for the away ashes

Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.

James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.

Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
and Josh Tongue.

I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.

In message <feticidgjbgqn850cu9nvb7umh9pptt1vj@4ax.com>, max. it
<max@tea.time> writes
>
> for the away ashes

A bit premature, isn't it?!
>
>
>Daniel Norcross
>BBC Test Match Special
>
>I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
>Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
>Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
>
>James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
>Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
>
>Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
>and Josh Tongue.
>
>I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.

Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
cricket by then. He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace and that neither
Archer nor Stone will be fit. It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
Cook.

Rew is obviously highly promising as a batsman, but how good a keeper is
he?
--
John Hall "[It was] so steep that at intervals the street broke into steps,
like a person breaking into giggles or hiccups, and then resumed
its sober climb, until it had another fit of steps."
Ursula K Le Guin "The Beginning Place"

On Wed, 2 Aug 2023 10:10:49 +0100, John Hall <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk>
wrote:

>In message <feticidgjbgqn850cu9nvb7umh9pptt1vj@4ax.com>, max. it
><max@tea.time> writes
>>
>> for the away ashes
>
>A bit premature, isn't it?!
>>
>>
>>Daniel Norcross
>>BBC Test Match Special
>>
>>I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
>>Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
>>Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
>>
>>James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
>>Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
>>
>>Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
>>and Josh Tongue.
>>
>>I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.
>
>Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
>cricket by then. He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
>that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace and that neither
>Archer nor Stone will be fit. It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
>Cook.
>
>Rew is obviously highly promising as a batsman, but how good a keeper is
>he?

I hadn't heard of Rew until he started to score runs this season and I
had to look up Tawanda Muyeye.

max.it

On Wednesday, 2 August 2023 at 11:43:46 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Aug 2023 10:10:49 +0100, John Hall <john_...@jhall.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >In message <feticidgjbgqn850c...@4ax.com>, max. it
> ><m...@tea.time> writes
> >>
> >> for the away ashes
> >
> >A bit premature, isn't it?!

I was (semi-)listening to that discussion during the rain delay on Monday. It was for the next _home_ Ashes series in 2027.

> >>Daniel Norcross
> >>BBC Test Match Special
> >>
> >>I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
> >>Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
> >>Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
> >>
> >>James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
> >>Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
> >>
> >>Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
> >>and Josh Tongue.
> >>
> >>I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.
> >
> >Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
> >cricket by then.

They started off with Stokes still as captain, then decided that the odds were that he wouldn't be fit or would have retired.

> >He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
> >that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace

4 years is stretching it for Bairstow, and almost certainly too far away for Wood.

> > and that neither
> >Archer nor Stone will be fit.

Correct for Archer. I'm not sure they even mentioned Stone, who will be 33 by then.

> > It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
> >Cook.

They are clearly using the term "fast" in the broad sense though.

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 10:20:32 AM UTC+1, John Hall wrote:
> In message <feticidgjbgqn850c...@4ax.com>, max. it
> <m...@tea.time> writes
> >
> > for the away ashes
>
> A bit premature, isn't it?!
> >
> >
> >Daniel Norcross
> >BBC Test Match Special
> >
> >I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
> >Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
> >Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
> >
> >James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
> >Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
> >
> >Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
> >and Josh Tongue.
> >
> >I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.
> Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
> cricket by then. He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
> that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace and that neither
> Archer nor Stone will be fit. It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
> Cook.

Cook's FC stats

Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts Ave Econ
FC 71 126 11734 258 7 19.76 2.60

Tell me someone uncapped who is better than Cook

RH

>
> Rew is obviously highly promising as a batsman, but how good a keeper is
> he?
> --
> John Hall "[It was] so steep that at intervals the street broke into steps,
> like a person breaking into giggles or hiccups, and then resumed
> its sober climb, until it had another fit of steps."
> Ursula K Le Guin "The Beginning Place"

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 1:59:42 PM UTC+1, David North wrote:
> On Wednesday, 2 August 2023 at 11:43:46 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
> > On Wed, 2 Aug 2023 10:10:49 +0100, John Hall <john_...@jhall.co.uk>
> > wrote:
> > >In message <feticidgjbgqn850c...@4ax.com>, max. it
> > ><m...@tea.time> writes
> > >>
> > >> for the away ashes
> > >
> > >A bit premature, isn't it?!
> I was (semi-)listening to that discussion during the rain delay on Monday.. It was for the next _home_ Ashes series in 2027.
> > >>Daniel Norcross
> > >>BBC Test Match Special
> > >>
> > >>I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
> > >>Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
> > >>Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
> > >>
> > >>James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
> > >>Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
> > >>
> > >>Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus

Good to see Atkinson in the frame... He really makes the off a good length ball lift off the pitch and it is only the genuinely fast who can do that RH .

Atkinson
> > >>and Josh Tongue.
> > >>
> > >>I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.
> > >
> > >Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
> > >cricket by then.
> They started off with Stokes still as captain, then decided that the odds were that he wouldn't be fit or would have retired.
> > >He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
> > >that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace
> 4 years is stretching it for Bairstow, and almost certainly too far away for Wood.
> > > and that neither
> > >Archer nor Stone will be fit.
> Correct for Archer. I'm not sure they even mentioned Stone, who will be 33 by then.
> > > It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
> > >Cook.
> They are clearly using the term "fast" in the broad sense though.

On Wed, 2 Aug 2023 05:59:40 -0700 (PDT), David North
<nospam@lane-farm.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

>On Wednesday, 2 August 2023 at 11:43:46 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
>> On Wed, 2 Aug 2023 10:10:49 +0100, John Hall <john_...@jhall.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>> >In message <feticidgjbgqn850c...@4ax.com>, max. it
>> ><m...@tea.time> writes
>> >>
>> >> for the away ashes
>> >
>> >A bit premature, isn't it?!
>
>I was (semi-)listening to that discussion during the rain delay on Monday. It was for the next _home_ Ashes series in 2027.
>
>> >>Daniel Norcross
>> >>BBC Test Match Special
>> >>
>> >>I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
>> >>Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
>> >>Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
>> >>
>> >>James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
>> >>Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
>> >>
>> >>Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
>> >>and Josh Tongue.
>> >>
>> >>I've chosen our captain, it's Ollie Pope. That is our 16.
>> >
>> >Presumably he's assuming that Stokes will no longer be fit for Test
>> >cricket by then.
>
>They started off with Stokes still as captain, then decided that the odds were that he wouldn't be fit or would have retired.
>
>> >He's also omitted Bairstow. It looks like he thinks
>> >that by then Wood might be too old for out and out pace
>
>4 years is stretching it for Bairstow, and almost certainly too far away for Wood.
>
>> > and that neither
>> >Archer nor Stone will be fit.
>
>Correct for Archer. I'm not sure they even mentioned Stone, who will be 33 by then.
>
>> > It seems that he shares RH's admiration of
>> >Cook.
>
>They are clearly using the term "fast" in the broad sense though.

A bit more about young players.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66337176

max.it

On Tuesday, 1 August 2023 at 22:16:46 UTC+1, max.it wrote:

> I think we've got our squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Tawanda
> Muyeye as the opening options, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and
> Jamie Smith - that feels like a strong seven batters.
>
> James Rew is our wicketkeeper. We've recalled Sam Curran.
> Our spinners are Rehan Ahmed and Jack Carson.
>
> Our fast bowlers Sam Cook, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts, Gus Atkinson
> and Josh Tongue.

Not sure I can argue with many of them. Norcross is massively biased as a Surrey fan. Atkinson I'm yet to be convinced after seeing him get nothing out of the dead track down in Kent for 3 days when he could have been a point of difference but at least he's mid-80s and above and gives the batsmen a hurry-up.

I'd be disappointed if Cook doesn't get a go next summer vs WI and SL - but all he has to do is have a word with Jamie Porter about probably being good enough and still not getting a nod.

Rehan Ahmed will be an all-rounder by 202whenever and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up a short format specialist.

As an aside, I really hope by 2027 or whenever that Henry Brookes has rediscovered his early career form (and pace) after injuries.

Richard