[Cricket] Cricket- 3rd Test, Oval, September 6th-10th, 2024, Sri Lanka tour of England

Eeyore said:

Final helping of the Test summer.

England unchanged apart from the bizarre, but perhaps brilliant, selection of Josh Hull. I wonder that there is something of the George Garton there in the selection and that the management feel he will suit the Oval pitch with its pace and bounce.

In the days of Harry Brind, the Oval was one of the best pitches on the planet, the curtain would close each summer at this famous old ground. Hopefully there will be a feast of splendid cricket from both sides and we will take our fill.

Weather a bit dicey at first, perhaps settling later. Not sure we will starting on time on the morrow.

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hans kraay fan club said:

It is a nonsense selection. It is isn't 'brave' or 'inspired'. It is stupid, and frankly an insult to a dozen or more young county bowlers, working hard for their own chance.

This lad has been picked for no other reasons than he's tall, and left handed. those are handy attributes, no doubt, and things that should rightly elevate him above other COMPARABLE prospects. But not above other young bowlers with a body of succesfull work behind them.

Hull has played TEN first class matches, and taken a paltry 16 wickets, at 67 apiece. He doesn't seemingly bat at all - averaging a laughable 3.75 in FC matches.

By all means identify the kid. By all means select him for training camps, or blood him in net sessions with the Test side. If he's ready, send him on a Lions Tour.

Handing him a Test cap is a kick in the teeth to County pros, devalues Test cricket as the pinnacle, disrespects Sri Lanka, and puts far too much pressure on a kid with no real match experience to lean on.

And even if he goes and takes ten wickets in this match, I still won't have it that this is anything other than a poor decision.

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hans kraay fan club said:

It is a nonsense selection. It is isn't 'brave' or 'inspired'. It is stupid, and frankly an insult to a dozen or more young county bowlers, working hard for their own chance.

This lad has been picked for no other reasons than he's tall, and left handed. those are handy attributes, no doubt, and things that should rightly elevate him above other COMPARABLE prospects. But not above other young bowlers with a body of succesfull work behind them.

Hull has played TEN first class matches, and taken a paltry 16 wickets, at 67 apiece. He doesn't seemingly bat at all - averaging a laughable 3.75 in FC matches.

By all means identify the kid. By all means select him for training camps, or blood him in net sessions with the Test side. If he's ready, send him on a Lions Tour.

Handing him a Test cap is a kick in the teeth to County pros, devalues Test cricket as the pinnacle, disrespects Sri Lanka, and puts far too much pressure on a kid with no real match experience to lean on.

And even if he goes and takes ten wickets in this match, I still won't have it that this is anything other than a poor decision.

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Machiavelli said:

I'm going tomorrow. Weather looking a little better than @Eeyore reports, although running at c30% chance of rain in the morning. Afternoon should be fine.

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The Oval Surrey C.C.C. (Greater London) weather

The Oval Surrey C.C.C. 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

www.metoffice.gov.uk

Machiavelli said:

Forecast deteriorated since I posted this. Might not get any play in the morning, and the rain could continue into the afternoon, see:

The Oval Surrey C.C.C. (Greater London) weather

The Oval Surrey C.C.C. 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

www.metoffice.gov.uk

To add: a couple of days ago, it was indicating temperatures would go as high as 26C -- that's some shift in conditions.

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Machiavelli said:

Forecast deteriorated since I posted this. Might not get any play in the morning, and the rain could continue into the afternoon, see:

The Oval Surrey C.C.C. (Greater London) weather

The Oval Surrey C.C.C. 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

www.metoffice.gov.uk

To add: a couple of days ago, it was indicating temperatures would go as high as 26C -- that's some shift in conditions.

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CHAPPERS said:

Got tickets for tomorrow so looking GOOD.

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Eeyore said:

My kind of RANT. And possibly with much substance. I just wanted to stay neutral in case he took a Michelle.

But, that said, once he reaches the sandpits of Lahore I'm not sure he will have the same success. Still, we'll see.

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Eeyore said:

My kind of RANT. And possibly with much substance. I just wanted to stay neutral in case he took a Michelle.

But, that said, once he reaches the sandpits of Lahore I'm not sure he will have the same success. Still, we'll see.

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Sid and the Sharknados said:

In terms of his general attributes, he'd seem vaguely comparable to Shaheen Afridi, who's had plenty of success in Pakistan. And was also only 18 when he first played test cricket for Pakistan (apparently, I have doubts about the reported age of fast bowlers from the North West Frontier).

He may well turn out to be shit, I've only seen him the once in the one day final last year, but if pretty much any other country made this selection nobody would think it was that odd. Australia have always banged on about how people can go from playing grade cricket to the test team within a season, and when those players do well we have to sit through a load of hand wringing about what a shame it is that it never happens over here.

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hans kraay fan club said:

Oh f***ing WELL done. Absolute PENIS.

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