2019 Cricket

Generally I thought it was an even test between two decent bowling attacks and two frail batting line ups. Steve Smith is head and shoulders above everyone else in the two teams with the bat. People may place Root in the same category as Smith, Kohli and Williamson but he goes missing too often when its really needed.

Root's captaincy is also limited. I think Ed Smith's funky picks are finally going to be found out this series. Not picking Hildreth two or three years ago is also coming home to roost. They could have built a team around him.
 
Tongo said:
Generally I thought it was an even test between two decent bowling attacks and two frail batting line ups. Steve Smith is head and shoulders above everyone else in the two teams with the bat. People may place Root in the same category as Smith, Kohli and Williamson but he goes missing too often when its really needed.

Root's captaincy is also limited. I think Ed Smith's funky picks are finally going to be found out this series. Not picking Hildreth two or three years ago is also coming home to roost. They could have built a team around him.
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Do you think he could be picked now ? I know his form isn't what it has been but imo, he's still a better 5 day player than Denly. I'd also have Sibley in for Denly.
 
Junior said:
Do you think he could be picked now ? I know his form isn't what it has been but imo, he's still a better 5 day player than Denly. I'd also have Sibley in for Denly.
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Possibly. England's batting line up needs some 4 day / 5 day nous. Its too limited overs oriented. The obsession now would be over Hildreth's age, which is irrelevant for me as test cricket is all about the here and now.

Sibley should have got the call up on sheer weight of runs but the desire to see Roy succeed at test cricket has led to poor selections. This is where England fail time and again. Instead of picking the best team they have certain players they want to succeed who get picked when they shouldn't. Square pegs in round holes.
 
One thing I thought about during the match a few times, and i'm sure its easier to say than do.........But why don't England just bowl 4th stump at Smith and bring a fielder across to midwicket to stop him working that single from off stump. Leave a gap at cover and tempt the drive. So often in the match he'd nip a single through square leg as the guy was back or midwicket as there wasn't a fielder.
 
fundy said:
Pretty sure Archer is fit based on the snippets of him bowling for the stiffs this morning, could do with his 6-27 next week!
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Seen a clip of him bowling an absolutely rapid bouncer, screw facing that. Looked pretty fit to me. He managed to get through a pretty intense WC okay with his injury so it can't be too severe, sure he'll be fine.

Piers Morgan wins the award for the worst England team suggestion for the next Test.

Roy Burns Root Stokes Buttler Bairstow Curran Woakes Leach Jofra Broad

Stokes getting a nosebleed at 4, Bairstow keeps his spot, Curran comes in for Denly, Leach getting a nosebleed at 9. 6 bowlers, 3 pure batsmen, 2 wicket keepers. Mental. If that's the team we pick, we're screwed.
 
Dan2501 said:
Seen a clip of him bowling an absolutely rapid bouncer, screw facing that. Looked pretty fit to me. He managed to get through a pretty intense WC okay with his injury so it can't be too severe, sure he'll be fine.

Piers Morgan wins the award for the worst England team suggestion for the next Test.

Roy Burns Root Stokes Buttler Bairstow Curran Woakes Leach Jofra Broad

Stokes getting a nosebleed at 4, Bairstow keeps his spot, Curran comes in for Denly, Leach getting a nosebleed at 9. 6 bowlers, 3 pure batsmen, 2 wicket keepers. Mental. If that's the team we pick, we're screwed.
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Hate agreeing with Morgan but Id bat Stokes at 4 in our current side! Shown a better technique and definitely a better temperament than anyone bar Root of late (only caveat would be Root not bowling him into the ground!)
 
Main issue I see with Stokes batting 4 is it's so much responsibility. He was one of our most potent and quickest bowlers in the last Test, which is an important role for the balance of the side, I wouldn't want to burn him out or put too much on him when we can just play an extra proper batsman in that role and drop him down to 5 or 6. Our weak point is our batting, not our bowling, so replacing a "proper" batsman with an all-rounder in Curran seems like madness to me. We need a proper, gritty batsman in at 4 to give us some depth I think.
 
Away from the Ashes,... was looking for some holiday cricket camp for Jr. guess what the reach of IPL is here. Rajasthan Royals run an academy in Surrey... now who would have thought that would happen
http://starcricketacademy.co.uk/

Back to the Ashes.. my neighbour is a die hard cricket looney. He is hoping to go to the next one. He is thinking of getting a black arm band to signal the death of the pure Test batsman. In his words, we have been reduced to a side of all rounders cobbled together to make a village team,
 
fundy said:
Seems Olly Stone injured again and out for a minimum of a couple of weeks, theyre falling one after another
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Oh no.. do they just trip over themselves in the dressing room?? they are all trying really hard to not play this series.
 
As for England openers then Phil Salt should be given close scrutiny. Yes he can play limited overs cricket but he opens for Sussex in the four day games too. He is no worse than what we have currently opening for England.
 
Norrin Radd said:
As for England openers then Phil Salt should be given close scrutiny. Yes he can play limited overs cricket but he opens for Sussex in the four day games too. He is no worse than what we have currently opening for England.
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Would be another square peg in a round hole, expect we see him for England in white ball cricket in the future, very little in his red ball career (30 games averaging just under 30) to suggest hes the answer to our test match opening problems
 
fundy said:
Archer and Leach for Anderson and Ali (and Stone obv out) in 2nd test squad

Assume Archer plays ahead of Curran
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Happy to see the back of Ali. Just a shame they didn't go Foakes over Bairstow, or Sibley over Denly. Guessing they've got 1 more chance.

Should be Jofra coming straight in for Jimmy.
 
As much as I think they should, they were never going to change the Top 7 so I think these were the obvious 2 changes.

Good luck to Leach, his career to date has earnt a run in the side and he's coming in without too much pressure which should be good for him. I'd be amazed if its the end of Ali long term, and see it more as a Foakes sort of selection last winter.
 
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