That's what I've been saying, the only slots available are the top two IMO and there's no way Cook is getting dropped. Big question is do England need Ali and Stokes in the same team, do you sacrifice Stokes for an all out bowler? Pietersen in his form at 4 with Bell and Root at 5 and 6 would be great but I'm not sure that's the best lineup.
Cricket
- Thread starter EdWeatherall
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That's what I've been saying, the only slots available are the top two IMO and there's no way Cook is getting dropped. Big question is do England need Ali and Stokes in the same team, do you sacrifice Stokes for an all out bowler? Pietersen in his form at 4 with Bell and Root at 5 and 6 would be great but I'm not sure that's the best lineup.
Yeah, either way the batting is ridiculously strong. Either Buttler coming in at 8 behind Ali and Stokes or one of Pietersen and Root coming in at 6.
The real question is I guess do you trust an attack of Anderson, Broad, Ali + one to take 20 wickets? I don't think I do.
Yeah the big worry for me is the bowling, the third seamer has been a pain in the arse for far too long and Broad and Anderson are slowing down.
Yeah, Broad's bowled pretty well this series (surprisingly) and I think Anderson will still be the man in English conditions, but we lack a wicket taking spinner.
All I know is that I don't think Jordan is very good good and shouldn't be being picked just because he's a good slip fielder.
I'll definitely be intrigued to see how Ali holds up this summer, wicket taking spinners don't really exist in England bar Swann and maybe Panesar. I grew up watching Ashley Giles with his bits and pieces cricket FFS. This team is in a weird place where it could either be pretty good or pretty shite (test wise), nothing in between.
I think it all depends on what pitches we get in the summer. I imagine they're going to be slow, low, abrasive pitches to neutralise the Aussie quicks so I imagine he's going to be hard to hit.
I'm absolutely shitting it, Harris, Starc and Johnson will get everything they can get out of these pitches. Warner will play all 5 tests this time and will love being the villain. Everything Smith touches turns into gold. Lyon is a more than capable spinner. It could get pretty bad.
I think you guys should put up a separate thread for England's home summer 2015. This thread has run its course 
What the hell is this shit? Pakistan are being outplayed by fecking Bangladesh.
Would be funny to see azhar ali chasing a total of 350 though.
Misbah where are you? Please come back.
About time.
Root 
Class!
If the weather stays good, the match is as good as won. Now, go break that record, Jimmy!
Class!If the weather stays good, the match is as good as won. Now, go break that record, Jimmy!
loolMisbah where are you? Please come back.
KP hasn't played the long form of the game for a considerable while, why he should he go above people like Lyth, who scored a hatful of runs for a Championship winning team last season. Trott needs to be given this series to play himself back into form, he average over 50 after all. Hopefully Cook can get some form as well. Balance and Root are playing really well. Ali is still to come back. I have confidence in this team. Why would you want someone back who has slagged his team mates off in public and is a disruptive influence in the dressing room? Can you imagine a football manager with KP?
Pakistan
Come on Windies, let's chase this today
Come on Windies, let's chase this today
If he scores runs he should play for England. Even against the backdrop of the text scandal he scored a brilliant 100 vs South Africa, not all players have to be best mates and with Swann and Prior gone I'd imagine the only inertia would come from Anderson and Broad. I think it's just silly to completely write off a potentially world class batsmen who can do things no else in England can, a lot has been made of his ego but truthfully England have never managed him very well. He's an arm around the shoulder type of player.
Pakistan
Come on Windies, let's chase this today
Unlikely that WI will be able to chase this. Required RR is more than 5.3. They are just one wicket away from tailenders. However, if these two can bat 15-20 more overs, the chances of draw will increase and England might become bit nervy at possibility of not winning from such strong position. Still 35 overs is lot of time for England to get 4 wickets imo.
Fantastic from Holder! Take a bow!
Good test match.
Lack of a third seamer and spinner cost England really.
Lack of a third seamer and spinner cost England really.
Brilliant knock from Holder, one of the best.
Tredwell bowled well in the first innings, but our lack of a wicket-taking spinner has probably cost us here.
Tredwell bowled well in the first innings, but our lack of a wicket-taking spinner has probably cost us here.
I find it strange that we rarely get to see this kind of a knock in test matches, Cricket is still far too much about instinct and less about tactics & playing smart. The number of times I watch and think that why is the guy doing this or that when common sense would suggest something else is remarkably high. I understand that playing it at a top level is different to just thinking about it but still I wish it involved more tactics & smartness than just pure instincts
Steady, it was a good knock. But that was a very comfortable pitch, it was a good innings of self-restraint and temperament but I don't think it was much other than that.
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I'd like to see Jordan for Plunkett/Wood and Ali for Treadwell next test. Worth giving Trott another chance as he's got two good balls so far, as much as his footwork could have been better.
LOL at England. Holder seems to genuinely care about playing for the West Indies. That's exactly the kind of cricketers they need.
One of the best in a while*
It was a match-saving ton by a #8 bat in what looks like quite a poor test side!
Why LOL?, England dominated the test however just didn't have the cutting edge. Great knock by Holder.
I think there are too many records that are broken simply by sheer volume of cricket played these days, but Jimmy Anderson being England's highest test wicket taker is great to see.
One of the most exciting bowlers I have seen. And in the last 4-5 years, he's done pretty well away in UAE, India and Australia.
One of the most exciting bowlers I have seen. And in the last 4-5 years, he's done pretty well away in UAE, India and Australia.
We're stuck with cookie
We're stuck with trottie
We're stuck with moorsie
Playing Cricket the negative way
We're stuck with trottie
We're stuck with moorsie
Playing Cricket the negative way
Come back Misbah
As if losing a game to Bangladesh wasn't bad enough. Losing the entire fecking series. That's an all time low. One of the darkest days in Pakistan's cricket history.
Pakistan's batting is too weak right now. OK bowlers went for plenty too in the 2 games, but bowling will pick up. Batting looks worry.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...s-to-on-field-injury/articleshow/46985340.cms
Sad news. Another on-field death in a freak incident.
Sad news. Another on-field death in a freak incident.
Hafeez has been cleared and can finally bowl again. RIP Tamim Iqbal for the rest of the tour.
Looks like Zimbabwe will visit Pakistan for a mini series next month, that's good news for the locals. And yet another tour of SL is likely in June.
Looks like Zimbabwe will visit Pakistan for a mini series next month, that's good news for the locals. And yet another tour of SL is likely in June.
Pakistan or UAE?
That's great news. Hopefully it goes well and a few other teams can do some tours in the near future.
Did England drop Tredwell? Would've made more sense if Moeen replaced Trott (I say that because they'll never drop golden boy Broad)
Pakistan batsmen are totally clueless. They seriously have no idea how to kick on when the top order for once have given them a decent start.