As Chris so elegantly described in his last post, England are somewhat riding the crest of a wave with our current ODI team’s performance, something that none of us thought we would be saying after the nadir of the 2015 World Cup and a million miles away from the “look at the data” comments post Bangladesh hiding. Hales, Roy, Root and Buttler have all stood up with the bat and can be counted amongst the top level of ODI batsmen and we also now have a battery of fast bowlers that can cause the opposition all sorts of problems on most pitches around the world. Credit where credit is due, Morgan, Bayliss, Farbrace and Director, England Cricket have woken up, smelt the coffee and have encouraged the England players to play attacking cricket without worrying about being dropped for playing what could be perceived as a reckless shot. This has led to a settled team playing very good white ball cricket; Yes there will be times when our batting collapses in a heap trying to be too adventurous but I’m sure most would be happy to accept this in the overall scheme of moving our white ball cricket forward.
Naturally, I am finally glad to be able to witness an England team playing this attacking style of cricket and looking to push the boundaries (whatever that means, it seems to be uttered in every post match interview), but what I am struggling to understand is why England haven’t rested Root or Moeen, who have played all formats all summer. Yes, I agree it’s good to have consistency of selection and results have shown that, but not if it burns out two important players in what is likely to be a packed and arduous winter. Surely it would have been good to have seen more of Dawson, Malan or Duckett so England can pick their best team for the Champions Trophy from a pool of 18-20 players rather than grind some of our better players into the ground and then hope and prey they don’t get injured; after all, we’re all too tiresomely aware of England’s bad habit of sticking with a certain formula and then throwing someone else into the team in a panic when someone loses form or gets injured just before a major tournament. C’est la vie, just my opinion anyway.
So from the positive to the slightly negative and without wanting to be churlish, Pakistan have looked like a side that either wishes it was back on the plane or perhaps more worryingly that they are setting out to play the type of outdated cricket that England were quite rightly criticised for during the Peter Moores reign. Scores of 350+ are now the norm rather than the exception, especially with pitches more akin to ‘bowlers graveyards’ being readily prepared all around the world, so Pakistan’s cautious approach to the first three ODI’s has been somewhat mystifying, though naturally their comedy fielding hasn’t exactly helped matters either. One could rightly point out that the lack of a substantial domestic competition in Pakistan has hindered them massively (despite the advent of the PSL), as it has enormously, but that isn’t much compensation to those fans that were looking forward to an even contest between the two teams. Unfortunately, I can only see another couple of easy wins for England in the next couple of games, which I hope doesn’t take the gloss off what was a very good Test series.
Anyway for those that want to comment on the 4th ODI, please do so below:
14 – 8 in the Director, Comma ‘Super Series’
Being Outside Cricket 
The look of the ODI batting is just something to look forward to. You have Roy, Root, Buttler who genuinely are box office and you have Hales, Morgan and Stokes who could easily reach that level. Added to that you have Billings, Duckett and say even the likes of Bell-Drummond who could be great fun to watch in this form of the game. I take SimonH’s point that at the moment there is little known game craft in the more crucial matches, but the point is that at least there is a basis of attacking players who can take the game to more opposition than the rather timid line up that was all too recent. The bowling away from home is also a lot more uncertain but there are options that promise a great deal more than the one dimensional stuff that was served up those 18 months ago in the world cup.
Things of course could look a bit dodgier after the Indian tour……………………..
LikeLike
Flows on nicely from LGL’s article. It’s a lot to do with what you expect from the shorter form – how much gravitas you attach to it. The one day game was originally introduced for a bit of fun and a result at the end of the day. I still view it that way mostly.
Now, I enjoy England excelling and playing the way one day cricket should be played. I don’t think it matters whether we are No 1 or not so long as they continue with the performances we are seeing nowadays.
I do support the view that Root, in particular, should be rested. We often hear that the step up to the top level is a big one, so let Billings, Duckett etc have some experience.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well put Benny, agree completely with your sentiments.
LikeLike
I have to agree about the wisdom to giving Root and Moeen a break before the winter (…technically “autumn”) tour. It should be noted too that Stokes is on the same treadmill and has only missed games this summer precisely because of injury.
England should be looking for another 10 years’ service (in the Test arena at least) from a player of Joe Root’s quality. At this rate he’ll be well on his way to being clapped out with a chronically bad back before he even gets a shout at taking on the captaincy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An England selector doesn’t get it…it’s F50 now, that’s how it’s naturally evolving…gone are the days of the one day “mini test”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37235357
LikeLike
It’s in his own hands: drop Hales, Roy, Buttler and bring back Cook for Morgan
LikeLike
Lets have Angus’s anger by selecting Robson and Compdog at 2 and 3 with HisSulk at 1… oh, we could be 120-2 after 30, slam bang computer says 240… what’s not to like?
Seriously – selectors… surely different minds for each speciality, would you trust Whittaker and Fraser for a T20 squad pick? But then again, can someone explain the tacked onto the end single T20? What’s the point? Surely the Shirley Strauss (Trussed Trust) should unfurl a comma Tests 3 (minimum) 3 ODI (maximum) and then 3 T20’s?
LikeLike
Buttler has an injury and they are not risking him for today’s game. Pakistan have made considerable changes to their side with Amir and Wahab not playing today for 2.
LikeLike
Irrelevantly, I keep noticing that Amir is looking increasingly like Freddie Mercury. The earlier, thinner version. Though I have no doubt that his private life is entirely different.
LikeLike
Well, Pakistan have come across a method for preventing England from scoring 444 runs in a single innings.
LikeLike
And at the rate their going, they’re making certain that Hales individual record cannot be broken today either.
LikeLike
Just been catching up on comments, articles etc about the lack of contest between bat and ball, seal clubbing, slogfests etc etc.with the purists claiming the high ground, and the hit and giggle afficionados grubbing about somewhere in a cesspool of ignorance and instant gratification?
Hmmm!
Maybe I’m unique, but I do actually thoroughly enjoy all three forms of cricket, and I see that all formats have their own particular nuances and skills and appreciate all of them.
In terms of bat and ball within the shorter format….batsmen have developed their skills, variations, techniques exponentially, and, to my mind, the bowlers have stood still, trapped within their own pigeonhole of skill set? It could well be argued that the “death” bowlers have realised this and developed their variations? My question is…jeez I sound like ficjam…why can’t they all be death bowlers right from the first over? If they’re going to retain only one skill then they must expect to get carted all round the park
On the matter of “superiority”, yes, test cricket is the superior format, no question in my mind, but, it’s dying on it’s arse, even though short format batting techniques have imoroved it (heaven forfend) as a viewing spectacle, but at the end of the day the short format games are packed to the rafters because it’s great entertainment, no brain ache, just a bloody good day out…exactly as it should be viewed!!
LikeLike
Tucked away in a Newman article about Hales:
“The word is England will take Lancashire’s 19-year-old opener Haseeb Hameed to Bangladesh and India”.
LikeLike
Team SKY/ECB have been told to keep the comma Strauss super series alive….
LikeLike
Nasser off message. While 80 wanted, he said the Super Series had gone. They could still have tied it.
LikeLike
Actually a bit of a contest this series with an early England collapse. However Stokes and Bairstow are rebuilding nicely.
LikeLike
Not much of one. Another dull game, once England got through the tricky patch.
LikeLike
Wctt really has fucking excelled himself on Ali Martin’s latest piece. How can you find fault with a journalist interviewing the previous holder of the England record for highest ODI innings? It’s topical, it’s relevant, Smith remains hugely popular.
But no. Utter dickhead.
LikeLike
It’s Ali Martin’s fault, a bloke working on the international cricket, that there was little county reporting.
Still crying for Selfey. Loving it. It’s really horrible when your favourites get fired for no decent reason given.
LikeLike
Hey, just looked at your Twitter. Will you do anything on this “power list”, for the benefit of those who kicked The Cricketer to the kerb as soon as Hughes took over?
(I bet the top five are a right bunch of expletive deleted – an S, an H and a G, and of course two Cs, at a guess)
LikeLike
Full list is in the Telegraph.
LikeLike
I’m sure Lawrence Booth is thrilled….
I like the cosiness of numbers 20 and 21.
Hardly seems worthy of further effort, does it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Complete unutterable bollocks…in my opinion?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2016/09/01/telegraph-quartet-among-the-top-50-most-powerful-people-in-engli/
LikeLike
Clickbait. Unadulterated clickbait.
LikeLike
It’s utter cobblers, but for starters –
1) There are 19 people more powerful in English cricket than Giles Clarke, 20 than Andy Flower and 25 than Anurag Thakur? Of course there are…..
2) Michael Vaughan is more powerful than Alastair Cook? Vaughan had Joe Clarke in the team for the next Ashes, Cook saw Clarke make a duck yesterday – let’s see how quickly he’s in the team.
3) Simon Hughes rates himself 11 places above the editor of Wisden…..
4) Where’s wctt?
LikeLiked by 2 people
The placing of Cook is simply abominable and quite ridiculous, and I’m not much of a fan. Clarke was less surprising, because some will do anything to downplay his ever-present long-term influence.
Still waiting for the media to cover Hughes’s editorials in depth, or for Hughes to win “scoop of the year”, or for Hughes to write regular articles for the second biggest newspaper in Britain, and one of the most widely-read websites in the world.
LikeLike
An outside cricket power list could be fun as long as none of you take it seriously and get offended when you rank below Mark.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wot! No FICJAM? (or are some of the names listed his essayists?)
LikeLike
Best chance that the ten-team WC might still be scrapped?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2016/09/02/pakistans-woeful-odi-form-has-tv-money-men-fearing-the-worst—n/
LikeLike