England's Summer of Cricket 2024

First topic message reminder :

Now the County Championship has begun, it is officially summer once more. Don't let the rain tell you otherwise!

We can talk about promising county performances, the build up to the World T20, and Ollie Robinson's latest injury when it happens. Then, in just under two months, England start playing games:

England v Pakistan, four T20s, 22nd May-30th May
World T20 in June
England v West Indies, three tests, 10th July-30th July
England v Sri Lanka, three tests, 21st August-10th September
England v Australia, three T20s, 11th September-15th September
England v Australia, five ODIs, 19th September-29th September

It's a bit of a pressure summer for England. The ODI side made the most disappointing defence of a World Cup crown since France in the football in 2002, so there's pressure on the T20 side, and Mott in particular, to deliver something decent in the Caribbean.

For the test match side, it's been three series without a series win for England, so the expectation is on for England to get back to winning ways against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. The West Indies often cause England a few troubles, but England have won their last seven home series v the West Indies, dating back to 2000, and you have to go back to 1988 for the last time the West Indies won a series in England.

Sri Lanka are visiting for the first time in eight years for a test series, so it's well overdue. They've certainly managed to upset England in the past, very famously in 1998, but also in 2014, so it's a series that cannot be taken for granted.

And to round off the summer the ECB are making a dash for cash, with eight limited overs games against the Aussies in the fading September light, in games that will probably be forgotten in no time at all.

Duty281 wrote:This is the biggest partnership of the day so far. Bit too much in the way of short stuff. (48% of balls in the last ten overs have been bouncers)

Not a good day for Potts. Has mostly struggled this season, and 0/35 off 6 in an innings of 159/7 isn't helping on his return to tests.

Potts hasn't played a first class game since early July; his only cricket in that time being a few waste of time hundred matches. He lacks the experience to be able to jump straight into a test match like Woakes or Wood.

More of this short stuff with lots of fielders out...may work eventually but not much fun to watch. Guess they aren't seeing much help now from the pitch and Rathnayake is looking like a proper batsman : doesn't look like getting out. 193/8 represents quite a recovery.

England making no impression with this old ball . Rathnayake a fine debut fifty and at 204/8 we've now seen 91 added for one wicket since Jayasuriya got out. Familiar problem for England !

England have managed it again. Milan plays 52 FC innings and can't make a score above 59. Comes in v England, debut test, and immediately gets into the 60s!

236ao. From 6/3 and 92/6 that's a fair comeback.

Not sure how much more play tonight.

22/0 at stumps. SL gave it an early go with spin, then got the umpires to take them off for bad light after no breakthroughs.

Overall, very good day for England. They're in a strong position and we'll see what tomorrow brings (early rain apparently!).

Duty281 wrote:England have managed it again. Milan plays 52 FC innings and can't make a score above 59. Comes in v England, debut test, and immediately gets into the 60s!

The highest ever score by a number 9 on Test debut. A definite Shai Hope moment again, shouldn't be costly but you never know!

I had read someplace that team management was impressed with Ratnayke's ability to hold the  bat among their bowlers so they gave him a go.
Hold the bat I would have thought 20 to 30 odd, but he was truly motivated by confidence shown in him. Showed nice straight bat high elbow poses.
I saw spin in highlights from not big turner Shoaib and one from D Silva spin across Ducket and that too kept low luckily for Ducket not in the line of stumps unlike Shoaib's delivery.
Lanka managed to recover and put enuf runs to seemingly hang in there.

Pope seemed.impressive as a Captain and Smith fluffed an easy stumping are some other observations.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/21/cricket-england-pakistan-test-tour-tv-blackout

Here we go again...

England's away trip to Pakistan struggling to attract a TV broadcaster. Sky and TNT apparently not interested.

Funny old day. Looked like total Sri Lanka collapse early on , pitch threatened to be really tricky but then seemed to settle into slow low and easy...usual England failure to clean up the tail (though Rathnayake really played very well and looks way better than a number nine. He won't bat so low again)
Light meant England (and later Sri Lanka) couldn't use pace men : probably gifted the tourists thirty-forty extra runs by staying out there ? But England didn't want to lose time with more weather forecast so reasonable gamble to play on I think.

Will likely be a bit of trial by spin for England's bats on day two . Might need patience as they will probably need a bit of a lead batting last here , given the suggestions that bounce may be very up and down by day four. Considering the rotten start they had , Sri Lanka may feel encouraged by the way they fought back in the latter part of the day. Rather be in England's shoes but not the looming massacre the first hour promised...

alfie wrote:Funny old day. Looked like total Sri Lanka collapse early on , pitch threatened to be really tricky but then seemed to settle into slow low and easy...usual England failure to clean up the tail (though Rathnayake really played very well and looks way better than a number nine. He won't bat so low again)
Light meant England (and later Sri Lanka) couldn't use pace men : probably gifted the tourists thirty-forty extra runs by staying out there ? But England didn't want to lose time with more weather forecast so reasonable gamble to play on I think.

Will likely be a bit of trial by spin for England's bats on day two . Might need patience as they will probably need a bit of a lead batting last here , given the suggestions that bounce may be very up and down by day four. Considering the rotten start they had , Sri Lanka may feel encouraged by the way they fought back in the latter part of the day. Rather be in England's shoes but not the looming massacre the first hour promised...

Hi Alfie - yep, turned out a much better day's cricket as regards a game than it initially looked. Good level-headed batting from de Silva and Rathnayake to if not turn the game around, at least divert a complete disaster.

Very much agree with your comments that I've put in bold. Sensible from Pope - he's skipper so I'm giving him the credit, just as I'll give him the blame if the wheels come off - to sacrifice 30 or 40 runs and stay out there against Sri Lanka and end up half-way to taking the 20 wickets nearly always necessary for a win before the end of day one with bad weather expected. I wouldn't have adopted the same approach against an India or Australia as the gifted runs would be likely to be more important to the final outcome but here it seemed fine. Good for the paying spectators too!

Lashed down overnight, so a delayed start. Should brighten up in the afternoon, so the day is unlikely to be a complete loss.

Ignore England. Just seen Rocky Flintoff is making his Championship debut today.

2025 fixtures also announced today, including a Test against Zimbabwe. Bring back Richard Johnson and Anthony McGrath for that one

Duty281 wrote:Lashed down overnight, so a delayed start. Should brighten up in the afternoon, so the day is unlikely to be a complete loss.

Ignore England. Just seen Rocky Flintoff is making his Championship debut today.

At the crease already. Batting at no 4 in the CC as only a 16-year-old.

Good old Manchester ... nearly as bad as Sydney

Hope you are right about dry spells later , Duty.

king_carlos wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Lashed down overnight, so a delayed start. Should brighten up in the afternoon, so the day is unlikely to be a complete loss.

Ignore England. Just seen Rocky Flintoff is making his Championship debut today.

At the crease already. Batting at no 4 in the CC as only a 16-year-old.

Nearly 4,000 watching on the live stream! He's got to 8 so far. Very tricky batting conditions out there.

VTR wrote:2025 fixtures also announced today, including a Test against Zimbabwe. Bring back Richard Johnson and Anthony McGrath for that one

Wouldn't have minded two tests v Zimbabwe. 9 ODIs and 6 T20s also. The main event obviously India, which I imagine will be England's last tests before the Ashes.

Duty281 wrote:

VTR wrote:2025 fixtures also announced today, including a Test against Zimbabwe. Bring back Richard Johnson and Anthony McGrath for that one

Wouldn't have minded two tests v Zimbabwe. 9 ODIs and 6 T20s also. The main event obviously India, which I imagine will be England's last tests before the Ashes.

The usual wasteland in August then... Might be there for the Zimbabwe Test : will have to see whether the plans could include Nottingham.

Wasteland? No, no, no. It's the month for The Hundred. The greatest ever sporting competition invented by man.

13:15 start. Nearly there.

They've already taken lunch, thankfully, so no nonsense of going off after 45 minutes!

Duty281 wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Lashed down overnight, so a delayed start. Should brighten up in the afternoon, so the day is unlikely to be a complete loss.

Ignore England. Just seen Rocky Flintoff is making his Championship debut today.

At the crease already. Batting at no 4 in the CC as only a 16-year-old.

Nearly 4,000 watching on the live stream! He's got to 8 so far. Very tricky batting conditions out there.

32* at lunch. Bit of fortune about it, a sitter was dropped off his edge to second slip, and he's had a few other edges as well, but batting in those conditions deserves a bit of luck.

Surely Angelo Mathews as experienced as he is fielding close to Dhananjaya could say to him about getting one of the sweepers up especially to Lawrence...perfect bowling conditions relaitvely new ball and easy single both sides of the wicket...get it to Duckett but not to Lawrence

Lawrence, given out, reviews, overturned.

Two balls later. Duckett, given not out, SL review (one sec left!), overturned.

Not a good few minutes for the umpire, but at least the system works and SL have an early breakthrough.

Ha. Bad over for Duckett - and the on field umpire

Just the start Sri Lanka wanted.

What a ball that is from Asitha Fernando. Moving late, top of off, perfect.

Pope gone cheaply and Root in at 40/2. Pretty good bowling conditions out there.

England in a bit of trouble early on...nice bit of bowling too much for Pope there. Bit there for the seamers so next hour rather important...especially with the longer than usual tail.

Ball is hooping for the Right Arm Fernando who is half a yard faster than the left arm Fernando & skidier too..... seems he enjoys his food , has a bit of a Pot belly & good to Real human body shapes still in sport.

Eng appear to be up & against it, given that when ball stops moving, it will start spinning & SL have 3 spinners

They also have the debutant to bowl who should be full of confidence given he scored runs yesterday

Wouldn't be running away with the notion that the spinners will wreak havoc...imagine they'll be testing ; but don't think this one is going to spin and bounce like crazy on day two. But any time you are two down early and batting in dull light the bowlers are going to feel they are well in it... Certainly making this a good workout for the inexperienced opener !

Ratnayke is slwest of the three at 80-82 mph but gotten length right
perfect to induce an edge to gully or 3rd slip

Has a good action and looks as if he would run in all day long, in these conditions 82mph with ball moving is perfect for them

That's a nothing dismissal from Lawrence. Just hanging the bat out to a wide one.

67/3 and two away from Woakes. But Root and Brook together again.

Some more good bowling ...this time from the "other" Fernando. Lawrence rather wasting a decent start and up to the Yorkshire lads now to turn things around...Very good first hour for Sri Lanka

Lawrence did the typical Crawley innings...30 odd from not many balls...worryingly Stokes and Baz would probably have said job done to him!

Vishwa looking a lot more threatning in his 2nd spell

If he can end up with an average of even 25 with the bat...Ratnayke would be a good fit at No.8 and 3rd seamer

In no time at all, a no-risk 50 partnership established between Root and Brook.

Nearly halfway to SL's total.

He surprisingly.gpt reverse going with a 20 over old ball and the outfield damp.
Suggests the pitch itself might be quite abrasive and hence will spin a lot

Just as it appeared these two had settled the innings back on track , Root manages to nick one behind...very much out of the blue as he'd looked his usual safe and busy self in company with Brook. At 125/4 there is work to do. And a new test for Smith in his slightly elevated spot in the order. Sri Lanka chipping away commendably and right in this...

176/4. Tidy stuff. Prospect of play going for three hours and ten minutes in the evening session, but think the light will put a premature end to proceedings.

Brook has 50. I love his numbers, they're astonishing. This is his 25th innings and he's already amassed 14 50+ scores, five of which are tons. He already has 1431 runs. His average is 62.22, which is the third highest ever in test cricket (20 innings minimum). And his strike rate in tests is 90. 90! He's the only man in test cricket to have scored 1,000+ runs and had a strike rate of 90.

He will end up being a GOAT of the game he's too good not to do that

wisden wrote:He will end up being a GOAT of the game he's too good not to do that

This seems to have crept into every sports conversation and it's a real bugbear of mine. By definition there can only be one greatest ever player.

guildfordbat wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

VTR wrote:Highly recommend the comments on the BBC article about this. People calling for "Foulkes" to still be in the team. Someone else picking the not even England qualified Worrall over Atkinson. Really is amazing stuff

I know Guildford is an advocate for Frankie, when he does qualify...but from what I have seen I don't think he could make the step up to international level. Bowls far too many "four balls" for my liking, which you can get away with to an extent in the county stuff, don't think you can at international

Sir Frank's economy rate and lack of ''four balls'' can actually be impressive if he gets into an early rhythm. However, I understand where Olly is coming from and he is right to raise the concern. It should be probed further if future hopes and ambitions of international selection develop for England and the player.

Meanwhile, away from Manchester -

In today's Championship match at the Oval against Lancs, Worrall bowled 7 overs in his opening spell for a return of 1/9. As Lancs ended all out for 204, his final analysis was 17-4-31-3. That may go at least a little way to allaying fears of too many ''four balls'' and why I think he could belong in the mix when he qualifies for England.

Interesting session of something more akin to "old fashioned Test Cricket" than Bazball...though England still managed to score closer to five than four per over. This second fifty stand seems to have regained a slight edge - though that could quickly be eroded should Sri Lanka break this pair and get at the tail after tea.

Smith has done well ; and Brook , despite looking a little impatient at one point when tied down a bit , has looked more at home than anyone so far. Spinners haven't had any impact , but Fernando (AM) has been a persistent threat. Still in the balance to see how this day will end up...

And I think Sri Lanka have made the right call in opening with AM Fernando after tea. They need to break this pair sooner rather than later and he's clearly their most dangerous weapon. Batting looks easier as the day and the ball wear on though - similar to yesterday.

Oh dear I've properly jinxed Brook ! That was a ripper from. JAYASURIYA...

187/5 . All very balanced as Woakes comes in with not a lot of batting to follow... Wonder if Jayasuriya has any more like that up his sleeve ?

Great ball.

A battle to make 300 from here.

Funny really...we have seen one ball from Bashir yesterday that scuttled along the ground ; and that vicious turner from Jayasuriya. But otherwise nothing too threatening in the way of spin at all. Have to say too that Brook may have looked shocked at the one that did for him , but in truth he was playing a pretty indeterminate dab at it which contributed to his demise. If he'd got forward to it would probably have survived. Easy from up herevof course
Woakes giving Smith good support here. Within thirty now ...the more they can scrounge the better in what looks like being a low scoring game...

V Fernando taking up the attack now. One problem for Sri Lanka is that Rathnayake , while he certainly batted well , has been a bit of a weak link with the ball - unable to keep any sort of control. Need something from VF now as England close in on a lead.

Value of Woakes being shown again here. Important innings - and he's actually doing more of the scoring than Smith lately , the Surrey man getting becalmed for a while. Goes to his fifty now though...another handy innings in his so far quite impressive career...well played.