Topic: England's Summer of Cricket 2017 South Africa and West Indies Series

[voodoo ray]

Well Livingstone had a debut to forget. Hope he gets chance to redeem himself in the next match like JJ Smuts did.

any opener can get a first baller, I think that's just a hazard of the job.

livingstone had a right mare really, but I'm sure he'll come again even if it's not in the next game. this england regime don't seem to bin people after 1 game.

[Crosby Nick]

He did look a little out of his depth. Think he might be back with the Lions. Good they have him a decent chance by putting him in ahead of Morgan and Buttler. Maybe we thought we'd win it from there.

[12C]

any opener can get a first baller, I think that's just a hazard of the job.

livingstone had a right mare really, but I'm sure he'll come again even if it's not in the next game. this england regime don't seem to bin people after 1 game.

The player who had the 'mare was Jordan. Let one bounce through his legs at mid off, which was frankly embarrassing; bowls a bag of shite including a wide full toss that bounced on the line of 2nd slip, which was the follow up to a wide which just about stayed on the cut strip; then doesn't even get a hand to one that hits his chest/chin while dreaming at mid off. I would say most league players should have got their hands to it and probably held it. The Sky team gave out with the 'it was travelling' line, he is obviously one of their favourite players.
If he was playing in league cricket he would have been eating his tea on his own.

[voodoo ray]

jordan definitely had a bad game, no doubt about that. it's rare for him to shell one though.

[cdav]

England going well at 116-1 off 12. Malan got 69 off 36, playing very well on debut.

Hales having a comedy day- hit the ball into his knee, hobbling everywhere and then just run his bat into the stumps

[CheshireDave]

Hales gone. 36 off 28

Still should be looking at something around 190

Malan 78 off 44 on debut

[Robinred]

Excellent debut from Malan.

Billings and Livingstone are talented cricketers, but their anxiety to score quickly, when both are out of nick, is palpable.

[Rush 82]

SA finishing strongly.

[CheshireDave]

SA finishing strongly.

Yep - Bowled really well at the death. England fell away at the end.

Still a more than decent 181. Should have got more though.

[Robinred]

SA finishing strongly.

Paterson showing England's bowlers how to bowl Yorker after Yorker at the death.

He's beginning to get on my tits.

[voodoo ray]

dumb as a bag of hammers going for that shot first ball from livingstone.

[Rush 82]

Paterson showing England's bowlers how to bowl Yorker after Yorker at the death.

He's beginning to get on my tits.

[Robinred]

Smuts should be in the hutch. Unfortunately for England, the most useless umpire in world cricket failed to see or hear the nick.

So he starts to free up and hit boundaries. Cricket in a nutshell.

[Chakan]

Decent with the ball failing with the bat

[Ray K]

Not sure bowling Niles Crane is the best option here.

[dudleyred]

Crane stuck at it well - looks a talent

[Robinred]

If Willey isn't swinging it, he's bang average.

[CheshireDave]

Brilliant from Curran today. Great figures.

2-22 off 4

And that's the series. England win it 2-1

[voodoo ray]

Brilliant from Curran today. Great figures.

He's done really well in his debut series. It'll be interesting to see if he or his brother ends up having the better career.

[Crosby Nick]

Didn't realise their dad was Kevin Curran who was a county stalwart from the 80s.

[Rush 82]

Story of SA at the moment - either batting or bowling perform - rarely both

[Gerry Attrick]

Chris Morris coming in at 3? I didn't see any of the match but that doesn't seem the smartest decision to me.

[Rush 82]

Chris Morris coming in at 3? I didn't see any of the match but that doesn't seem the smartest decision to me.

AB is finished as a Captain and needs to be moved along sharpish.

[CheshireDave]

AB is finished

..as a test player? - http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/1106290.html

He should just call it a day now and have the abiding memory of his test career being the pair England got him for in his last test.

[Crosby Nick]

Hopefully off to the Oval Test on the Sunday. Hoorah.

Will be interesting to see the Test squad. It's been that long since we played one and in massively different conditions so bound to be a few changes. Hameed has been in dreadful form all summer so I don't think he can be picked. Whether that just means Jennings opens with Cook and we find someone else to bat at three I don't know.

What's the bowling attack likely to be? Woakes will be missing I think.Presumably Jimmy and Broad will return with one more more seamer with Stokes and Moeen bolstering things?

Cook
Jennings
??
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Broad
Wood?? Finn??
Anderson

I've only names ten, even with a question mark at three. I'd make a shot selector! Who have I missed?

[Gerry Attrick]

I might actually be tempted to leave Broad out of the first test. He's been struggling with a heel injury recently.

[Gerry Attrick]

I wonder if Ballance might get another chance? He's the second highest run scorer in Division 1 this year and is averaging over 100. It's not like we're spoilt for choice in the middle order.

[Dull Tools]

Hopefully off to the Oval Test on the Sunday. Hoorah.

Will be interesting to see the Test squad. It's been that long since we played one and in massively different conditions so bound to be a few changes. Hameed has been in dreadful form all summer so I don't think he can be picked. Whether that just means Jennings opens with Cook and we find someone else to bat at three I don't know.

What's the bowling attack likely to be? Woakes will be missing I think.Presumably Jimmy and Broad will return with one more more seamer with Stokes and Moeen bolstering things?

Cook
Jennings
??
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Broad
Wood?? Finn??
Anderson

I've only names ten, even with a question mark at three. I'd make a shot selector! Who have I missed?

Surely Hameed would be in instead of Jennings with the winter he had? Maybe move Jennings to 3? I think Buttler will play too.

Cook
Hameed
Jennings
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Buttler
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson

[voodoo ray]

Ballance seemed in good form earlier in the season......

[Crosby Nick]

Surely Hameed would be in instead of Jennings with the winter he had? Maybe move Jennings to 3? I think Buttler will play too.

Cook
Hameed
Jennings
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Buttler
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson

In theory Hameed should keep his place based on what he did in India, but he just seems horribly out of form and not sure the likes of Morkel and Rabada are who you want to face when looking to find it.

Either way my line up is a player short so not sure if that will be an extra bowler or batsmen. You forget how well balanced we have been with Stokes, Moeen and Woakes normally available. I know Buttler featured at the end of the India series, but not convinced the selectors will go for it at home with h a whole division of players to choose from rather than a small squad.

When's the squad announced do we know?

[CheshireDave]

When's the squad announced do we know?

SA announced their's yesterday so I expect any day now for the England side.

I'd go with..

Cook
Jennings
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Woakes
Broad (Rashid if two spinners required)
Wood
Anderson

[Dull Tools]

SA announced their's yesterday so I expect any day now for the England side.

I'd go with..

Cook
Jennings
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Woakes
Broad (Rashid if two spinners required)
Wood
Anderson

Do we really need 4 seamers and Stokes? I would rather have an extra batsmen.

[CheshireDave]

Do we really need 4 seamers and Stokes? I would rather have an extra batsmen.

Fair point. Could drop Broad for anothet bat.

[Welshred]

Malan in to open instead of the bowlers with everyone bar Cook dropping down one.

[oojason]

a bit of welcome news for cricket lovers...

'BBC to broadcast live TV coverage of English international and domestic cricket'

English international and domestic cricket will be shown live on BBC TV for the first time in 21 years from 2020.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40455556

[Gerry Attrick]

It's not nearly good enough. Test cricket will just continue to suffer with this kind of deal, yet again there is no live coverage of test cricket on free to air telly and that's the format that needs the exposure. Instead we get some domestic T20 stuff and a few international T20 matches every year. Pointless.

[voodoo ray]

bbc probably made no effort at all to get tests live. the days of them clearing 8+ hours on bbc 1 or 2 for 4 to 5 days in a row to show cricket are gone.

they also seem to be unwilling to use something like bbc 4 and I've never worked out why.

[SP]

bbc probably made no effort at all to get tests live. the days of them clearing 8+ hours on bbc 1 or 2 for 4 to 5 days in a row to show cricket are gone.

they also seem to be unwilling to use something like bbc 4 and I've never worked out why.

BBC4 only broadcasts from 7pm.

The frequency is used for CBBC or CBeebies during the day. You can mess with many things, but you cannot mess with Baby Jake.

[Filler.]

Imagine my joy at hearing I'd be able to watch cricket for the first time in over a decade... then imagine my despair at hearing some hours later that it's only T20.

The frequency is used for CBBC or CBeebies during the day. You can mess with many things, but you cannot mess with Baby Jake.

Another great reason to bring Test Cricket back!

[SandyShore]

Yikes 1.1 billion to show some pointless t-20 games what a deal...