Ashes -2019

[Bath Hammer]

You think we'll win a Test?!

No, of course not. I don’t know what I was thinking!

[Bath Hammer]

I certainly think the likes of Bairstow, Buttler & Roy have to be ditched, far to flaky for test cricket.

[pablo]

The obvious answer to all our woes is to introduce a 16.4 over a side tournament taking up the middle of the Summer to include lots of oversees players - copyright ECB. I mean nobody watches this 'proper' cricket anyway. Where's the interest or profit in it?

[stewyww]

Can't see what the problem is. Didn't another side have an identical first innings deficit of 112 runs recently yet still won by three wickets?
Oh, what was their name again....

[Bath Hammer]

The obvious answer to all our woes is to introduce a 16.4 over a side tournament taking up the middle of the Summer to include lots of oversees players - copyright ECB. I mean nobody watches this 'proper' cricket anyway. Where's the interest or profit in it?

If nobody watches proper cricket how come all the test matches are practically sold out & there is comprehensive media coverage. We need more 4 day matches in the best months to produce proper test batsmen. If we keep trying to get by with white ball flash harrys  the public will eventually lose interest & test cricket in England & probably worldwide will die.

[pablo]

My feeling entirely Bath. By my reckoning nearly half a million people will see this test series in the flesh. How Graves and Harrison cannot see that proficiency in a Test eleven is not of importance ( and under their aegis that have demonstrably sought to bastardise the game) is beyond even me. Then again for a businessman whose fortune is founded on Costcutter, he clearly knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. How this dubious chancer has been allowed such influence in the game beggars belief. George Dobell's latest article today on Cricinfo says it all and very eloquently.

[Andy]

My feeling entirely Bath. By my reckoning nearly half a million people will see this test series in the flesh. How Graves and Harrison cannot see that proficiency in a Test eleven is not of importance ( and under their aegis that have demonstrably sought to bastardise the game) is beyond even me. Then again for a businessman whose fortune is founded on Costcutter, he clearly knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. How this dubious chancer has been allowed such influence in the game beggars belief. George Dobell's latest article today on Cricinfo says it all and very eloquently.

To be fair, given that we'd never won the World Cup and had made such a mess of our attempts in recent years we needed to put in a 1966-style performance to both get a monkey of our backs and make it a lucrative competition.  Hence the red ball game was sidelined.  Now with a new coach coming in and this Test competition nonsense trying to resurrect 5 day cricket, maybe we'll see an about face...oh, sorry, I forgot that The 16.4 over format is now king.

[nat]

The ECB thought/think they can produce a reasonable (not great because that doesn't matter, as longs as the crowds still roll in) Test team on the back of 1 day/bish bash cricket and a marginalised 4 day CC competition.

They were/are wrong. By the time they realise they are wrong it will be too late. Fast forward 10 years and there will only be T20/100 cricket and perhaps some 50 over stuff.

[IlfordEagle]

The ECB thought/think they can produce a reasonable (not great because that doesn't matter, as longs as the crowds still roll in) Test team on the back of 1 day/bish bash cricket and a marginalised 4 day CC competition.

They were/are wrong. By the time they realise they are wrong it will be too late. Fast forward 10 years and there will only be T20/100 cricket and perhaps some 50 over stuff.

Sad to say but you are right, Kent's Captain (Billings) lamented the other day about a round of CC matches being inserted in between white ball cricket & he was right, the players generally were still in white ball mode & techniques in batting were generally poor, certainly few on either side in our match had the nous to survive, those that did grafted long & hard for their scores. The England team in the short term won't improve much if at all, the next generation need coaching how to play properly rather than slog slog cross batted all the time but I am not over hopeful.

[pablo]

I don't quite understand why most genuine cricket supporters of the red ball or 50 over game don't put up more of a fight against this constant undermining of the best formats in the game. I for one won't even contemplate watching the 100 ball nonsense let alone pay to see it and there must be ten of thousands of supporters who feel the same. A boycott may have some impact. Some County Chairmen need to grow a backbone. Our Chairman (who I have a lot of time for) said at the recent fans lunchtime forum and I quote, 'We must all hope that the 100 is a success.' Why? Shouldn't he and his colleagues vociferously trumpet the success of the Bash, the retention of a strong 50 over competition in a year where we have won the World Cup, and a strengthening, not an undermining, of the 4 day game. A £1.3 million one off payment will soon be a distant memory.

[nat]

It all comes down to money...the filthy lucre. All the counties think about is short term finance...how to feed the many mouths.

[Slogger]

I agree with Billings. Far better this year to complete the championship by mid August and then pack in the T20 competition with lots played across the Bank Holiday weekend.

[nat]

I agree with Billings. Far better this year to complete the championship by mid August and then pack in the T20 competition with lots played across the Bank Holiday weekend.

No chance. What happens if you get a sell of bad weather?!

[Slogger]

Bad weather can hit at any time.

[Bath Hammer]

Baylis has been a success for the white ball game but a disaster for the test team .Hopefully his successor will have a more pragmatic approach. Some hopes!