England Player Watch

[Molehill]

A number playing in the County Championship today. Duckett, Pope, Foakes, Anderson, Broad, Woakes, Crawley.

I'm currently watching Duckett bat (the only player actually on show at the mo after the toss sent most England players to the dressing room) on a green seamer at TB against Somerset (and Craig Overton who is probably now a long way down the pecking order).

 

[Gremlin]

Foakes not playing this round.

Ben Foakes: England wicketkeeper misses Surrey game with back complaint

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is left out of Surrey's County Championship match against Hampshire because of a minor back complaint.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Molehill]

Foakes not playing this round.

Ben Foakes: England wicketkeeper misses Surrey game with back complaint

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is left out of Surrey's County Championship match against Hampshire because of a minor back complaint.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's going to give Bairstow further encouragement!!

We currently have Jimmy batting which can only mean one thing.....we'll soon have Jimmy bowling!

 

[wpdavid]

We currently have Jimmy batting which can only mean one thing.....we'll soon have Jimmy bowling!

Featuring England's highest wicket taker bowling to England's highest run scorer. Talking of whom, wasn't he listed as 'Sir Alastair Cook' at one point? But nowadays the 'Sir' seems to have been dropped.

 

[slowfinger]

Featuring England's highest wicket taker bowling to England's highest run scorer. Talking of whom, wasn't he listed as 'Sir Alastair Cook' at one point? But nowadays the 'Sir' seems to have been dropped.

Well has he been knighted or not? Maybe Cook himself was embarrassed any requested the title not to be listed himself

 

[Molehill]

Featuring England's highest wicket taker bowling to England's highest run scorer. Talking of whom, wasn't he listed as 'Sir Alastair Cook' at one point? But nowadays the 'Sir' seems to have been dropped.

Yeah, I noticed that had been dropped from the scorecards, probably at Cook's request.

No doubt Anderson has bowled thousands of deliveries to Cook in the nets, but I'm guessing not that many in actual matches.

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah, I noticed that had been dropped from the scorecards, probably at Cook's request.

No doubt Anderson has bowled thousands of deliveries to Cook in the nets, but I'm guessing not that many in actual matches.

And hardly any since they became England's highest wicket taker / batsman.

 

[Molehill]

Decent opening spell from Jimmy, 2-14 from 6 overs including his former Test skipper pinned lbw.

 

[Ali TT]

Matt Parkinson misses out in this match, so Lancashire can fill up on bowlers suited to early season conditions.

50s for Hameed and Duckett, 7fer for Gregory. Broad bowling now.

 

[Nintendo]

Gregory feels like somoene who's unlucky not to have played more cricket for england. Did really well during that odi series vs pak when the main team got covid and has been fantastic for somerset in red ball stuff the past 2 seasons. Hes a better red ball cricketer than sam curran atm but curran is left arm so he gets picked instead. Ryan higgins is another guy who definitely could play test cricket. Nice to see him back amongst the runs after a rough patch last year with gloucs.

 

[kevinw]

Gregory feels like somoene who's unlucky not to have played more cricket for england. Did really well during that odi series vs pak when the main team got covid and has been fantastic for somerset in red ball stuff the past 2 seasons. Hes a better red ball cricketer than sam curran atm but curran is left arm so he gets picked instead. Ryan higgins is another guy who definitely could play test cricket. Nice to see him back amongst the runs after a rough patch last year with gloucs.

Not sure any of them are Test standard cricketers. They're bits-and-pieces cricketers in the Mark Ealham or Craig White mould (though both definitely had their moments). Their bowling just won't be quick or penetrative enough and they're not going to average more than 25 with the bat. SCurran is obviously nailed on for the shorter forms, which will probably keep Gregory at bay.

 

[Howe_zat]

David Willey has been in the gym huh

 

[Ali TT]

Gregory feels like somoene who's unlucky not to have played more cricket for england. Did really well during that odi series vs pak when the main team got covid and has been fantastic for somerset in red ball stuff the past 2 seasons. Hes a better red ball cricketer than sam curran atm but curran is left arm so he gets picked instead. Ryan higgins is another guy who definitely could play test cricket. Nice to see him back amongst the runs after a rough patch last year with gloucs.

Not sure any of them are Test standard cricketers. They're bits-and-pieces cricketers in the Mark Ealham or Craig White mould (though both definitely had their moments). Their bowling just won't be quick or penetrative enough and they're not going to average more than 25 with the bat. SCurran is obviously nailed on for the shorter forms, which will probably keep Gregory at bay.

I think Gregory just doesn't quite offer enough in either discipline to be a pick for England in the shorter formats. On a flat deck I could easily see him get taken to the cleaners, so he'll only play if there are at least six bowling options and in that context his batting is not good enough to carry an anonymous bowling performance.

 

[trundler]

I think Gregory just doesn't quite offer enough in either discipline to be a pick for England in the shorter formats. On a flat deck I could easily see him get taken to the cleaners, so he'll only play if there are at least six bowling options and in that context his batting is not good enough to carry an anonymous bowling performance.

Sounds like Moeen Ali

 

[Ali TT]

Sounds like Moeen Ali

Possibly more utility in a second spinning option over a fourth/fifth seamer.

 

[Nintendo]

Not sure any of them are Test standard cricketers. They're bits-and-pieces cricketers in the Mark Ealham or Craig White mould (though both definitely had their moments). Their bowling just won't be quick or penetrative enough and they're not going to average more than 25 with the bat. SCurran is obviously nailed on for the shorter forms, which will probably keep Gregory at bay.

Huh? Gregory's good enough to play as a frontline bowler for Somerset and bats #7, Higgins averages 23 with the ball and mid 30's batting 6/7. Those aren't bits and pieces cricketers lol.

 

[Ali TT]

Huh? Gregory's good enough to play as a frontline bowler for Somerset and bats #7, Higgins averages 23 with the ball and mid 30's batting 6/7. Those aren't bits and pieces cricketers lol.

I don't think that makes them much different from Ealham or White - ie good county level all-rounders but bits-n-pieces at international.

 

[Brook's side]

Huh? Gregory's good enough to play as a frontline bowler for Somerset and bats #7, Higgins averages 23 with the ball and mid 30's batting 6/7. Those aren't bits and pieces cricketers lol.

I'm not sure 23 (ball) 35 (bat) at first class says a lot either way tbh.
Doesn't rule him out, but doesn't make him a test sure thing either just based on the numbers I wouldn't have thought.

 

[Brook's side]

I don't think that makes them much different from Ealham or White - ie good county level all-rounders but bits-n-pieces at international.

Yeah I just looked up Ealham, Hollioake, Capel, Irani, Pringle.
Tbf they were more 28/29 FC bowlers (Adam higher), but agree 23 doesn't prove anything for sure (and irani's batting average was 45, so 35 certainly doesn't).

White was a decent test player though imo.
Edit: Amazed at how mediocre White's Test figures are actually. He had ability.

 

[Chin Music]

I don't think that makes them much different from Ealham or White - ie good county level all-rounders but bits-n-pieces at international.

Stating the obvious, but although Gregory is a better bowler than Ealham was he is not quick enough for international cricket unless you are going to play on real seamers pitches.