And we have 3 wicket keepers, think we are way too strong for WI but you never know with test cricket
Thought best we start the new year with a new thread and it promises to be a bumper year with the World Cup on home soil and the Ashes!
But first, Test match cricket is back!!!!! The England team to face the West Indies in the first Test -
We have 2 spinners which I think is correct, but the crazy thing is the depth of batting - mind-blowing. It does make you question if we really need to fuss over the whole number 3 - yes a solid one would be ideal, but if it doesn't come off one of the all rounders is likely to have a half decent day you'd think.
Anyway lets see what happens today, the Windies will have a bat!
Last edited by crazyp; 24th July 2019 at 10:16.
And we have 3 wicket keepers, think we are way too strong for WI but you never know with test cricket
Looking forward to it.
The Windies didn't look that great last time though.
Cheers,
Neil.
Gawd, I’ve only been listening for a few overs but wow, I miss TMS...
End of day 1 and 4 wickets from Jimmy in the last session keeps us in the game WI are 264-8.
I think our side is unbalanced though. We needed another seamer - preferably a proper fast bowler. And I'm not sure if Curran should have been picked over Broad.
The issue is too many wicketkeepers - one of Bairstow, Buttler or Foakes needs to make way if we want to play 2 spinners.
Onwards to Day 2!
I watched it on Sky yesterday, and Anderson was sublime, given that he had little to work with - neither the pitch nor the ball was doing much, if anything. At one point he'd bowled 14 overs for 14 runs.
And the Windies don't have a full-time spinner, yet England have opted for two. On the evidence of yesterday it seems that sacrificing Broad for Rashid might not pay off, but it's a five day game so you never know. Ben Stokes made a difference, properly aggressive, and a couple of wickets which pegged the Windies back, then he and Anderson could get stuck in with the new ball, which did a bit more than the original one, and exposed the lack of depth in the hosts' batting, although Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer both looked as though they were capable of a big score. Hetmyer will have to grind out whatever he can with the tail now.
One of the commentators made the point that England's quicks were all rather one-paced, with Anderson and Curran around 80mph, and Stokes up at 83-84. He said that England lack a proper X-factor fast bowler at the moment, and it's hard to deny that he's right. Jofra Archer for the Ashes squad, perhaps?
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
I think the 2 spinners was a naive selection - it would have made more sense if we were bowling 4th on this pitch. Which we're not.
I highlighted the seamer issue above and fully agree. Need a 90mph+ bowler who can bowl 5 over bursts at high intensity. Runs and economy aren't really an issue with a bowler like that. And you can manage the workload so someone like Archer is possible. Can the lad bat, that seems to be the key criteria for any position nowadays.....
Top stuff this from the Windies.
Great bowling from Roach!
From a purely personal point of view, I hope they perform well( possibly even win) as I’m off to St Lucia to watch the 3rd test ( and would be great if it was a series decider)
Just in from work. Thought I'd catch up with the cricket. Wish I hadn't bothered. England are 73-9. Ouch.
Christ, I've not even gone through the text. But 77, shows we have a LOT to do.
Watched the afternoon session, excellent bowling from the Windies. Some poor luck (two played on!!) and poor shots (Moeen). All down to the bowlers. Again.
Tapatapatapatapatalk
England were cocky yet again, thinking they won't have to work hard having beaten India.
England seem to do this every now and again, thing is they have the tools to do better and hopefully this will focus their minds a bit.
At least it’s not the old Atherton days of rolling ones eyes and looking to the heavens for inspiration.
I still think England will be the better team going into the ashes.
We are a lot better at home. Just look at India in Australia - very easily done by them and we handled them very well last summer.
Our excellent performance in Sri Lanka had led to a sense of walking this series. Guess not!
We were pointing out we need a real fast bowler, but with Sir jimmy it’s not an issue compared to our woeful batting unit.
Relying far too much on our all rounders bailing us out, while we have a serious, serious issue of no decent specialist batsmen apart from Root. 1 decent dedicated batsman in this team....eek!
Burns and Keyton Jennings as our openers. Every opposition bowlers must be rubbing their hands in delight.
Are they really the best we've got?
Quite possibly. We seem to have trialled most of the openers in the counties over the last couple of years. Burns is still relatively fresh (there was a large clamour for him to be selected last year) but as for Jennings...
At least they were both still there at the close.
Tapatapatapatapatalk
Triple century for Root next couple of days, sorted.
Anyone else get lucky in the ticket ballot?
Day 2 at Lords for the Ashes test.
Well done, enjoy it! The only possible downside might be England's rather poor form against Australia at Lord's. Although we probably won't lose it by Day 2.
As for the events of the last few days, 18 wickets fell on Day 2, none at all yesterday, which was even more surprising as Jennings and Burns were at the crease for the last 20 overs or so.
One of the Sky commentators, probably Bumble, said on Thursday that if this had been a Division 1 game in England the ECB would have sent in the pitch inspectors.
If we can somehow get through the next two days it will be nothing short of a miracle, but whatever happens the England selectors will have learned a valuable lesson this week.
England should use the next two days as an extended net session, and get some of our much-vaunted extended middle order into form. This is only the start of a very big year indeed.
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
It's all gone a bit quiet here since Friday. Not surprising really.
We'll done with those tickets MrSmith, it should be a good day out. Took the boy there to the India one dayer last year which was really good.
Test 2 in on, though not sure if that is a good or bad thing if you're an England fan. Burns out to a decent ball (fair enough) but Denly was just SHOCKING - wide long-hop loosener ball and toe'd it. Oh dear. I do agree on Hales or Roy being given a chance.
Other than Broad being in, same England. Let's see how it goes.....
Oh dear, is all started badly again.
26 balls to get the scoreboard ticking over, then next but one ball 1st wicket falls.
Openers fail again.
34 for 3.
Last edited by Nigel306; 31st January 2019 at 17:40.
It's all ended badly as well.
A 10-wicket hammering. With a batting lineup that appears to go as deep as Curran at 9, and largely the same team which beat India during the summer.
The pitches might be less than perfect, but they're the same for both sides. If we don't improve quickly, even a disorganised and dispirited Australia will beat us later in the year.
And we don't want that happening, do we?
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
Squad for the final Test announced - https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/47175439
First thoughts - I have no idea what’s going on. I think limitations of the squad - but I guess the idea is of utilising specialist batsmen. Except Jennings isn’t very good. I guess he will open with Burns.
Poor Foakes is one to get chppped - but 3 keepers is too much and I prefer Bairstow at 6 than 3. Expect him to make a 100. Now what are the odds we are 10-3 after 5 overs....
Wood probably has to play - we were desperately shot of a proper fast bowler last Test. Curran is a fine player but these pitches are not for him.
Mercifully the last Teat - it’s been tough watching.
It's not too late to get rid of Mark Ramprakash as batting coach before the Ashes is it?
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
"Windies opt to bowl..."let's see what happens.
Predictably, Jennings out early waving the bat at a wide one. I've said this before, but if any English batsman gets out in this manner, he should automatically forfeit 50% of his match fee.
The money can be donated to a fund to pay for better batting coaches for under-19's so they have bad habits drilled out of them before they play at Senior level.
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
The old adage is what happens if you add two to the score - and now we see, 69-3 and some trouble. It's also a fine balance in Test match about gritting it and also keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
Burns got a decent ball, Denly I am not convinced at international level tbh.
Root and Buttler have an old ball now, so if the job of the opening is to wear out the bowlers a bit and the shine, job done.
Meanwhile, a little something for you to enjoy:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06z6x5p
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
This is a bit more like it! Mark Wood showing that genuine pace is the answer in most cricketing situations. A fantastic spell of bowling.
And not a minute too soon - this is the last Test, other than what is no more than an exhibition match against Ireland, before we entertain the inmates of HMP Australia.
And we still haven't found a decent top order. Perhaps Ed Smith has lost Alex Hales' phone number...
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
We've said many times that this team needs someone who can hit 90mph consistently. Really happy for Wood and hope he can keep this up. I am not sure Anderson/Broad could have taken the wickets so cheaply.
As for top order, not sure what to say really....just hope we get to 100-3 and consider that an achievement.
I worry about our ability as a team to actually rack up more than 300 runs let alone 400-450. It is a concern.
I'll never understand cricket:
ENG 277
WI 154
ENG 202/3 (62.5 Ovs)
325-4 at the close. Has the pitch flattened or the ball not moving so much (couldn't watch today). Root with a hundred. Shame it is in the dead rubber.
Final thoughts for the day - are we (again) talking about a lack of decent preparation before a Test series?
In many ways are we better playing ODIs and T20s before Tests to get a better feel? We did that in Sri Lanka and certainly looked more comfortable.
ODI time and not the greatest start. Just the 361 to chase in the first with a world record 23 sixes smashed against us. Our quicks were poor and I felt Rashid came into the innings too late and that Roy drop of Gayle was not great.
It will be interesting to see how we go about it actually, I'm not ruling us out just yet....
You could say it bowling wasn't up to scratch, but the pitch was made for batting.
Very good chase.
Not a huge fan of the one day game, but that certainly was rather entertaining. Nice to see Joy and Root getting runs.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Hmm...30-overs-a-side.
Update...more rain.
Edit And now...'Match Abandoned.'
Last edited by PickleB; 25th February 2019 at 19:54.