No, because Buttler got himself out & a test match vs Pakistan is hardly the ashes
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
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Pakistan will be very disappointed not to have won that. I think when Woakes came in, they thought they had won & the intensity went. Credit to Buttler & Woakes, played beautifully.
Not impressed with Azhar’s captaincy. Batting, as usual, let us down when the game was there for the taking. Bowlers did well. If Shadab isn’t going to be used as a bowler, I’d like us to bring in a proper batsman. Rizwan impressed me with his wicket keeping.
Hopefully the remainder of the series is as close as this game.
Not impressed with Azhar’s captaincy. Batting, as usual, let us down when the game was there for the taking. Bowlers did well. If Shadab isn’t going to be used as a bowler, I’d like us to bring in a proper batsman. Rizwan impressed me with his wicket keeping.
Hopefully the remainder of the series is as close as this game.
Great match. Feel for Pakistan.
I just want to say, to all those who gave me grief when I said England were well in it yesterday and that Chris Woakes was easily good enough to bat seven (looking at you, @YAMS49), I think you owe me an apology...
I just want to say, to all those who gave me grief when I said England were well in it yesterday and that Chris Woakes was easily good enough to bat seven (looking at you, @YAMS49), I think you owe me an apology...
The 6 by Buttler really swung it back to England, was stuttering a little at that point.
He got the second highest total in the first and saved the match in the second innings. I know he made a couple of mistakes with the gloves, but I think he can put a bit of credit of the bank. Especially with the personal pressure he was under.
Woakes averages over 42 with the bat and 16.5 with the ball against Pakistan.
What does Broad average against Pakistan?
Cracking game and I’m very glad for Woakes and Buttler to come good and take the plaudits.
hope the defeat doesn’t deflate or discourage Pakistan, who showed so much talent and were very enjoyable to watch. Hope they win the next test to set up a winner takes all finale.
hope the defeat doesn’t deflate or discourage Pakistan, who showed so much talent and were very enjoyable to watch. Hope they win the next test to set up a winner takes all finale.
Yeah. Would be a great 5 match series
Absolutely brilliant win for England.
When Pope was out, unplayable delivery, I thought we had no chance. I'm buzzing.
We won the first match of a series!
When Pope was out, unplayable delivery, I thought we had no chance. I'm buzzing.
We won the first match of a series!
Fantastic Test match.
Great win. Hopefully the breakthrough innings for Buttler as a test player.
Happy to be well wrong about my pre-play prediction. There's a serious side within this group of players, need to cut out the soft sessions and be more ruthless.
Just under 24 with the bat and over 23 with the ball.
Buttler has been decent at No.6 with the bat lately, but not good enough with the glove. Anyone fancy having him as a specialist batsman with Foakes in rather than Crawley?
I'd be tempted to do just that, and move Pope to 3. I know a few are going to frown at the prospect of moving Pope up the order, but Root and Stokes at 3 and 4 is just a bit too high for both.
For the second test, I'd be looking to play:
Burns
Sibley
Pope
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Foakes
Woakes
Archer/Curran
Broad
Leach
I'd be tempted to do just that, and move Pope to 3. I know a few are going to frown at the prospect of moving Pope up the order, but Root and Stokes at 3 and 4 is just a bit too high for both.
For the second test, I'd be looking to play:
Burns
Sibley
Pope
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Foakes
Woakes
Archer/Curran
Broad
Leach
If I was a betting man at 5pm, and put my money on who I thought would win? I'd have lost!
Brilliant from Woakes and Buttler today. Great first test from both teams. Roll on next week.
Brilliant from Woakes and Buttler today. Great first test from both teams. Roll on next week.
Woakes is a fecking hero.
That is all.
That is all.
Do you think Pakistan will make any changes? Seemed to have the same problem as England, have a decent bowling attack but not enough batsmen who have a 40+ average in test matches
I understand your thinking but Pope has never batted 3 before, easier for Crawley to go from opener to 3 and I also don’t think Buttler is good enough to be in the side as a pure batsman a test avg of under 32 is too low to warrant being in the side.
I think Foakes for Buttler isn’t a bad idea but I’m one of those against Pope being moved up. He batted at 4 when he first came into the side and even that was hard. I think the batting lineup should stay as it is. Ideally if Buttler can stay in, it would improve the batting with maybe another out and out batsmen in.
The only change I think would be Fawad Alam for Shadab. An actual batsman, who can bowl a little bit. If Shadab is chosen for his batting, then it makes no sense to me. I think they’ll stick with the same seamers for the next game, they played well imo.
Shafiq and Azhar should also be on the chopping block, both are utter liabilities.
There’s, rightly, no chance of Buttler getting dropped this series after today. He’s bought himself more time.
I’m assuming they can use the excuse of resting Anderson to get Crawley back in, assuming that Stokes is fit to bowl now. The way Pakistan play, we’re unlikely to be needing to bowl Stokes for spells.
I can’t decide if I like the fact that there is so many options or it’s a pain as it creates uncertainty.
I’m assuming they can use the excuse of resting Anderson to get Crawley back in, assuming that Stokes is fit to bowl now. The way Pakistan play, we’re unlikely to be needing to bowl Stokes for spells.
I can’t decide if I like the fact that there is so many options or it’s a pain as it creates uncertainty.
To be fair, Crawley isn't all that either going purely on statistics. I think England could do with a better keeper, but I don't see how Buttler is going to be dropped going by his last few innings.
I found the captaincy by Azhar Ali very strange when they should have been putting the pressure on but men were on the boundary allowing easy singles. This was more strange when England only needed an answer of runs.
I'd still be tempted to try him at 3 for an innings at least. It's not quite the same Pope. It's about having a better keeper in there for me.
There could be a number of contenders for that spot. Gubbins hit 198 in the first game of the county season. I’m in two minds with playing a batsmen or playing Foakes. I do think the batting needs to be strengthened so would err on the side of playing a batsmen whoever that is.
As Pope is playing well I would be reluctant to move in but yeah it’s an option.
Err.... I was the one that said Woakes could bat at 7....
Is Bairstow completely out of the picture now?
He's said he's determined to get back in the test side, he was back playing County cricket today playing for Yorkshire in an attempt to prove his red ball credentials.
Only made 5 runs though
I think his time in the test team is over and likely for good to be honest.
Cheers, I don’t follow county cricket. He had some fantastic innings for England, a shame if he’s done.
He had a fantastic 2016 in Test Cricket but he's been on the decline ever since and to be honest the last 18 months to 2 years he's been an absolute walking wicket.
I think you can probably trace it back to him becoming an opener in the ODI side. Think it messed up his technique for Tests. Maybe he can recover but it's been a long time now.
He's an incredible opener in white ball cricket though and we don't win the World Cup without him so it's not all bad.
That was the joke!
He played so well. Especially to keep his calm after Buttler left him to it.
That is a stunning win for England. This team is really exciting and while they are still unpredictable the base is there for an excellent team
Doh, my bad. Ta for the kudos. Six for Woakes at the Rose Bowl??
What a bloody great test that was. Buttler & Woakes - take a bow. Really enjoyed the Pakistanis bowling!
Stokes has withdrawn from the squad and won't play in the 2nd or 3rd test apparently.
Huge blow for England if true.
Huge blow for England if true.
BBC confirming that he's withdrawing for family reasons. He's expected to fly to NZ this week.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/53712110
For family reasons, that doesn't sound good
