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[ridhuan]

And now Ben Stokes

[ppccopener]

Is there any reason why James Hildreth has never played for England?

I don't think there is any particular reason.he is probably the most prolific County batsman not to play test cricket.He was very close a few years ago to getting picked.

England was Cook,Strauss,trott,kp,bell for years don't forget so there were never many openings.There's more places now available than for a few years.

Personally I don't think it helps playing on a flat deck at Somerset but that's just my opinion..in other words, he may be seen as scoring 'easy' runs.

[Aussie In England]

 Poor from Stokes. Too aggressive

[WalkingWicket37]

At 83-5 most people would be worried. At least this will be a walk over for England...

[joeljonno]

I expect England will give Vince an extended run. Compton i'm not sure about, I like him as a player and you need SOMEONE who can dig in a bit-our middle order all play aggressive.

Hales doesn't work for me,dont want to sound like a broken record but I cant think of an English opener who has played in one day style in tests in this Country. If he's not going to play naturally we might as well have Lyth back, or a proper opener at least, Robson maybe or someone else.

I feel for Hales, he is clearly trying to get in and get some runs, but this is not how he plays normally. I aint easy to slap bowling around at the top of the order....

Maybe he's just taking time to adapt.

Look at someone like Warner who was a biffer.  He's learnt which to hit/leave and now looks a decent opener.  Hales "could" do the same given enough time.

[Aussie In England]

I don't think there is any particular reason.he is probably the most prolific County batsman not to play test cricket.He was very close a few years ago to getting picked.

England was Cook,Strauss,trott,kp,bell for years don't forget so there were never many openings.There's more places now available than for a few years.

Personally I don't think it helps playing on a flat deck at Somerset but that's just my opinion..in other words, he may be seen as scoring 'easy' runs.

TBH, even if the pitch is made of concrete  , still takes some skill to get 13,000 runs at first class level. He's 31 so unlikely to get a game but I like watching that boy bat.

[ppccopener]

TBH, even if the pitch is made of concrete  , still takes some skill to get 13,000 runs at first class level. He's 31 so unlikely to get a game but I like watching that boy bat.

very true, it does indeed. There are some players that just don't get in I suppose.

If you want an Aussie equivalent, just for comparison...Darren lehman(not many caps), stuart law(one cap). I believe SL was not backward in coming forward with an opinion....
However having watched him bat for Essex when he came over here I find it hard to believe he has one test cap. very hard to believe.
 

[Mr_Orange]

Is there any reason why James Hildreth has never played for England?

Precisely the reason you mentioned in the quote below, he plays on a road at Taunton where it doesn't nip around as much so most think it may have worked against him even though half the games are away! Would be interesting to see his stats away from Taunton but to score that many runs that consistently in FC cricket he should consider himself very unlucky.

This is proper Test cricket IMO. Bowlers are allowed to swing the ball around. It's not just all about flat pitches where batsmen can just pound the ball to the fence all the time. Pitches like this show more about a batsman's technically ability than a flat road where anyone can score runs. Hales, much to my surprise, played like a test batsman and actually showed respect to the bowlers, hence why he's still at the crease.

[edge]

Hildreth has just never got the timing quite right with scoring big when a spot has come up in the England side. Been regarded in Somerset as their best batsman for a long time, may have played on the Taunton road a lot but can consider himself very unlucky, that never stopped other players getting in.

[smilley792]

Fifty for hales.


As all falls around him, the man out of his comfort zone is going well.

[HallamKeeper]

I had a theory a few years back just after the ashes white wash. All test teams are not that far apart in standard. Once a team gets on top it is hard to get back in the game. The more players you have who can produce something special to get or stay on top the more likely you are to win. Maybe it doesn't quite apply to Zim and Bangladesh. If you have a bad session you will be punished. I don't like it when players are described as rubbish or useless. They are clearly very good players and just slightly below the standard of the others, usually mentally.

[WalkingWicket37]

Will batted Alex Hales

That bat looks beautiful, heartwood in the right place and everything!

[smilley792]

Will batted Alex Hales

That bat looks beautiful, heartwood in the right place and everything!

But it's made by your mortal enemies!!!

[WalkingWicket37]

But it's made by your mortal enemies!!!

Nothing an orbital sander wouldn't sort out...

[smokem]

Interesting stats on Hales' knock of 50-odd so far. Almost 90% of balls faced are dot balls and 80% of runs in 4s! Not a typical test knock but he's done better than the rest of the team so far!