Ollie Robinson in trouble for historical tweets. https://mobile.twitter.com/wisdencricket/status/1400154434034966534?s=21 As they say what you put on the net never leaves you.
He's one wicket away from going on the honours board at Lords. How the ECB handle this will be interesting. I said to my 15 year old son when he first started using Instagram when he was 12, don't write anything or even 'like' or reply to anything controversial particularly if it involves an -ism; it will only take a potential employer in 10 years time looking through anything you have made public irrespective of your age at the time.
They might just find a way not to pick him but that will be hard if he does well! Was he going to be the replacement Anderson/Broad for example ? On another note good to see Mark Wood doing well - can he keep fit ?
Yeah, I suppose so. I saw the statement as an attempt to draw a line under the matter but I suppose it depends on any further media response and/or whether anything else is discovered. It was a while ago. Speaking as a Somerset fan, I'm surprised Overton wasn't picked anyway. I'd have been delighted had he been sent back to play for Somerset but neither Leach nor him have been.
According to Sky Ollie Robinson has been suspended pending an inquiry . Bit unfortunate he was potentially our best bowler and probably one for the future . Now what it is ?
@Keighley in usual circumstance Overton and Leach would have been able to play for Somerset after not being picked for the test. They couldn’t this week because of not being able to leave the covid bubble, plus either could have been needed as covid substitutes as you’re allowed a like for like replacement (as we Somerset fans saw in a match this season when Lewis Gregory was replaced half way through) Seems a bit harsh suspending Robinson pending the result of the enquiry. Why not punish him after that’s been concluded? (Not condoning what he did btw) From a Somerset supporting view, delighted if the outstanding this season Craig Overton gets his chance next week, although ironically he was once suspended for making a ‘racist’ comment at a Sussex player he had just dismissed.
I don’t think so. The Tests against India are a while away. They will make sure the inquiry is done by then, give him a warning and that will be it. I think he’ll be available later in the summer. Which seems right to me. He was only 18/19. People change. What will change is that all new England players will have their social media history checked before being selected, as Thorpe has already alluded.
Yes, annoying but it probably wouldn’t have made a difference v Hampshire as things turned out. I have a feeling both will play at Edgbaston. At least that won’t impact the CC (don’t really care about anything else!).
No it won’t. Both will be back for Somerset”s last two matches in the group, plus Devon Conway of course. It was a useful draw today in a match that was really more about not losing than winning. A win next match home to Leics will just about put us through, and the best outcome would be Hampshire joining us, as that way we would start the next group with 18.5 points. If Glos go through with us, it’s only 9.5
Good stats! Well over my head. Essex could be knocked out. They have undoubtedly been the best county side in recent seasons. I like the new format and think it should continue. It’s nicely competitive. Just slightly concerned that the climax to the season could be ruined by the weather. I’d prefer Div 1 (etc) to start in mid-August rather than at the end of the month.
My only reservation with it is that the county champions will be decided by playing just four games, plus half of the points won against the team you qualify with (who you don’t play again in the second stage). That’s not enough really. A couple of rain hit matches and your chances are all but over. The next round will take some getting used to. Six teams in the group, all starting with a variety of points already rather than all of them on zero. It’s wonderful for the teams who qualify for the top group in the next stage, which we hope Somerset will. You can be County Champions, plus the top two teams also go into a separate final at Lords too, like Somerset did last season. However, finish third or below and you then go into a lesser second stage, where to be honest I can’t see much interest or incentive.
Are they doing this just this season or for good? Another good win for Yorkshire yesterday, apart from the disaster of the Roses game, we've looked pretty good this year and great to have Malan back in the side
SFAIK it's only for this season at this stage but it wouldn't surprise me if they stuck with it at least for a few years.
Typical England. Always shooting themselves in the foot rather than be winners. If he's not back for India, it's a disgrace. A slap on the wrist, a charitable fine and a press conference where he cries for a while would have been fine. Works for the evil Aussies.
And that’s likely to be it. Everyone was a fool once or twice when they were young. If that’s genuinely it, then fine, though there are nicer ways to make a fool of yourself for sure. But it’s quite wrong for the Government to get involved while a professional conduct investigation is going on, to insinuate that it’s over the top. This happens all the time, from Doctors to Solicitors to Police Officers. Outsiders thinking they know better when process is in play. It’s for the ECB to carry out its investigation swiftly and correctly to ensure that all English cricket fans can have confidence in the team they are supporting.
Absolutely. It’s a disgrace for the Tory government to stick their oar in when it’s nothing to do with them, just because it suits their ‘anti-woke’ agenda.
Lots of chatter here in Somerset today that Robinson’s natural replacement today, the outstanding all season Craig Overton, has been omitted because he once served a ban for a racist offence (a rather unpleasant choice of wording when dismissing a Sussex batsman and sending him on his way), and the selectors didn’t want another furore. Frustrating for us that we’ve been denied the services of both Overton and Leach for a fortnight, only for both to sit out the two test matches. Normally they’d be free to rush down the motorway in time to play for their county, but not this year because of covid bubbles and the possibility of either being used as a covid substitute.
Burns seems to be fine and we know all about Root but Sibley, Crawley and Pope are really struggling. Crawley looks devoid of confidence, Sibley always looks dreadful even when scoring runs and so horribly slow. Pope has easily the most talent so worth sticking with him.
I too have the same feeling about Pope coming good, but that feeling has been hanging around for quite a while now.....he reminds me of Ian Bell in his early days. I am enjoying watching Burns, not everyone's cup of tea but my kind of gritty opening batsman I like to see. Sibley, Crawley and Lawrence though remind me of the mid-90's English batting line up, and that is not a good thing. I think England are a bit overrated to be honest. Quite a way behind India, New Zealand and Australia at the moment. I think a 5-0 in The Ashes this winter, is quite a high likely hood. We just won't score enough runs to be competitive, our batting is woefully flimsy.
Yes Pope reminds me of Bell. Looks good and comfortable until he gets out. The others listed look dreadfully poor and then get out. Maybe too much one day cricket but they don't seem to be prepared to leave balls and take 30 balls to score their first 10 runs. Too many loose drives at balls that look great and low risk in one day cricket and might get 4 runs through the slip area but look awful in test cricket. Burns is a grafter and seems to be turning the corner and turning hard fought 20s and 30s into bigger scores. We will be hammered in Australia, no doubt at all. Hopefully Stokes, Buttler etc can prevent it being a humiliation.
Bracey is rubbish, what is he doing playing in a test match. I'd like to revise my comment above, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies are above this England team too. Batsmen are mentally fried.
In what way? Whatver you might think of the propensity for batting collapses, they haven't lost a home Test series since 2014 (that could change in the next few days).
"This England team" is without two of its best players, though... (I mean Overton and Leach, of course )
Today was the first time since 2015 that the openers batted out the first session and even then it only took about 1 over after lunch - our top order are so predictably bad!
