******Cricket Thread******

[Gray]

With most of our players adopting the standard forward defensive shot or actually a week poke at the ball they are asking for caught behinds.

The worlds better players attack the ball and then any edges tend to fly over the slip cordon.

If we stick with Cook (heaven help us) he needs an aggressive opening partner, also Ballance and Bell had better get cracking or they are in for the chop.

And why can we not produce at least one class spinner Ali and Root are not the answer.

 

[BigOscar]

Great stuff from Stokes, great game for him with the bat. Hats off to Cook though, proper openers innings, seeing off two new balls and an incredibly difficult morning session where the ball was regularly beating the bat.

 

[the god Gerry Gow]

Good stuff Ben

Aggressive attacking cricket. With some good young players that is what this England team should be about

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

Got some good minerals has Stokes, fair play to the lad. Shame he was so poor in Sri Lanka before the world cup as we could have done with him in this form then. Cook looking more and more like the player he was before the captaincy was given to him. After joking before about declaring, it would be quite something if we did and got 2 sessions at the Kiwis with the ball to cause some trouble.

 

[waspish]

wow what great innings by Stokes if he can just improve his Bowling we will have a quality all rounder for a long time... jobs not done yet though this pitch is still flat, I reckon another 100 will do us..

 

[BigOscar]

wow what great innings by Stokes if he can just improve his Bowling we will have a quality all rounder for a long time... jobs not done yet though this pitch is still flat, I reckon another 100 will do us..

I just don't see his bowling ever being good enough to be a genuine all rounder, I think he should concentrate on his batting and try and become a Shane Watson type player. Mainly an aggressive batsmen who can take the game away from opposition, but who can be relied upon as a 5th bowler for 10-15 overs or so. I don't see his bowling is anything special, but his batting could be.

 

[waspish]

wow what great innings by Stokes if he can just improve his Bowling we will have a quality all rounder for a long time... jobs not done yet though this pitch is still flat, I reckon another 100 will do us..

I just don't see his bowling ever being good enough to be a genuine all rounder, I think he should concentrate on his batting and try and become a Shane Watson type player. Mainly an aggressive batsmen who can take the game away from opposition, but who can be relied upon as a 5th bowler for 10-15 overs or so. I don't see his bowling is anything special, but his batting could be.

I think you can always improve if you work hard he needs to just bowl constantly in the right area longer and the wickets will come..

 

[bernabias home shirt]

Well Well Well
He's a bit shit that cook isn't he :)

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

much better day, right approach in the morning and then Stokes came in and provided impetus, however Cook plodded all day when he needed to raise the tempo and get a 350 lead with 40/an hour to go, Moeen as well guilty there, and declare and go for the win.

Once again, we're either now in the draw position, or pray it's so grey tomorrow that Jimmy can do anything but take wickets, or NZ show their class and knock it off one-day style.

Once Stokes and Buttler went it was up to those left to raise the tempo and set the total, that's the difference between a top class team and England, and a decent captain and Cook.

Still, he grafted this innings and now he needs to morph into a top-class opener by adding the quick runs skill to his ammo, he can't just leave it up to the other end like he did Stokes, because the game is in the balance now as a result.

Stokes batting is the way forward, Root's run-getting at 5 changes the tempo of the innings. It's Ballance/Bell stepping up and playing at that tempo and Lyth or someone else putting the tempo at the top, with Cook anchoring where needed but otherwise scoring positively, and the team starts to progress.

England need to put the pieces together, 1 opener has to average 50+, 3, 4, 5 likewise, and the strike rate has to be more 75/80 than 50.

Still, there are positive seedlings in the side.

 

[jimharri]

Good stuff Ben

Aggressive attacking cricket. With some good young players that is what this England team should be about

Apparently the fastest test century (in terms of deliveries faced) by anyone at Lord's.