Does world cricket need a strong England?

[govinda indian fan]

Imo after bgt Australia clear best team in world
1. Aus
2. India/eng
3.eng/ ind
4. Nz
5.sa
6.sl
7.8.9.wi/ pak/ ban
Wont rate sa as second best team just because they made it to wtc final. They had easiest fixtures and havent played aus or eng in this cycle

 

[sayon basak]

England needs a strong cricket more than cricket needs a strong England.

 

[SteveNZ]

True but test cricket was perhaps the best it has been ever been from 1990-2005 and the Ashes were extremely uncompetitive

Yeah again, Test cricket was clearly the pinnacle then. It didn't need to compete with any, lest ODIs which were also big

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Imo after bgt Australia clear best team in world
1. Aus
2. India/eng
3.eng/ ind
4. Nz
5.sa
6.sl
7.8.9.wi/ pak/ ban
Wont rate sa as second best team just because they made it to wtc final. They had easiest fixtures and havent played aus or eng in this cycle

SA beat the Windies and Bangladesh away. I couldn't imagine England doing that.

 

[Molehill]

SA beat the Windies and Bangladesh away. I couldn't imagine England doing that.

Agreed, but I could totally imagine England beating SA Home and Away. It's just a match up that suits.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Agreed, but I could totally imagine England beating SA Home and Away. It's just a match up that suits.

That's fair

 

[centurymaker]

Let's wait till the WTC Final before dismissing SA completely. They might not be the 2nd best but what if they beat Aus in the final? And since Ind/Eng/NZ have been so inconsistent, I can't seem to put any of them as 2nd, at the moment.

 

[honestbharani]

I think winning the WTC should be good enough to get RSA to 2nd. I felt the same about NZ in the very first WTC. Overall, they were not even #2 in the world but winning a world title should help them rise up.

Sorta how winning a grandslam can boost someone in the tennis world rankings from #7 to a #2.

 

[Molehill]

Let's wait till the WTC Final before dismissing SA completely. They might not be the 2nd best but what if they beat Aus in the final? And since Ind/Eng/NZ have been so inconsistent, I can't seem to put any of them as 2nd, at the moment.

I could quite easily see SA winning this. If they get on the right side of a helpful toss, then there's no doubt they have the firepower in the bowling ranks to cause carnage to a suspect Aussie batting line up. But does that make them one of the top 2 teams? They've made the most of an easy qualification process, one that I suspect other teams would've qualified from too. It just highlights the flaws in the current system, but I hope they do win it to expose it.

 

[Chin Music]

I could quite easily see SA winning this. If they get on the right side of a helpful toss, then there's no doubt they have the firepower in the bowling ranks to cause carnage to a suspect Aussie batting line up. But does that make them one of the top 2 teams? They've made the most of an easy qualification process, one that I suspect other teams would've qualified from too. It just highlights the flaws in the current system, but I hope they do win it to expose it.

Yeah, I do reckon that if they have a fully fit bowling lineup, they could easily castle Australia for not very many in England, given favourable conditions. Their batting seems to have improved a bit over a couple of years but looks a little flakey, especially in the top 3.

 

[Silly Point 2.0]

I did fear for them around the time of the last England tour there but they seem to be back as a competitive Test outfit again. Still churning out fast bowlers as well.

 

[govinda indian fan]

I could quite easily see SA winning this. If they get on the right side of a helpful toss, then there's no doubt they have the firepower in the bowling ranks to cause carnage to a suspect Aussie batting line up. But does that make them one of the top 2 teams? They've made the most of an easy qualification process, one that I suspect other teams would've qualified from too. It just highlights the flaws in the current system, but I hope they do win it to expose it.

Agree but they need absolute bowling friendly conditions when they bowl and better batting conditions when they bat. Their batting equally shaky maybe more so then Aussies and could see them struggle vs Cummins strac and hazlewood

 

[Gob]

Do South Africa have good batsmen?

I think it's

Aus
India

NZ
SA

SL
Eng/Pak

 

[Immenso]

I think South Africa are going to be 'the team of the next few years' once Australia's old players fade out. Reckon they're about to have another moment in the sun.

The e.g. Michael Vaughan rent-a-mouth comments will sound stupid(er) in a year or so's hindsight IMO.

But. I may be over-rating their batting, though. I've I only seen them in highlights packages this summer, not watching live ...
Maybe their upcoming batters this summer were all modern vibes batters (rather than technicians) having good days at the same time?

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Englands batting is very strong atm

 

[Johan]

Do South Africa have good batsmen?

I think it's

Aus
India

NZ
SA

SL
Eng/Pak

NZ lost a series to England at home like a month ago

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

NZ lost a series to England at home like a month ago

TBF, they've since been significantly strengthened by Southee retiring.

 

[Johan]

TBF, they've since been significantly strengthened by Southee retiring.

this is true

 

[TheJediBrah]

Let's wait till the WTC Final before dismissing SA completely. They might not be the 2nd best but what if they beat Aus in the final? And since Ind/Eng/NZ have been so inconsistent, I can't seem to put any of them as 2nd, at the moment.

SA have every chance, especially in a 1 off Test. I'd have them about 45/55

 

[Ali TT]

I think South Africa are going to be 'the team of the next few years' once Australia's old players fade out. Reckon they're about to have another moment in the sun.

The e.g. Michael Vaughan rent-a-mouth comments will sound stupid(er) in a year or so's hindsight IMO.

But. I may be over-rating their batting, though. I've I only seen them in highlights packages this summer, not watching live ...
Maybe their upcoming batters this summer were all modern vibes batters (rather than technicians) having good days at the same time?

I think equally they could also have a run of series defeats. However, if they can keep all the quicks fit they'll remain strong at home and have enough spinners to give them a chance in Asia. Their run of series over 25-27 will be a good test of where they are, although sadly only 2 tests in India.