The Cricket Thread

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Conspiracy theory alert, do you think that we might've threw the game against Somerset because we knew that we might lose Mason for the Q/F if we played at home on the Friday?

No way. Somerset desperately wanted to win that, we had no middle order, and were missing at least three very important players. It was never a recipe for a good night for us.
 
Stuart Broad takes his 384th Test wicket to move ahead of Ian Botham into 2nd place in the all-time England bowlers list, so we have our 2 best-ever bowlers playing in the same match. Historic stuff.
 
Stuart Broad takes his 384th Test wicket to move ahead of Ian Botham into 2nd place in the all-time England bowlers list, so we have our 2 best-ever bowlers playing in the same match. Historic stuff.

Apparently 1963 was the last time we had the top two playing together in the same test.

We'll miss them once they've gone.
 
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Apparently 1963 was the last time we had the top two playing together in the same test.

We'll miss them once they've gone.
Yes, Trueman and Statham. And I can't bear to think of Jimmy and Stuart retiring in a year or two, there is a bit of a gulf between those two and any other bowlers coming through, although Roland-Jones and Plunkett look the most likely to succeed, in both meanings of the word.
 
More good news. Carberry is back in the squad.

Wood has also made it, so that gives us four options I think:

Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Crane

I suspect we'll go with option one. But I personally would prefer two or three.
 
More good news. Carberry is back in the squad.

Wood has also made it, so that gives us four options I think:

Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Abbott, Wood, Crane
Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Adams, Bailey, Ervine, Dawson, Afridi, Berg, Abbott, Crane

I suspect we'll go with option one. But I personally would prefer two or three.

Hang on a minute. I've completely forgotten Alsop.

Oh in that case, it's: Vince, Dickinson, Carberry, Alsop, Bailey, Ervine/Adams, Dawson, Afridi, Abbott, Wood/Berg, Crane
 
Risky move from Derby. If we bat like we did against, Essex, Sussex and Somerset, then Derby should win with ease and it's a great decisin. But on the other hand, I can't see them chasing down a big score. And equally, even if we were to a middle score of 145 or 150 on the board, I think the pressure could get to Derby.

It's a shame we're playing them, because otherwise I'd have wanted Derby to make Finals Day.

Pretty important that we're not already three or more down when Tahir comes onto bowl. Especially as I still think we're a batter light. (Although if the pitch does take a little bit turn for him, then actually that is no bad thing)