Tongo
Journeyman Pro
just me cheering for Essex on here then![]()
Always liked the Cider boys and it woul be great for Tresco.
just me cheering for Essex on here then![]()
are you sure, it just looks like the same sheer hite he bowled in the 1st test
Moeen's now a medium pacer apparently
In two Tests he failed to fulfill expectations.
However, in itself, that is not a problem as even Gooch struggled on his early days.
What I did see was a player who struggled to cope with the mental demands of Test cricket. Again not the first to do that.
Youthful talent is all very well but is not much use without mental fortitude.
Plenty flatter to deceive at that age due to not being hard enough when put under pressure.
For example where is Ben Duckett now?
BTW calling another poster "clueless " is, itself, hardly constructive.
Tough on Bancroft. He dug in during the last test, last innings, showed some real guts and technique. Warner mustn't be able to look him in the eye this morning.Apparently Bancroft is being dropped for Harris, with Pattinson coming in for Siddle. Just lucky Smith is missing.
Excited for this to get started today, can't beat the first morning of a Test match!
2 matches, mid series against the number 1 side in the world isn't enough to label someone 'completely out of their depth' imo, hence the clueless comment.
Pope has batted in plenty of pressure situations and whilst test cricket is a big step there's few England batsmen in the last 20 years with the pedigree at his age. You don't score double hundereds at any level without application and mental fortitude. Go and look at what the Aussies think of Pope from his time in Grade cricket as an example.
Yes, potential as this age doesn't always translate but Duckett has always been a bit of a prat, completely unfair to compare him with Pope.
Would you have judged Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, James Anderson or any other world class players after 2 tests?
Spoke to Andy Caddick at the British Par 3's recently (day after we lost 1st test) and he reckons Moeen is finished. Looking at the figures and change to medium pace you have to figure he's right. Can't see anyway back and he looks a lost soul searching from a sparkMoeen needs to work out what he is and get back to it. His game has changed to suit a gap that England had in its team and he has lost his way. I hope that he sorts himself out.
Agree and I don't like that. He is human, seems a nice guy and I hope he finds his way. It may be that county cricket is his future, as it is with so many, and that is fine but he needs to get back to his game and enjoy himself again.Spoke to Andy Caddick at the British Par 3's recently (day after we lost 1st test) and he reckons Moeen is finished. Looking at the figures and change to medium pace you have to figure he's right. Can't see anyway back and he looks a lost soul searching from a spark
Hey, don't be slagging off Ravi as well now. Love that dude. Thought he'd properly cracked it when he made those 3 tons in 3 innings against the West Indies but was ultimately found out by the Aussies, the innings at Lords against WI was brilliant, was gutted when he looked all at sea against Hilfenhaus. He played one of the best innings I've ever seen in a domestic OD game, made 200* and it was one of the most brutal but aesthetically pleasing knocks I've ever seen, shame he couldn't do it consistently Internationally. Was convinced for a while he was the answer for us down the order in ODi's, had a great run in 2013 where he made some quickfire scores and a big hundred, but could never do it consistently.
Bowling first. Should be great conditions for bowling this morning.
Spoke to Andy Caddick at the British Par 3's recently (day after we lost 1st test) and he reckons Moeen is finished. Looking at the figures and change to medium pace you have to figure he's right. Can't see anyway back and he looks a lost soul searching from a spark
Buttler needs to be batting 5 if he is going to keep his spot for me. One of either Buttler or Bairstow should go long term for a proper batsman, with the other being the dedicated WK. Not convinced either are good enough to maintain a place without the gloves. Buttler was our best batsman last summer but needs some runs this summer, although with Denly struggling above them, they're safe for the series at least.