It's just not cricket

[Alex Bridgeman]

Just to amuse you both, you might like to know that I put £10 on Bell to score a ton in the second innings (at 7-1). The reason I did this is that he has a remarkable track record of doing just enough to keep his place in the side and without a significant score in the second innings he surely can't have done enough to stay In the side for the Ashes.

Bring back KP.

[DRT]

Justice was served. I am glad Cook has continued his good form. It bodes well. But surely the Bell has tolled for the final time.

Bring back anyone.

[flash_uk]

What did we learn from the NZ series?

Stokes can stay!
Wood looks like a raw talent that could be refined - not unlike Jimmy in the early days...
Ballance is not good enough
Bell out of sorts
Root is solid
Cook is finding form again just at the right time
Buttler is in good shape
We have a spinner who is not frontline
We have no backup/alternative action spinner
Anderson and Broad are nowhere near their best
We'll have to make do with Lyth to partner Cook as opener


So for the Ashes, we don't have what it takes to threaten them with the ball, our middle order has at best 1 in 3 that will fire. who knows how the openers will survive the Aussie bowling attack.

[LGTrotter]

Why all this disparagement of Bell? This is the man who has a batting average of 158 against Bangladesh.

Just to add to the previous synopsis I would say the other thing England lacks is a skipper.

[DRT]

Just to add to the previous synopsis I would say the other thing England lacks is a skipper.

Indeed. But in Cook they do at last seem to have discovered a half descent opening batsman. The boy shows promise.

[jdaw1]

a half descent opening batsman.

Hasn’t that been the problem for ages?

[DRT]

Why all this disparagement of Bell?

{ignoring the irony} Fewer than 26 runs in 16 out of 23 test innings in 2014 and 2015. If only he could bowl or catch there might be hope for him, but surely his time is up?

[DRT]

a half descent opening batsman.

Hasn’t that been the problem for ages?

Please reboot your sarcasm detection chip

[LGTrotter]

It is late, I rub my eyes in disbelief at the highlights of the one dayer against New Zealand. Did I see England score 400 and something in fifty overs? Was there not a direct hit from the boundary to effect a dismissal? Surely I saw a spinner who bowled two New Zealand batsmen out with a googly? There is much to ponder upon.

Oh and Root scored a hundred, in the nick of time with the assurance of a sleepwalker, again. *yawns*

[flash_uk]

What a great win. Would have been a superb game to watch live. I hope the one day team can repeat the success a few times and dispel any suggestion that it was a fluke.

[LGTrotter]

If they play like they did there are bound to be some failures, but at least people will want to watch it. I always knew Buttler was a class act but Rashid has to be a serious option for the Ashes. The man has courage, which is essential for a spinner. And he can score runs, which is less relavent than some seem to think but helps.

What made my cold heart leap was the sight of an England side which does not think 270 is a par score in 50 overs.

[Alex Bridgeman]

What made my cold heart leap was the sight of an England side which does not think 270 is a par score in 50 overs.

That's exactly how I feel. If I wasn't already taking the family to the Royal Albert Hall on Friday I would be in the Pavilion at the Oval.

[flash_uk]

Is anyone at The Oval, or watching on the telly? Go away rain, just a few boundaries and England can win.

[DRT]

A potentially exciting afternoon ahead following the English batting collapse from a healthy 288/6 to 302 all out in 46 overs.

Having just sat through the lunchtime analysis I can say with some certainty that this is just not cricket. But you should make yourself watch the video and judge for yourself.

[LGTrotter]

I stride to the middle, squint around at the field, take guard and twiddle my bat apprehensively.

I dare not make a prediction about this series because despite feeling twice as optimistic as before the New Zealand tour I think it is unlikely that England will win. But at least I dare to dream again. My hope is that the middle order batsmen (Root, Stokes, Buttler and the beard that is feared) will have sufficiently fast hands to get to grips with Johnson and Starc. My fear is that the selectors will not be bold enough and ditch the excess baggage.

I hope above all that it will be an Ashes worthy of the name, whoever wins. Thus far this summer the auguries are propitious.

Cardiff; draw, Lords; Australia win, Edgbaston; England win, Trent Bridge; England win, Oval; Australia win. Final result; 2-2

Oh and I see Rashid has been named in the squad. Good.

[jdaw1]

the auguries are propitious.

Final result; 2-2

Propitious auguries prophesy a draw. We are damned by faint praise.

[LGTrotter]

The pedantic amongst us (not you Julian, obvs) will observe that I said the auguries were propitious for an Ashes worthy of the name. I will allow that having said 'I dare not' and then daring to predict is inconsistent, but I felt emboldened as the post wore on.

[djewesbury]

Great to see you predict Aus wins for the two games for which I have tickets. Thanks.

[LGTrotter]

Great to see you predict Aus wins for the two games for which I have tickets. Thanks.

Relax, I have no special powers to influence the actual outcome of these games. I simply thought that Australia always wins at Lords and the Oval might suit them better than the other grounds.

I see Bell is still in the squad. Marvellous to see hope triumph over experience, again. Enjoy watching him, those of you that like his Gower-lite grace, I think this may really be curtains for him, as I have been predicting for the last five seasons.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I was at the Oval last night for the 20Twenty game Surrey v Gloucestershire. It was a relatively low scoring game thanks to some decent bowling by Surry, with Glamorgan setting a target of 155. Jason Roy and Tim Curran (who, in order to distinguish him from his brother Sam has the word CURRANT printed on his shirt to the endless amusement of us puerile fans) got off to a great start before Curran ran himself out and Roy was stumped by Geraint Jones when he forgot what a white line looked like. Surrey stuttered and spluttered but managed to more or less keep up with the D/L par score, helped by the fact that they had two extra overs bowled at them due to wides, no-balls, wides on free hits etc.

In the end, it came down to Surrey needing 9 to win off 6.

Then 8 to win off 6.

Then 7 to win off 6.

Then 6 to win off 5.

Then 6 to win off 4.

Then 6 to win off 3 but at least Azhar Mahmoud managed to cross before the skied catch was pouched.

Bowl, swish, "Oooh" went the keeper as Azhar was hit in the stomach when swishing and missing. 6 off 2.

Bowl, swish, "Oooh" went the bowler as Azhar swished over the top of and in front of a deliberate slow long hop. 6 off 1. The disgruntled crowd chuntered unhappily.

Bowl, swish, "WHACK". "ooooooOOOOOO..." went the crowd as the ball flew high towards the square leg boundary. Higher and higher flew the ball. Back and back went the deep square leg, lining himself up right on the edge of the boundary. The ball peaked and started to slowly descend, travelling ever so gradually towards the boundary. Back leant the fielder, stretching, stretching. The crowd gasping and willing the ball to make it.

And then the fielder fell over, the ball landing just beyond his outstretched hand.

A mediocre quality game but a fantastic finish. And Surrey's first home win in the T20 tournament this season.

[jdaw1]

Excellent writing. Thank you.

[LGTrotter]

Nothing going on tomorrow which might be of interest...

[Alex Bridgeman]

Nothing going on tomorrow which might be of interest...

That is wholly untrue. There is the Captain Bear Treasure Hunt to enjoy. And many other events.

[LGTrotter]

Nothing going on tomorrow which might be of interest...

That is wholly untrue. There is the Captain Bear Treasure Hunt to enjoy. And many other events.

Well, quite. Is that the Queen's old canoe? She must be spitting feathers about teddy bear hunts on her boat.

For those of you who wish for an Ashes warm up the Beeb did a lovely interview between Brearley and Vaughan on captaincy. Irritating interruptions and jingles because it was on radio 5 but the substance was great. Nearly as good as that sleepy interview Brearley did with John Arlott all those years ago.

Edit; for those not into cricket it will be painful and arcane.

[djewesbury]

HOW MANY TIMES MUST I SAY IT? DROP BELL!!!
And replace him with Rashid. Play Rashid and Moeen together. Beautiful.
Come on England, pull yourselves together.

"Ask not for whom Bell tolls; he has tripped over his shoelaces."