England "Lions" v South Africa A (and South Africa), 1 June - 1 July, 2017

Three unofficial ODIs: June 1 (Trent Bridge), June 3 & 5 (both Northampton),

One unofficial Test vs South Africa A June 21-24 (Canterbury); a 3-day match vs South Africa, June 29- (Worcester).


The point of the 3 one-dayers is partly to provide "white-ball cover" for the Champions Trophy, starting at the same time.

The three-day matches are possible cover and otherwise warm-up for the (full) Tests, Eng v SA.



The "Lions" one-day squad, announced today (21 May) is fairly predictable, 3 (or 4?) old hands among the younger hopefuls.

Good to see Essex's Lawrence getting a go. Garton is new to me. Sussex, it seems. Not sure they couldn't have tried a newer spinner.

Vince is almost the only one with a surname from the second half of the alphabet. That's prejice, that is.

James Vince (*),
Daniel Bell-Drummond,
Sam Curran,
Tom Curran,
Liam Dawson,
Ben Duckett,
Steven Finn,
Ben Foakes (+),
George Garton,
Dan Lawrence,
Liam Livingstone,
Dawid Malan,
Craig Overton

I suppose Mason Crane might have been worth a go. Not sure if Jack Leach plays much white-ball cricket, otherwise I'd have been tempted to have picked him - assuming his action passes muster. But that's about it in terms of alternative spinners.

Has anyone actually witnessed Liam Dawson turning the ball - I suppose it must have happened at some point in his career?

Sounds like Dawson has modelled his action on Doherty. Try as he might X-Man could not turn a door knob.

Dan Lawrence is an interesting prospect. Genuinely don't know if he's going to make it with his style of play.

Has a really weird technique where he stands bat upright like a baseball player on leg stump then walks forward and accross. Plays some outrageous shots but is going to be prone to looking like a complete dunce getting out more often than not.

and with the Saffies in town here is a thoughtful article on the links between the Saffies and Pomgolians...interesting reflections on the two English rebel tours and a great quote from Embers.

link

JKLever wrote:Dan Lawrence is an interesting prospect. Genuinely don't know if he's going to make it with his style of play.

Has a really weird technique where he stands bat upright like a baseball player on leg stump then walks forward and accross. Plays some outrageous shots but is going to be prone to looking like a complete dunce getting out more often than not.

That's why it's good to see him being tried (tested?).

Great to see you poppin' in, Mr Lever!

I feared the worst when flamingbails.com didn't work, but a quick google did the trick.

Dello must have stopped putting the 50p in the meter long ago I guess and the domain expired. Where is the big cheese these days? Moonlighting at Cricinfo?

JKL:

Long story re: Artist formerly known as Dello (now: LeFromage, if at all), as opposed to Fromage (that odd persona, allegedly with a French connection), and this Forum.

In case you're in the dark as the rest of us, you can get up to whatever speed you have time for

here (from near bottom of page): https://flamingbails.forumotion.com/t5401-bloody-nice-people-here-at-forumotion

and then here: https://flamingbails.forumotion.com/t15988-we-agree-that-fromage-becomes-the-founder-of-flaming-bails


But - as Faust (Krautrock band) used to say - "Nobody knows if it really happened ..."

Well, it was ridiculous for them not to give Mason Crane a go. As always, England remain deathly fearful of a bright, new young spinner, and have instead opted for the 'reliable' county pro (ie the guy who is shit.)

PeterCS wrote:JKL:

Long story re: Artist formerly known as Dello (now: LeFromage, if at all), as opposed to Fromage (that odd persona, allegedly with a French connection), and this Forum.

In case you're in the dark as the rest of us, you can get up to whatever speed you have time for

here (from near bottom of page): https://flamingbails.forumotion.com/t5401-bloody-nice-people-here-at-forumotion

and then here: https://flamingbails.forumotion.com/t15988-we-agree-that-fromage-becomes-the-founder-of-flaming-bails


But - as Faust (Krautrock band) used to say - "Nobody knows if it really happened ..."

Ah, yes can certainly understand the falling out of love with the game situation, similar to myself. I put lack of interest for myself down to T20 stuff, if that is indeed the future of cricket it won't be for me either.

Not sure if I believe that in Dellos case though, he's probably too busy running his sex dungeon.

Eng won the 1st 'A' ODI by 9 wickets with our very own Saffer Dawid Malan 125* though oddly I see he was actually born in Roehampton!

Finn went for 54 in 7 overs, what a POS.

Good effort from Capetown Tom, too.

And his bro, Northampton Sam, made some sort of a decent impact.

Is it the first time two brothers born in different countries have opened the bowling for an England representative side?


Finn did get three wickets, I suppose. Odd he was 6th bowler up. Supposedly reverse swing expert? Maybe he isn't the patient type.


Strange to see Bavuma relegated to the A Team?

But just like "old times" to have J Smuts leading S Africa.
(Though JJ, in fact. Jon-Jon. That's odd too, no?)

Liam Livingstone with 129 off 83 balls with 8 sixes. Next cab off the rank I presume?

Not sure how strong the SA side is, I only recognise Bavuma though there are a few others with a splattering of international apps.

Hope Dan Lawrence gets a run in the 3rd game.

JKLever wrote:Liam Livingstone with 129 off 83 balls with 8 sixes. Next cab off the rank I presume?

Not sure how strong the SA side is, I only recognise Bavuma though there are a few others with a splattering of international apps.

Hope Dan Lawrence gets a run in the 3rd game.

Their depth has surely been eroded with all the defections to County/Kolpak ranks.

Dane Paterson took 27/7 for SA against Hants. Whats his story Taips?

Big Dog wrote:Dane Paterson took 27/7 for SA against Hants. Whats his story Taips?

Been around for a while. Has played 2 international T20s without doing much. FC cricket gets no TV coverage anymore so hard to judge.

I see the much touted Junior Dala got 1-53 in the same match.

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:Dane Paterson took 27/7 for SA against Hants. Whats his story Taips?

Been around for a while. Has played 2 international T20s without doing much. FC cricket gets no TV coverage anymore so hard to judge.

I see the much touted Junior Dala got 1-53 in the same match.

Cheers. He may turn out to be a 'late bloomer'

Hampshire must be weak; they're getting rooted here.

Markram must be something decent on the horizon at least for a team ravaged by defections to England.

Lordy. Hameed!

Hameed out for 2. You couldn't make up an opener's nightmare run like this.

Leach also not getting much joy, first innings by the SAf A.

Otherwise the Lions faring pretty soundly in this A-sub-Test.

FFS, Jamie Overton injured yet again. I've got him down as a dark horse to make the ashes squad. Not unless he can string more than two games together, though.....

"They shoot horses, don't they?"

Do be do

Bad weather hits the Lions vs South Africa match.

Only 20 overs in the first 5 hours of scheduled play. Visitors 58-1. Captain out quickly.

There's a quick bowler and possibly middle order batsman's spot up for grabs for the Lions team. If any of Robson, Livingstone, Westley, or Ballance makes a big score, they could find themselves playing at Lord's with Hameed so sadly out of form.

Wickets for Mason Crane could see him making his test debut as well, seeing as Moeen is apparently bowling less and less these days.