Cricket Thread

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TRO Saracen Mar 2015 10:39am, 17 Mar 2015 10,286 posts	0 TRO Saracen Not sure it was a shoeing, they were a disinterested rabble and became competitive and feisty overnight once Lehmann came in. We won 3-0, but it could have been 2-2. Crucially, as a good coach he ended that series knowing what our weaknesses were, knowing what he needed from his side to exploit them and he put everything in place for a series that began 4 months later to make it happen.
Crash Hamster Mar 2015 12:25pm, 17 Mar 2015 412 posts	0 Crash Hamster Yep, that's exactly it; they might have lost, but they played much better. We would never do anything so adventurous.
57.5 Degrees of Pain Mar 2015 8:14pm, 17 Mar 2015 2,174 posts	0 57.5 Degrees of Pain Who would want the job as coach? I don't follow cricket like I once did but there does not seem to be much young talent in the rather important categories of genuine pace, matchwinning spinner, true allrounder or destructive attacking batsmen (an aging malcontent excepted). Add that to series against an excellent team who Joe Public will expect us to beat (NZ) and the one series that will have a lot of occasional fans paying attention (Ashes) and it looks like a real career breaker to me. Maybe better to hang Moores out to dry, then Jason Gillespie can take a run at it next winter?
TRO Saracen Mar 2015 9:03am, 18 Mar 2015 10,290 posts	0 TRO Saracen There'd be candidates, it must be one of the top 3/4 coaching jobs in world cricket in terms of prestige. If Peck peck was getting the absolute best out of the players he had at his disposal then it would be a bit of a hospital pass and some coaches may give it a swerve, but surely any coach worth his salt would look at the situation and know he could get more out of the team. Besides, they'll be suicides - including mine - if we have to endure another 6 months and 2 series of peck peck. How much further will he take the team back, how many other players will be damaged by his negativity and reliance on stats and percentages. Get rid, now. Deal with the cards, as they fall, afterwards but it has to be done.
TRO Saracen Mar 2015 9:17am, 18 Mar 2015 10,291 posts	0 TRO Saracen On a more positive note, should some cracking ODI's over the next week and a bit. Was looking forward to SL vs SA, but that was a bit of a damp squib. Others all look to have clear favourites, but I reckon one will upset the apple cart. Miracle innings from Gayle to shock the Kiwis maybe? Even if they go to form, what a semi line up it'll be....
The Teaboy Mar 2015 9:20am, 18 Mar 2015 12,632 posts	0 The Teaboy OK. I'm going to say it. I don't think the stats and percentages themselves are to blame. Merely the inability to use them correctly. The situation Swann cited of England scoring a total and the stats men saying they had a 72% chance of winning before Sri Lanka go and win by ten wickets is an anomalous anecdote. The stats approach was also behind the World T20 win and the Ashes smashing of 2010-11. It's also behind numerous other sporting success stories and Farbrace stated that Sri Lanka were in fact more stats reliant than England are now when they won the world T20 the other year. No, it's being unable to use them in context and adapt to a match situation. Judging par on a pitch is always a black art. It varies from day to day and time of day and what type of bowling attack is on it and how well you bowl. It's too nebulous. No, England's problem has been to get fixed into a mindset and not adapt their game to maximise situations. Stats clearly have an application to how to face bowlers or get batsmen out, but sometimes bowlers bowl magic balls or one keeps low. Sometimes the batsman has a blinder or the edges go everywhere but to the field or the bowler just doesn't put it in the right place. It happens. Can't blame stats for that - they just suggest how to maximise your chances. The chance doesn't always come off. The whole stats thing is just going to be used as the petard to hoist Moores and co when I'd argue it is psychological management (and loads of background stuff we only have hints of from KP, Swann, Prior and co) that is the real malaise affecting this team. And that is what they need to be hung for!
TRO Saracen Mar 2015 9:30am, 18 Mar 2015 10,292 posts	0 TRO Saracen Don;t be so fucking reasonable Teabers, I want to hoist Moores up on the stats petard...;-)
flanker Mar 2015 9:57am, 18 Mar 2015 15,723 posts	0 flanker Stats are a tool of all good sporting team - the Sky / GB cycling teams are the obvious example of this. But when they replace confidence, passion and an aggressive sporting nature they are counter-productive. Select the team, inspire and motivate them, install a winning culture and competitive nature, then use the stats to fine tune the output. They are a (small) means to an end, not the end itself. I'd rather ram Moores on top of the petard's pole.
TRO Saracen Mar 2015 11:28am, 18 Mar 2015 10,294 posts	0 TRO Saracen Trott's back (according to reports), will open with Cook. That should put the oppo in the back foot.... PS Jonathon, not Laura....;-)
Dave A Mar 2015 12:33pm, 18 Mar 2015 20,992 posts	0 Dave A Good to see Rashid in there. Hopefully he'll get a good opportunity to show what he can do.