I remember, a couple of years ago now, popping down to The Oval for the season opener against Somerset. At this stage Jos had broken into the England limited over teams and was seen as a T20 assassin in the English competition. This picture, of him not particular flattering pose, was tkaen then. I think Jade Dernbach dismissed him. He was an ODI player too! How fondly we remember that.
England look to ride the Buttler Bus all the way to a series win. His mind is uncluttered, free from the stick or twist nature of test cricket for the time being, a purchased star for the biggest stage of all. His century in the first game was the key cog in a 400 innings (call me a liar for a run) and his tour de force finish in the second game, making Imran Tahir look like the sort of stuff I used to dreg up in the intra-club games. He seems a decent, self-effacing chap, the sort that us English quite like. Be really good, but don’t be too damn flash about it.
Alex Hales played a really decent innings on Saturday, and yes, he became the first man to make 99 at ODI and T20 level, and I’m hoping that he’ll go on and become the man to set us up at the top of the order. Jason Roy showed what I think most Surrey fans know – he’s a definite hit or miss player, but the hits are really worth it. The gate between his bat and pad when Abbott dismissed him last weekend was quite alarming which should be Exhibit A for any people tempted to think he might be the next taxi on the rank for the test opener slot. But Jason is box office, and I’m hoping we treat him better than we did Ally Brown back in the day.
The bowling did well on Saturday and kept the South Africans to a total that could be managed. I think we all know that this part of the team is a work in progress, but in Adil and Moeen, we have two spinners who I don’t mind having in the team going into the upcoming World T20.
We meet again in Centurion, on the High Veldt, and while not the home to the fearsome totals at Friday’s location, it still poses a great test. The home team are giving off the vibe that they are in a state of flux, and it is England’s time to pounce.
Comments on the game below, of course…..
Being Outside Cricket 
No comments on Root’s hundred? I have no chance of seeing any of this until much later.
LikeLike
I am unable to watch it today. Guess I will catch up with hi-lights.
England 318 in 50 overs. In the old days that would be seen as a great score. Never quite sure these days.
LikeLike
It was a wonderful inning from Root. Lusty blows, great strike rate, and in general not too risky. The way Hales and Root accelerated around the 20 over mark was quite impressive. I think this team is evolving into a bunch of good hitters that might still pay off at some time in an international tournament.
But, they need to jettison Jordan from the squad for that.
As a batsman, batting at 8/9 he will be nearly useless most of the time and while his fielding is quite good, he is just not there as a bowler (his primary suite) yet.
I still have my doubts on the bowling attack. Can Moeen / Rashid carry this attack in the T20 world cup? Without juice in pitch, Topley / Willey are going to struggle, I am afraid. Most of the ODI batsmen don’t have (enough) experience in Asia and while it looks good (even great) when it comes off, the pitches are going to be different in India.
What do you guys think?
LikeLike
Unfortunately I haven’t seen it, although apparently a few folk with time on their hands haven’t seen much of it either due to faulty tv coverage. i did enjoy a Nick Hoult retweet pointing out that Root has as many ODI tons in the last year as Ian Bell got in 161 ODIs full stop.
LikeLike
The ODI stats are fun. Cook has more tons (5) than Bell (4) and Sir Geoffrey has a quarter in a fifth as many innings
LikeLike
I’m going to go on a little rant and I’m sorry in advance if it reads like a Poetseye post. Why is Bell the butt of every joke? His ODI career isn’t stellar but it’s compared to his contemporaries it’s similar (Collingwood) and better (Bopara).
I’m not for one second suggesting his conversion rate is anything but poor, but batting in a shit team and lower down the order for half of it wouldn’t help. And It’s hardly his fault he has the most ODI runs. We all know that it should be someone else.
It’s insular sneering bullshit. These old English records mean little and if England want to improve they should be asking if Root can have the sort of numbers Kohli has, or De Villiers. Looking, comparing and laughing at someone (a bloody good servant at that) for having average one day stats is short sighted as usual.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bell played the vast bulk of his career in the top 3, 76 games at the top and 51 at first drop. More than anything it was that he was rather symptomatic of the way England set about batting in ODIs and especially how far behind the 8 ball we’ve been in the last few years.
LikeLike
Popping in and out. Root that I saw made it look very easy. Now De Kok and Amla are doing the same.
LikeLike
As for the game. Batting seemed ok at the time, but de Kock was sublime while the bowling was poor from all parties, bar Rashid who was tightish without being too probing. Morgan was also a little off in his captaincy today, I felt.
18 overs in and he seemed to be set in a spin tandem and didn’t chase after wickets. Overs 20-40 were pretty easy going for Saffers
LikeLike
Today was abit of a hammering really wasn’t it? The radio commentary made Roots innings sound as though it was something special until the run out.
BTW what’s happened to the “there is a point ” post?
LikeLike
I pulled it because I didn’t like it, Escort. It might return once I’ve gone through it again.
LikeLike
Ok boss, I had just started to read it when the bread knife phoned and I had to abandon
LikeLike
another day, another ODI…. and listening to TheAnal is and laughing girl with eleven names is getting tiresome too…. sorry….
Oh, and I’m glad i got to read ‘There is a point’ before it vanished 🙂
LikeLike
Who is laughing girl with eleven names Bogfather?
You can tell I don’t listen to TMS much.
LikeLike
Emily Rainford-Brent….. apparently she’s got enough middle names to rival Chaminder Vaas too… her summariserr style involves laughingideously h either before or after every comment…. and her input is very much made up of the right areas, taking positives, brands of cricket and other such modern press trained cricketer speak…
LikeLike
bad typing, it is 11:30pm – should read ‘laughing hideously’ (laughs hideously)
LikeLike
Ebony. She has a Master’s degree in Chemistry and various other non-cricketing achievements, but you wouldn’t think it to listen to her commentary, which is basically like listening to Peter Moores only more cheerful. She must have been very thoroughly trained when she played for England.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebony-Jewel_Rainford-Brent
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Zeph, yes Ebony…..it was rather late last night, glad you’re not taken with her commentary either 🙂
LikeLike
New law in the pipeline:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/12149077/cricketers-sin-bin-discipline-crackdown-red-yellow-card.html
LikeLike
T20 WC squad announced. Liam Dawson the surprise. Taylor and Woakes omitted.
LikeLike
KP “not even mentioned” according to Bayliss. They get more risible every day. They are making this childish attitude a virtue.
LikeLike
So let me get this absolutely straight.
They would sooner pick an uncapped player with a T20 average of 15.00
http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/211855.html
than even mention Pietersen’s NAME.
F*** off.
Oh, ok, he’s a useful bowler. Well, that makes it all right then.
LikeLike
Did I say useful bowler? Just seen that tweet from Peter Miller.
C**ts.
LikeLike
I’ve heard Virat Kohli, AB and David Warner have all had to go for a lie down after that selection.
LikeLike
Lest we forget, that’s the name of the man of the tournament when England won their only global limited overs trophy. And this is the same tournament.
Everything feared is coming to pass. It is not so much the decision to drop him, as the fact that he has quite deliberately been turned into an unperson.
I’ll just repeat one of my old lines – it matters not what Snowball ever did at the Battle of the Cowshed, because he trod on Napoleon’s trotters.
It’s disgusting.
LikeLike
TBF Dawson is in instead of Woakes which I can agree with
LikeLike
It’s banner day for some. The final light extinguished. The last hope gone. That’ll show the KP fanboys. The ECB triumphed. Well done Don Straussione! !!!
LikeLike
So that’s why that DM interview with Hussain and Morgan appeared when it did? I feel a bit dim-witted for not putting two and two together – but you can always rely on the ECB to make their machinations stark staringly obvious very quickly.
I’ve lost all respect for those two. I didn’t think it was possible for Hussain to forfeit the affection I had for him but he’s managed it. And I’m afraid that, although he’s obviously not the prime-mover in this and apologies to his fans here, Morgan doesn’t come out of this well either (“that’s from me” was not a phrase he should ever have agreed to use).
LikeLike
They can’t help themselves.
Nasser has become a creature of the ECB. Must be working with Newman for so long. He can look forward to endless story’s about ECB sponsors.
The good thing about this is that the ECB (which really means Strauss) just admitted they don’t select on form or ability. They don’t neccesarlly pick their best team. This is now the model for the future of team ECB.
LikeLike