I think england/Stokes will change their minds and play the spinner Shoaib Bashir instead of the 4 fast bowlers
Stokes may feel he can bowl 20 overs and be the all-rounder with Brydon Carse or Gus Atkinson will miss out.
Last week England was 100% going with 4 fast bowlers, with Stokes doing a change-up if needed, But Now looking at the wicket and it being a bit green with live grass rolled into the dirt, the spinner plays
View attachment 175340
I guess Root becomes the spinner.It doesn't make sense to play 4 seamers with Stokes. What's the plan B? It also makes sense for the Aussies to create a surface that brings spin into play because that's the glaring issue in this England side. For me, if they do it's purely to cover off a potential injury to Wood.
I think england/Stokes will change their minds and play the spinner Shoaib Bashir instead of the 4 fast bowlers
Stokes may feel he can bowl 20 overs and be the all-rounder with Brydon Carse or Gus Atkinson will miss out.
Last week England was 100% going with 4 fast bowlers, with Stokes doing a change-up if needed, But Now looking at the wicket and it being a bit green with live grass rolled into the dirt, the spinner plays
View attachment 175340
Jacks would've been my spin option over Bashir. Stiffens the batting too (if we go that route, though I wouldn't).Bashir hasn't started a competitive game in 6 months and his figures in the Lions game were piss poor. You can throw the same accusation at Wood but it's obvious England want his pace in the team. I suppose it's difficult to say what England will do without looking at the pitch close up but it's good they've kept their options open.
I guess Root becomes the spinner.
Bashir hasn't started a competitive game in 6 months and his figures in the Lions game were piss poor. You can throw the same accusation at Wood but it's obvious England want his pace in the team. I suppose it's difficult to say what England will do without looking at the pitch close up but it's good they've kept their options open.
The last series in Australia Leach played 3 of 5 with no other spinner playing.Fun fact. If Bashir doesn't play it will be the first time since the boxing day test in 98 that we have gone into a test in Oz without a specialist spinner, a game we won. Aside from 10/11, with Swann at his peak, we have 1 win, 2 draws and 23 defeats.
No idea which way they will go but if they are going to roll the dice this is the game to do it in.
Wont be Pope the Aussies know how to get him out.England's top run scorer out the top 3 in the batting order, for the entire series?
Crawley?
Duckett?
Pope?
I'll go for Ben Duckett. No reason, other than he cuts and pulls well, and being a short arse should be able to play those attacking shots against anything short of a length on the bouncier oz pitches.
The leading wicket taker at the new Perth ground is…..Nathan Lyon.
Just seen first ball is 2:30. Might have to set myself up on the sofa for the next few nights.
Do we want to bowl or bat first looking at the pitch? I presume bat based on what people are saying about spin and the pitch deteriorating.
I think the last first test in Oz i stayed up for and we were about 4 down in an hour. I went to bed and hardly watched another ball all series.Bat first pitch will get worse it won’t be like in England where pitch been lasting 4/5 days! But I have question mark if the game will last more than a 3 and half days so maybe I’m more in the lose the toss!
I first listened to tests from Aus in the mid sixties. Very poor radio reception at 6am. Barber and Boycott put on 234 for the first wicket in one test 1966 and plenty of decent opening partnerships on that tour. Would we could do that now.I think the last first test in Oz i stayed up for and we were about 4 down in an hour. I went to bed and hardly watched another ball all series.
To clarify the piece I read did say red ball matches rather than test matches so presumably they were the two day fighters.The last series in Australia Leach played 3 of 5 with no other spinner playing.
More like 23-4.I first listened to tests from Aus in the mid sixties. Very poor radio reception at 6am. Barber and Boycott put on 234 for the first wicket in one test 1966 and plenty of decent opening partnerships on that tour. Would we could do that now.