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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

My best every season of @thecricketdraft.bsky.social 📈 After back to back 750ish finishes, I've cracked the top 300 on the season. Without missing a deadline it could have been even better. If we can get dynamic price changes then it's really cooking 🔥

Screen grab from the cricket draft app. For Howes-zat. 2601 points in GW 15 and 28,457 points on the season for a top 300 finish

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I like the idea of Curran but always want more. Left armer, can bat, swings the ball, and competitive. It's all there. If the top order fires you can pack 7-11 with wicket takers as they'll win you games. But a wobble leaves you at least one batter short. Just repeat yesterday every game 🤣

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I guess so. He's been underwhelming so far, 22 with the bat and 40 with the ball 🤷🏼‍♀️ Getting Rashid back in the team would mean dropping one of Atkinson, Archer, Tongue or Overton and I think they all have a higher output with the ball than Curran.

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

If someone takes it clean then go for it, give me one replay and acknowledge it. Only give me multiple replays for something funny

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

People celebrating taking a rebound catch in the crowd after a six is one of the big plights of modern cricket 😂

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

England feel like a seam bowling all-rounder short of having great balance. The other option given this current makeup would be to have Coles bat at 7 as the first choice spinner

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

England have thrown so much at the wall when it comes to their opening pair in ODIs, surely Banton has done enough to get a prolonged run. Bethell at 6 and Jacks at 7 gives the extra depth but you would need to get a decent amount of overs from them.

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It is quite baffling that Abell has played zero international games. One of the most aesthetically pleasing batters in County Cricket and an average of 37 in FC and 30 in List A would usually be enough to get at least one game

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

It's been some implosion by Notts the last couple of games. Went from driving seat for the title to 85 all out and likely finishing 3rd

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Sri Lanka have out bowled England at the death. That said, this match turned on Buttler's injury. Another key moment was Banton not kicking on. Should have made 120+ and made it tough to bring Bethell back

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Reposted by Forward Defensive Podcast

Pieter De Boiserie @pdeboiserie.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

If you are listening to county cricket right now, email the comms team to thank them for their work! Show the BBC we care about this valuable service! @kevinhowells.bsky.social

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I've been chipping away at Hades for a while and it's brilliant. Really excited to finish it and see what the sequel has in store

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It's been a great year when you actually have to find out what the title tie breakers are

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I don't think it was bailed out at all. 260 was a good score. The position England were in at 180ish for 3 didn't reflect the difficulty of the wicket. Sri Lanka bowled better in the 2nd half of the innings and would have to bat well to chase that total down. That said England left a few out there

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

He has to be the player of the match after this display

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

That said, maybe he could be the middle overs bowler England have missed since Plunkett

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Will Jacks is doing a great job as the finisher in this England ODI side. Been moved all over the place but he should be given a long run at 6/7. Stranded by those below him. Rehan awful. Overton baffled. Atkinson tried. Think England have gone round the houses to get a decent total.

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Jamie Overton Vs Spin is almost bullying. The guy had no hope, yet alone picking a leg spinner with a funky action

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I don't know. The IPL drags on too long and there's too many sixes hit, there's always another franchise league and the world cups sort of leave me feeling cold. I actually quite like a series that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. But I think some better context could help

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Especially if you're at the ground. A dull game doesn't gain much by being part of a world cup for example

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Not a single game lives long in the memory but England are bloody fun to watch in T20 cricket

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Feels very cricket for something off the field to basically settle what is building to be an incredible end of the season. While the Leicestershire pitch looked strange I don't think it played worse than many of the others we've seen.

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

England will probably get some criticism after how yesterday went but ultimately this is another hammering. Few things to work out but after the New Zealand series they needed to hand out a drubbing

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Great week for Ben Duckett is finally over. 3 (I think) drops, 11 runs total, 1 awful interview

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Ben Duckett once again proving he shouldn't be allowed to speak to the media...

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Lawrence has kept the door just enough ajar that Bethell could come back in as the spinner batting at 6 for the South Africa series

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Question - Who are the really good sides at Test cricket? The 90s and 00s Aus teams, England around 2012, that South Africa side who made it to number 1... Those teams are long gone and this "really good team" you speak of doesn't exist. Can we stop this cycle of misery please?!!

Screenshot of the CricInfo live blog of England Vs Pakistan. Commenter Angus says "Good litmus test of where England's batting is at. A really good team world get 500 on this pitch against this attack..."

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Ben McKinney going on his way today passing 150. He's got some monster scores and quite a few low ones. He's so much fun to watch when he gets going though!

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Been watching wickets fall around the grounds on NV Play for a while now and in the last few rounds I have seen so many players looking aggrieved by LBW decisions. Almost every one now gets a frustrated look back at the umpire

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Wasn't McCullum running a no dickheads policy when coach of the Test team?

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Well I guess they had gone about 2 weeks without controversy so we're overdue... Can't we just leave KP as an incredible former player and now, weirdly, a YouTuber

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

George Hill has taken an incredible caught and bowled against Surrey. Nonchalant celebration makes it even better

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

There's rightly backlash whenever he gets a contract or selected. You have to be living under a rock to miss it and for everyone involved with Hampshire to make such a mess of this is pretty inexcusable

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Being ignorant isn't the excuse you think it is

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Bashir spinning through the Gloucestershire middle order on day 1 after it's rained for about 7 days in a row 😬

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Must be a better record than any of the bowlers that Somerset tried to fix their opening partnership with

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Mason Crane opening the batting for Glamorgan in September. Sure why not 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Don't mind them coming into the side at all. It's named and agreed at the toss but for a player to bowl a long spell and come off for an international quality, who immediately can bowl (or bat) seems a little wrong

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Agree with the rule 100% just think maybe applying something like the rule for players leaving the field. They have to be on the field for an hour or so before they can bowl/bat

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I have no problem with the rule. It's much better for them to be playing rather than sat around carrying drinks for England. BUT, for them immediately to come into the attack after the player they replace has bowled a long spell doesn't feel right

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Did Scott Currie bowl an 8 over spell and then get replaced by Baker? If so, there should probably be something in the rules about players being able to come into the team and immediately get involved

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

And that is why cricket is the greatest sport 😅

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Is Zak Crawley the most in-form English opener in the country? 🤣

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Final thing on Root (probably 😅), yes he's been out LBW 8 times in 10 innings but his technique means he's infront of the stumps. He's triggering onto off stump so the danger delivery is the ball nipping back. Anything outside his eye can be left. Every technique has a flaw. This is Root's.

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

He went on the previous tour of Aus and infamously bowled spin. Funnily given the state of their pitches he'd have been a handful on an Aussie seamer

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I think one of the biggest arguments to demonstrate the bowling era is looking at someone like Ollie Robinson. Is he really good enough to be averaging less than 21 with the ball in Tests?

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

It's definitely worthy of a discussion. I do think there's something in the quality of pitches, very rare that you see a "good" pitch where bowlers have to get batters out. Lord's has been a minefield for years. Don't get me started on the bowlers of yesteryear being quicker 😬🤣

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Forward Defensive Podcast @forwarddefpod.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

In addition to this, we're playing in a bowler dominated era. Even on TMS Simon Mann is arguing against the data because batters were "better" previously. Think I might have lost my head here 🤣

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