Tongo
Journeyman Pro
There was an article about Bell being the only survivor from the 2005 Ashes series. Looks like he's gonna be as much a walking wicket in (what should be) his last Ashes series as he was in his first!
The Ashes 2015
- Thread starter Tongo
- Start date
There was an article about Bell being the only survivor from the 2005 Ashes series. Looks like he's gonna be as much a walking wicket in (what should be) his last Ashes series as he was in his first!
By simply looking on this Forum, people will think The Ashes is a 1 innings game, not a 5 match Test series!!
By 'Cook on borrowed time' I sincerely hope you mean as Captain and not questioning his place in the team - 'form too poor for too long' is absolute drivel and based on no foundation other than Piers Mortgan spouting rubbish. He is averaging 48+ since the start of summer 2014! That's higher than Warner, Gayle, Kohli, Chanderpaul, McCullum and numerous other 'Senior players' - are they all on borrowed time?!
As for the captaincy, I don't personally see an alternative, although I wish there was one as I agree Cook's methods are outdated and uninspiring. However, the call for Root seems to be based solely on the number of runs he has scored. He has no real captaincy experience and why burden our only world class batsmen with the pressure at such a young age?
I do agree that Bell should now be dropped, I think he is now too much of a liability early in the innings. Especially with Bairstow scoring heaps and heaps. Root up to 4 and Bairstow in at 5 for Lords IMO.
One shout for Bairstow. Who else is next in line if Bell goes? Morgan, James Taylor? Any followers of County cricket out there? Who is filling their boots this summer?
I follow County Cricket quite closely. I can't see any other option than Bairstow.
IMO you need some Intl experience to be thrown into the middle of an Ashes series. It's a middle order position, ruling out Carberry and Compton. Leaving Bairstow and the 2 LT has mentioned, Morgan and Taylor. Unfortunately Taylor is having a shocker this year, certainly no 100s and I think averaging around 30 - real shame as he never seems to be in form when there is a position open, but plunders runs when the team is set! I think he could easily have played 30 tests by now should he have been more fortunate. Morgan needs some red ball runs, of which he hasn't scored any at all in the few games he played. Bairstow is averaging close to 100 I think.
IMO you need some Intl experience to be thrown into the middle of an Ashes series. It's a middle order position, ruling out Carberry and Compton. Leaving Bairstow and the 2 LT has mentioned, Morgan and Taylor. Unfortunately Taylor is having a shocker this year, certainly no 100s and I think averaging around 30 - real shame as he never seems to be in form when there is a position open, but plunders runs when the team is set! I think he could easily have played 30 tests by now should he have been more fortunate. Morgan needs some red ball runs, of which he hasn't scored any at all in the few games he played. Bairstow is averaging close to 100 I think.
Dan2501
Tour Winner
Bell will be back. Wouldn't be surprised if he bags a score 2nd innings to keep his spot.
Been all England this morning so far, some fortune, but some good positive play. Ali is not a Test-quality batsman though, he's too loose outside off to be a consistent success.
Been all England this morning so far, some fortune, but some good positive play. Ali is not a Test-quality batsman though, he's too loose outside off to be a consistent success.
I hope you're right Dan, he's my favourite England batsmen of the last 7/8 years - but he just looks shot this year. Either way I think he will be given Lords, so will need a big score in the next 2 innings I think.
Ali currently isn't expected to be a test match quality batsmen - hence his no.8 position. However, this indicates he is expected to be a test match quality bowler - which he clearly isn't. I hope he has one of his better displays, as this pitch would have been a dream for Swann in the 4th innings. We really miss a spinner and I fear this could be the downfall over the course of the summer.
Ali currently isn't expected to be a test match quality batsmen - hence his no.8 position. However, this indicates he is expected to be a test match quality bowler - which he clearly isn't. I hope he has one of his better displays, as this pitch would have been a dream for Swann in the 4th innings. We really miss a spinner and I fear this could be the downfall over the course of the summer.
CheltenhamHacker
Journeyman Pro
If only we knew of a middle order batsman, with a lot of international experience, that would scare the Aussies.....
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Listening to TMS and Glenn McGrath is one of the commentators. He was a miserable so and so on the field but seems a very good, insightful and fair commentator. Certainly doesnt have the blatant bias of Warne.
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Great morning for England, taking the last 5 Aussie wickets for just 50 odd runs for a commanding 120 run first innings lead. Now, can someone other than Joe Root score some big runs?!
bladeplayer
Money List Winner
This game has burst into life today , need to make most of a good first two & half days now , should not lose this game at the very least
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Australia set 412 to win after a great cameo from Mark Wood. Should be enough for England.......should be enough......!
richart
Major Champion
If we bowl like we did in the first innings it should be plenty. Wicket taking more spin now as well. We should also get a second new ball, if it does get close.
We have played well for three days, so fingers crossed we have one more good day.:thup:
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
If you cant defend 400 on this its time to knock it on the head, pitch deteriorated a lot today and will continue to do so you would expect, very hard to see England not win tomorrow but be interesting if Warner gets a start early
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
All seems a bit quiet on here Rich - thought it would be buzzing after great performances from players like Bell, Root, Stokes, Wood , Ballance ,Broad, Anderson in fact the lot of them and especially Cook's captaincy - i am a bit confused though - thought were heading for a thumping.
richart
Major Champion
The doom and gloom merchants will be back soon though. One swallow etc.
I reckon the new coach has instilled into the bowlers to keep pitching up, and use the short ball as a surprise weapon. Hopefully we will also continue to take our catches as well. Haddin dropping Root could turn out to have cost them the game.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Dont go overboard too soon mate, been very few "great" performances (root 1st inns once haddin had dropped him on 0), been some good ones on a pretty poor deck and weve certainly had the rub of the green too.
Johnson looks a busted flush (I argued he shouldnt even be in there side a couple of weeks ago on the likely surface in cardiff and he probably wouldnt have been if it hadnt been the ashes), loss of Harris a huge blow for them too.
England seem to have some decent plans, reflects well on the new management and badly on the Moores regime (no real shock there). Hopefully we're not gonna play the whole series on slow low dry breaking up decks but I expect that may well be what has been "ordered"
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Read some proper drivel on here about the England Cricket Team ( not by you i hasten to add as we have our chats on Twitter ) only have to read back to just before the NZ test series and then the ODI and just before this test. Even the other day Cook was written off "again" and once again KP mentioned. And now a great days cricket - and the comments are miminal at best.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
No need to rehash the KP debate, is he in the best 6 batters yes, is he ever going to be picked again no.
As for Cook, as you know I still dont rate him as a captain, appears to me his strings are being pulled a bit better from behind with the new management but we'll see more as the series develops. As a batter, we dont have better options (and nor do other sides!)
Liked Bells approach today, clearly out of nick and knew he only had so long before he got one with his name on so decided to almost hit himself back into form and hopefully thats worked, him firing strengthens this England side so much.
Still not convinced by Moeen (with the ball), big day for him tomorrow. Think he got gifted a couple of wickets first inns as the typically arrogant Aussie approach was to hit him out of the attack. I get that with a Swann type but some one like Moeen who bowls enough bad balls anyway just didnt see the need to take the risks they did in trying to get after him. Tomorrow at some stage the pressure goes onto him and he needs to respond (or his place comes further under pressure by Rashid), that said if this is the sort of pitch were expecting then you'll be trying to get them both in the side!
richart
Major Champion
Harris would have been the perfect bowler on this wicket. Johnson has bowled ok, I can remember when he had no idea where it was going and couldn't hit the pitch. Can't believe we will play on a slower wicket with so little bounce again in this series. He still kept up a good pace at the end of the day, and I wouldn't write him off. Starc looks good, but is obviously carrying an injury.
Good news that all nearly all the batsmen have got some runs, and the bowlers some wickets. We don't want to rely on one or two players. Confidence should be high, assuming we win.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Harris would have been the perfect bowler on this wicket. Johnson has bowled ok, I can remember when he had no idea where it was going and couldn't hit the pitch. Can't believe we will play on a slower wicket with so little bounce again in this series. He still kept up a good pace at the end of the day, and I wouldn't write him off. Starc looks good, but is obviously carrying an injury.
Good news that all nearly all the batsmen have got some runs, and the bowlers some wickets. We don't want to rely on one or two players. Confidence should be high, assuming we win.
However you look at it, we will be heavily reliant on Root and Andersen if we are going to win this series. Both are clearly world class currently and not a side in the world they wouldnt walk into. Hopefully the others can get to a level close to these 2!
