Eng v Saffers

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colly

Re member eR
Location
Leeds
Am I alone in being disappointed that England lost 3 wickets chasing that modest total?
Not alone.
Compton, if he intended to win with a six, should have given it a lot more wellie.
Hayes though ! What was he thinking of ??
 
No Middlesex fan would complain if Denis got a posthumous knighthood. A splendid servant for County and country with a 50+ score on average every third innings.

Yebbut... he played football for Arse-anal!
 
Stokes is going to be the outstanding player for England over the next 5-7 years if he can be man-managed 'correctly' which I'm confident Bayliss will manage.

Root, too, will be up there amongst the greats by by the end of his career, if he isn't shackled too much when he becomes the next captain.

Great result for England. :bravo:
 

deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
I was wondering whether England would have that killer instinct today - I take it as an indication of just how good the team wants to become. And, as usual, with the series pressure off, England have been sloppy-droppy. SA steaming along at 175-1 and if they continue like this they could reach 350 by today's end of play.

Confusingly, SA now have their own Cook at the wicket. 73 not out: not at all bad for a maiden test.
 
Hmmm, a lost chance to blood Foottit here, especially after the injury to Finn. Woakes doesn't seem to have 'it', unlike Plunkett, whom I think has 'it' in spades.

Good to see the chip off the old block (SA's Cook - son of Somerset's Jimmy) making an impressive debut.

Apologies if I've now jinxed him.
 
U

User482

Guest
Hmmm...dead rubber syndrome. Still, winning the fourth or fifth test of a lost series is traditionally an English pursuit, so it would be churlish to complain too much.
 
it would be churlish to complain too much.

Churlish as it may be, but I'll take the opportunity to re-state that Bairstow isn't up to the demands of Test wicketkeeping.
 
U

User482

Guest
Churlish as it may be, but I'll take the opportunity to re-state that Bairstow isn't up to the demands of Test wicketkeeping.

At the moment, I agree, but that doesn't mean he won't improve. My recollection is that Alec Stewart improved considerably in that role.
 
At the moment, I agree, but that doesn't mean he won't improve. My recollection is that Alec Stewart improved considerably in that role.

Yes, Bairstow will probably improve in time, but how expensive (runs-wise) might that be?

Ironically, Alec Stewart's role as batsman-wicket keeper (as opposed to wicketkeeper-batsman) started the selection policy that denied genuine 'keepers from playing Test cricket.

Stewart replaced Jack Russell and since then (apart from a a handful of Tests between Read, Foster, Hegg) the job has been given (mostly) to Jones, Prior, Buttler and Bairstow, none of whom are (good enough IMO) specialist wicketkeepers at Test level.
 
U

User482

Guest
Yes, Bairstow will probably improve in time, but how expensive (runs-wise) might that be?

Ironically, Alec Stewart's role as batsman-wicket keeper (as opposed to wicketkeeper-batsman) started the selection policy that denied genuine 'keepers from playing Test cricket.

Stewart replaced Jack Russell and since then (apart from a a handful of Tests between Read, Foster, Hegg) the job has been given (mostly) to Jones, Prior, Buttler and Bairstow, none of whom are (good enough IMO) specialist wicketkeepers at Test level.

I thought that Stewart's keeping was test standard, but of course he did score fewer runs in that position, and the Stewart/ Atherton opening partnership was one of the few good things about the England team in that era. Prior did improve considerably too after a terrible start, and bear in mind that he was the only 'keeper in your list who spent long periods of time standing up to quality spinners.
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Churlish as it may be, but I'll take the opportunity to re-state that Bairstow isn't up to the demands of Test wicketkeeping.

I suppose it depends on your view of what is required of a test match wicket keeper these days. I'd suggest it is to average 35-40 with the bat, don't give away a heap of byes and don't drop any sitters. 35-40 average is a prerequisite because it gives more options with the bowling
 
I'm probably older than you, NB, but I grew up with the likes of Alan Knott and Bob Taylor as the England wicketkeepers.

Alan Knott in Tests:
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Tests
95 149 15 4389 135 32.75 5 30 250 19

Bob Taylor in Tests:
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Tests
57 83 12 1156 97 16.28 0 3 167 7

A list of 'keepers' byes in Test cricket can be found here: http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/613220.html

but Knott's and Taylor's stats. are here:

Tests balls byes
Knott 95 101,704 422
Taylor 57 59,085 285

If you're a cricket nerd (like me) then you'll find it quite interesting reading.

Anyone old enough to remember Bob Taylor and Alan Knott might enjoy reading these, too.

http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/bob-taylor-the-rolls-royce-among-wicketkeepers-29034

http://www.cricketcountry.com/artic...arguably-the-greatest-wicketkeeper-ever-25010
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
I'm probably older than you, NB, but I grew up with the likes of Alan Knott and Bob Taylor as the England wicketkeepers.

Alan Knott in Tests:
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Tests
95 149 15 4389 135 32.75 5 30 250 19

Bob Taylor in Tests:
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Tests
57 83 12 1156 97 16.28 0 3 167 7

A list of 'keepers' byes in Test cricket can be found here: http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/613220.html

but Knott's and Taylor's stats. are here:

Tests balls byes
Knott 95 101,704 422
Taylor 57 59,085 285

If you're a cricket nerd (like me) then you'll find it quite interesting reading.

Anyone old enough to remember Bob Taylor and Alan Knott might enjoy reading these, too.

http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/bob-taylor-the-rolls-royce-among-wicketkeepers-29034

http://www.cricketcountry.com/artic...arguably-the-greatest-wicketkeeper-ever-25010

Does show how times have changed. Taylor's averaged 16 in 57 matches. I doubt he'd get a game these days with batting like that
 
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