When the squad was announced, there was something said along the lines that he had only just started playing and bowling again so wasn't included. In other words, he wasn't going to play because he hasn't been playing. I have no inside knowledge at all but I can't help thinking that there is more to it than that.
Completely agree. It said he had only started bowling yesterday, which is a head scratcher. Even though he didn’t play much this winter, he was at least training, he was then playing in the IPL, and they said he’d been training and bowling at Edgbaston weeks ago. I can’t quite understand how he’s not conditioned enough to play T20.
You’d assume if there was an injury they’d just say so too.
I think he's had Covid and it's knocked him about a bit.
Apparently the ECB medical and fitness staff were present and spent a lot of time with Woakes during the second team match he bowled in.
The decision to leave him out was from the ECB, though they have potentially cleared him for the next 2 matches.
Conveniently, he has also just been named in England’s T20 squad.
I guess he will need to be ‘rested’ now….
He was on 'No Balls' podcast, and I think it's worth a listen, a little insight into his last year - No Balls
Woakes sounds like he is being diplomatic but really wants to have his say about the stupid rotation system, his constantly being overlooked to play by the much less talented Sam Curran and all the travelling without actually getting a game. He is too nice to 'rock the boat' but you get the feeling he could blow his top if they keep treating him so badly.
I fully understand why he chose to take a break with his family.
He has a wife and two young daughters who must have missed having him around for most the last year.
Woakes has been treated badly, no argument there. In Curran's defence though, his Test numbers are not that dissimilar to Chris's, which isn't bad at all for a guy who has only just turned 23.
I couldn’t think Curran is more overrated if I wanted to.
He’s so limited, that he only plays in ideal conditions, perfectly suited to him. Because if he bowls 75mph, from 5,6” and it didn’t swing on a good deck, he’d be blasted out the ground in most places.
He gets the most ridiculous levels of protection, and the huge Surrey talk up from the Alec Stewart PR machine.
Woakes is 10 times the player Curran is, but I just think he’s less glamorous, gets much less of a talk up, and doesn’t rock the boat.
I seem to remember that on the old Bearsfans board, someone labelled Curran as a "short-arsed trundler," something that comes into my mind every time I see him bowl.
GerryShedd wrote:
I seem to remember that on the old Bearsfans board, someone labelled Curran as a "short-arsed trundler," something that comes into my mind every time I see him bowl.
Guilty as charged.
Not able to play two consecutive games according to Eoin Morgan last night. Saw on a Guardian cricket article, comments seem to lean towards the knees not being so good. Not news, but hope for him there hasn't been more deterioration and you do wonder about what that means for red ball anytime soon...
Curran's figures are poor for a player who is constantly picked in so many formats. 44 wickets in 21 Tests and very expensive in other formats like O.D.I's with an economy rate of 6.14. The selectors keep picking Chris Jordan with a T20 economy of 8.81. It is like the bad old days of Jade Dernbach who used to turn up to be flogged to all parts.
Didn't realise Curran had so few wickets.
To be fair to Jordan that's probably not a bad economy rate considering he bowls exclusively in the PP and in the death overs.
Curran basically gets picked as he's a left armer and he's an agressive left-handed bat. Makes a lot of difference in T20 change every over routine.
Of course Dernbach & both Currans play/played for Surrey which always gives players an advantage at gaining and retaining an England place.
Not selected for the T20 squad. I'd like to think that this means he'll be available for at least one of our T20 matches, but I won't get my hopes up.
The time is ripe for more idle Woaksy predictions. T20 quarter final? There's not much more for him to play on this year, I can't see him going straight into the test squad.