well, at least some effort got put in here.
The Ashes 2025
- Thread starter summerisle
- Start date
Hopefully, a selector/head of England Cricket who actually watches County Cricket
This bit here.
The Ashes test team was basically picked 2 years ago and MaCullum just told everyone County Cricket is rubbish and we don’t need to waste any time getting the players to play longer forms of cricket.
Fast forward to the tour and, surprise surprise, it takes them 3 Test to get anywhere near prepared so we are competitive in 2 Tests.
MaCullum then says the mistake was over preparation!!! and already sort of saying I want to stay on but I don’t think we need to change much.
Has to be goodbye.
Also what is it about the England cricket set up that everyone just seems to come across as utter tools. ( Root exempted).
A bit of humility and self awareness really wouldn’t go amiss.
Should be nowhere near captaincy this fella.
Don't disagree with that but tell who are you replacing them all with ?
The cupboard seems pretty bare to me and whilst we have McCullom in charge it will be more of the same from the batsmen.
That PoS agnew determined to get people fired, no doubt he has some privately educated friends in the game waiting for a job
We've got some really talented players waiting in the wings who have been doing it in County Cricket for a few seasons.
James Rew is England's long-term wicket keeper.
Thomas Rew isn't bad either
Asa Tribe is going to be the next really good middle order batsman
Tawanda Muyeye is there too
Saqib Mahmood is still hanging round, but there are fitness concerns of course
Tom Haines is still scoring runs as an opener
Sam Hain scores runs (I know he's 30)
Sam Cook is a good bowler, maybe a bit like Woakes where he only plays at home due to his speed
Rehan Ahmed has been brilliant, and I know he's been tried before, but he's scoring big runs
Eddie Jack looks an interesting young bowler
Dillon Pennington is alright, lets see more of him this season
James Coles looks an interesting all-round spinning option, but maybe not a frontline spinner
Farhan Ahmed, perhaps too soon
After that, theres a lad called James Anderson at Lancashire who looks handy
I'm not sure I get the argument about speed. Glenn McGrath was fantastic and was not really quick, just incredibly accurate. In the second half of their careers, the same applied to Pollock and Ambrose. Even Boland in this series has been successful but far from express pace. McCullum and Stokes talk extensively about building pressure, but it seems hard to do that when you chuck down so many four balls, as our bowlers have.
I will give you the Rew bothers they both look good
Tribes yet another T20 player
Cooks a trundler.
Hain should have been in the team 5 years ago
Rehan? I just don't know , again I'd love him to succeed but more suited to limited overs
It's just been the knock on Cook for a bit, and has only increased as England have focused on rapid bowlers. I like him though, he's accurate and good at what he does.
I just think he'd be better at home than away - ala Boland, Woakes, et al
Interestingly, Boland averages 16 on the supposedly quick Aussie pitches, but 48 on the supposedly trundler-friendly English pitches.
The lack of concentration and ability to focus on digging in with the bat has been mirrored by the bowling section chucking up dollies short and wide for travis head to cream wherever he likes. He's been served a banquet that barstud.
First test first innings aus played englands game. After that they played test cricket and let england eat dust.
flintoff lost the captaincy for the pedalo incident, what has a 4 day bender cost any of these duck*heads?
Crawley - there is no point in having this guy open the batting for 100 games in the hope at the end of it he averages more than 30. He's there because of Key but he's never going to average more than 30.
Duckett - had a poor series but has enough about him to keep his place.
Pope - he's not currently good enough. Needs to go and sort his technique out and stay calmer at the crease.
Root - holding the team together.
Brook - has all the talent, but not the brain for test match cricket. Should not be a captain in any format.
Stokes - can't do it all unfortunately. A good leader, not necessarily a good captain. And clearly has favourites who he backs while overlooking others.
Smith - awful series, he's a reset.
Bethell - should get the number 3 spot for this year.
Carse - not an opening bowler, but could work as a Bresnan type workhorse. Stokes' mate so won't be dropped.
Tongue - needs to keep his place.
Potts - either needs to be given a run or left out. Can't keep him on a string.
Archer - great. Keep him in cotton wool.
Wood - done. Body can't keep up intensity of test cricket. Needs to just focus on T20.
Jacks - not good enough.
Bashir - no idea what's going on. Feel sorry for him.
I'd like Ahmed to be given a go as an all rounder, McKinney might be an option too. Josh Hill could be useful as a left arm option.
Overlooked Hull, but yeah he'll be there or thereabouts
Hinchcliffe's Corner
Player Valuation: £50m
Brand McCullum.
The Ashes: Brendon McCullum will not 'completely rip up script' if he is kept as England coach after defeat in Australia
Brendon McCullum wants to stay on as England head coach after 4-1 series loss in Australia - but vows not to radically alter way he has led team to this point; New Zealander insists there is accountability when batters play poor shots and discusses relationship with captain Ben Stokeswww.skysports.com
pigheaded. bin.