Sibley's SR is overstated as an SR of 35 is fine for an opener, and he's just spent the winter working on his technique and adding more scoring shots.

Lees is early days and I don't think he'll be good enough long term, but he has shown the right mentality to dig in which we need more of.

Besides I'd take 80/0 over 200/8 every single time.

There's literally no point having openers who give you a quickfire 20(35) like Crawley does when it just exposes everyone else to the new ball.

35 is slow. That's 200-? a day pace.

Marsh and Taylor put on about 260-0 when they batted a day in 89.

Actually it's more like 180-? a day which is way too slow obviously.

If everyone in the team was going at 35 then yeah it's too slow, but for an opener it's fine.

Atherton's was 37, Nasser's was 40.

Root, Stokes, Bairstow etc. are all capable of upping the rate, especially after someone like Sibley has done the hard yards and tired the bowlers.

I don't care if Sibley spent the winter honing his batting technique..You cant change a life time of batting one way and then changing to something els. He'll fall back into his natural habit.

The coaching at youth level is terrible in this country.
the holding the bat up at the crease only works for special players.
I think bat side of foot is the best way to learn personally. your pads comes forward along side the bat.

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Loads of players have changed their technique or made adjustments and had success, so think it's daft to write him off before we've even seen him.

He has the mindset and temperament both for Test cricket and to work on himself, which is more than what can be said for half of the current crop.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 36 minutes ago
If everyone in the team was going at 35 then yeah it's too slow, but for an opener it's fine.

Atherton's was 37, Nasser's was 40.

Root, Stokes, Bairstow etc. are all capable of upping the rate, especially after someone like Sibley has done the hard yards and tired the bowlers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dravid's was 42.5
Chanderpaul 43

Cook 47
Strauss 49

I'd obviously like him to be quicker and I'm hoping his work over the winter has allowed that to happen, but when we have very few options right now, an SR of 35 is fine.

Take Crawley and Sibley for example:
Crawley on average gives you 28(53)
Sibley on average gives you 29(78)

For an opener it's surely better to have the one who will survive an extra 25 balls.

Its not the scoring rate thats the real problem. its scoring slowly and still getting out for 20s and 30s. pointless really

That's my point though.

If all our openers are crap and get out ion the 20/30s anyway, then pick the ones that actually take the shine off the ball.

noticed a lot of advertising posters to join the local cricket club recently..

project WG Grace

Omg