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[adb club cricketer]

Which of the new guys do you think seem particularly muscular? Archer, Robinson and Stone aren't as far as I can see. Nor are Woakes, SCurran, Mahmood.

Well, not in the beefy sense. But just modern sports seem to focus lot more on weights and strength (not just bowlers, but batsmen as well, wasn't hinting Gill/Thakur are muscular looking either  )
Also, wasn't saying this is cause of the issue but just wondering if this could be related in any way, I believe reading something along those lines before but can't remember where it was.

[ppccopener]

Well, not in the beefy sense. But just modern sports seem to focus lot more on weights and strength (not just bowlers, but batsmen as well, wasn't hinting Gill/Thakur are muscular looking either  )
Also, wasn't saying this is cause of the issue but just wondering if this could be related in any way, I believe reading something along those lines before but can't remember where it was.

I think you have lost some of us in the point you are trying to make, bowlers modern day or way back havnt been particularly 'muscular' . They all work on strength and core strength more so today, most of them do weights but I think it's only part of their training.

The only bowler which springs to mind for England who had a lot of muscle mass was Chris Tremlett.

I've seen him up close and he is the the biggest  human I've ever seen. I believe he now runs a body building company and is a body builder himself.

He was,when I saw him for England,absolutely massive in height and width. Not someone to have an argument with.
 

[adb club cricketer]

Ok, my bad, I think confusion is from muscular word I used earlier, maybe not the right word to describe what I was trying to say. Just meant if training difference with focus on weights has any difference to injury frequency. Looks like from the responses here, people don't think that is the case, we can leave it at that

[edge]

Suspect back in the day that a fast bowler with a calf niggle would have just bandaged it up and cracked on, rather than having a scan and a few games off. Better miss a couple of games than retire wrecked after 30 tests.

[Kulli]

Yeah, given the lack of central contracts (and money in general if you go back far enough) I imagine a lot of them played plenty of games when they were well off full fitness.

[Jimbo]

Not just about shortening the career as well, think there is now a focus on not ruining players' bodies for the rest of their lives so they're all crocked by 50.

[FattusCattus]

I wonder how England will line up today - I suspect:

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
YJB
Pope
Butler
Mo
Robinson
Wood
Anderson (if fit)

I would prefer to see:

Burns
Sibley
Hameed
Root
YJB
Butler
Mo
Robinson
Overton
Wood
Mahmood

[SD]

ECB has just confirmed that Pope is being released back to Surrey

[SD]

I would go in with

Burns
Hameed
Crawley
Root
Bairstow
Butler
Ali
Curran
Robinson
Wood
Anderson/ Mahmood

[ppccopener]

If Pope has been released that could mean another chance for Crawley to come good with better batting conditions at Lords.
Sibley may indeed be left out for Hameed to get in.

[Bats_Entertainment]

I'm a Surrey member, but it can't be right that Pope is suddenly available to play in the Royal London.

[Buzz]

Not sure on the bowling, but the batting will be

Burns
Sibley
Hameed (Crawley dropped)
Rooot
Bairstow
Buttler
Moeen (Lawrence also dropped but retained in the squad for concussion cover)

Bowling tbc

[Bats_Entertainment]

Suspect back in the day that a fast bowler with a calf niggle would have just bandaged it up and cracked on, rather than having a scan and a few games off. Better miss a couple of games than retire wrecked after 30 tests.

I can't recall anyone ever retiring with calf trouble.

[rickjames]

Hameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

[Jimbo]

Off before they bowl a ball, sake...