I'm sure he can also say the words 'I think we can win this' with conviction.
English cricket thread
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Maybe it'll end quickly in the morning (hope not, for everyone's sake, really) but I'm glad Ireland have at least managed a respectable start here.
He could be quite ruthless in selection behind the scenes Hales is one example.
Did we ever get the full story there? I assumed at the time he'd been deemed a danger to easily lead teammates.
Pretty sure it was Morgan's insistance that he was finished - think Hales got the call up to the last WC only after Morgan had stepped down.
Ah yes, quality leadership that.
England are a cluster of injuries away from having a bowling attack of Potts, Tongue and Woakes captained by Ollie Pope against Australia.
Not sure many teams would look too healthy if their first six pace bowlers got injured.
No, but it’s a real concern for England navigating the next 6 weeks or so, especially with Stokes’ knee. If Stokes can’t bowl they need to reconsider the composition of the side with Stokes as a specialist bat and captain.
Yeah definitely. Especially if the pitches are like this. Could be a lot of overs to get through. I don’t know what the prognosis is for Stone and Wood, but it seems like we’ll need some genuine pace. That said, the chance of this weather continuing on for much longer seems pretty slim, some nice cloudy conditions would be good for day one
Part of me really wants Ireland to take the game in to tomorrow, just to spite our overly fond of their days off lot.
EDIT - Relatedly, the BBC says this is a 4 day test match. Is it? I'd missed that if so.
EDIT - Relatedly, the BBC says this is a 4 day test match. Is it? I'd missed that if so.
It's often forgotten about because he's never really played red ball cricket, but I still think Tymal Mills would also be playing for England in the long form if it weren't for his back problem.
The back condition he suffers from and which he can't do anything about is a great shame.
The back condition he suffers from and which he can't do anything about is a great shame.
Just catching up on the highlights, because I’m trying to find any distractions possible from the football.
Anyone see Stokes limping after taking a catch? No chance he’s going to be bowling, which makes me wonder why he can’t give opening a go.
Anyone see Stokes limping after taking a catch? No chance he’s going to be bowling, which makes me wonder why he can’t give opening a go.
I've not seen it but it's been getting a lot of attention.
I'd kinda like the idea, if I thought he would bat something like he used to, but his own game has probably been the worst affected by Bazball.
Yeah he’s been dire with the bat recently. He’d have to reign it in but I don’t see what we’d lose with him over Crawley. There’s plenty of firepower lower down.
I think my worry would be that it's worse for your captain to get out doing something fecking stupid at the very start of your innings than it is for him to do so in the middle order. Sets a horrible tone.
If he genuinely was up for it and not in a 'I want to be the first person to score 36 from the first over of a test match' kinda way then I do get the appeal. His technique against the moving ball has previously been about as good as we have.
I don’t really have any doubt he could do it technique wise. Either way, it won’t be happening at the moment, so I guess it’s a conversation for at least a few tests time if Crawley doesn’t impress.
In the end that really wasn't up there with the worst performances we see from sides coming to play test cricket in England. Teams with a lot more talent have fared far worse.
Yeah Ireland did very well today to avoid the innings defeat.
Hard to read too much into a test like this and with most of the first choice bowlers rested, but it was a little worrying seeing how flat the pitch was, plus Stokes clearly not being fit.
Hard to read too much into a test like this and with most of the first choice bowlers rested, but it was a little worrying seeing how flat the pitch was, plus Stokes clearly not being fit.
Although obviously you'd expect Tongue to find it harder to get a 5-for against the Aussie batsmen, I was nonetheless impressed with his skill and application. Touch of Peter Siddle about him perhaps?
The issue is going to be Leach. At times some of the Irish lower order were very dismissive of him so imagine the treatment from the Aussie middle order. Going to be some big scores again I think in this Ashes.
Yep Leach and also whether Broad and Anderson lose intensity in the second innings. If everyone is fit we have some good options to turn to with Robinson, Woakes, Wood etc. but flat pitches in the heat won’t really play to our strengths. Shame Archer is out again.
I don't think I'd be picking both of Broad and Anderson unless the weather's really terrible and it's likely to be swinging round corners (at which point you might want Woakes anyway of course). I'd feel more confident with e.g. Anderson, Robinson, Wood/Tongue and Leach. I suppose you can always consider Woakes as an all rounder to bolster the attack though if you're worried about fitness / Leach. Not quite sure who you drop mind, push Stokes up to open I suppose?
Jack Leach is ruled out for the Ashes
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Wow big loss considering England need a reliable spinner who could just bowl all day especially if Stokes can’t bowl. Not sure Rehan can do the containing role
I don't know what we do, to be honest. That's a really unfortunate one.
Wasn't watching yesterday but the radio commentary mentioned him going off for a while, assumed there was nothing wrong as there hadn't been an update so that's unfortunate.
Rehan Ahmed would be a gamble especially with Stokes' fitness issues but there's not really anyone else unless Moeen can be tempted back for the summer.
Rehan Ahmed would be a gamble especially with Stokes' fitness issues but there's not really anyone else unless Moeen can be tempted back for the summer.
Woakes at number 7? With either Jacks or Ahmed as the spinner. Can’t see how England can go with just 3 seamers and a rookie spinner.
Presumably they'll pick Jacks. Would be much happier if they went for Patterson-White from Notts. Edit: just seen his average for this season is 200+ so unlikely.
Or England will see it as an excuse to go four seamers (plus Stokes) with Root bowling a fair chunk.
Or England will see it as an excuse to go four seamers (plus Stokes) with Root bowling a fair chunk.
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There’s a distinct lack of spin options isn’t there.
I’m not sure you can chuck Ahmed into an Ashes series.
I’m not sure you can chuck Ahmed into an Ashes series.
Will Jacks appears to have bowled 12 overs so far this season.
To be blunt, I think Australia would have smashed him out of the attack anyway. It’s a real shame for Leach though because he’s worked so hard throughout his career but always seems to get injured at the most inopportune of moments. I think England go for Dawson or Woakes, make the batting a bit deeper which means you can get away with playing Anderson and Broad in tandem.
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Something like:
Crawley
Duckett
Pope
Root
Brook
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes/Dawson
Robinson
Broad
Anderson
I imagine it’s a bit too late to tempt Moeen back.
Personally I’d bin Crawley too, get Root opening (he was practically doing that for 18 months pre Bazball) and then get another seamer in to cover for Stokes not being able to bowl.
Crawley
Duckett
Pope
Root
Brook
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes/Dawson
Robinson
Broad
Anderson
I imagine it’s a bit too late to tempt Moeen back.
Personally I’d bin Crawley too, get Root opening (he was practically doing that for 18 months pre Bazball) and then get another seamer in to cover for Stokes not being able to bowl.
I'm not sure what kind of pitch we'd do this on? If it's green we'd wanna go Woakes over Dawson, if it's dry we probably wouldn't want 3 medium-fast (or do I mean fast-medium? I've never been sure on that) bowlers.
Woakes’ test record in England is pretty amazing, first test is at his home ground and the second one is Lords where he’s always gone well. He’s the default, Wood and Tongue for the pitches that require something different.
I don’t think England should fear picking the best English bowlers in England all together. Broad loves the Ashes, Jimmy is Jimmy and Robinson has taken to tests like a duck to water.
Not a fan of going in without a recognised spinner, always feels like it backfires on England
That’s a real shame for the series. He’s not a top spinner but we have so few alternatives, it basically removes that option for us completely.
Has to be 3 seamers, Woakes, spinning all rounder of some description now I think. I just don't believe Stokes is going to be fit to bowl a meaningful number of overs and we need him to focus on batting and captaincy. I'd love to see:
Duckett
Stokes
Pope
Root
Brook
Bairstow
Jacks
Woakes
Robinson
Wood(/Tongue if Wood isn't properly fit)
Anderson/Broad
In that first test.
It's a shame Parkinson never got a crack though, I'd feel more confident throwing him in if he'd had a chance to show what he can do than to hand Rehan Ahmed a potential hospital pass.
Duckett
Stokes
Pope
Root
Brook
Bairstow
Jacks
Woakes
Robinson
Wood(/Tongue if Wood isn't properly fit)
Anderson/Broad
In that first test.
It's a shame Parkinson never got a crack though, I'd feel more confident throwing him in if he'd had a chance to show what he can do than to hand Rehan Ahmed a potential hospital pass.
How many left-handed batters are we expecting to face? If it's a few I like TwoSheds' balance there. If it's one then I'd be willing to do desperate things to get a slow left armer in rather than two part time off spinners against a loada right-handers.
Off the top of my head it’ll be something like:
Warner
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Carey
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood
So 6 lefties and 5 right handers so pretty balanced.