I'm not watching tonight, but I knew it was on as on my Google calendar I've subscribed to the ECB fixture list, so I know in advance exactly when England are going to lose
Looks like I've been really lucky. No joy in The Oval ballot (presumably as they never e mailed). Secondly, not heard re Lord's ballot, so hopefully we missed out there as well
Looks like I've been really lucky. No joy in The Oval ballot (presumably as they never e mailed). Secondly, not heard re Lord's ballot, so hopefully we missed out there as well
Anyone with day four tickets for a test, will probably be getting their money back with the current crop of players.
Absolutely shocking performance. But, I guess this is what is to be expected when the players don't get the chance to play low-standard, red ball cricket in July or August.
Absolutely shocking performance. But, I guess this is what is to be expected when the players don't get the chance to play low-standard, red ball cricket in July or August.
That is what is to be expected when batsmen aren't technically good enough to play red ball cricket. When it's not "step and hit" in white ball and the wicket is a bit tricky they don't know what to do. If you have to play the majority of those red ball games in April and September you will never get to hone that technique because the likes of Darren Stevens will be King. Ask Tom Banton about that one - he averages 22.91 in FC cricket and has never hit a ton. In fact, he doesn't average 30 in any form of the game. Quite what he's done recently to justify playing for England I'm really not sure.
But how do you play yourself into form in T20? Very difficult to do so when you think you have to go out and smash the ball every innings. Occasionally doing that might still come off for Banton. That won't make him an England player though and at best he could become a franchise journeyman - in the Lanka Premier League in December he averaged 13.62 at a strike rate of 107.92 with a top score from eight innings of 30. By comparison, Chandimal, who averages almost 40 in Test cricket, scored 277 runs in the tournament at an average of 46.16 and strike rate of 150.54
Remember that phrase - "the revolving door" - because it could well become the tag that is applied to a lot of our white ball cricketers. Bowlers have got better in T20 because a batsman's strengths and scoring areas have been so analysed and plans can be made for many. Batsmen haven't and when we play a T20 where we fail to score off 73 balls you really have to question how the hell batsmen that are playing for their country do not have the skillset to score off more than 12 of the 20 overs.
Comments
Eoin "The Hundred is the best thing since sliced bread" Morgan hits a six and then chips one up to cover for 17 off 29
66-7 off 13.3.
Jordan out for 28 off 23
Failed to score off 73 of the 120 balls we were due to face - the equivalent of playing out more than 12 consecutive maidens!
No joy in The Oval ballot (presumably as they never e mailed).
Secondly, not heard re Lord's ballot, so hopefully we missed out there as well
But how do you play yourself into form in T20? Very difficult to do so when you think you have to go out and smash the ball every innings. Occasionally doing that might still come off for Banton. That won't make him an England player though and at best he could become a franchise journeyman - in the Lanka Premier League in December he averaged 13.62 at a strike rate of 107.92 with a top score from eight innings of 30. By comparison, Chandimal, who averages almost 40 in Test cricket, scored 277 runs in the tournament at an average of 46.16 and strike rate of 150.54
Remember that phrase - "the revolving door" - because it could well become the tag that is applied to a lot of our white ball cricketers. Bowlers have got better in T20 because a batsman's strengths and scoring areas have been so analysed and plans can be made for many. Batsmen haven't and when we play a T20 where we fail to score off 73 balls you really have to question how the hell batsmen that are playing for their country do not have the skillset to score off more than 12 of the 20 overs.
150 will probably be a winning score here
116-5 off 14.3
162-7 off 18.4
That should be enough providing we bowl in the right areas
3-1