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Chris Silverwood:


Got nowt to pick from.

I’d have played Jimmy at Brisbane and Wood over Broad here but I do t think they’d have been game changers.

I also rate Leach but sympathise as to why he couldn’t get in when Stokes was injured.
Farcical team selections. Jimmy and Broad at Brisbane and Wood here. If Jimmy was injured then all the more reason for Broad to play there. Also Leach here instead of Brisbane are selections anyone could have made without hindsight. We will never know if they would have been game changers but it is fair to say that the batting has been the major issue and we dont have good choices to pick from there.
 
Farcical team selections. Jimmy and Broad at Brisbane and Wood here. If Jimmy was injured then all the more reason for Broad to play there. Also Leach here instead of Brisbane are selections anyone could have made without hindsight. We will never know if they would have been game changers but it is fair to say that the batting has been the major issue and we dont have good choices to pick from there.

There are a stack of pundits who picked Leach for the GABA. Wrong in retrospect but not ‘farcical’ when experienced test pundits were backing Leach.

Anyone quoting ‘Broad v Warner 2019’ could also have Broad’s 2021 record thrown back at them. I’d have picked Wood over him at Brisbane too, and left others for the ‘pink ball swing’ game if we had to rest Wood for Adelaide.

I think the rotation in India was poor but have genuine sympathy for Silverwood since.
 
There are a stack of pundits who picked Leach for the GABA. Wrong in retrospect but not ‘farcical’ when experienced test pundits were backing Leach.

Anyone quoting ‘Broad v Warner 2019’ could also have Broad’s 2021 record thrown back at them. I’d have picked Wood over him at Brisbane too, and left others for the ‘pink ball swing’ game if we had to rest Wood for Adelaide.

I think the rotation in India was poor but have genuine sympathy for Silverwood since.
Jimmy wasn’t fit for Brisbane I think. Broad had to play in those circumstances on that track with his record there, alongside Wood and Robinson if you wish. However if Wood can’t play 2 tests back to back I would rather he had played here where he can be a point of difference.
There are a stack of pundits who picked Leach for the GABA. Wrong in retrospect but not ‘farcical’ when experienced test pundits were backing Leach.

Anyone quoting ‘Broad v Warner 2019’ could also have Broad’s 2021 record thrown back at them. I’d have picked Wood over him at Brisbane too, and left others for the ‘pink ball swing’ game if we had to rest Wood for Adelaide.

I think the rotation in India was poor but have genuine sympathy for Silverwood since.
Fair point re Leach I had no issue with him being selected for Brisbane but Adelaide was always going to have more in it for him. They just got too carried away with pink ball under lights.
 
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Jimmy wasn’t fit for Brisbane I think. Broad had to play in those circumstances on that track with his record there, alongside Wood and Robinson if you wish. However if Wood can’t play 2 tests back to back I would rather he had played here where he can be a point of difference.

Fair point re Leach I had no issue with him being selected for Brisbane but Adelaide was always going to have more in it for him. They just got too carried away with pink ball under lights.
Problem with Wood is you want him in as many tests as possible but you won't play him back to back that means he plays 1st, 3rd and 5th
 
Problem with Wood is you want him in as many tests as possible but you won't play him back to back that means he plays 1st, 3rd and 5th

He had to play this game

the series is over

he was fit to play

not playing a spinner is bad enough

but playing 5 right arm medium pace bowlers and no wood is beyond insanity.

I am usually a defender of most people but Silverwood is way out of his depth

He is actually a big user of stats, and so is Morgan, and they have followed in in the test side

It didnt work in the T2O world cup and it hasn't worked here

we really need a top coach, for the test side. If they need to split the roles so be it, get Bayliss back for the white ball stuff. He is world class at that.

Silverwood needs to go
 
He had to play this game

the series is over

he was fit to play

not playing a spinner is bad enough

but playing 5 right arm medium pace bowlers and no wood is beyond insanity.

I am usually a defender of most people but Silverwood is way out of his depth

He is actually a big user of stats, and so is Morgan, and they have followed in in the test side

It didnt work in the T2O world cup and it hasn't worked here

we really need a top coach, for the test side. If they need to split the roles so be it, get Bayliss back for the white ball stuff. He is world class at that.

Silverwood needs to go
I'm not arguing he shouldn't have played or against any of your other points. But if you want Wood playing 3 it seems this is the only way it's happening, they clearly don't want him to play back to back tests.
 
I'm not arguing he shouldn't have played or against any of your other points. But if you want Wood playing 3 it seems this is the only way it's happening, they clearly don't want him to play back to back tests.

I think they just over thought it

The next test is almost the important one

it wasnt that he couldnt go back to back, they just earmarked him to play Melbourne before the series started as its so flat
 
Farcical team selections. Jimmy and Broad at Brisbane and Wood here. If Jimmy was injured then all the more reason for Broad to play there. Also Leach here instead of Brisbane are selections anyone could have made without hindsight. We will never know if they would have been game changers but it is fair to say that the batting has been the major issue and we dont have good choices to pick from there.
We’ve been getting our selections arse about tit since the pink ball 3rd Test in India when we looked at the beach India had manufactured and still picked 3 seamers, Stokes, Leach plus Joe Root.

India went with 3 spinners and 2 seamers (neither of which bowled in our second innings) while Root got 5-8 in 6 overs and opened the bowling for India’s 2nd innings. Absolutely farcical.

You could even argue we fucked it up the previous Test when we dropped Bess instead of Lawrence for Moeen, who although he (Bess) got spanked in the 2nd innings of the 1st Test, had bowled well in SL and should have been shown some faith and persevered with, and arguably is more reliable with the bat than Lawrence.

Follow that up with the two series defeats in the summer, the T20 WC wet fart and this capitulation here, his time as coach is very underwhelming, to say the very least.

The fact we picked Leach on a green top in Brisbane and he got spanked meant he was then basically unselectable on a spinning track here. It’s a joke how badly wrong they keep getting these fairly obvious calls.
 
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It’s all too pre-meditated to me and he doesn’t react to situations. The Wood non selection is an example of that, we all knew he needed to play but Silverwood wouldn’t deviate from the initial plan to leave him out.

We haven’t improved under him. He should be under a lot of pressure.
 
It’s all too pre-meditated to me and he doesn’t react to situations. The Wood non selection is an example of that, we all knew he needed to play but Silverwood wouldn’t deviate from the initial plan to leave him out.

We haven’t improved under him. He should be under a lot of pressure.
We’ve gone backwards massively under him.

Agree with your first point as well.
 
We’ve been getting our selections arse about tit since the pink ball 3rd Test in India when we looked at the beach India had manufactured and still picked 3 seamers, Stokes, Leach plus Joe Root.

India went with 3 spinners and 2 seamers (neither of which bowled in our second innings) while Root got 5-8 in 6 overs and opened the bowling for India’s 2nd innings. Absolutely farcical.

You could even argue we fucked it up the previous Test when we dropped Bess instead of Lawrence for Moeen, who although he (Bess) got spanked in the 2nd innings of the 1st Test, had bowled well in SL and should have been shown some faith and persevered with, and arguably is more reliable with the bat than Lawrence.

Follow that up with the two series defeats in the summer, the T20 WC wet fart and this capitulation here, his time as coach is very underwhelming, to say the very least.

The fact we picked Leach on a green top in Brisbane and he got spanked meant he was then basically unselectable on a spinning track here. It’s a joke how badly wrong they keep getting these fairly obvious calls.

Its since Silverwood took over

I quite liked Bayliss and looking back I think it shows he didnt do a bad job with the test team

He kind of realised there was a lack of quality players about, so put his emphasis on the middle and lower order which did work.

Silverwood had a brief spell where Sibley and co did really well, South Africa was a great win, and we were good at home that next summer, but since the India its been appalling in terms of selection.

I blame the T2O on Morgan though, he is completely obsessed with stats and pre-decided matchups, thats on him.

Aye some of the decisions they are getting wrong are so basic its beyond belief. I listened to the Sky podcast today, they talked the usual shite about pitches, when we play our cricket etc, but Rob Key did highlight Silverwood a few times, didnt call for him to go, but I reckon he will be in private.
It’s all too pre-meditated to me and he doesn’t react to situations. The Wood non selection is an example of that, we all knew he needed to play but Silverwood wouldn’t deviate from the initial plan to leave him out.

We haven’t improved under him. He should be under a lot of pressure.

Spot on.

I really do think he needs to go

We need someone with pedigree, who knows test cricket and is ruthless. Someone from the outside, I dont want someone from county cricket.

I'd split up the roles, simply because you wont attract the very best candidates for a full time role doing every single game.

My absolute dream choice would be Ricky Pointing, I dont think I've ever heard someone talk as well about cricket as him. I know coaching is different to that but he'd be my dream choice. Someone of that ilk

Not "Spoons'
 
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Seems to outthink himself most of the time. Forget about the test match down the road and concentrate on putting the best team out for the game we are playing today
 
Its since Silverwood took over

I quite liked Bayliss and looking back I think it shows he didnt do a bad job with the test team

He kind of realised there was a lack of quality players about, so put his emphasis on the middle and lower order which did work.

Silverwood had a brief spell where Sibley and co did really well, South Africa was a great win, and we were good at home that next summer, but since the India its been appalling in terms of selection.

I blame the T2O on Morgan though, he is completely obsessed with stats and pre-decided matchups, thats on him.

Aye some of the decisions they are getting wrong are so basic its beyond belief. I listened to the Sky podcast today, they talked the usual shite about pitches, when we play our cricket etc, but Rob Key did highlight Silverwood a few times, didnt call for him to go, but I reckon he will be in private.
Silverwood started ok and the two Tests in Sri Lanka this year were terrific, albeit against a very very moderate side (I know you disagree).

SA was good, albeit against a fairly moderate side (again I know you disagree), some of the Tests were nip and tuck and could have gone either way.

They were sandwiched between a fairly disappointing two Test tour of NZ (he just had his feet under the desk) and two narrow home series wins against WI and Pakistan (where we totally surrendered any chance of winning the 3rd Test late on with ridiculous field placings and allowed ourselves to get distracted by Jimmy’s pursuit of 600 wickets).

The first Test in India was superb, but then the wheels fell off and the feeling to me is that it was all underpinned by one batsman basically in the form of his life. The rest of his time has been a catalogue of errors and gone from bad to worse, really.

I agree, I liked Baylis - and he was fantastic at the white ball stuff and did what he was brought in to do, basically. His dynamic with Morgan is massively undervalued IMO and it’s been shown by, as you quite rightly say, the mistakes Morgan’s made since.

I’d have loved to see him carry on and a specialist coach brought in for the Test side.

It doesn’t surprise me the final point. Pundits are always loath to go after fellow pros, especially ones they’ve played with, or have close relationships with, and will sometimes seem to willingly, or otherwise, deflect away from the major issues.

Look at Prior and Cook saying they’d pick more or less the same batsmen for the next game, for instance. It annoys me slightly that there isn’t a bit more straight talking in the media, from some of the players and ex-pros. The more forthright ones such as the two prominent Yorkshire ones nobody likes are typically looked down upon, but I like them and (usually) agree with what they have to say on cricket matters.

I see your points about Root’s interview, and agree with them to up a point, but I’d like him to take more responsibility, as was the case that was made to you. It’s a recurring theme with him that major decisions he gets wrong - like team selection or what to do at the toss - he’ll quite often refuse to accept he got them wrong, or will offer mitigation or even excuses, when it’s blindingly obvious they were wrong.

That’s not good captaincy or leadership, but equally, that’s not to downplay his contributions with the bat this year, which have been exceptional, or to understate how difficult a job it is being a captain.

As captain, though, he’s not above criticism. However, the bulk of the criticism for me lies with Silverwood and, for me, his time should be up.
Its since Silverwood took over

I quite liked Bayliss and looking back I think it shows he didnt do a bad job with the test team

He kind of realised there was a lack of quality players about, so put his emphasis on the middle and lower order which did work.

Silverwood had a brief spell where Sibley and co did really well, South Africa was a great win, and we were good at home that next summer, but since the India its been appalling in terms of selection.

I blame the T2O on Morgan though, he is completely obsessed with stats and pre-decided matchups, thats on him.

Aye some of the decisions they are getting wrong are so basic its beyond belief. I listened to the Sky podcast today, they talked the usual shite about pitches, when we play our cricket etc, but Rob Key did highlight Silverwood a few times, didnt call for him to go, but I reckon he will be in private.


Spot on.

I really do think he needs to go

We need someone with pedigree, who knows test cricket and is ruthless. Someone from the outside, I dont want someone from county cricket.

I'd split up the roles, simply because you wont attract the very best candidates for a full time role doing every single game.

My absolute dream choice would be Ricky Pointing, I dont think I've ever heard someone talk as well about cricket as him. I know coaching is different to that but he'd be my dream choice. Someone of that ilk

Not "Spoons'
Ponting is a great shout, absolute born winner who would take no shit off anybody and (wishful thinking) could cause a fundamental shift in our sporting and national psyche!

Unfortunately I suspect hell would freeze over before any of that happens.
 
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Silverwood started ok and the two Tests in Sri Lanka this year were terrific, albeit against a very very moderate side (I know you disagree).

SA was good, albeit against a fairly moderate side (again I know you disagree), some of the Tests were nip and tuck and could have gone either way.

They were sandwiched between a fairly disappointing two Test tour of NZ (he just had his feet under the desk) and two narrow home series wins against WI and Pakistan (where we totally surrendered any chance of winning the 3rd Test late on with ridiculous field placings and allowed ourselves to get distracted by Jimmy’s pursuit of 600 wickets).

The first Test in India was superb, but then the wheels fell off and the feeling to me is that it was all underpinned by one batsman basically in the form of his life. The rest of his time has been a catalogue of errors and gone from bad to worse, really.

I agree, I liked Baylis - and he was fantastic at the white ball stuff and did what he was brought in to do, basically. His dynamic with Morgan is massively undervalued IMO and it’s been shown by, as you quite rightly say, the mistakes Morgan’s made since.

I’d have loved to see him carry on and a specialist coach brought in for the Test side.

It doesn’t surprise me the final point. Pundits are always loath to go after fellow pros, especially ones they’ve played with, or have close relationships with, and will sometimes seem to willingly, or otherwise, deflect away from the major issues.

Look at Prior and Cook saying they’d pick more or less the same batsmen for the next game, for instance. It annoys me slightly that there isn’t a bit more straight talking in the media, from some of the players and ex-pros. The more forthright ones such as the two prominent Yorkshire ones nobody likes are typically looked down upon, but I like them and (usually) agree with what they have to say on cricket matters.

I see your points about Root’s interview, and agree with them to up a point, but I’d like him to take more responsibility, as was the case that was made to you. It’s a recurring theme with him that major decisions he gets wrong - like team selection or what to do at the toss - he’ll quite often refuse to accept he got them wrong, or will offer mitigation or even excuses, when it’s blindingly obvious they were wrong.

That’s not good captaincy or leadership, but equally, that’s not to downplay his contributions with the bat this year, which have been exceptional, or to understate how difficult a job it is being a captain.

As captain, though, he’s not above criticism. However, the bulk of the criticism for me lies with Silverwood and, for me, his time should be up.

Ponting is a great shout, absolute born winner who would take no shit off anybody and (wishful thinking) could cause a fundamental shift in our sporting and national psyche!

Unfortunately I suspect hell would freeze over before any of that happens.

aye good post this, hard to disagree with any of it.
 
aye good post this, hard to disagree with any of it.
With all of that said & apologies for the long post, it is tempting to cut Silverwood a tiny bit of slack.

Scheduling, covid, injuries - none of that is really his fault. Even the ECB prioritising white ball cricket isn’t on him.

But tactics, decision making and on-field standards definitely are and between him and Root they’ve gone backwards since Bayliss - and they weren’t particularly flash then.

I was always more keen than most of the rest and rotation policy from India onwards, if it meant the pitfalls of bubble life were managed so we were competitive Australia, which we were told was the ultimate goal.

Obviously that’s down the shitter and the plan now looks a bit foolish, to say the least.
 
With all of that said & apologies for the long post, it is tempting to cut Silverwood a tiny bit of slack.

Scheduling, covid, injuries - none of that is really his fault. Even the ECB prioritising white ball cricket isn’t on him.

But tactics, decision making and on-field standards definitely are and between him and Root they’ve gone backwards since Bayliss - and they weren’t particularly flash then.

I was always more keen than most of the rest and rotation policy from India onwards, if it meant the pitfalls of bubble life were managed so we were competitive Australia, which we were told was the ultimate goal.

Obviously that’s down the shitter and the plan now looks a bit foolish, to say the least.

On the first part, Its not directly his fault no, but he just gives the impression of a soft touch. I really think we need a big personality who can demand things, put his foot down when things aren't correct. Compromises need to me mate at times, as the schedule for England is ridiculous, especially compared to Australia who had basically the year off

I am not saying he would be appointed, but if Ricky Pointing says to Stokes and Buttler, give the IPL a miss this year, we need you bang in form for India this summer for this reason and that reason etc....then they might.

But Silverwood obviously doesnt have that about him and would not be viewed that way.

I do have sympathy for England like, they have battered and worn down from bubble life, I know people dont like excuses, but its just true, they have 5 tests in India, 5 in Australia, 7 at home, including 5 more against India, never mind the one day stuff, a world cup. Its just ridicullous

All that would be impossible normally, but add a bubble and a pandemic, you arent getting England near their best, no matter the talent of the side.

the proof is Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, imagine if they were both 100% fit and firing.

You cant stress enough that Australia have had minimal bubble life other than a few stars going to the IPL. Its chalk and cheese.

There is only India who know what England have gone through, and they deal with it better as they have so so many more talented players to choose from.
 
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