9 wickets in the decider ..

They scored the most runs in Test history in a day against Pakistan in Pakistan ..
First ever whitewash of Pakistan in Pakistan , they debuted an 18 year old leggie, even without Bairstow one of the protagonists of BMAC's new era they had Harry Brook step in with three test hundreds ... It's also making Test cricket inclusive for those who normally thrive in T20 , nobody was considering Duckett for Test selection 6 months ago for example...So much has happened in such a short space of time results wise it's hard to digest , it's a shock to the System .

 

[trundler]

I remember @Spark pointing out that Pant would probably be a 30@50 player in the English set up instead of a mad **** who does mad things that win matches. The management was very obviously a problem and people thought so at the time. No wonder they've had a transformation under the new regime. They were never lacking in talent (except for spin I think). Very weird to downplay that.

 

[Burgey]

Cummins will be fine.

Lyon and Starc don’t respond particularly well to a bit of tap tho.

Should be a good series but definitely having England down as reasonably clear favourites imo.

Starc has been excellent the past 12 months. Found his mojo.

I mean, if career hack sloggers can suddenly become overnight good test players because #intent and a coach who gently cups their balls and whispers in their ear how good they are before they walk on the park, then I'll back Starc in. Assuming he plays ahead of Boland, JRich or Neser.

Lyon is the most important bowler in the Aus set up. England will be mad not to target him.

Aus will win 3-1 at worst. It won't even be close. Seriously. FMD SA took a test off England at home by an innings and they don't know which end of the bat to hold.

 

[ashley bach]

Is Warner's place really in doubt? Agreed that there are question marks about Broad, but he'll probably start ahead of Wood as the series is being played in England.

He can hardly score a run in Australia and he didn't score a run in England 4 years ago.
If the selectors choose him I'll eat my hat, the guy is toast.

 

[Burgey]

Is Warner's place really in doubt? Agreed that there are question marks about Broad, but he'll probably start ahead of Wood as the series is being played in England.

Yeah he's definitely being talked about now. He still has a lot of support in ex-player quarters, but the argument you hear about not risking a n00b away isn't really holding much water because Warner's output has been really bad for a year or more now. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls the pin after this home summer tbh.

 

[ashley bach]

T O A S T
O
A
S
T

 

[Burgey]

It will be interesting to see what sort of decks England prepare. Great to see the five tests being played at traditional grounds, too. Not idiotic blow in joints like Durham, Southampton and Cardiff. Playing a marquee series at those venues cheapens it massively.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Yeah he's definitely being talked about now. He still has a lot of support in ex-player quarters, but the argument you hear about not risking a n00b away isn't really holding much water because Warner's output has been really bad for a year or more now. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls the pin after this home summer tbh.

Its a shame what happened to Will Pucovski

 

[Burgey]

Its a shame what happened to Will Pucovski

Yeah it really is. Unfortunately I don't think the kid will get back. So much at stake for him if he risks another knock.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

T O A S T
O
A
S
T

Fried bread.

Fixed that for you.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah he's definitely being talked about now. He still has a lot of support in ex-player quarters, but the argument you hear about not risking a n00b away isn't really holding much water because Warner's output has been really bad for a year or more now. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls the pin after this home summer tbh.

It definitely feels like Hayden's 08/09 summer. Or Ponting's 12/13 series against South Africa. I think he'll give it up after Sydney.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

It definitely feels like Hayden's 08/09 summer. Or Ponting's 12/13 series against South Africa. I think he'll give it up after Sydney.

It would have that full cycle feel if he retired against South Africa, considering he made his international debut against the same opposition.

 

[Daemon]

Starc has been excellent the past 12 months. Found his mojo.

I mean, if career hack sloggers can suddenly become overnight good test players because #intent and a coach who gently cups their balls and whispers in their ear how good they are before they walk on the park, then I'll back Starc in. Assuming he plays ahead of Boland, JRich or Neser.

Lyon is the most important bowler in the Aus set up. England will be mad not to target him.

Aus will win 3-1 at worst. It won't even be close. Seriously. FMD SA took a test off England at home by an innings and they don't know which end of the bat to hold.

Dont really care tbh, just want to see maximum wahhh extracted on both sides

 

[kevinw]

I reckon Warner's pretty much done as an Aussie international. He still has a few years on the T20 circuit though. He's still one of the best openers any team could have. I assume one of the old boys may be back; Harris or Renshaw.

 

[Burgey]

Dont really care tbh, just want to see maximum wahhh extracted on both sides

There’ll be plenty from England

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

I assume one of the old boys may be back; Harris or Renshaw.

If England play Crawley it's only fair if Australia play Harris.

 

[chris.hinton]

Rehan is going at a faster rate then Shane Warne. We are in the greatest ever terrority

Australia are already scared.

 

[Nintendo]

I mean it's not like this England side were horrible for ages though. At one point in the middle of the India tour they had won there last 2 away series and gone 1-0 up in India, and had pulled off an amazing run chase vs Pak in the home summer.

Leach was bowling well, Pope was coming back from injury but performing well, stokes was in good Nick, root was coming off 3 straight daddy hundreds, Sibley and burns had made runs recently, Crawley was coming off his 250 vs Pak, jos had seemingly figured out test batting and was keeping well, and the bowling stocks were good with archer returning from injury in the next test. Everything just went to hell after that second test vs India, though the cracks had been noticeable beforehand.

 

[ashley bach]

If England play Crawley it's only fair if Australia play Harris.

All jokes aside, it may be the best option. Never thought I'd be saying that about Marcus Harris but don't know who else is in line in the domestic ranks.
Either Australia throw the next in line in the deep end, or they persist with Harris. Yes I still can't believe it but even Marcus Harris would be a better option to score runs in England than Warner.

 

[Burgey]

Factoring in the runs scored after his dropped catches, Marcus Harris literally had a quantifiably negative impact on the 2019 Ashes.