England Cricket 2013

[southend4ever]

A huge year for our boys.

NZ and Aus home and away (theme tune please)!

How good do you think we will prove to be?

I'm massively pleased for Compton getting back to back tons out in NZ but these wickets are as flat as pancakes. Taking nothing away from an International ton - I think the bloke has the mental attributes to do well at Test level.

We have to see NZ off first. I think we will annihilate them over here and if there was a bit of green on their pitches I am sure we would whitewash them there too. They have some powerful players and a good skipper in McCullum. I think we will win the series though.

Australia scandal being floated all over the papers - I don't think that will harm them too much. That will all be forgotten soon enough.

The team is fairly settled and Ali Cook is an absolute beast. I'm hoping for lots more runs. Swanny returning from injury is important for us.

I'm a big fan of Andy Flower too - Think it probably helped he was at Essex.

Everyone happy with the England setup? Think we will turn Aus and NZ over? Best XI?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I know we were poor last year (notwithstanding that we came back from behind to win in India), but I don't think we deserved to be relegated to the second tier of test cricket.

Still some good results this year and we might get promoted so we can play some decent sides in 2014.

Bresnan's return is probably more important than Swann's. Bowling into the wind in Wellington has his name all over it.

 

[superblue24]

My only general concern with the England team is their sometimes cavalier approach to batting along with their spinning demons. Tonight\tomorrow is absolutely key to the series imo. They need to skittle NZ and send them in again. Day 5 is forecasting rain, so we need to ensure we get a result inside 4 days. They were initially forecasting rain for Day 4, but a quick check seems to show rain not arriving until after play on Day 4.

I disagree with YB on assertions that we didn't deserve to be knocked off top spot ( I assume this is what he means by tier two) as I don't really feel that we ever deserved to be there in the first place, nice as it was. For me, SA have been head and shoulders above the rest for a few years now, and their dominance of us in our own back garden just demonstrated how good they really are. Our dour performance against Ajmal CC in the UAE was another reason why we deserved to be knocked down a peg.

But rankings aside, I think we will murder NZ at home when they come over and I stand by my 3-1 prediction for the Ashes in England. Bit too soon to start predicting the away result (plus I can't acclimatize to this back to back concept). Neither NZ or AUS possess the spinning attack to cause much concern, even with our frailties in this area. I think AUS are going to seriously struggle with the bat if I'm honest. I don't think even they know what their best batting lineup is, and they have some seriously average players in their top and middle order imo.

I think I mentioned the following in the Ashes thread:

Cook, Compton, Trott, KP, Bell, Bairstow, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn

I stand by that for the most part, with perhaps some movement between Root and Bairstow, Finn and Bresnan, and Finn and Monty depending on pitch and conditions.

I'm no fan of Bresnan if I'm honest. His bowling really bores me and looks generally of no wicket taking threat. But he does and will have a role to play in the setup this year for sure.

 

[Pubey]

YB was making a crack about NZ and the Aussies being 'second tier' opponents.

 

[superblue24]

YB was making a crack about NZ and the Aussies being 'second tier' opponents.

That's why I needed to check. Was a "whoosh" moment for me.

 

[Shrimper in India]

Hi all,

Just got back from third test in Mohali, ticking off first Indian cricket ground. Australia's bowling attack really is average, I really don't think we have too much to fear if that's the best they've got, Starc, Siddle, Lyon et al don't strike fear into the batsmen a la Warne and McGrath.

Had my Southend flag too:

 

[C C Csiders]

Hi all,

Just got back from third test in Mohali, ticking off first Indian cricket ground. Australia's bowling attack really is average, I really don't think we have too much to fear if that's the best they've got, Starc, Siddle, Lyon et al don't strike fear into the batsmen a la Warne and McGrath.

Had my Southend flag too:

View attachment 2149

Struggling against Boult, Southee, Wagner and Williamson doesn't inspire confidence about handling the Aussie attack. I know we are at home, but really!

The pedestrian run-rate's we are now scoring at it a concern too.

 

[superblue24]

Struggling against Boult, Southee, Wagner and Williamson doesn't inspire confidence about handling the Aussie attack. I know we are at home, but really!

The pedestrian run-rate's we are now scoring at it a concern too.

I think it's clear for all and sundry to see that our days as the best in the world are far behind us. We are not as good as SA, that is for sure. We are also second best to Pakistan as well who spun us to bits. NZ is a massive disappointment as they are, for me, the lower end of the cricketing test pool and we have been second best for huge periods of the tour. This being said, it is never easy to go to NZ and beat them on their home turf....I will however be looking for a MASSIVE reaction when they come over here. 2-0 at least.

Maybe it makes things a bit more interesting. The Aussies are a shambolic mess too at the moment, and perhaps if we were too organized, it might take the enjoyment out of the Ashes series as it would all be a bit one-sided.

 

[Napster]

Good old Prior.
:smile:

 

[Pubey]

wow, couldn't believe it when I work up and saw that we'd done it. I stayed up until Bairstow got out and then thought we had no chance. I wonder what odds you could have got then?

Also, Prior will take the credit but an exceptional knock by Bell.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Matt Prior is a hero, half century in the first innings aswell don't froget! Great knock by Bell as Pubes says, tremendous effort alround to salvage a draw from that

 

[C C Csiders]

Matt Prior is a hero, half century in the first innings aswell don't froget! Great knock by Bell as Pubes says, tremendous effort alround to salvage a draw from that

As well as the best ever innings of six in English cricket by Stuart Broad.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

As well as the best ever innings of six in English cricket by Stuart Broad.

Best innings of six in English cricket was by Robin Marlar. Going in as nightwatchman he was stumped second ball.