Assuming it ever dries out and we get some play, comments on the match below!
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Assuming it ever dries out and we get some play, comments on the match below!
Being Outside Cricket 
Raining? In Ireland?
You’ll be telling me the ECB don’t leak next.
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Surely I’m not the only one watching the game? (And it’s 2 o’clock in the morning in Sydney).
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No, I’ve got it on. It’s not hugely inspiring though, is it?
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It wasn’t which is why I went to bed after posting that comment. I recorded the game but I doubt that I will watch it.
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I trust no one is finding this sack-a-batsman-oh-shit-we’re-in-trouble-next-game scenario amusing in any way?
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It’s all about trust. And the group. And culture. Blah blah blah.
Anyone who trusts anyone else in the England set up must be crazy. Imagine that Ben Stokes was one of the “senior” players that convened to decide that Hales was beyond the pale. Got to be up there with Kissinger getting the Nobel Peace Prize for signalling the death of satire….
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I must say, I can understand the Hales thing, with second offence being the key. Fred said on the other thread that Hales needs to decide whether he wants to be an international cricketer or not, except Hales is 30 and I wish he’d bloody decided about 5 years ago.
It does seem that the team took the Stokes incident very seriously and has done its own internal examination and come up with a very clear idea of what it wants. Hales is clearly in breech of this, and one has to say, again.
If you take away all the double standards, the leaks, the poor handling of it all etc. then the actual position of Morgan and Bayliss does have at least some kind of validity to it. I’m not saying it’s all good, but I can see why Morgan reacted how he has.
Of course, it kills, because he’s bloody good at this format and as we now watch Malan and Denly be not be as good (as Hales or Roy), it grates.
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But is Hales really the issue here? I thought the issue was that England almost got beaten by Ireland. That would have been embarrassing, almost as embarrassing as being beaten by The Netherlands, but not quite.
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Scotland, Fred. You nearly forgot Scotland.
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Damn, how did I forget to mention Scotland? Thanks for the reminder Rooto, that was a doozy.
Australia hasn’t been beaten by a minnow since Bangladesh back in 2005 (refer to other comment regarding Symonds and intoxication). But 2005 was a poor year generally in terms of series results.
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I watched most of it. Glad Foakes was drafted in. Strikes me as a cricketer with a brain
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While I agree with the premise of your argument, the problem is that Hales face didn’t fit. Getting rid of players who’s face doesn’t fit is easy. All kinds of trumped up reasons can be used. (Our old favourite trust) or team culture whatever.
The problem is until we see a player who’s face does fit, and is booted out one can only be suspicious that there is a two tiered justice system. Stokes face appears to fit, and before the Bristol fracas occurred the ECB management had covered for him being out late at night during a test match. That story was kept out of the media by asking the press not to run it. They duly obliged. I can imagine certain other players they would not have protected.
In fairness to Stokes he has gone on the record as saying that he has learned lessons from what happened. And that maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Time will tell.
My concern is once again talent is placed secondary to team culture. This is going to keep occurring when you have talented, but flawed individuals. Perhaps Hales just ran out of chances. If that is the new standard then fine, but other players be warned.
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As you say, the double standards are an issue – but let’s be honest, not going to change. But on top of the Bristol thing, already with a reputation, and now a second drug offence, I can understand a reaction of, oh fuck you, we’re all trying to work this out, and you’ve been warned enough.
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I’d also like to point out that the reason Hales got done was that, if I understand, they tested his hair, (his fucking hair!) which shows evidence of drug use for the last 3 months. At least when Symonds got fired by Australia, it was because he turned up to training drunk, no need for extensive investigation there. Forensic drug testing seems pretty obsessive.
Maybe ECB has decided to follow the example of CA, and deal with miscreants with the fullest weight of the law.
I really, really, want to know what Ian Chappell thinks about this. Although I think I can guess (“can he score 100 runs or get 5 wickets?”).
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Mark, you make good points (actually, even Fred does), and your last paragraph there is compelling. And the problem with the idea of ‘team culture’ is that it is so often used as a cover/or an excuse.
Are we weaker without Hales? Yes, certainly. Could and should all this have been avoided? Yes, but I still can’t help feeling mostly by Hales himself. Silly sod. But the red flags you’re putting up are very fair.
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