what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
Everyone would be calling for Root to be dropped? It's gone silly season on here.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
But, if that's what he meant, then I don't see the relevance because our two top guys didn't fail. Which is why I focused on the commentbut when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now" . There are only two players that I have questioned - and this isn't a case of after timing as I've said it for months - and that is Bairstow having the gloves instead of Foakes and Crawley being in the side at all. And nothing happened in this match to change that. In fact, Bairstow could not have done a worse job keeping if he tried. His movement and agility isn't going to suddenly improve overnight.
I am a big fan of the new regime but the process is not a one size fits all. It still entails adapting the process according to the match situation but also the opposition. When we declared I said that it wasn't something that I would have done and that my concern was that, in doing so, we were allowing Australia to bat at the pace that suited them. All previous declarations were made to give us the time to win but this had the opposite affect in that the Aussies could just bat time. I also pointed out that our bowlers could end up bowling a lot more overs. Which they did.
Stokes is never going to admit that the decision to declare was wrong. But if he were in exactly the same situation again I bet he wouldn't do the same thing simply for the reasons I've suggested. What he and McCullum have brought to our game is brilliant. But Australia are number one in the world for a reason and they were never going to be intimated by the threat of Bazball. Any more than Khawaja was going to be by Robinson calling him a "fxxing pxxck". That one didn't exactly work out for Robinson did it.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Because it's the aussie top 2 that failed it's - "they will deffo go up a gear now"
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
I don't think the declaration was a big problem really. More the judgement that Anderson would be able to commit some damage in the spell after. I've long thought the wheels might come off of Broad or Anderson at a really poor passage in time. Broad still looks like he's got the onions, maybe the years are finally catching up with his old mate? Hope I'm wrong.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
If they didn't want to go with a rookie spinner, or indeed no spinner, Liam Dawson averages 32 with the bat with 11 first class centuries, and has been playing red ball cricket for Hampshire this season, so bringing Moeen out of red ball retirement was an unnecessary gamble.
I don't think the declaration was a big problem really. More the judgement that Anderson would be able to commit some damage in the spell after. I've long thought the wheels might come off of Broad or Anderson at a really poor passage in time. Broad still looks like he's got the onions, maybe the years are finally catching up with his old mate? Hope I'm wrong.
Anderson was under cooked because he missed two or three weeks with a groin injury.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
Ok. Sorry I don't know about cricket enough to argue the toss with you. I seem to remember people slagging Malan and saying he didn't belong in the team when he was ranked number one in the world (can't remember if it was one day or 20/20 sorry) but we do have form for this as a fan base.
I don't think the declaration was a big problem really. More the judgement that Anderson would be able to commit some damage in the spell after. I've long thought the wheels might come off of Broad or Anderson at a really poor passage in time. Broad still looks like he's got the onions, maybe the years are finally catching up with his old mate? Hope I'm wrong.
Anderson was under cooked because he missed two or three weeks with a groin injury.
England's policy was to rest bowlers with very minor issues from the Ireland game to keep them fresh. Hence of the main seamers, only Broad actually bowled in that match. Maybe it's no surprise Broad was the most effective bowler in this match, while Anderson looked rusty.
I'm sure Wood will come back for Lord's, but he hasn't played a red ball game since December in Pakistan.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
I think stokes and Root are our two best players as a layman though. And Bairstow was insane when I first started really following when Bazball kinda started so yes that's my top 3 in terms of batting.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
I think stokes and Root are our two best players as a layman though. And Bairstow was insane when I first started really following when Bazball kinda started so yes that's my top 3 in terms of batting.
Root is but Stokes is playing on one leg. He is in the side for his imaginative and inspirational captaincy and wouldn't get into the side for his batting or his bowling. England and Stokes have played this game for the last six months or so where they keep saying that they've found a way to manage the situation but the reality is that either he needs an operation to sort it out once and for all or it is a chronic injury that cannot be cured. Since last September he has returned figures of 4-220 and it really isn't a pleasant sight to see him struggle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, they can't sort his knee out after this series, he doesn't retire post Ashes.
Bairstow was brilliant before he broke his leg and he did OK with the bat in this Test but his days of keeping at the top level are gone. Equally, if we were to take the runs that his mistakes cost us with the gloves off his return with the bat then it would be hard to justify his place in it. And that is why Foakes should have kept his place but that Bairstow should not necessarily be dropped. Australia wouldn't drop Carey for someone who hadn't kept for two years in red ball but we have and unfortunately it has cost us doing so.
Stokes’ knee is knackered - can barely bowl and it will affect his batting - possibly contributed to the crucial missed catch today too. Surely the heavy dose painkillers will muddy his judgment? Ali’s finger is not going to get miraculously better. Bairstow is now in a bit of a confidence rut re his keeping. Neither Robinson nor Anderson are fully fit. Next up Lords where we have a terrible test match record.
The matches are too crammed together to overcome most of the injury issues.
Leach’s injury has scuppered us imo.
England are a brave bunch but the Aussies are relentless.
There are a lot of discussion points from this match which have been addressed above.
The main one being the declaration. However in my opinion we lost this match because of the old maxim which still stands even in 'Bazball' days 'catches win matches.'
Towards the end I thought we might sneak it but the Aussies stood firm and we lost.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Because it's the aussie top 2 that failed it's - "they will deffo go up a gear now"
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
No genuine fans of England or Australia would expect their top two players to be dropped if they had low scores in one match. I don't go on Twitter etc so I don't know the childish noise on there. Just my opinion that Smith and Labuschagne will get bigger scores as the series moves on. Hopefully Harry Brook will continue his great start to test cricket as he is an awesome talent; Ollie Pope as well.
Many positives with the Baz ball approach but when Ben Stokes said by declaring it sent a message to Australia on day one unfortunately the message was if the Aussie could keep level with England they may nick the Victory as we go for broke. As 'Covered end' said no one is suggesting (Geoff Boycott ?) we scrap this positive mindset but not having our best wicket keeper and declaring on day 1 of 5 against the old enemy didn't help our cause.
Australia's record at winning close games against England wasn't good so I assume that was what many England's fans were hoping for when we took the 8th Wicket.
We need a quick reset and go into the next test with 11 fit players.
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
I think stokes and Root are our two best players as a layman though. And Bairstow was insane when I first started really following when Bazball kinda started so yes that's my top 3 in terms of batting.
Root is but Stokes is playing on one leg. He is in the side for his imaginative and inspirational captaincy and wouldn't get into the side for his batting or his bowling. England and Stokes have played this game for the last six months or so where they keep saying that they've found a way to manage the situation but the reality is that either he needs an operation to sort it out once and for all or it is a chronic injury that cannot be cured. Since last September he has returned figures of 4-220 and it really isn't a pleasant sight to see him struggle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, they can't sort his knee out after this series, he doesn't retire post Ashes.
Bairstow was brilliant before he broke his leg and he did OK with the bat in this Test but his days of keeping at the top level are gone. Equally, if we were to take the runs that his mistakes cost us with the gloves off his return with the bat then it would be hard to justify his place in it. And that is why Foakes should have kept his place but that Bairstow should not necessarily be dropped. Australia wouldn't drop Carey for someone who hadn't kept for two years in red ball but we have and unfortunately it has cost us doing so.
yet still at least with Stokes - he got that wicket that could have changed the game - that almost catch? He has done it before and he will do it again and again.
Like I say I know next to nothing about cricket, but I know one thing - take him out and you're taking out a match winner. Ok it didn't work out this time, but how many times has that man got to defy the odds?
First name on the team sheet, one leg, one arm, blind, deaf - he's our difference maker, captain or not.
Bairstow - i'm telling you now Australia are terrified of him getting in - I haven't watched much cricket but when that guy gets going he will PUNISH you and he is one man they do NOT want to see on the team sheet, injury or not.
my entire point wasn't about form or injuries or anything like that, what I love about this team is the mental aspect - Australia always seem to get in our heads and for just fricking ONCE we are giving it back to them. Say what you like about mistakes and bad choices, we are fucking with them the way they always have with us - i've seen some ashes series on youtube - i've never seen an australia be so uncertain - they have always been this juggernaut just plowing through us- this time is different to me. If it is just more of the same to you then fair enough, and if you want us to go back into our shell and let them dictate to us like they always do, well... sorry but that isn't this England and they bloody know it - and that is our biggest advantage this year. I don't know a lot about cricket but I think we have them on toast this series they got very lucky this test IMO
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
I think stokes and Root are our two best players as a layman though. And Bairstow was insane when I first started really following when Bazball kinda started so yes that's my top 3 in terms of batting.
Root is but Stokes is playing on one leg. He is in the side for his imaginative and inspirational captaincy and wouldn't get into the side for his batting or his bowling. England and Stokes have played this game for the last six months or so where they keep saying that they've found a way to manage the situation but the reality is that either he needs an operation to sort it out once and for all or it is a chronic injury that cannot be cured. Since last September he has returned figures of 4-220 and it really isn't a pleasant sight to see him struggle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, they can't sort his knee out after this series, he doesn't retire post Ashes.
Bairstow was brilliant before he broke his leg and he did OK with the bat in this Test but his days of keeping at the top level are gone. Equally, if we were to take the runs that his mistakes cost us with the gloves off his return with the bat then it would be hard to justify his place in it. And that is why Foakes should have kept his place but that Bairstow should not necessarily be dropped. Australia wouldn't drop Carey for someone who hadn't kept for two years in red ball but we have and unfortunately it has cost us doing so.
yet still at least with Stokes - he got that wicket that could have changed the game - that almost catch? He has done it before and he will do it again and again.
Like I say I know next to nothing about cricket, but I know one thing - take him out and you're taking out a match winner. Ok it didn't work out this time, but how many times has that man got to defy the odds?
First name on the team sheet, one leg, one arm, blind, deaf - he's our difference maker, captain or not.
Bairstow - i'm telling you now Australia are terrified of him getting in - I haven't watched much cricket but when that guy gets going he will PUNISH you and he is one man they do NOT want to see on the team sheet, injury or not.
my entire point wasn't about form or injuries or anything like that, what I love about this team is the mental aspect - Australia always seem to get in our heads and for just fricking ONCE we are giving it back to them. Say what you like about mistakes and bad choices, we are fucking with them the way they always have with us - i've seen some ashes series on youtube - i've never seen an australia be so uncertain - they have always been this juggernaut just plowing through us- this time is different to me. If it is just more of the same to you then fair enough, and if you want us to go back into our shell and let them dictate to us like they always do, well... sorry but that isn't this England and they bloody know it - and that is our biggest advantage this year. I don't know a lot about cricket but I think we have them on toast this series they got very lucky this test IMO
what makes me laugh is, if our two top guys had failed in both innings everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.... but when its the Aussies its "oh they are gonna go up a gear and batter in the centuries now"
thats the kind of change in mind set the fans need to make more than anyone tbh
MM this is what you said ?
yes.... If our top two guys failed everyone would be calling for them to be dropped or calling them bottle jobs.
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
So you think if Root had failed then everyone would be calling for him to be dropped and would be calling him a bottle job?
Why just mention Root? i've heard in this very test people saying Bairstow and even Stokes shouldn't be playing.
Because you said our two top guys. Root has to be one of them doesn't he? And neither Stokes or Bairstow (as a gloveman anyway) are.
I think stokes and Root are our two best players as a layman though. And Bairstow was insane when I first started really following when Bazball kinda started so yes that's my top 3 in terms of batting.
Root is but Stokes is playing on one leg. He is in the side for his imaginative and inspirational captaincy and wouldn't get into the side for his batting or his bowling. England and Stokes have played this game for the last six months or so where they keep saying that they've found a way to manage the situation but the reality is that either he needs an operation to sort it out once and for all or it is a chronic injury that cannot be cured. Since last September he has returned figures of 4-220 and it really isn't a pleasant sight to see him struggle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, they can't sort his knee out after this series, he doesn't retire post Ashes.
Bairstow was brilliant before he broke his leg and he did OK with the bat in this Test but his days of keeping at the top level are gone. Equally, if we were to take the runs that his mistakes cost us with the gloves off his return with the bat then it would be hard to justify his place in it. And that is why Foakes should have kept his place but that Bairstow should not necessarily be dropped. Australia wouldn't drop Carey for someone who hadn't kept for two years in red ball but we have and unfortunately it has cost us doing so.
yet still at least with Stokes - he got that wicket that could have changed the game - that almost catch? He has done it before and he will do it again and again.
Like I say I know next to nothing about cricket, but I know one thing - take him out and you're taking out a match winner. Ok it didn't work out this time, but how many times has that man got to defy the odds?
First name on the team sheet, one leg, one arm, blind, deaf - he's our difference maker, captain or not.
Bairstow - i'm telling you now Australia are terrified of him getting in - I haven't watched much cricket but when that guy gets going he will PUNISH you and he is one man they do NOT want to see on the team sheet, injury or not.
my entire point wasn't about form or injuries or anything like that, what I love about this team is the mental aspect - Australia always seem to get in our heads and for just fricking ONCE we are giving it back to them. Say what you like about mistakes and bad choices, we are fucking with them the way they always have with us - i've seen some ashes series on youtube - i've never seen an australia be so uncertain - they have always been this juggernaut just plowing through us- this time is different to me. If it is just more of the same to you then fair enough, and if you want us to go back into our shell and let them dictate to us like they always do, well... sorry but that isn't this England and they bloody know it - and that is our biggest advantage this year. I don't know a lot about cricket but I think we have them on toast this series they got very lucky this test IMO
So what's your series prediction?
I think we win 3-2 because the nature of the way we play means all or nothing but I think we are marginally better. I think there will be one more coin flip game that we win on a chase down, then there will be one really bad one for us then two absolutely dominant wins.
anyway i think i'll leave it there i'll go back to knowing fuck all about football instead lol
First off what a test match, the match was decided by some real tiny margins
I'm not sure i totally understand Bazball apart from really enjoying how some of the Australians managed to get out with the insane fields we set. I had us as favourites right up until the rain held the game up until gone 2pm. The pitch wasn't doing anything and I wasn't overly impressed with how we put a clearly undercooked Jimmy in the team, play without a proper wicket keeper and relying on my beloved Moeen Ali who I know know hasn't bowled a red ball in anger for a lot longer than I thought.
Declaring on day one was mental but maybe thats part of what I dont understand with this type of cricket we are playing currently. On that pitch we needed upwards of 400 runs ideally 450 and I felt we would have got there even if Root was starting to get bored. This was a test we absolutely had to win, Edgbaston is a good ground for us and I think we will struggle to hauk this back. Lords next, eurgh, I hate Lords tests, they are made for players like Warner, Kawaja, Smith and Labuschange to score double hundreds while we exhaust our bowlers and invariably collapse cheaply. Mark Wood needs to play but he is not fit enough to be relied on, Jimmy needs to be 100% to play he is so vital and actually gets the ball moving not to mention I think batsmen are genuinely frightened of him
I don't know what our other spinning options are beyond Root and Ali if I'm honest and its unfair to expect Moeen to be the batsman he was 4 or 5 years ago because he hasn't been playing and can we justify picking him on his bowling with a poorly finger that will only get toughened up by bowling lots which he won't be able to do as that exposed skin looks about half an inch deep. Special mention to Stuart Broad who I also love, he is our talisman as much as Root or Stokes can be, the way he embraces everything test cricket is about and gives us an early warning he is about to rip someone's stump put of the ground gives me goosebumps and he gave it absolutely everything
Onto the next one, I can handle us losing like that but I really hope we have a plan B
What a great test to watch and two completely different styles of playing the game. The Aussies playing the traditional role and England the disrupters.
Dropping Foakes and letting Bairstow keep wicket cost us over 150 runs with dropped catches and missed stumpings. The early declaration was beyond stupid.
For the next test Foakes must be included.
Anderson is not quite match fit so I would replace him with Wood.
If we don't have a spin bowler up to the job then I would play Woakes who has a good record at Lords.
For those saying what to do with Bairstow I would let him open. I doubt either of our present openers will average over 30 in this series so he can hardly do any worse.
This will not happen though as the selecters will stick with Bairstow for the Lords Test where his keeping will probably see us go 2 nil down.
I had a great couple of days up there but gutted about that last hour. Should not have lost from having them 230-8.
Fine margins etc, and I do think that under the final days of Root we were playing so badly we'd have lost this by a lot more, but it does feel very worrying we won the toss, got 90% of the luck with the conditions, got Smith & Labuschagne out cheaply twice and still didn't win.
Dropping Foakes was a mistake, the declaration was a mistake, and our bowling (bar Broad) all look injured and/or rusty.
I wonder what bowling attack is rolled out at Lord's? Wood for Robinson feels obvious, Potts for Anderson? And then the big question of spin with Moeens injury , I don't know if I'd risk playing Root as the main spinner and him then getting targeted and smashed out of the attack despite the job he did yesterday holding down an end.
think robinson keeps his place - he bowled well. Not really his fault stokes is on one leg and anderson wasn't up to it.
Not picking wood was a mistake imo, could've made the difference. Moeen wasn't a good choice - the declaration i'm not sure would've made a massive difference imho
Comments
It's gone silly season on here.
I am a big fan of the new regime but the process is not a one size fits all. It still entails adapting the process according to the match situation but also the opposition. When we declared I said that it wasn't something that I would have done and that my concern was that, in doing so, we were allowing Australia to bat at the pace that suited them. All previous declarations were made to give us the time to win but this had the opposite affect in that the Aussies could just bat time. I also pointed out that our bowlers could end up bowling a lot more overs. Which they did.
Stokes is never going to admit that the decision to declare was wrong. But if he were in exactly the same situation again I bet he wouldn't do the same thing simply for the reasons I've suggested. What he and McCullum have brought to our game is brilliant. But Australia are number one in the world for a reason and they were never going to be intimated by the threat of Bazball. Any more than Khawaja was going to be by Robinson calling him a "fxxing pxxck". That one didn't exactly work out for Robinson did it.
Because it's the aussie top 2 that failed it's - "they will deffo go up a gear now"
Didn't mention what australia fans would do or say did i.
and again, as I said at the end of that post - change of mindset from fans required
as in england fans
I've long thought the wheels might come off of Broad or Anderson at a really poor passage in time. Broad still looks like he's got the onions, maybe the years are finally catching up with his old mate?
Hope I'm wrong.
I'm sure Wood will come back for Lord's, but he hasn't played a red ball game since December in Pakistan.
Root is but Stokes is playing on one leg. He is in the side for his imaginative and inspirational captaincy and wouldn't get into the side for his batting or his bowling. England and Stokes have played this game for the last six months or so where they keep saying that they've found a way to manage the situation but the reality is that either he needs an operation to sort it out once and for all or it is a chronic injury that cannot be cured. Since last September he has returned figures of 4-220 and it really isn't a pleasant sight to see him struggle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, they can't sort his knee out after this series, he doesn't retire post Ashes.
Bairstow was brilliant before he broke his leg and he did OK with the bat in this Test but his days of keeping at the top level are gone. Equally, if we were to take the runs that his mistakes cost us with the gloves off his return with the bat then it would be hard to justify his place in it. And that is why Foakes should have kept his place but that Bairstow should not necessarily be dropped. Australia wouldn't drop Carey for someone who hadn't kept for two years in red ball but we have and unfortunately it has cost us doing so.
Stokes’ knee is knackered - can barely bowl and it will affect his batting - possibly contributed to the crucial missed catch today too. Surely the heavy dose painkillers will muddy his judgment?
Ali’s finger is not going to get miraculously better.
Bairstow is now in a bit of a confidence rut re his keeping.
Neither Robinson nor Anderson are fully fit.
Next up Lords where we have a terrible test match record.
The matches are too crammed together to overcome most of the injury issues.
The main one being the declaration. However in my opinion we lost this match because of the old maxim which still stands even in 'Bazball' days 'catches win matches.'
Towards the end I thought we might sneak it but the Aussies stood firm and we lost.
No genuine fans of England or Australia would expect their top two players to be dropped if they had low scores in one match. I don't go on Twitter etc so I don't know the childish noise on there.
Just my opinion that Smith and Labuschagne will get bigger scores as the series moves on.
Hopefully Harry Brook will continue his great start to test cricket as he is an awesome talent; Ollie Pope as well.
Many positives with the Baz ball approach but when Ben Stokes said by declaring it sent a message to Australia on day one unfortunately the message was if the Aussie could keep level with England they may nick the Victory as we go for broke.
As 'Covered end' said no one is suggesting (Geoff Boycott ?) we scrap this positive mindset but not having our best wicket keeper and declaring on day 1 of 5 against the old enemy didn't help our cause.
Australia's record at winning close games against England wasn't good so I assume that was what many England's fans were hoping for when we took the 8th Wicket.
We need a quick reset and go into the next test with 11 fit players.
Like I say I know next to nothing about cricket, but I know one thing - take him out and you're taking out a match winner. Ok it didn't work out this time, but how many times has that man got to defy the odds?
First name on the team sheet, one leg, one arm, blind, deaf - he's our difference maker, captain or not.
Bairstow - i'm telling you now Australia are terrified of him getting in - I haven't watched much cricket but when that guy gets going he will PUNISH you and he is one man they do NOT want to see on the team sheet, injury or not.
my entire point wasn't about form or injuries or anything like that, what I love about this team is the mental aspect - Australia always seem to get in our heads and for just fricking ONCE we are giving it back to them. Say what you like about mistakes and bad choices, we are fucking with them the way they always have with us - i've seen some ashes series on youtube - i've never seen an australia be so uncertain - they have always been this juggernaut just plowing through us- this time is different to me. If it is just more of the same to you then fair enough, and if you want us to go back into our shell and let them dictate to us like they always do, well... sorry but that isn't this England and they bloody know it - and that is our biggest advantage this year. I don't know a lot about cricket but I think we have them on toast this series they got very lucky this test IMO
anyway i think i'll leave it there i'll go back to knowing fuck all about football instead lol
I'm not sure i totally understand Bazball apart from really enjoying how some of the Australians managed to get out with the insane fields we set. I had us as favourites right up until the rain held the game up until gone 2pm. The pitch wasn't doing anything and I wasn't overly impressed with how we put a clearly undercooked Jimmy in the team, play without a proper wicket keeper and relying on my beloved Moeen Ali who I know know hasn't bowled a red ball in anger for a lot longer than I thought.
Declaring on day one was mental but maybe thats part of what I dont understand with this type of cricket we are playing currently. On that pitch we needed upwards of 400 runs ideally 450 and I felt we would have got there even if Root was starting to get bored. This was a test we absolutely had to win, Edgbaston is a good ground for us and I think we will struggle to hauk this back. Lords next, eurgh, I hate Lords tests, they are made for players like Warner, Kawaja, Smith and Labuschange to score double hundreds while we exhaust our bowlers and invariably collapse cheaply. Mark Wood needs to play but he is not fit enough to be relied on, Jimmy needs to be 100% to play he is so vital and actually gets the ball moving not to mention I think batsmen are genuinely frightened of him
I don't know what our other spinning options are beyond Root and Ali if I'm honest and its unfair to expect Moeen to be the batsman he was 4 or 5 years ago because he hasn't been playing and can we justify picking him on his bowling with a poorly finger that will only get toughened up by bowling lots which he won't be able to do as that exposed skin looks about half an inch deep. Special mention to Stuart Broad who I also love, he is our talisman as much as Root or Stokes can be, the way he embraces everything test cricket is about and gives us an early warning he is about to rip someone's stump put of the ground gives me goosebumps and he gave it absolutely everything
Onto the next one, I can handle us losing like that but I really hope we have a plan B
The early declaration was beyond stupid.
For the next test Foakes must be included.
Anderson is not quite match fit so I would replace him with Wood.
If we don't have a spin bowler up to the job then I would play Woakes who has a good record at Lords.
For those saying what to do with Bairstow I would let him open.
I doubt either of our present openers will average over 30 in this series so he can hardly do any worse.
This will not happen though as the selecters will stick with Bairstow for the Lords Test where his keeping will probably see us go 2 nil down.
Fine margins etc, and I do think that under the final days of Root we were playing so badly we'd have lost this by a lot more, but it does feel very worrying we won the toss, got 90% of the luck with the conditions, got Smith & Labuschagne out cheaply twice and still didn't win.
Dropping Foakes was a mistake, the declaration was a mistake, and our bowling (bar Broad) all look injured and/or rusty.
I'm still very worried.
Some big questions to be answered.
Not picking wood was a mistake imo, could've made the difference. Moeen wasn't a good choice - the declaration i'm not sure would've made a massive difference imho
another 40/50 runs ahead and we win