Terrible news about Bob Willis.
Cricket
- Thread starter summerisle
- Start date
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
The two pitches on this tour have possibly shown just why test cricket is dying in some countries.
They were both dreadful with the one in the first only becoming lively on the last day and the second at Hamilton absolutely shocking.
England can't make the same mistake they made here and not have a second wicketkeeper so Bairstow should go in place of Crawley.
They were both dreadful with the one in the first only becoming lively on the last day and the second at Hamilton absolutely shocking.
England can't make the same mistake they made here and not have a second wicketkeeper so Bairstow should go in place of Crawley.
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Dreadful
Bob Willis: Former England cricket captain dies aged 70
The bowler was a mainstay of the national team for over a decade and played a key part in what became known as "Botham's Ashes".
Toffee in Jandals
Player Valuation: £35m
No mate, the pitches were not terrible. There was enough at Mt. Maunganui for 20 English wickets to fall relatively cheaply, and England simply didn't bowl well to NZ there. The pitch at Hamilton was much flatter, and didn't crumble on days 3-5 as much as could be expected, but historically it has been a result wicket and if England hadn't dropped catches on day one when the pitch was green and the ball was moving then things would likely have been vastly different (England sent NZ in to bat and Williamson said he would have done the same if he'd won the toss).
Also, I dispute your suggestion that test cricket is dying in some countries. I used to be involved with NZ Cricket, and I can tell you test cricket crowds on average have been on the up. Things were a lot bleaker in the early 2000's. Focus in NZ has shifted test cricket to more "boutique" grounds in recent times, with success.
I know your posts are biased in favor of England but the fact is the current English test side isn't great away from home, and New Zealand is very good in their own backyard. England were beaten by the better side, simple as.
Gutted to hear the news about Bob Willis. I watch the cricket debate after every days play of a Test match and always looked forward to his blunt views and was looking forward to him returning to his seat for the coming series against South Africa. So sad that he'll never be back. Him and Charles Colville really were a double act.
I'm too young to have seen his career but the fact he had a better bowling average than the three players above him in England's all-time wicket taking list says it all and his famous 8/43 at Headingley in 1981 really is the stuff of legend.
RIP to an icon of English cricket.
I'm too young to have seen his career but the fact he had a better bowling average than the three players above him in England's all-time wicket taking list says it all and his famous 8/43 at Headingley in 1981 really is the stuff of legend.
RIP to an icon of English cricket.
gonetomorrow
Player Valuation: £80m
A friend has gone with Bob's passing.
He was last on Sky after the final days play of the last Ashes Test in mid-September. He hadn't been on the cricket debate at any point during the current New Zealand tour but Charles Colville did mention a few times he'd been unwell but would be returning to the studio for his usual show with Colville for the coming Test matches against South Africa.
Mildredblues
Player Valuation: £2.5m
R.I.P. Bob Willis
Incredible bowler with that high arm action.
Incredible bowler with that high arm action.
Last edited:
flibbyflob
Player Valuation: £40m
R.I.P. Bob.
Gutting news.
Gutting news.
arminisgod
Player Valuation: £35m
gutted. I half enjoyed our awful batting collapses just for his debate reaction.
"well Charles... you keep telling me this lot can bat... but you are wrong. The are hopeless. I trust my grandma to bat longer and she'd been dead 20 years"
"well Charles... you keep telling me this lot can bat... but you are wrong. The are hopeless. I trust my grandma to bat longer and she'd been dead 20 years"
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
I love those 'boutique' grounds; much better than playing at Eden Park, for instance.
No complaints from me about the result - NZ a better team than England at the moment. They have a settled batting line up with the exception of Raval, and a fine seam bowling attack with Boult, Southee and Wagner. De Grandhomme is, for me, a good county player, no more, but looks to have a great attitude and knows precisely what his role in the team is. Good wicketkeeper, not convinced Santner is good enough to be the main spinner.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
A great player for England. Wasn't that popular with the Warwickshire members as he would usually bowl just 4 overs for them then stand at mid-off for the rest of the innings directing traffic: no central contracts in those days and Bob liked to save his dodgy knees for England. I saw an exception to this one day at Old Trafford when Bob was coming back from injury and wanted to convince the England selectors he was fully fit. He bowled all morning and, of course, ran through the Lancs batting line up.
Toffee in Jandals
Player Valuation: £35m
For sure. Eden Park is utterly dreadful, and the size of the boundaries is embarrassing (50m hit straight will get you a six).
Yeah decent team we've got now, for sure. Raval exempted we've got one of the most settled top six's in the batting order going around at the moment.
Kane Williamson showing you can be ludicrously talented and a leader without being a massive helmet, a rarity that fella