England tour of New Zealand (3 Tests, winter 2024)

[wasteyouryouth]

Crawley's not even the player in this XI whose presence most worries me

I know what you mean. I'm very much just let Crawley get to the Ashes, he'll either go great or the Aussies will have figured out their fear of him. Even then he'd be as good as any other opener we could take.

Even the pace bowlers. It seems like they're trying to fill the gap from Woakes missing by bowling 80mph or lower.

I wish they'd given Rehan a go instead of Bashir this match. I think it would've been good to have a look at him in these conditions. Even giving Stone a game instead of Atkinson. No matter the combo it doesn't feel like it could've gone much worse than it has.

 

[Aislabie]

I know what you mean. I'm very much just let Crawley get to the Ashes, he'll either go great or the Aussies will have figured out their fear of him. Even then he'd be as good as any other opener we could take.

Yeah, pretty much. The Crawley-Duckett combo isn't usually a weak point in this side - if they're going to change it then the choices are either right now or a year from now. But you have to pick one and commit.

Even the pace bowlers. It seems like they're trying to fill the gap from Woakes missing by bowling 80mph or lower.

Matty Potts acting like a Brexit hardman while sending down shite 125 kph thunderbolts is giving real Ollie Robinson energy. Seeing him mouthing off at the one brown bloke on the opposition team while you're 450+ runs behind it's like "give it a rest mate, you're not hard"

I wish they'd given Rehan a go instead of Bashir this match. I think it would've been good to have a look at him in these conditions.

Or even Leach tbh. They're hugely invested in Bashir and he really seems to be reverting to the mean.

Look at the difference in quality between Santner and Bashir in this Test - Santner has really improved lately it's true, but the fact remains that Bashir's getting bodied by a guy who averages 37 in Tests.

Even giving Stone a game instead of Atkinson. No matter the combo it doesn't feel like it could've gone much worse than it has.

By the afternoon on Day 1, it was clear that Potts was stuck at 125 kph, Atkinson was so cooked he couldn't finish his action, Bashir didn't have his captain's trust and Stokes' solution was to bowl himself into the ground.

Utter shambles.

Also let's be honest - for the last 18 months or so, playing with Stokes has meant playing with 10.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Good to see Bethell in the runs again. Always seems to do it when I don't stay awake.

 

[Aislabie]

Good to see Bethell in the runs again.

Shame about everyone else really

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Shame about everyone else really

Apparently he already has more second innings 50s than Ollie Pope.

 

[Aislabie]

Apparently he already has more second innings 50s than Ollie Pope.

Love that stat.

Given the choice I honestly wouldn't have Bethell in the side, but if it comes down to Bethell or Crawley to open against Zimbabwe then it's a no-brainer

 

[ddrap14]

Love that stat.

Given the choice I honestly wouldn't have Bethell in the side, but if it comes down to Bethell or Crawley to open against Zimbabwe then it's a no-brainer

I mean, the best County options are damn Hameed and Burns again... (or, because of course, Ollie Robinson WK)

 

[icyman]

The start they had spoilt everything. Could have simply played the traditional waiting game- Oh wait! Bazball can't do that.

 

[ddrap14]

The start they had spoilt everything. Could have simply played the traditional waiting game- Oh wait! Bazball can't do that.

Neither can the waiting game for two days with that XI, tbh. Joe Root would have to face 500 balls.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

I mean, the best County options are damn Hameed and Burns again... (or, because of course, Ollie Robinson WK)

Given how they both performed in Australia last time I think it's unlikely they get another chance.

Alex Davies did well opening for Warwickshire, although I think it's probably Lees or Jennings unless they went with another wild card pick.

 

[ddrap14]

Given how they both performed in Australia last time I think it's unlikely they get another chance.

Alex Davies did well opening for Warwickshire, although I think it's probably Lees or Jennings unless they went with another wild card pick.

TBH I confused Alex and Steven, and didn't know he opened. If it isn't Davies, this is a situation that justifies a Intangibles pick

 

[Supreme General]

Take aways from this series. Jacob Bethell has cemented his place as first choice reserve batter now leapfrogging Cox and Lawrence for definite. Brydon Carse is here to stay and not just flat track bang it halfway down bowler, Chris Woakes can offer something away from home, Pope is still the guy we go to sort any problems it seems and is more than capable back up keeper still, Crawley had an off series but after last years ashes and a decent series v India will still probably keep his spot I would assume, Stokes’ body still not fully up to being a true 4th seamer for a whole series and still has the tendency to over bowl, Harry Brook is the exact opposite of a home track bully, Bashir still a work in progress but it’s been a decent first year in test cricket for him so shouldn’t drop his head down due to one bad performance. It’s a series win in New Zealand for the first time since 2008 and it was marked by some absolute moments of genius and just seemed to be on the beach for the final dead rubber but it shouldn’t taint what has been a good series for us in our final away test before next year’s ashes and the ending of what has been an up and down year for England in every format but with the main theme of rejuvenation in all sides.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

TBH I confused Alex and Steven, and didn't know he opened. If it isn't Davies, this is a situation that justifies a Intangibles pick

Davies has been included in a Lions squad to tour Australia who will play two four-day matches. So, he's clearly in the thinking.

Although, I don't necessarily think Lions squads are that representative as the next in line players though, unlike an India A squad might be. This feels like the best, or most promising, players who don't have franchise deals. Still gives a bit of an indicator as to the type of players they are looking at. My Sonny Baker prediction taking one step closer to coming true though.

England Men’s Lions Squad

Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
Pat Brown (Derbyshire)
James Coles (Sussex)
Sam Cook (Essex)
Alex Davies (Warwickshire)
Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire)
Tom Hartley (Lancashire)
Tom Lawes (Surrey)
Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire)
Ben McKinney (Durham)
James Rew (Somerset)
Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire)
Mitch Stanley (Lancashire)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
John Turner (Hampshire)

 

[karolkarol]

Davies has been included in a Lions squad to tour Australia who will play two four-day matches. So, he's clearly in the thinking.

Although, I don't necessarily think Lions squads are that representative as the next in line players though, unlike an India A squad might be. This feels like the best, or most promising, players who don't have franchise deals. Still gives a bit of an indicator as to the type of players they are looking at. My Sonny Baker prediction taking one step closer to coming true though.

England Men’s Lions Squad

Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
Pat Brown (Derbyshire)
James Coles (Sussex)
Sam Cook (Essex)
Alex Davies (Warwickshire)
Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire)
Tom Hartley (Lancashire)
Tom Lawes (Surrey)
Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire)
Ben McKinney (Durham)
James Rew (Somerset)
Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire)
Mitch Stanley (Lancashire)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
John Turner (Hampshire)

That's a seriously uninspiring batting lineup. I like the inclusion of Freddie McCann but I'd have liked to have seen someone like Emilio Gay or Tom Haines as another top 3 option, probably at the expense of Flintoff, as that's where England are really in need.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

That's a seriously uninspiring batting lineup. I like the inclusion of Freddie McCann but I'd have liked to have seen someone like Emilio Gay or Tom Haines as another top 3 option, probably at the expense of Flintoff, as that's where England are really in need.

I think they're trying to give some practice in conditions to potential Ashes players of the future. They got thrashed in South Africa, they had about three batters I think.