So much for Johnson being washed up.
Terrible batting.
Terrible batting.
English cricket 2015 - NZ, The Ashes, Pak and SA
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Who would you bring in at no4? I think Morgan will do well, fits the way England want to go. Could be our Steve SmithMorgan? Behave.
They're winning in 3 days
As the old saying goes, only comment about the pitch after both teams have batted at least once
Mitchell the senior is due a big spell. Come on Mitch!!
I'd bring in KP, feelings be damned. Basically Morgan with more experience and talent - Can win a game in a session.
Brilliant spell this from Johnson.
England were 30-4 vs New Zealand went on to make 389
As the old saying goes, only comment about the pitch after both teams have batted at least once
6/7 innings England have lost 3 or more before 100 is up. Not good enough
This is feckin shameful! The first test was a complete surprise and this is more how I expected things to go. All I can say is thank feck this test is on at the same time as The Open.
It's looking that way at the moment. It's a shame if that happens though. Australia fully deserve the win and to level the series.
Once KP hit that 400 or whatever, he legit pull all his eggs in it......like he's just gone straight to being a t20 player since pretty much, when he promised to get runs for Surray to prove his worth, basically he got amazingly hot in one innings out of like 8?, got turned down, he should of at least continued to get another century......Bells just gonna keep his place instead, Ballance will be dropped before Bell will be.
So is Adam Lyth a bit rubbish at test level then? Time to give Hales a go? Or even Robson again? Who else is there?
Nick Compton. Dynamic fast scoring batsman with the X factor. Such a joy to watch.
He wasn't fast scoring at all in an England shirt, that's why he got dropped for Root and then Carberry, maybe he'd be more at home in the current side but I think his chance has come and gone.
I'm going to guess @Samid was being sarcastic there with the Compton choice. England's top 4 currently Cook aside really isn't good enough or badly out of form. Problem is I'm not sure who can come in as replacements. I wouldn't mind seeing Hales in for Lyth with Ballance dropped and Rashid coming in with Ali going in at number perhaps? Problem is none of them are good enough against the Aussie pace attack with the new ball.
As for this match; if England can somehow get to 367 then they should be able to save the match with some rain forecasted for Sunday and Monday.
As for this match; if England can somehow get to 367 then they should be able to save the match with some rain forecasted for Sunday and Monday.
Surely Root goes up to 3, Bairstow comes in at 5. Opening spot needs some continuity, can't keep shunting guys out after 5 tests or so. Not sure if Bairstow's technique will last at test level but look at Steve Smith.
Yeah that makes more sense, I forgot about Bairstow. If we're going to keep Bell in the side then he could go in a 3, though having a middle order of Root, Ali, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler is pretty darn exciting.
Oh definitely, if Ali and Stokes kick on with their bowling we could have a heck of a team for all types of conditions. Wood has been a great find too but the opening slot and general paucity of decent fast bowling options past who we have playing worry me going forward, the middle order is sorted though more or less. Just have to find the right balance.
Yup, sarcasm. He's probably the dullest of all the dull batsmen that have played for England in the past 10 years. Strike rate in the low 30's, it's like he never got out of first gear. Such batsmen at the top of the order put more pressure on their own team rather than releasing some.Tbf, watched Compton for Middlesex a few weeks ago and he scored quite freely against some decent Durham bowling. Got a bit becalmed towards the end of his 50 though and then got out. He's clearly a good batsman but probably not quite good enough. I think I feel the same about Lyth although Lyth has more shots perhaps. I'd give Hales a go now. Might even be tempted to put someone dour like Robson in at no.3 if Ballance and Bell keep flopping.
Fair enough.
Kin hell you lot need to calm down a bit, This test was only going one way as soon as we lost the toss, it's not been a great performance but it isn't over yet.
It's funny seeing the reactions though, I went on facebook earlier and saw shit loads of negative comments and they only seemed to be coming from people who literally only watch about twenty minutes of the ashes ever couple of years and seem to think they are experts. Having said that Lyth is so very pointless as an opener, that's 2 ducks in 3 innings, not what we need from a number 1, batting like a number 11!
I live in eternal optimism though and think the conditions might suit us a bit later today, if we can bat all day and somehow manage to stay in, then we stand a chance of forcing a draw, but it's likely that we will go into this short break at 1-1, that's ok though the series is far from over.
It's funny seeing the reactions though, I went on facebook earlier and saw shit loads of negative comments and they only seemed to be coming from people who literally only watch about twenty minutes of the ashes ever couple of years and seem to think they are experts. Having said that Lyth is so very pointless as an opener, that's 2 ducks in 3 innings, not what we need from a number 1, batting like a number 11!
I live in eternal optimism though and think the conditions might suit us a bit later today, if we can bat all day and somehow manage to stay in, then we stand a chance of forcing a draw, but it's likely that we will go into this short break at 1-1, that's ok though the series is far from over.
Think if we bat all day tomorrow the draw's the most likely result.
I agree It's just that the sensible half of my brain tells me that it's unlikely that we manage to do it.
Wow Mitchell Johnson is all talk now with his 'let's see this aggressive cricket of theirs', in his interview with Ian Ward. Shame he wasn't so chipper in the first test. This is a big test for England to see his far they have really come, got to bat well with the pressure on.
. Shame he wasn't so chipper in the first test. This is a big test for England to see his far they have really come, got to bat well with the pressure on.Fully agree with this, the reaction has been hilarious, also bringing KP back
. If we can get through the first hour, thr ball will become softer so hopefully we can carry on. Cook is due a big score as well.The worst possible thing that England can do right now is to push Root up to 3 , he likes playing his shots and in these conditions he could be a disaster at 3 .
I'd like him at four and I'm still happy to give Ballance more time at three. Bairstow in for Bell seems the sensible change. If Lyth fails again, we'd probably have to chuck someone in for him, as well, I guess. There isn't anyone with a strong case but there also isn't anyone who could be doing worse.
No it's not, with the top 3 batting like they are he finds himself in when a number 3 should be in more often than not anyway. As positive as Root has been recently he has shown aptitude to dig in and hold fort so he can't bat at 3 no problem. The top order is far too stodgy with Ballance at 3. New Zealand have Williamson at 3 and Australia have Smith at 3 and there is not a single English player I would trust at 3 more than Joe Root right now. Ballance can't play the full ball or the short ball at the moment and needs to go away and figure it all out, I think Ian Bell needs to go and score some big runs in County Cricket and get some confidence back too(been out on 1 five times this year!).
Good stuff from Stokes and Cook but the former's wicket is a very big blow.
Teams don't enforce the follow on that often, but i think Clarke should do that if he has the option to do so.
Yeah, given the weather forecast, it looks the sensible choice.
And with that Watson will never return
Shane Warne and Mark Taylor had one heck of a rant about Moeen Ali being given not out.
Got a bit of a point. Looked out. I'd probably take a couple of millimetres off 'umpires call'.
Top order wobble apart the pitch looks good to bat on, don't think it would actually be the worst thing for England if Australia do enforce the follow on. Tired bowlers on a good pitch, bat out today and let's see what the weather does.
Hazelwood looks like one of those ghouls you see on deadline day at Stoke City.
Joe Root practically plays the role of a number 3 anyway because the bottleless fecker Bell folds like a deck chair whenever things get mildly uncomfortable and Gary Ballance just isn't up to it
We won't improve until we realise that cricket is as much a mental game as a physical one and its no good picking people who stroke it around for fun when there are hundreds of runs on the board but can't see out a bit of pressure
The main thing the Aussies have over us is arrogance. They believe they are world class cricketers, the bowlers go out to hurt our batsmen and their batsmen go out to dominate our bowlers.
We won't improve until we realise that cricket is as much a mental game as a physical one and its no good picking people who stroke it around for fun when there are hundreds of runs on the board but can't see out a bit of pressure
The main thing the Aussies have over us is arrogance. They believe they are world class cricketers, the bowlers go out to hurt our batsmen and their batsmen go out to dominate our bowlers.
I don't think Ballance is having a good time. But to dismiss him as 'just not up to it' is ridiculous. Especially when there's no one knocking the door down to replace him.
Anyway, they won't, but Bairstow should come in for Bell. Think Lyth is good enough but needs his head sorting. Aggression is fine, but see off the new ball first. Never been convinced Buttler is ready for Test cricket either, but his natural replacement in Bairstow should be coming in for Bell.
Anyway, they won't, but Bairstow should come in for Bell. Think Lyth is good enough but needs his head sorting. Aggression is fine, but see off the new ball first. Never been convinced Buttler is ready for Test cricket either, but his natural replacement in Bairstow should be coming in for Bell.