My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
Exactly why we should have Stokes 6, Ali 7 and Woakes 8. Rashid, TRJ and Wood are ok number 9s so although playing 6 bowlers can be excessive, let's play to our strengths.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
Exactly why we should have Stokes 6, Ali 7 and Woakes 8. Rashid, TRJ and Wood are ok number 9s so although playing 6 bowlers can be excessive, let's play to our strengths.
I agree in principal. But they tried it at the beginning of the summer and it didn't work. Partly due to the odd decision to pick Dawson ahead of Rashid. Partly because 6 bowlers (7+ if you included Jennings and the part time spinners) was considered excessive.
But I would like to see it given a go with Rashid.
At least we know we have someone who could step up if Stokes gets injured.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
Exactly why we should have Stokes 6, Ali 7 and Woakes 8. Rashid, TRJ and Wood are ok number 9s so although playing 6 bowlers can be excessive, let's play to our strengths.
I agree in principal. But they tried it at the beginning of the summer and it didn't work. Partly due to the odd decision to pick Dawson ahead of Rashid. Partly because 6 bowlers (7+ if you included Jennings and the part time spinners) was considered excessive.
But I would like to see it given a go with Rashid.
At least we know we have someone who could step up if Stokes gets injured.
Dawson scored no runs and took no wickets though, so of course it will be seen as a failure. Odd decision as you say. Of course if there were no Stokes, it would be an easy decision to go with Bairstow 6, Ali 7 and Woakes 8 with TRJ at 9 keeping the balance with 4 seamers and a spinner.
Not sure there will be too much need for Rashid in Australia but he should go with the squad and compete with TRJ for 9. I just think play with the strengths as we are carrying at least 1 batsman at the minute. I don't think it's the long term solution but don't see the point in going to Australia with so many out of form batsman. If we are going to score underpar anyway, at least we would have a bowling attack capable of having a go at defending said score.
The Lord's pitch for the SA Test was a massive turner. If the one for the WI test is similar, then we'll need 2 spinners, but it still seems odd to play 4 seamers as well. Though with Stokes and his knee issues, maybe we could just play him as a pure batsman?
Maybe Stokes will swear tomorrow and make the selection issue easier!
I watched the match all afternoon & thought Root missed a trick. After Ali was out Woakes & Broad spent the next 8-10 overs basically defending & taking singles with just the odd boundary now & again. I thought a bit more positivity could have given the same lead (or a few more) & then having 12-15 overs at the end, instead of just 6.
Hopefully it wont matter, but dread to think that at 6pm tomorrow they could be 8 or 9 down and we fail to win because we run out of overs.
I watched the match all afternoon & thought Root missed a trick. After Ali was out Woakes & Broad spent the next 8-10 overs basically defending & taking singles with just the odd boundary now & again. I thought a bit more positivity could have given the same lead (or a few more) & then having 12-15 overs at the end, instead of just 6.
Hopefully it wont matter, but dread to think that at 6pm tomorrow they could be 8 or 9 down and we fail to win because we run out of overs.
The West Indies will be bowled out for around 120-160 .. at least they have shown here that they have the right stuff when they buckle down and don't throw in the towel .. remember Billy Ocean's anthem young men
Feels like the first decent (i.e. competitive) test match we've had for ages. Really enjoyed it and very pleased that Windies have shown some fight although I'd be surprised if England didn't wrap it up by tea.
In other underdog news Bangladesh have a great chance of beating Australia who have been set 265 to win, a really tough 4th innings target.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
And Moeen Ali is the greatest no. 8 we've ever had. Cook and Root are two of the best batsmen we've had and Stokes is becoming one of the leading all rounders with Bairstow up there as a keeper/batsman. Anderson and Broad are the finest fast bowling partnership we've had too.
If only we could find another two/three Test batsmen and perhaps a top spinner to compliment Moeen and we would probably be the best England side of all time.
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
Feels like the first decent (i.e. competitive) test match we've had for ages. Really enjoyed it and very pleased that Windies have shown some fight although I'd be surprised if England didn't wrap it up by tea.
In other underdog news Bangladesh have a great chance of beating Australia who have been set 265 to win, a really tough 4th innings target.
Nathan Lyon now has 247 wickets, the second highest Australian spinner, a great effort
My old man just told me that Woakes has a higher first class batting average than Stoneman. If that's true it a incredible.
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
He must surely be the best no. 9 England have ever had.
And Moeen Ali is the greatest no. 8 we've ever had. Cook and Root are two of the best batsmen we've had and Stokes is becoming one of the leading all rounders with Bairstow up there as a keeper/batsman. Anderson and Broad are the finest fast bowling partnership we've had too.
If only we could find another two/three Test batsmen and perhaps a top spinner to compliment Moeen and we would probably be the best England side of all time.
Unfortunately we are a long way off that - we are lucky in as much as we have 3 very good all-rounders, one who is world class and 2 who are above average. That certainly doesn't happen very often, although I have my doubts about Ali and Woakes being able to do the biz when bowling in unfriendly conditions.
Comments
Commentators remark how tired the West Indies look
Some talent, but poor discipline in terms of no balls and drops, and their fitness isn't up to scratch either
He really is a few places too low at 9. We're Stokes to miss out or be rested I'd be more than happy moving Bairstow Ali and Woakes up a place and still playing 4 seamers. That's assuming he finds some form with the ball.
But I would like to see it given a go with Rashid.
At least we know we have someone who could step up if Stokes gets injured.
Not sure there will be too much need for Rashid in Australia but he should go with the squad and compete with TRJ for 9. I just think play with the strengths as we are carrying at least 1 batsman at the minute. I don't think it's the long term solution but don't see the point in going to Australia with so many out of form batsman. If we are going to score underpar anyway, at least we would have a bowling attack capable of having a go at defending said score.
Maybe Stokes will swear tomorrow and make the selection issue easier!
Hopefully it wont matter, but dread to think that at 6pm tomorrow they could be 8 or 9 down and we fail to win because we run out of overs.
In other underdog news Bangladesh have a great chance of beating Australia who have been set 265 to win, a really tough 4th innings target.
If only we could find another two/three Test batsmen and perhaps a top spinner to compliment Moeen and we would probably be the best England side of all time.
I bet Roger Johnson is relieved he never played cricket!