GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Yeah I guess we will see.
-
Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
England thread
- Thread starter GIMH
- Start date
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, it's difficult to be optimistic, especially as fast bowling puts so much stress on a knee. And I wish he'd had the operation a couple of months ago.
Chin Music
State Vice-Captain
Can't believe that he's still there given a) England are out and b) his own form. It really is a waste of his time being there now.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
We’re not officially out tbf, which is ludicrous to me but there you go.
Anyway, Swann still gets grief for abandoning a sinking ship even now so you can understand him sticking around.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
A bit different here when Stokes obviously intends on playing for England going forward and should be managed to get the most out of him for that, as opposed to Swann who just quit entirely, but yeah knowing what Stokes is like he'd consider that letting his mates down when they were in a rough spot, especially given he unretired for this.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
I know a lot of people said this pre-WC so it’s not just a hindsight shout but for me Stokes going to the WC was the right decision. The fact it’s all gone wrong is obviously not a good look, but it’s not just him. So I will disagree with you on the basis that i maintain that if Stokes is available you select him.
Chin Music
State Vice-Captain
I
I never really wanted Stokes to play this tournament as I thought England were better off having as fit a possible Stokes as you could have for whatever time he has left in international cricket, especially as he hadn't played ODIs for quite some time before his return. It might be around 3 and possibly max 4 years at the very best anyway. If only he'd had his operation back in August.........
Molehill
International Captain
Stokes as an all rounder is a no brainer - it was key in the T20. Stokes as just a batsman is not such a straightforward decision, especially when you knew he needed surgery before a big Test Tour.
Hindsight is easy of course.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
It's fairly straightforwards for me. He holds the ODI innings record for England (granted he didn’t at the time of his selection!), he played an incredible innings in the last WC final that I don't think any other batsman plays, etc. I mean that's just looking at ODIs, he also got us over the line in the T20 final & the key group game, and then we come to his Test batting.
There are team balance issues but they aren't solved if you pick Harry Brook or Jason Roy, and Bairstow and Malan do nothing for team balance either. And neither of them are Ben fkn Stokes.
Groundking
International Debutant
Ben Stokes is x factor, if he's fit to play and wants to he's an automatic pick.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Obviously a Test tour to India is huge, but prioritising Tests at the absolute cost of ODIs is why we were turd at the format from 92-15 and at least part of the reason as to why a line-up of English white ball greats have turned up and stank the joint out.
It's one thing to have players not play bilaterals so they're fresh for Tests. It makes some degree of sense, though as we can see comes back to bite you. But to rest a player who wants to play the WC so you can play Tests would be a whole other degree of insanity IMO.
There are many lessons that I hope we can learn from this WC. Picking Ben Stokes is not one of those lessons.
It's one thing to have players not play bilaterals so they're fresh for Tests. It makes some degree of sense, though as we can see comes back to bite you. But to rest a player who wants to play the WC so you can play Tests would be a whole other degree of insanity IMO.
There are many lessons that I hope we can learn from this WC. Picking Ben Stokes is not one of those lessons.
Daemon
Request Your Custom Title Now!
They are very indecent
Molehill
International Captain
One factor might be that no one else plays as much Test Cricket as England. But yeah, I kind of agree with you.
dannythomas
Cricket Spectator
Who will be captain for the India tour if Stokes cannot go to India ? Pope ? Root ? Bairstow?
Molehill
International Captain
Definitely not Bairstow, probably Pope or Crawley.
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Ben Stokes valiantly unretiring for his country but this brave heroic specimen was cut down with an unforseeable injury, unable to turn his team's fortunes around despite his extraordinary efforts on one leg.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Well yeah I agree. Kind of my point. I know we play more Tests than anyone else, so a bit of give and take is fine, but it feels like we always switch from one focus or another.
Molehill
International Captain
Mind you, maybe Australia shouldn't have switched their focus to the World Cup halfway through the Ashes!! #22years