The Cricket Thread 2015-16

Cook gone now, only rain can save this game!

 

Moeen bowled. Bell and Moeen need to be axed.

 

Broad bowled. Kane Williamson has 3-6. NZ need 2 wickets.

 

Hampshire keeper Wheater has broken his finger.

 

Oh Crap!....where's Michael Bates when you need him?
Who is the back up WK, Tom...Alsop?

 

Lewis McManus is keeping today - he's the back up.

 

What does he bat like?

 

Hard to tell, he played against Yorkshire earlier this season when Wheater was ill and scored 10 and 28. He looked decent in his 28. That is his only FC match so far so definitely deserves the chance now.

 

England 230-9. Anderson and Buttler need to bat out the last 35 overs to save the match. Not a hope...

 

Come on, Jimmy. You know you can do it Players like Anderson are called ferrets because they go in after the rabbits.

 

That's it. NZ win.

 

Buttler gone. Review says gone. Game over. Well played the Black Caps.

 

Very good batsman below FC county level. Very much unproven at FC county level.

The only reason why we allowed Bates to leave was because of the faith we have in McManus' batting.

Vince was actually keeping yesterday afternoon, in Wheater's absence. McManus took over today. Wheater and Smith both picked up finger injuries.

 

I think Smith's x-ray came back negative. Good job, as we need him for the 2 T20's.

 

Indeed, thankfully.

BBC Solent Sport‏ @solentsport
X rays to #hantscricket pair Adam Wheater and Will Smith show no broken fingers and both will bat tomorrow as required v @WorcsCCC

 

Oh so no broken finger for Wheater? I was listening to the game earlier today online (BBC Solent commentary) and Kevan James thought he had broken his finger.

 

Must admit I have not heard of any other spinners . which is a worry . Any know of any names ?

 

Adam Riley from Kent looks a good prospect. But at the moment, I'd go for Rashid from Yorkshire, a leg-spinning all-rounder.

 

Thanks .

 

It's a shame that Durham never throw Borthwick the ball, because his batting has come on tremendously. The fear with Riley so far this season is that Kent appear to have gone back to Tredwell for four day cricket.

Briggs has actually started the season quite well, with ball and bat, but I'd still suggest he's some way behind Rashid and Kerrigan. Although in terms of an England call up, I'd expect Kerrigan to be someway down the list given his mauling at the Oval two summer ago.

The fact that Ansari got into the ODI team the other week is very interesting. Suggests that they've targeted him as a possible spinning all-rounder alternative to Moeen. Then again, he's not been included in the ODI squad announced today. Just Rashid. (Not that ODI cricket should have a bearing on test cricket of course - but so often we seem to like to blood players in ODI cricket first).