"Joe Root will play in England's first one-day international against
Ireland at Headingley in a bid to improve his form before the World
Cup."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66842724

If Root's form didn't improve against the best, what makes them think
it will improve against the worst? Is best V best an outdated concept
for improving? We'll find out soon enough.

max.it

On Monday, 18 September 2023 at 12:17:42 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
> "Joe Root will play in England's first one-day international against
> Ireland at Headingley in a bid to improve his form before the World
> Cup."
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66842724
>
> If Root's form didn't improve against the best, what makes them think
> it will improve against the worst? Is best V best an outdated concept
> for improving?

Playing against the best may be good for improving generally, but not so much for improving poor form (for a batter anyway). It's difficult to improve much if you're only out there for a few minutes each time. I assume that they are hoping he will be able to survive for longer against Ireland.

On Mon, 18 Sep 2023 05:48:23 -0700 (PDT), David North
<nospam@lane-farm.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

>On Monday, 18 September 2023 at 12:17:42 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
>> "Joe Root will play in England's first one-day international against
>> Ireland at Headingley in a bid to improve his form before the World
>> Cup."
>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66842724
>>
>> If Root's form didn't improve against the best, what makes them think
>> it will improve against the worst? Is best V best an outdated concept
>> for improving?
>
>Playing against the best may be good for improving generally, but not so much for improving poor form (for a batter anyway). It's difficult to improve much if you're only out there for a few minutes each time. I assume that they are hoping he will be able to survive for longer against Ireland.
>
>
I suppose Alan Watts would say that we don't know how to improve
otherwise we wouldn't need to.

max.it

On Monday, September 18, 2023 at 9:17:42 PM UTC+10, max.it wrote:
> "Joe Root will play in England's first one-day international against
> Ireland at Headingley in a bid to improve his form before the World
> Cup."
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66842724
>
> If Root's form didn't improve against the best, what makes them think
> it will improve against the worst? Is best V best an outdated concept
> for improving? We'll find out soon enough.
>
Got to be a better chance of improving form by playing against anybody than by not playing at all (unless there's an underlying issue best served by rest or intensive practice)

On Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:59:48 -0700 (PDT), Hamish Laws
<hamish.laws@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Monday, September 18, 2023 at 9:17:42?PM UTC+10, max.it wrote:
>> "Joe Root will play in England's first one-day international against
>> Ireland at Headingley in a bid to improve his form before the World
>> Cup."
>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66842724
>>
>> If Root's form didn't improve against the best, what makes them think
>> it will improve against the worst? Is best V best an outdated concept
>> for improving? We'll find out soon enough.
>>
>Got to be a better chance of improving form by playing against anybody than by not playing at all (unless there's an underlying issue best served by rest or intensive practice)
>
>
Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.

I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
himself best I'm sure.

max.it

In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4mi9q7s0t7f0t16b09i@4ax.com>, max. it
<max@tea.time> writes
>Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
>Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
>doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
>
>I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
>himself best I'm sure.

Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
right choice.
--
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 Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:23:05 +0100, John Hall
<john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4mi9q7s0t7f0t16b09i@4ax.com>, max. it
><max@tea.time> writes
>>Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
>>Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
>>doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
>>
>>I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
>>himself best I'm sure.
>
>Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
>you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
>right choice.

During the recent TMS broadcast they were chatting about how bowlers
these days seemed to be able to slip back into the team without any
match practice.
For batsmen it seems they can get out of nick way easier than they can
get it back. My Son (sports science guy) tried to explain to me about
batting and muscle memory and shot choice. I reckon if the batsman is
thinking about any of that stuff at all, he's already in trouble.

max.it

On 9/19/2023 4:02 AM, max.it wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:23:05 +0100, John Hall
> <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4mi9q7s0t7f0t16b09i@4ax.com>, max. it
>> <max@tea.time> writes
>>> Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
>>> Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
>>> doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
>>>
>>> I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
>>> himself best I'm sure.
>>
>> Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
>> you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
>> right choice.
>
> During the recent TMS broadcast they were chatting about how bowlers
> these days seemed to be able to slip back into the team without any
> match practice.
> For batsmen it seems they can get out of nick way easier than they can
> get it back. My Son (sports science guy) tried to explain to me about
> batting and muscle memory and shot choice. I reckon if the batsman is
> thinking about any of that stuff at all, he's already in trouble.
>
> max.it

I think it DEPENDS on individual batsman's mental make up how they can
slip back into form after an injury lay off OR poor form.

For example KL Rahul FAILED in the last T20 World Cup after getting back
into the team after a few months of injury down time BUT EASED back into
FORM RIGHT AWAY in recent Asia Cup AFTER another 5 month injury down time.

On Tuesday, 19 September 2023 at 12:02:18 UTC+1, max.it wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:23:05 +0100, John Hall
> <john_...@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4m...@4ax.com>, max. it
> ><m...@tea.time> writes
> >>Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
> >>Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
> >>doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
> >>
> >>I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
> >>himself best I'm sure.
> >
> >Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
> >you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
> >right choice.
> During the recent TMS broadcast they were chatting about how bowlers
> these days seemed to be able to slip back into the team without any
> match practice.
> For batsmen it seems they can get out of nick way easier than they can
> get it back. My Son (sports science guy) tried to explain to me about
> batting and muscle memory and shot choice. I reckon if the batsman is
> thinking about any of that stuff at all, he's already in trouble.

If batters are out of nick, they tend to get out quickly, so they don't get much match practice (vicious circle).
If bowlers are out of nick, they tend to get more match practice, because the opposition bat for longer (OK, that doesn't apply so much to one-dayers, as length of the opposition's innings is limited anyway).

On Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:23:05 +0100, John Hall
<john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4mi9q7s0t7f0t16b09i@4ax.com>, max. it
><max@tea.time> writes
>>Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
>>Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
>>doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
>>
>>I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
>>himself best I'm sure.
>
>Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
>you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
>right choice.

That's probably the thinking.
It looks as though Yorkshire's 1st innings might just make it to the
50 overs mark.

max.it

In message <lqbmgih9g69b3410n1h6sr84u7u231of26@4ax.com>, max. it
<max@tea.time> writes
>On Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:23:05 +0100, John Hall
><john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In message <0vhigih91fu9j8o4mi9q7s0t7f0t16b09i@4ax.com>, max. it
>><max@tea.time> writes
>>>Yorkshire play Leicestershire beginning today. That would benefit
>>>Yorkshire and Root. Playing for England B against weak opposition
>>>doesn't benefit Root or Yorkshire or probably England.
>>>
>>>I heard that Root had asked to be included in the B team. He knows
>>>himself best I'm sure.
>>
>>Playing a Championship match wouldn't seem to be ideal practice if
>>you're trying to regain your 50-overs form. So I think Root made the
>>right choice.
>
>That's probably the thinking.
>It looks as though Yorkshire's 1st innings might just make it to the
>50 overs mark.
>
>max.it

There's also the point that, weak though Ireland might be, they are
still probably stronger than Leicestershire (though admittedly Leics did
win the counties' 50 over competition on Saturday).
--
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"