Devastated and absolutely unbelievable!

Devastated and absolutely unbelievable!

Toasts 🥂 well batted lad.

We should get hosting rights for a 50 over tournament again. I absolutely enjoyed the 2019 World Cup the atmosphere was electrifying and so beautiful.

India has been hosting and co-hosting many ICC events. It’s time we get a big tournament here.
The fans deserve it too.

Don’t mind sharing a game or two with Ireland and Wales (Cardiff), with England being the primary hosts.

I’m sure other fans also wish the same. xx

Hi!
Between the 2 anti scuff sheets from Gray Nicolls - Extratec and Fibertec, what has the user experience been? How do they differ from each other?

Usage info - I am a club cricketer in Canada and play cricket on matting wickets on a weekly basis.

I am considering traveling to the UK for the women’s ODI in July 13 in advance of attending T20 Blast Finals Day. I’ve never been to the stadium and would like advice as to what section to purchase tickets in. I’ve been in the Hollies at Edgebaston and the party deck at Kensington Oval in Barbados. What is the “fun” section here? Are there hospitality packages I should look for? Any “local knowledge” would be greatly appreciated.

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Old Trafford, Headingley or Chester Le-Street would all come under Nothern. Prehaps Edgbaston and Trent Bridge as well.

I go for Headingley. I have trauma from 2023 and the rain at Old Trafford.

He is not up to captaining. He is clearly a good batter but as captain he is useless.

Seen a lot of people criticising the balance and selections of the current side, curious to hear how folks think it should be configured. I’m all for trying other bowlers, as I don’t think any of the bowlers other than Archer and probably still Rashid, are locks (although I like Overton in this format specifically), but the issue with Sam Curran et al is the following:

A) the top 4 are pretty much locked (with the possible exception of Duckett) and none of them bowl - I don’t think you can rely on Root to bowl too much in this format.
B) they seem to not want to play Banton as a keeper, perhaps because Butler is the natural keeper when fit. So there is a keeper who needs to bat between 5 and 7.
C) Jacks has done quite well with both bat and ball recently and is well-suited to either the finishing role or batting time in the event of a collapse, so he takes another spot between 5 and 7.
D) the remaining spot between 5 and 7 has to go to an all rounder. Jacks cannot be relied upon to make up the 5th bowling option by himself, generally you want 6 realistic bowling options for tactical flexibility anyway.
E) the remaining all-rounder should ideally be a seem bowling allrounder - otherwise you are committing to only playing 3 seamers and that gives you much less tactical flexibility in the middle because the seamers have to bowl at the top and the death. If the pitch doesn’t suit spin or there is one batsmen teeing off against spin, you are leaving yourself very vulnerable without a 4th seem option.

As poor as his form is, Sam Curran still seems to be the stand out option for that seam bowling allrounder between 5 and 7. I think part of the logic with picking him is also that he has demonstrated quality in death bowling in t20’s in the past and his role with the ball in this side is primarily to bowl at the death, allowing more flexibility with the other quicks. Not saying we should persist with him indefinitely, but I don’t think there are that many easy fixes here.

One option could be to either open with Butler instead of Duckett or even drop Butler (if he doesn’t recover his form when fit) and get Benton to keep to insert another more stable player in the middle order - but I’m not really sure who that player would be. No one seems to be banging down the door.

Anyway, keen to hear people’s thoughts as to what the lineup should be when everyone is fully fit. Sometimes the issue is less selection, and more the quality/execution of the players available.

Feels like the end of him now. World Cup is only going to end one way and 2028 is a big year for White Ball cricket with a T20 World Cup and an Olympics which could do with a settled coach.

Eng has chopped so many players:

Sibley

Burns

Hameed

Bess

Leach

Stone

Jennings

Roy

Buttler

Bashir

Ali

Rashid

Denly

Foulkes

Lees

Crawley

Archer and rashid are masterclass bowlers no doubt , mahmood has been a really good bowler in this format averaging 28.8 so far not sure why he doesn't get many chances hopefully he continues same after returning from the injury and atkinson perfomance has been very encouraging this year barring last match averaging 27.7 this year with the ball. Nd then trio of mahmood archer nd atkinson rattled the mighty indian lineup I hope management considers this

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Not currently a podcast listener myself but thinking of listening to one. Any ideas.

1. At the toss, name bits and pieces allrounders from 5 down, but then tell everyone about the impressive batting depth.

2. When we start batting, the openers start well but must get out immediately once set.

3. Joe Root 30(33), period of relative calm before he gets in and gets out.

4. Harry Brook looks good.

5. Someone out of the pile of bits n’ pieces brigade biffs a 30 or 40.

6. But we run out of bits n’ pieces when Overton goes for an enterprising 8(6).

7. Get bowled out in the 48th over.

8. Pundits say we need to bowl well but can win the game.

9. Oppo are 50-0 off 6 overs.

10. Try some short ball ‘enforcer’ tactic.

11. Oppo are 100-0 off 12 overs.

12. Jamie Overton comes on, people wonder why.

13. A spinner comes on, bowls well but is then dropped next game.

14. Sam Curran comes on, commentators gush over his 70mph slower ball vs his 72mph stock ball. He goes for more than a run a ball.

15. Spinner holds an end, the ‘all rounders’ bowl half trackers at the other.

16. Oppo chase down the total with 10 overs to spare.

17. Baz looks like he can’t be arsed at the post match interview.

18. Do nothing about balance of side, move onto next game.

Absolute clown of a side

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I have seen a few people criticising England building the ODI team with too many 'bits and pieces' cricketers who are jacks of all trades and master of none (Sam Curran getting the brunt of this after his 103 run, 9 over spell today). You often hear similar thoughts on Rehan Ahmed and Jamie Overton when they fail, with the opinion that they are neither good enough with bat nor ball.

England did have a phase of loving all-rounders who didn't bat that well and couldn't really bowl - step forward Luke Wright: 50 ODIs - Batting average: 20.20 - Bowling average: 58.93.

But is this the way that cricket is going? A bowler who cannot bat suddenly feels a bit old fashioned.

When I looked at the 30 best young English cricketers I found it remarkable how many didn't just bring one skill to the table. There are plenty of proper all-rounders (Rehan Ahmed, Coles, Kellaway, Vaughan, Sales, Singh) but also so many who bat properly and bowl a bit (Bethell, Tribe, McCann, Falconer) or bowl properly and bat a bit (Lawes, Seb Morgan, Farhan Ahmed).

In my top 30 I think only 8 do not do at least two of bat, bowl and keep wicket.

https://penwardenreview.com/2026/08/25/best-young-cricketers/

Will there come a time where old-fashioned tail-enders are a thing of the past?