80/3. Yesterday the Aussies ended 487/7 dec on this wicket. Going to stop posting now for what looks like a procession of wickets but my prediction of collapsing without so much as a whimper for sub 170 looks about right. It's so easy to forget that we may be #1 in the world at the 50 over game but are still really poor at test cricket. 122-8 was a false dawn and just think how one sided this match would have been without that start.
Looking forward to watching the highlights tonight to see our determined fight to stay in the match. Grinding out a draw. Less than 2 runs an over may be boring but the important thing is we don't lose. Good old British grit. That never say die attitude. Heroes every last one of them, I'm sure.
Presumably Jimmy is out for the whole series, given they've sent him out to bat now knowing he can only make his injury worse.
All a bit too predictable in the end sadly! To think they were 125-8 in the First innings and we manage to lose by 250 runs. Archer and Leach to come in for Anderson/Ali maybe? Does Baistow need to be dropped.. I suppose the key is getting Smith out cheaply but even then we let them get a good few runs yesterday once he was out. Loard's next - and the Aussies like playing there.
Losing by 251 runs after they were 122-8 on day one. Embarrassing, even for a crap test team like us.
Absolute shambles I know we were hampered by losing our main strike bowler after 4 overs of the match, but that is still no excuse for this pitiful capitulation today
Need to get Jofra Archer in to rough up Steve Smith the same way Flintoff used to do to Ponting. Anything just leaves Smith comfortable and you’ll rarely win a game with a player is almost guaranteed a century in each innings.
Somerset Leach for Ali. Foakes for Bairstow. Root & Stokes back to the ranks, with Buttler & Burns to capt & vice. Root, Bairstow & Stokes are like some kindergarten comfort group. We have to flush out the soft northerners & get in some southern grit.
So much for sticking around until 7pm,it was all over by the time I'd finished my first two hours. I cannot believe the concentration on the white ball game can have such an impact on the test psyche.
Not sure Burns is secure enough for CD yet. Nor Buttler as a batsman atm though he seems a born leader, communicator, great attitude. Must surely bring Archer in unless there are still real injury concerns.
I assume “CD” was spellcheck’s answer to “VC”. Really hope they replace Ali with Leach and Anderson with Archer. Really would like to see Foakes in for Bairstow. Also Denly dropped for, not sure who, but is some ways it doesn’t really matter, anyone.
Depends it they take the view of ‘future’ over ‘current’. If selection means that any player picked has to be picked with a view to him being part of things long-term, then I really don’t know who to pick ahead of Denly. But if they allow themselves to pick a squad with just winning the series in mind, I really would go back to Ian Bell instead of Denly. I’d also like to see Adam Lyth given another chance as opener. I do think Roy has a future as a test opener but I’m not sure introducing him directly to the Ashes is a wise move in hindsight. The way he gave his wicket away in the second innings was a sign of his One-Day skills bias coming to the surface. It won’t be the last time he’s up against the kosh in the series and he simply can’t keep giving his wicket away so easily. Anderson is definitely out now and I suspect it will be for more than one test - Archer is a banker and will be needed to rough up Smith in the way we used to to Ponting. Leach has to come in for Ali who should be dropped from the squad entirely and go and work on technique and form in the County game for a few weeks. Get Rashid in as backup. I’d stick with Bairstow and put pressure on him inside the camp - he’s always generally responded when he thinks people are against him so I’d give him more time. He’s not as horribly out of form as Ali. If Roy stays in the team, I’d play Bairstow at 3 and drop Root back to 4. With one (or both) our openers regularly out cheaply, Root is a glorified 3rd opener playing 3 and that’s a waste of his talents. He’s better at 4.
I think Bell is injured, out for the season ? I'd never go back to Lyth. Would prefer Root at 4 but Bairstow is so out of touch and would only get minimal break from hours of wicketkeeping given the first wicket will fall early on.
Malan has been in great form this season, give him another go. Denly out for him. Give Bairstow one more chance, I do rate him (maybe not so much as a keeper though). Whilst it is tempting to make a load of changes, I don't think it would be wise. We'd be getting into England 1990's territory again I think. Saying that, watching the test did feel very much like I'd been transported back to the 1997 Ashes, or 1993 etc..
Yes, agree with all that. Archer for Anderson, Leach for Ali and Malan for Denly. The 3rd def won't happen and the second probably won't happen.
I think Ali will be dropped, but I am not convinced Leach will replace him. Possibly this is wishful thinking as a I want him to play for Somerset, but he didn’t pull up any trees against Ireland (at least with his bowling).
A bit harsh given he only bowled 3 overs ! Admittedly for 20 odd runs. He must have been considered 2nd choice behind Ali at that point to have played in that game. I don't follow the county game so don't know who the alternatives would be other than Rashid..... I guess they could go for another batsman and use Root/Denly for spin but they're hardly going to tie a batsman down ?
I would have said they would go for Rashid but he is, supposedly, white ball only. I wonder if they will just fiddle around with Root and Denly (if picked) and go for four seamers plus Stokes. Curran is probably at least as good a bet as Ali for his batting at present. Leach may well be in the squad, but will he play?
Yes Curran for Ali isn't a bad call. Lyon is clearly a threat. I'm not sure to what extent they can "prepare" the pitch to avoid it becoming a spinners paradise ? Their pace and spin is better than ours. Our seam/swing is arguably better but possibly not without Anderson.
Rashid is now after that whole central contract debacle which the ECB said was a one off very disappointingly. Ali will play as, basically, there's no one else. Curran will be the new Mark Wood/Steve Finn, missing out because of the historically impressive others. Archer has to play because as we saw for brief moments with Stokes, close to 90mph on even a dead pitch was doing things. We have no one else to do that. The batting needed an overhaul a year ago, it shouldn't be that one big score guarantees you a place for 10 tests. Not sure we have the depth anywhere though. Root shouldn't be Captain. He might want to be, he might think he's best for the job but I'd prefer batsman Root to Captain Root.
Yes but who else as Captain ? A few matches ago you'd say Buttler or Bairstow but both are clinging on to their starting place in the team.
Yes good call. Leads from the front,, made of the right stuff etc but can you ever see the MCC/Cricket England or whatever they call themselves these days giving him the captaincy after he was slugging it out in the streets of Bristol or wherever ? It'll be Root until he breaks down and cries in a post match live TV interview and begs to be relinquished of the burden.
They won't change the captain. Root will have to step down for that to happen. I would be genuinely surprised if Ali plays at Lord's.
