I see that weird racist Vaughan seems to have got himself a commentary gig with BT Sport.
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No kidding it’s a bowlers wicket out there. They’re getting the wickets and the runs.
Plumb and plums
We won a series (ODI) against SA in SA
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Well done Bangla!
Oh dear England 
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I thought he was alright when he played, it’s only in the last few years I’ve noticed what a weird dickhead he is. Has he always been like that?
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As an Australian, I can confirm as good a batsman as he was, he was always such a dickhead 
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Root for the chop? Interesting times……
England will have to bowl out the West Indies for (only) 21 less than they have ever managed. Edge of the seat stuff…
BT Sport’s coverage of cricket is diabolical compared to SKY.
Last night they had Matt Smith, Vaughan and Trott in the studio and it was pure rubbish. Just dreadful stuff compared to the likes of Athers, Hussain, Bumble, Warne, Holding etc.
Steve Harmison has been a good find. Other than that, rubbish.
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I really wouldn’t see the point of taking the captaincy off Root. And give to who exactly? There aren’t even many Australian captains who get wins in the 20’s even with the golden age we’ve had. It’s the loss % that’s the problem. Maybe he’s being a bit naive with declarations given the squad he has at his disposal and putting the game at risk too often? The flip side of that is maybe his higher win % is because of him taking the game on and therefore risking a loss instead of playing for a draw?
It would make much more sense to try and resolve these game management issues than throw another player’s own form in jeopardy by giving him the captaincy.
Root’s batting certainly hasn’t suffered even with the additional pressure. IMO the problem isn’t the captain but a team full of mentally weak players. It doesn’t help that the English cricket team are talked about by the fans in the same way the English football team is. Win a few games? The greatest English team ever. Lose a couple? Remove them all. There’s never an in-between.
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There isn’t a player in the squad who has a long future playing test cricket who has the stability to be selected as captain. Root needs to remain due to the utter fucking state of the rest of the team.
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It’s the state of the county game. We’re producing total dross at the moment. There’s just no quality, particularly in batting.
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Our mantra at golf is if it doesn’t go straight, have another beer and hit it harder. Whilst I can get away with that playing Sunday league cricket, an England test cricketer who’s paid to do the job sure as hell can’t.
But seems to.
That’s the long and short of it. I’ve got a mate who’s always analysing Root’s captaincy to the nth degree and misses the wood for the trees.
The biggest issue is the lack of quality. Nevermind the batting, the bowling attack we had on this tour was bang average after Wood got injured - every seamer was right arm medium-fast and Jack Leach is the best spinner available. Winning test series away from home is difficult and that England squad simply wasn’t good enough.
I don’t even think Root is a particularly good captain and there might be a good argument to change it but until better players become available for selection this England side will continue to struggle.
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Yep, but why Leach? He’s turd. Give Parkinson a run, much more the future. Is Olly Robinson injured? Mills, Stone, Archer…all injured? Why? Rubbish conditioning? Why was Malan discarded so easily? Vince? Roy? What’s happened to Pope? Jennings? Hameed?
None of these are saviours, of course, but there’s no joined up thinking.
I remember by grandad over 25 years ago getting really angry than our commentators referred to Phil DeFreitas as a fast bowler. Our conditions just dont lend themselves to the development of bowlers with genuine pace, and it means our batsmen are often untested against it until they come up against the Aussies, Saffers or Windies.
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Having faced Defreitas as an 18 Yr old he was fast enough for me! Agree though, he was no more than fast-medium at international level. Ed Giddins was properly quick, and wild - fucking terrifying the short time I spent facing him!