English Cricket season

[luckyeddie]

Ed Smith - man on a mission

I'm watching the Lancashire v Kent game from Blackpool today - and I must say that Ed Smith is REALLY looking the part.

His third ton in succession, his fourth of the month (5 if you include one-dayers).

One for the Kent fans really - just how good can he become - and is he a better England prospect than Robert Key?

 

[luckyeddie]

Shedload of wickets at New Road today (15 to date and counting).

Come on ECB pitch inspectors - fine Worcestershire. If it was at Derby there'd be hell to pay.

 

[Langeveldt]

Shedload of wickets at New Road today (15 to date and counting).

Come on ECB pitch inspectors - fine Worcestershire. If it was at Derby there'd be hell to pay.

Just because there is a low scoring match, doesnt mean the pitch is to blame, just look at what happened to SA....

Mind you, seeing the score up on the somerset scoreboard, i thought the game was being played at Derby:rolleyes:

 

[luckyeddie]

Just because there is a low scoring match, doesnt mean the pitch is to blame, just look at what happened to SA....

Mind you, seeing the score up on the somerset scoreboard, i thought the game was being played at Derby:rolleyes:

I'm just gnawing on that bone at the moment. Only pitch reprimanded this season - Derby. Last season - Derby. Season before - Derby.

The one two seasons ago was a fine over 'colour' - the county ground had been under feet of water a couple of weeks before and it was 'too green'. The opposition made about 100 but di Venuto hit 150 alone.

I just think that if it's Derby, they're guilty in the eyes of the ECB pitch inspectors. If it's anywhere else, there has to be mitigating circumstances.

Rant over.

 

[Bazza]

Ed Smith

I brought this up the other day. For me he deserves a chance as he's clearly in top form. I think if England don't recall Graham Thorpe to bat at 5 they need someone to round off the top 7 and this week it might as well be Smith. He's a talented player and in top form, as opposed to Key, who's not a promising player and isn't in form. I wonder who they'll pick?

Hopefully I'll get a look at G Jones this afternoon for the first time!

 

[luckyeddie]

The wicket's got nothing in it now - run-getting looks a problem because it's so slow and low. Yesterday, especially before tea it didn't look bad.

Kent should try to make 600 or so before even thinking of declaring (503-5 at present) but it's going to need some serious break-up for them to be able to bowl lancashire out twice.

Won't be long before Hooper will have bowled 50 overs in the innings.

Geraint Jones in now

 

[luckyeddie]

Isn't it infuriating when a smart-alec jerk like me knows so much about cricket?

<quack> lucky guess.

Kent declared on 602-6 then bowled just 5 overs of seam before replacing Sheriyar with Ferley the twirly - got a wicket with his first over too.

One thing - Chris Schofield's playing for Lancs. Terrible when a bowler of such outstanding promise 3 or 4 years ago gets the 'yips' and frankly would look out of place in a village side. I wish him well and hope he recaptures his control. He's still only 24.

Another thing - Mark Ealham, going for glory on 95, smashed a chest-high full toss-***-donkeydrop from Mal Loye to Schofield on the midwicket boundary to present the Lancashire man with his first-ever first-class wicket.

Third thing - nice knock from Geraint Jones. Got a move-on.

 

[Langeveldt]

I really sympathize with Schofield.. LegSpin is the hardest thing to do in cricket...

However, the commentators today were saying he has a good action, i dont think he has a good action at all.. Arms flaying everywhere, no room for consistency at all...

MacGill, Warne, Saqlain (OB) all very compact spinners, its much easier to bowl when there are fewer variables to go wrong...

 

[luckyeddie]

Schofield looks a pale imitation of the bowler he was when he first broke through.

It's more of a flail than an action now. I really hope he comes good again.

The last bowler I remember really losing it big-time was Fred Swarbrook. Within two years he was out of the first-class game. Just couldn't let the ball go when his brain wanted him to.

 

[marc71178]

Bazza, you mention the number 5 slot as Ed Smith being a possible, but would that not be harsh on McGrath, who won't be at 7 unless Flintoff is at 6?

He's much maligned, but he's the first man since Gower to debut with consecutive half centuries.

Note that I'm not comparing the 2 in any way except for this shared feat.

 

[Rik]

Bazza, you mention the number 5 slot as Ed Smith being a possible, but would that not be harsh on McGrath, who won't be at 7 unless Flintoff is at 6?

He's much maligned, but he's the first man since Gower to debut with consecutive half centuries.

Note that I'm not comparing the 2 in any way except for this shared feat.

To be fair though, McGrath can do no wrong in your eyes, you even found a way to claim he deserved his place in the ODI side despite his frankly mediocre stats.

Just stating facts.

Let's see how he fares against the SA side that worked him over in the ODers...

 

[marc71178]

To be fair though, McGrath can do no wrong in your eyes

Actually, I defended the Selectors when they initially selected him for the Tests, and said that he should be given a chance to show what he could do before being written off, unlike some people on here he immediately attacked the selection without watching him.

you even found a way to claim he deserved his place in the ODI side despite his frankly mediocre stats.

I did? I don't remember saying that. But if you want to write someone off without giving him a proper chance at ODI level then England need a new ODI captain as well asap.

Let's see how he fares against the SA side that worked him over in the ODers...

Not on every occasion they didn't - in fact both times he batted at Old Trafford he did very well when he came in and helped steady the ship - Pakistan 33 and SA 52. He worked the ball around sensibly, but I don't expect him necessarily to be a first choice pick on the return of Collingwood.

 

[luckyeddie]

You could also argue that Andrew Flintoff is not worth his place in the test team based on statistics alone - after all, his career figures to date are pretty appalling.

Sometimes, selectors go with a gut feeling - and I reckon McGrath has been one of the best rabbits to come out of the hat in a long time.

Saying that, though, I'd take Thorpe any day of the week.

 

[Rik]

I did? I don't remember saying that. But if you want to write someone off without giving him a proper chance at ODI level then England need a new ODI captain as well asap.

I think he's been given a fair go after playing just about every ODI this summer and averaging 20 with the bat and some stupid number with the ball. South Africa worked him out, he just couldn't cope with quality fast bowling, which is what you expect from a county player really.

 

[marc71178]

He's played 10 games so far, not enough to base a record on.

And as for "high class pace bowling"

So far in his career, he's been dismissed 7 times, 1 was a run out, and the bowlers have been Kallis (twice), Steak, Boje, Hafeez and Malik.

3 spinners suggests that theory is baseless yet.

 

[Rik]

He's played 10 games so far, not enough to base a record on.

And as for "high class pace bowling"

So far in his career, he's been dismissed 7 times, 1 was a run out, and the bowlers have been Kallis (twice), Steak, Boje, Hafeez and Malik.

3 spinners suggests that theory is baseless yet.

So go on then, how many games? 10 not enough? It's more than you've probably played in your life!

Steak? Streak more like! And if he's not a high quality bowler then I don't know what planet your on...

You said you had not tried to defend him yet here you are. Yes Marc, not even you can claim an average of 20 is anywhere near good enough. Sorry. Game over.

 

[marc71178]

So go on then, how many games? 10 not enough? It's more than you've probably played in your life!

If 10 is enough, then how come the World ratings require 40?

And what relevance does my lack of participation have. Last time I looked, you hadn't played International Cricket!

Incidentally Rik, McGrath has only been out 7 times so far. If that's enough to dispose of a player, then we wouldn't all be talking about a little player called Tendulkar (average of 16.57 for his first 7 outs)

Steak? Streak more like! And if he's not a high quality bowler then I don't know what planet your on...

Oh dearie me, so I made a spelling mistake - I do apologise. Streak is a good bowler for sure, but not one of the best highest class quick bowlers around.

You said you had not tried to defend him yet here you are. Yes Marc, not even you can claim an average of 20 is anywhere near good enough. Sorry. Game over.

Exactly, at that point I HAD not defended him at all, hadn't even mentioned him.

I have now stood up for him, as it is grossly unfair to clear someone out after such a short time.

As another example, a man from the West Indies named Brian Lara. After 7 outs, he was averaging 22.28, and it wasn't until after 24 games that his average stabilised above 30...

 

[Rik]

Marc, the selectors dropped Robert Key after 2 ODIs and 8 Tests because it was obvious it was not working. 143 runs at 20 at under a run every 2 balls and 2 wickets at 63 is the stuff careers are ended by. You may feel it deserves more of a chance but I've seen nothing that says "PICK ME." And however much you try I'm not going to change it, unless he actually does something. To me he's an average county player who got lucky in his 1st 2 Tests and the ODIs showed the kind of player he is.

 

[Rik]

Did you miss the GAME OVER?

It means we've been over this...

 

[marc71178]

So why do you insist on bringing it back up in the first place then?