Yes, an utter legend who gave two fingers to Sky and Murdoch and said he'd only do live free-to-air broadcasts. Cricket's never been the same since 2005, and I suspend my Sky channels in the summer and watch cricket highlights on C4. Knew we were going to get hosed in the Ashes when Benaud, as far from being a Chauvinistic Aussie as you could get, tipped the Aussies to take the series when that blowhard Botham was predicting a 5-0 England whitewash. Tremendous loss, though a wonderful life and a thankfully peaceful death. A truly fine human being.
Trying to replicate our WC form it seems... trott out for 0 and cook now gone for 11. bright side... Sussex scored over 400 and have Hampshire 60odd for 5 at tea
We get a lead of 70odd, bowl really well and have a chance to bat them out the game and win the series 2-0... Then we fall apart to 26-3 and put ourselves under immense pressure
Only we could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory... WI win by 5 wickets. On a pitch that caused our batsmen all kind of problems, the windies batsmen made it look pretty ordinary. Stokes has been poor, not used with the ball, average with the bat always getting out to silly shots. Ali is not a front line spinner, Rashid sitting in the stands all series made that decision look even worse. I like Moores from what he did with Sussex a few years ago but he and the rest of the selectors need to take a big hard look at themselves. Lyth should have opened with Trott needing to go away and have a whole season in the County game to get his form back and Plunkett needs to come in and offer some real pace and variety to the bowling. Cook Lyth Balance Bell Root Butler Jordan Rashid Plunkett Broad Anderson
For me I agree England's bowling has been woeful at times recently I think we need to keep working moenn and buttler as the future of the side but since broad went for surgery and swann retired we've been dross I barely rate Jordan myself
I like Jordan although bit biased with my sussex connection (although happy to have him back in our team!) he can bat and I think could get an average of 30 with the bat no problem. He's sometimes erratic with the ball but showed against WI he can offer accuracy. I suppose it's who you pair him with, either ask him to go out bowl fast and expect a few boundaries and wickets or ask him to do a containing job. Hes also an awesome fielder and as shown in last series, he's worth a wicket a match with his slip fielding. Moeen, I'm not sure. Needs to work on his bowling and at the moment he's not averaging or scoring enough runs to get in on his batting. Balance, Cook, Root and Butler are a strong batting core. We need to bring Butler in earlier though, no point making him bat with number 9,10,11 and only ever being able to make a counter punch 30. Sad about Trott retiring but think it was right time. Ballace made 3 his own and Trott isn't good enough to open atm
england need 5 front line bowlers. Buttler helps the batting so should be made work very hard ebing wicket keeper. as long as he smashed runs fast he's going to be in. the real probelm comes when you try and have 5 bowlers. No swann... never been replaced If broad, anderson and say jordan are 3 (and i'm not sold on jordaon as a bowler) then who are really the other 2. So far moeen ali started batting very well and had an amazing series v india but this series has been ****e. Engalnd really need another bowler in there.
Anderson broad jordan plunkett rashid with root to bowl a bit if needed as well. Drop moeen replace him with rashid and drop stokes and replace with Plunkett. Allow stokes and Jordan to compete for that all rounder spot
Peter moores sacked again then.. Got to think that's his last chance and potentially opens the door for Kp to return.
Didn't though, did it. Going well again. England batting and 113 - 4. Lyth and Cook fail, as does Ballance
