English cricket thread

[JohnnyKills]

Lots of rain forecast for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday so this will be a start stop test. Bowlers keeping warm and batsman retaining concentration in between breaks will be critical. Probably the best way for England to get Smith out, just after a rain break, if a bowler can raise his game in those few moments of readjustment.

Given the rain, there will be plenty of cloud cover plus general conditions at Lords right now means it will be probably be a bowlers game again. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Siddle vs Archer, Broad, Woakes, Stokes looks like an even battle, but Lyon is clearly a better bet over Leach so that may be the deciding factor. Cant wait to see Archer in full flow.

Warner, Bancroft, Khawaga, Roy, Denly, Buttler all need scores to get into the series, and Bairstow is under huge pressure to justify any inclusion whatsoever.

I think Smith and Leach will be the deciding factor, and Australia will take a 2-0 lead.

Yep, you'd strongly fancy Australia wouldn't you. But if it's wet and soggy the ball will likely do a bit, which plays into England's hands.

 

[The Cat]

Working from home tomorrow!

 

[sammsky1]

 

[DOTA]

England to make it 1-1 with Lyon recording 2-250 in the match.

 

[sammsky1]

Jofra Archer may be my favourite sports player right now.

Loved this interview: he is so genuine, down to earth and gracious.

What a talent and must be amazing for Morgan and Root to have him in their side.

 

[DOTA]

Jofra Archer may be my favourite sports player right now.

He says all the right things. Always sounds confident without sounding arrogant and always sounds up for it without pinning hopes on it.

Gives the impression of a cricket fan living his best life right now.

Time shall tell.

 

[The Cat]

Bollocks this is going to be rained off today isn't it?

 

[NinjaFletch]

Would be harsh on Leach, but if we do lose today, with more weather forecast later on the week, I might be tempted to pick Curran and not play a spinner.

 

[EdWeatherall]

Would be harsh on Leach, but if we do lose today, with more weather forecast later on the week, I might be tempted to pick Curran and not play a spinner.

Yep. Agree.
Especially with more rain forecast be off and on, so seamers will be fresh. You could even potentially make a case for an additional batsman (if they had one in the squad)

 

[JohnnyKills]

The shorter the game is, the more it should play into our hands. It'll make the pitch juicier for our medium-pacers and reduce the scope for Lyon.

Just got to hope we win the toss and bowl.

 

[Sassy Colin]

My office is only a couple of miles away form St Johns Wood and it's absolutely chucking it down atm.

Might get something around 5 or 6, but most likely a washout as it will take time to dry up the out field a bit.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Play has been abandoned for the day.

 

[zing]

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Nice touch to let Chris Jordan give it to Archer.

 

[zing]

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And this is wonderful.

 

[Cloud7]

Joe Root to open the batting again I see

 

[AJ10]

Someone tell Roy............ its ok to leave balls in test.

Shocking Innings.

 

[NinjaFletch]

In a nutshell why Roy isn't a test match opener.

 

[Samid]

"Root comes a bit earlier than expected to the crease"

Expected by whom?

 

[NinjaFletch]

Can we please, please, select an opener and allow Root to bat where he gets runs?

 

[sammsky1]

26-2

England in real trouble

 

[NinjaFletch]

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Well there you go, the reason the top order is shit is because they're as bad at batting as our number 11s.

 

[EdWeatherall]

Can we please, please, select an opener and allow Root to bat where he gets runs?

Who?

 

[Snowjoe]

Will take that at lunch all day after that start

 

[NinjaFletch]

Who?

Sibley, probably.

At this point I don't even care if they get runs, just deaden the new ball and allow the stroke makers to come out when the ball isn't moving sideways.

It's why I never really had an issue with Stoneman, he got his runs slow as feck, and had a habit of not converting, but he at least hang around. His replacement by a much more fragile top order batsman in Jennings was a sideways step at best. That said, I'm not sure he was quite good enough and wouldn't go back to him, but he was proof that you don't have to be that great a player to hang around, you just need to be very compact.

 

[AJ10]

Reckon Burns will once again punish Aussies for missed opportunity.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Sibley, probably.

At this point I don't even care if they get runs, just deaden the new ball and allow the stroke makers to come out when the ball isn't moving sideways.

It's why I never really had an issue with Stoneman, he got his runs slow as feck, and had a habit of not converting, but he at least hang around. His replacement by a much more fragile top order batsman in Jennings was a sideways step at best. That said, I'm not sure he was quite good enough and wouldn't go back to him, but he was proof that you don't have to be that great a player to hang around, you just need to be very compact.

Agree. We just need someone who can see off the first 15-20 overs. We've got plenty of strokemakers to pick the pace up later on.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Can we please, please, select an opener and allow Root to bat where he gets runs?

We've got to find an opener and a number three in that case. We're struggling to find one of them at the moment and there aren't many options in county cricket.

 

[NinjaFletch]

We've got to find an opener and a number three in that case. We're struggling to find one of them at the moment and there aren't many options in county cricket.

Well we need two batsmen anyway, there's no point persisting with this insane Root policy, it's just killing our best batsman to try and make it easier for players who just aren't up to it.

 

[DOTA]

We've got to find an opener and a number three in that case. We're struggling to find one of them at the moment and there aren't many options in county cricket.

I think Sibley, Burns, Stokes, Root, Roy would be a decent batting order but I'm not sure we can bat Ben at three given how many overs we have him bowling at present.

 

[NinjaFletch]

I think Sibley, Burns, Stokes, Root, Roy would be a decent batting order but I'm not sure we can bat Ben at three given how many overs we have him bowling at present.

He doesn't even want to bat at 5 at the minute because of his bowling.

 

[DOTA]

He doesn't even want to bat at 5 at the minute because of his bowling.

I know. I wouldn't be opposed to having him focus on his batting, though, but I guess we can't do that just yet. Probably waiting to see if Sam Curran establishes himself, for that one.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Well we need two batsmen anyway, there's no point persisting with this insane Root policy, it's just killing our best batsman to try and make it easier for players who just aren't up to it.

No I agree completely, just saying why they're probably reluctant.

 

[JohnnyKills]

He doesn't even want to bat at 5 at the minute because of his bowling.

Think Stokes will move away from being a genuine all-rounder and towards a Kallis-esque player - a specialist batsman who bowls a few overs when we need a wicket.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

I think Sibley, Burns, Stokes, Root, Roy would be a decent batting order but I'm not sure we can bat Ben at three given how many overs we have him bowling at present.

Think that looks pretty good but then you can only play one of Buttler or Bairstow as a keeper and hope Curran can bat a number 7.

 

[Cooksen]

The atmosphere kinda sucks atm compared to the last test.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Think that looks pretty good but then you can only play one of Buttler or Bairstow as a keeper and hope Curran can bat a number 7.

Curran's bowling isn't good enough really. He'll have to bat in the top 6 if he's going to play.

Having watched him in the India series, don't see why he can't bat in the top 3. That's where the gaps are, after all.

 

[DOTA]

How on earth did he catch that.

 

[JohnnyKills]

What a spell this is from Cummins. Top-class short-pitched bowling.

Burns looks a real find though doesn't he. Now we just need to find Nos 2 and 3.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Curran's bowling isn't good enough really. He'll have to bat in the top 6 if he's going to play.

Having watched him in the India series, don't see why he can't bat in the top 3. That's where the gaps are, after all.

Well he is good enough to be a 4th seamer surely? He can do that batting at 7. Just means the keeper will have to bat at 6 which either Buttler or Bairstow should be able to do.

 

[Dan_F]

Third time lucky. This is dire. Australia won’t even need to bat a second innings at this rate.