Always on the cards though.
While I can sympathize with the disappointment from PCB and Pakistan’s cricket fans, Their response to this has been very childish. Lives are more important than playing cricket.
Hell of a choke that by the Punjab Kings. Needed 10 from 15, 8 from 12 and then just 4 from the final over and end up losing by two runs with 6 wickets in hand. Disastrous.
I thought this was already known at the time? It was about player welfare rather than security.
Considering that NZ and UK share similar intelligence reports in the 5 eyes. How would security not be a factor in England withdrawing from the tour ?
Because there may not have been a specific threat against the England and Wales touring team? Or because they didn’t need to consider security implications because the mental well-being of their players was sufficient on its own to cancel?
My understanding is that the ECB took this decision due to concerns about the mental health of their players having to play much of their cricket over the last 18 months in bubbles and away from their families. As we approach a major tour to Australia in a couple of months time it was felt that it was essential that the players had this break from what must be an extremely stressful environment in which to play. This was, after all, an add-on to matches that had previously been agreed.
To be honest I wouldn’t put much emphasis on Government travel advice.
That venkatesh iyer is quite a handy batsman. India lack left handers at the top (with dhawan in his last legs) , migh t make sense for him to be included
CSK and DC pretty much certs to make the last four. KKR with their new find at the top of the order look good value to join them, and I’d always back Mumbai to make it ahead of the perennial bottlers RCB.
Moeen Ali has retired from test cricket. A strange career in many ways, he retires with the 3rd most wickets for an English spinner behind Underwood and Swann. Probably fair to say he underachieved with the bat and wasn’t helped at all by the way the ECB managed him.
England should push for a postponement until they have a team who can realistically challenge. About ten years should do it.
Got tickets for the England V India T20 in June next year. Might see if I can nab one for the SA T20 also.
Do you really think the teams are that far apart?
The Aussie bowling attack is great. Stephen Smith and Labuschagne are great. What about the rest? Tim Paine? Your openers?
Genuinely not sure.
Saying that, England’s openers are shit.
Fully fit, Root and Stokes obviously get in a combined XI. Smith, Labuschagne, Cummins, and Hazlewood for Australia.
Who would keep wicket? Who opens? Warner providing the opposition don’t have Broad? Who are the extra bowlers? Anderson in English conditions, certainly. Woakes too, or Robinson. In Australia? Archer? Wood? Starc?
Yeah the teams aren’t that far apart at all really, it would be a 5+6 split either way in a combined XI. Buttler and Foakes are both better than Paine, I’d even go as far as saying Bairstow is better. Root imo is a better captain as well. If England had Archer and Stokes available I would have fancied them to have won two of the tests at least, I think where they might struggle is balancing the side without Stokes and possibly trying to fit a spinner in.
Warner, Burns, Smith, Labuschagne, Root, Malan (Stokes if available), Buttler, Cummins, Lyon, Hazlewood, Robinson/Anderson (Archer if he was fit)
Australia also go into the series having barely played any test cricket during the pandemic. A lot of their players are going to be seriously undercooked. If England don’t get too funky with selections I think they have a decent chance.
This Umran Malik guy has been seriously impressive for SRH given his complete lack of experience. I think they said on commentary he’s played one T20 and one List A game before being chucked into the IPL after bowling with incredible pace in the nets. Bowling 90mph+ every delivery and today recorded the fastest ball of the season.
Seen him bowl. Looks a prospect. India keeps coming up with some good fast bowling prospect. 50 years too late but still.
Root in ‘number 4 batsman with higher average than number 7 batsman’ shock!
Paine (no.7): 32.6 av.
Ali (most recent Eng no.7): 28.3 av.
If you believe I’ll allow criticism of a fellow Tasmanian you have another think coming.
Fuck start the Ashes already.