Simon Jones

[Rachael]

Simon Jones's County form has been grabbing headlines:

See Simon Jones is determined to play for England again - Times Online

Simon Jones surges toward Ashes comeback - Cricket News - Telegraph

This is a thread for monitoring his progress: please stick any and all links, reports and match stats here!

[Moss]

I've been thinking about Jones for a while now.
His move to Worcestershire was a sensible one, and it would be exciting to see him back to somewhere like his 2005 best, as we could do with him at the moment.
A five man attack of Flintoff, Jones, Panesar, Sidebottom and Broad would be good to see.

I don't know how ready he is for the demands of intense 5 day matches. I think he's been mentioned for the ODIs against South Africa.

[pie_chucker]

I posted a link to a cricinfo article somewhere, I try and find it.

Edit: found it.
Cricinfo - Blogs - The Surfer - Jones' pedigree shines bright (and fast)

I think Worcestershire have managed his injuries well and he looks to be finding some pace and form. If he can stay injury free for the rest of this season.....

[Collyisamackem]

Vaughan made it back, I believe Jones can - and possibly more to the point of being the player he was than Flintoff in my opinion. We need a fast, skillful bowler and Anderson may become that, but Jones is that and I seriously hope he gets through this summer without serious problems and can play for England again. He has time, and I think writing him off was unfair and that's why I never did it, so I'm prepared to believe he can make it again. I still remember balls of the sheer brilliance that removed Michael Clarke and co in the Ashes, and his ability to start a spell with a wicket more often than any England bowler in my memory, and whilst those are past now he is the same man and can clearly still do it .

[greg]

Yes he has ability and hopefully he will stay fit but he has to play more regularly to even contemplate picking him for England again.Are Worcestershire staggering his games to build him up or because he simply can't cope with back to back games.I hope it is the former but only time will tell,if he plays 10 first class matches and gets nearly 50 wickets then i would say he deserves consideration,if he doesn't then forget him for this year and see how strong he is next.

[Statto]

Someone else who still has ability is Steve Harmison, currently in his 2nd spell and on 9-7-3-2, with the 3 consisting of a wide and a no-ball (which counts 2). Nothing like drying up the runs is there.

[Oliver]

Jones' action is better than Harmison's, if fit he will always be a better bowler than the Durham sprayster.
I'm not sure that Vaughan damaged his cruciate.

If Jones can come back again it will be as manna from heaven for the England attack. We do need a settled wicket-keeper who can bat well (Reed is scoring runs again, but perhaps he's had too many chances - could we put Ramprakash behind the sticks?) then we can have that man at six (whoever he is - not Geraint Jones, not Prior, or Ambrose apparently) then Flintoff, Broad, Jones, Sidebottom and Panesar.

Wow THAT tail is beginning to look quite strong.

Perhaps there is a case for Broad coming in ahead of Flintoff - until AF remembers how to bat. He certainly doesn't seem to know at the moment.

So now we've got a five man bowling attack. Which of the top six batsmen are we going to drop?

If anyone remembers me, they'll know who I'll be gunning for.

[Rachael]

This all strikes me as highly premature... and I'm more interested at this stage in Jones' comeback as a force in domestic cricket. That said, if England get Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff back fit and in form then Anderson and Broad make way: straight swaps... though Broad should expect to be first reserve seamer for every game.

Get Read/Foster/Mustard behind the pegs (the one decision that HAS been wrong since Moores took over) and the side would be very strong indeed (sole concern: Collingwood's form... though that should return sooner rather than later).

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Collingwood's form... though that should return sooner rather than later.

Perhaps Collingwood's form would return with an imposed and lengthy spell in county cricket.

"And don't come back till you've made three centuries."

I remember Allan Lamb once going four years between centuries. He played every Test match between, but didn't get another century till the following West Indian series.
He was different class than Collingwood though. Not gritty, but a better batsman against much more fiercesome attacks.
One hopes that Collingwood won't be allowed to play four seasons between centuries. It's tiresome enough that England's batsmen don't regularly make centuries. Strauss is my man, but getting out on 106 irritates the hell out of me.
"Stay there man... for goodness same make a really BIG score."

I don't know... I don't see why Broad should be dropped if Flintoff is fit. I'm guessing you'd like Hoggard back.
I suppose he will come in when his thumb mends anyway, in which case Anderson WILL give way.

But I would like to see the five man attack I suggested. I don't suppose Jones' cruciate (and other injuries) will ever allow him to play five day matches though.

More's the pity.

One wonders what James Foster has done. He doesn't seem to get a look-in these days.

Moores seems to be a bit ineffectual. Perhaps a new coach would be a good idea.
Yup, the honeymoon period is over.

Anyone for Tom Moody?

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Statto

Someone else who still has ability is Steve Harmison, currently in his 2nd spell and on 9-7-3-2, ..... Nothing like drying up the runs is there.

He's been bowling much better as the seasons went on.

Quote from the sporting life website

Steve Harmison, who did not concede runs off the bat until his 11th over....
..The fast bowler struck first by bowling Hopkinson with a full-length delivery and Yardy was later bowled shouldering arms

Which means he must have bowled fairly straight, especially as he beat the bat loads.

He's bowled a fair bit of limited over stuff for Durham and only bowled about 3 wides in 40 overs or so. And he's generally been quite tight. The pace is also back.
However until certain members of the coaching staff get fired its very unlikely he will play for England again.

Originally Posted by Oliver

Jones' action is better than Harmison's,

Not really. Jones' action is a bit like Goughys. Its very explosive and he has to put everything in to his action to bowl quick - thats why he breaks down a lot.

Originally Posted by Oliver

..if fit he will always be a better bowler than the Durham sprayster.

Jones is quite a "sprayster" himself. If you re watch him in the ashes he was bowling full tosses and long hops every over. Before that series Vaughan didn't really trust him - he hardly bowled.

Originally Posted by Oliver

If Jones can come back again it will be as manna from heaven for the England attack.

I will agree there though as long as Flintoff is in the team and Harmison is also thereabouts

Originally Posted by Oliver

Perhaps Collingwood's form would return with an imposed and lengthy spell in county cricket.

I'm not sure how productive that would be. Nearly all county attacks are jokes apart from Durhams and he aint going to bat against that. Scoring runs against some county trundlers isn't going to get him ready for batting against Steyn, Ntini and co...

Originally Posted by Oliver

I don't know... I don't see why Broad should be dropped if Flintoff is fit.

Because Broad is and always will be an ineffectual test bowler. IMO the only way Broad should play is if he can bat at 8 and be the 5th bowler who can keep it tight. A wicket taker he isn't.

Originally Posted by Oliver

But I would like to see the five man attack I suggested. I don't suppose Jones' cruciate (and other injuries) will ever allow him to play five day matches though.

Thats the thing with Jones you dont know how long it will be till he breaks down again. Personally i wouldnt consider him until he has a summers bowling under his belt. Then I'd ease him in against the WI next winter ready for the Aussies.

Originally Posted by Oliver

Moores seems to be a bit ineffectual. Perhaps a new coach would be a good idea.

Moores is very ineffectual. Everyone apart from Rachael can see that. So far Moores has made hard work of beating the weakest WI team ever to tour. We struggled to beat a weak NZ team and struggled even more against a weaker NZ team.