Don't think it'd be too hard to get him in. Archer, Broad, Anderson, Curran, Leach as your bowling attack, Curran is your Stokes figure, Stokes goes to specialist batsman and can bowl a few overs if needed.
But you are still effectively bringing in Curran for a batsman and giving yourself 6 bowlers. Don't need 6 unless we really can't find another batsman. Nervous about having Root at 3, then Stokes/Bairstow/Buttler.....and an extra allrounder. Curran was great against poorer opponents last year but very poor in innings one here - effectively out twice....
Wouldn't be averse to getting rid of Bairstow tbh, not sure who you'd replace him with though. That knuckle ball that Archer just bowled is insanely good. I've tried to replicate it (i'm *****) but I can't even see how he can do it so skilfully at that pace and land it exactly where he wants to.
Well this is our chance to build a solid lead thanks to Archer and co but their bowlers will come out firing .
Was that Michael Oliver umpiring there? A ropey decision to generate last gasp drama is right up his street.
More fool them. There's a world of difference between 'retaining' and winning the Ashes. For all of their dominance, a drawn series would be an abject failure for them and a get out of jail for the terrible Joe Root.
Historic win chase by the Aussies to win ashes series in England still on. Would make for another **** sporting weekend.
Fair play to the team, they played excellently throughout this test match to give the Aussies a taste of what humiliation looks like. The ashes might have gone, but we didn't lose the series and that is a massive plus.
Absolutely. Never fails. I also posted a “QSF out, Gracia back” type comment on the arsenal match thread at half time. Don’t try telling me this voodoo mumbo jumbo doesn’t work .
If we could have just held out for another hour in the last test, the ashes would now be ours and a perfect summer of cricket !
England have not got the selection right anf seemed under prepared for an ashes series after the world cup. Roy was picked for the wrong reasons off the back of a 50 overs world cup performance. The wicketkeeper position is debatable and we've not got an opener prepared to replace Cook. Archer was positive but new to test match cricket. However for those saying the Aussies were so much better, pick your best combined 11 from the series. You'll have one England opener because Warner broke low average in an ashes records. You'll have Stokes. You'll have at least one of Broad and Archer, probably both. Theres a place for Root in there as well. Essentially Austrailia were not better than England, Steve Smith was the difference, averaging about 110 in the series. The last test he only averaged 50 and England walked it.
I'm laughing at the fact the Aussies ran around celebrating with the Urn after drawing a series they dominated. They've become England.
It was a crap series for both sides, both under performed. It's just that Australia under performed less than us. Smith was the difference.
Both sides can bowl but neither side can bat other than Smith. You can see why they are ranked 4/5th or 5/6th in world rankings.
https://twitter.com/benstokes38/status/1173893834377441280?s=21 The S*n once again proving what a disgraceful rag they are, just to sell a few 30p newspapers. Cannot for the life of me understand how this story was at all in the public’s interest to know.
Excuses from the Sun ofcouse . Shameful and very callous . https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/49726913
