Ben Foakes called up as cover for Jonny Bairstow

[Andy]

Re Adam Wheater, I wonder if now the shadow of JF has now been removed Adam may now blossom into an extremely reliable & consistent keeper, the role is now his to keep & whilst Pepper may push him in future years he is clearly not yet ready, perhaps judge Adam again after a season or 2 as undisputed No 1

Maybe. Certainly I felt strange how Flossie was being eased out of the club a couple of years back...all that blurb about his starting a new career as a coach at his old school. I guess we’ll just see how things (and players) change next year. Buttleman seems to be a better keeper, perhaps he’ll be the one to push Wheater rather than Pepper?

[Slogger]

What's the odds of Foster joining Surrey as cover for Foakes?

[jwb]

Unlikely given Pope is a keeper. But if he gets in England squads who knows.

[Andy]

Unlikely given Pope is a keeper. But if he gets in England squads who knows.

Maybe as keeping coach? But keeping his gloves in his car boot like Taylor in case of an emergency...

[Bath Hammer]

Foakes had an outstanding match & I do hope they retain him at aswucket keeper at least for the time being. Bairstow needs to fight for a batting slot & not constantly winge about being WK. Players should by now have learnt not to play football prior to tests. He only has himself to blame.

[nat]

Foakes had an outstanding match & I do hope they retain him at aswucket keeper at least for the time being. Bairstow needs to fight for a batting slot & not constantly winge about being WK. Players should by now have learnt not to play football prior to tests. He only has himself to blame.

I worry for JB. Doesn't seem a particularly happy character.

[Andy]

Foakes had an outstanding match & I do hope they retain him at aswucket keeper at least for the time being. Bairstow needs to fight for a batting slot & not constantly winge about being WK. Players should by now have learnt not to play football prior to tests. He only has himself to blame.

I worry for JB. Doesn't seem a particularly happy character.

Well, given what happened in his family, I'm not that surprised.  Whether he's played a bit too much cricket - he might be injured for the odd test but he's still going on all these tours.  The England schedule is pretty packed nowadays, that's why Chef improved (somewhat) after losing the 1-day captaincy and focusing on Tests. 


Of course, JB is a Yorkshireman.  The only no-miserable Yorkies I can think of are Dickie Bird, Charlie Williams and...well that's it.

[LeedsExile]

On the subject of Essex wicket keepers, I read in the current "Cricketer" magazine that Rodney Cass died in August. He played for Essex in the 60's and then moved to Worcester. I remember being disappointed that he left and he always seemed to do very well playing against Essex for Worcester. I think I recall him playing a decisive part in a Worcester John Player win against us at Harlow.

[nat]

On the subject of Essex wicket keepers, I read in the current "Cricketer" magazine that Rodney Cass died in August. He played for Essex in the 60's and then moved to Worcester. I remember being disappointed that he left and he always seemed to do very well playing against Essex for Worcester. I think I recall him playing a decisive part in a Worcester John Player win against us at Harlow.

Well i saw RC almost single handedly bat Worcs to a win vs Essex in a rain affected JPL match at Chelmsford in the 1970s.

[Andy]

On the subject of Essex wicket keepers, I read in the current "Cricketer" magazine that Rodney Cass died in August. He played for Essex in the 60's and then moved to Worcester. I remember being disappointed that he left and he always seemed to do very well playing against Essex for Worcester. I think I recall him playing a decisive part in a Worcester John Player win against us at Harlow.

Sad to hear about GR Cass, had a solid career at Worcs.  The club couldn't afford two keepers at the time, hence he left mid-season.  Probably didn't want to play second fiddle to Tonker either.  The second half of the 1960s was a shambolic period in ECCC's history.

Another ECCC Yorkshire keeper: Neil Smith and Paul Gibb being two others that come to mind who've had an important role.

[IlfordEagle]

On the subject of Essex wicket keepers, I read in the current "Cricketer" magazine that Rodney Cass died in August. He played for Essex in the 60's and then moved to Worcester. I remember being disappointed that he left and he always seemed to do very well playing against Essex for Worcester. I think I recall him playing a decisive part in a Worcester John Player win against us at Harlow.

Well i saw RC almost single handedly bat Worcs to a win vs Essex in a rain affected JPL match at Chelmsford in the 1970s.

Remember it also, one of those silly games where the average run rate for Essex meant Worcs had a relatively low target to chase & I seem to recall Cass belting it everywhere in appalling light.

[mawallace]

Does Essex get a payment for bringing Ben Foakes into the international scene? Heard Tuffers and Vaughn last night saying that he'd been chosen for international cricket from an early age

[JasonP]

I thought at the time that Foakes doing well in Sri Lanka was not really a great thing as in conditions outside the sub continent, where we need more seamers, having him in the team unbalances it.  We looked a very well balanced side when we beat the best team in the world, India, 4-1 with 4 seamers and 2 spinners and now we are basically leaving our 2nd best bowler out in order to pick a wicketkeeper to bat at 8 when there are already 2 keepers in the side already.  Of course it's not Foakes fault we were 77 all out but Broad would have bowled well on that pitch and Curran is a better batsman than a bowler and should be batting higher than 9 anyway.

[Andy]

I thought at the time that Foakes doing well in Sri Lanka was not really a great thing as in conditions outside the sub continent, where we need more seamers, having him in the team unbalances it.  We looked a very well balanced side when we beat the best team in the world, India, 4-1 with 4 seamers and 2 spinners and now we are basically leaving our 2nd best bowler out in order to pick a wicketkeeper to bat at 8 when there are already 2 keepers in the side already.  Of course it's not Foakes fault we were 77 all out but Broad would have bowled well on that pitch and Curran is a better batsman than a bowler and should be batting higher than 9 anyway.

Pity Foakes didn't get more runs...might have made JB and JB look to their laurels: although the innings as a whole was a bit more Chuckle brothers than Laurel and Hardy.

[nat]

I thought at the time that Foakes doing well in Sri Lanka was not really a great thing as in conditions outside the sub continent, where we need more seamers, having him in the team unbalances it.  We looked a very well balanced side when we beat the best team in the world, India, 4-1 with 4 seamers and 2 spinners and now we are basically leaving our 2nd best bowler out in order to pick a wicketkeeper to bat at 8 when there are already 2 keepers in the side already.  Of course it's not Foakes fault we were 77 all out but Broad would have bowled well on that pitch and Curran is a better batsman than a bowler and should be batting higher than 9 anyway.

Pity Foakes didn't get more runs...might have made JB and JB look to their laurels: although the innings as a whole was a bit more Chuckle brothers than Laurel and Hardy.

That's another fine mess you've got us into, Rooty.