The thing about Stokes is that he's too good just to come out and slog. Maybe he should open when Bairstow returns
I am almost convincing myself that if he can't bowl he has to open to get in the team!
Test cricket is so good, we have played less than 2 hours of the final knockings and England have gone from massive favourites, to massive under dogs, to now slight favourites. That will change again before lunch.
That one where he hits it into the ground, sort of just taps it on its head, is so hard to play. I used to play pretty well with a cut or a glance and I spent ages trying it and just couldn't get my hands in the right place to play it.
There's more evidence that Stokes' knee is totally knackered. Seriously he needs to get it sorted and forget about the IPL. It's not as if he needs the money and doing so might elongate his career.
It's bizarre (I fully understand why though) that Bairstow has been in and out, up and down the order, gloves on, gloves off and finally nails down a spot and shows a vain of form the all time greats would be proud of. Gets a freak injury.
Then it's either gloves on or open when he was finally established at 5 or 6.
Put him in at 6 and make someone else move if your picking him on last summers form. Or make him force his way into the team as something else.
I would do the the former.
brook's made bairstow's immediate return a bit unlikely now, you'd have to drop pope or root.
Neither of them bat at six?
the skipper bats at six. You'd be hard pressed to drop him.
Nah, England will crawl along at 2.2 an over, and finish in the final 5 overs of the day
If we see a proper Stokes, 1 from 50 odd balls, innings I am all for it. I am starting to think he is physically incapable of playing like that any more.
Have to say Blundell is a very competent keeper. Standing up to the likes of Southee, Henry and Wagner on a deck with variable bounce is really not easy.
If we happen to lose by less than 20 runs can we claim victory by dint of losing less wickets overall 😄. Should never have declared our first innings.....
Comments
The thing about Stokes is that he's too good just to come out and slog. Maybe he should open when Bairstow returns
Test cricket is so good, we have played less than 2 hours of the final knockings and England have gone from massive favourites, to massive under dogs, to now slight favourites. That will change again before lunch.
90 runs needed
Root 74* (74)
Stokes 20* (75)
Partnership of 88
Will have to stay up probably. Dead tired but not missing this.
Would personally love to bowl on this wicket, albeit not at Joe Root
Night night all.
If he is not out England will win this test match.
This is how he played in the two.world Cup finals and at Headingly.
Will catch up sleep at 7:45pm...
Stokes and Root out
55 needed 3 wickets left
Broad wont be able to help himself & although Leach has shown before that he can hang around Foakes is no Stokes.
8 down
43 needed
takes one on the 4th
no boundaries atm
keeping the strike
one an over
need a miracle