Cricket Thread

[MillionMilesAway]

I wonder if the ball will become useless quickly like last year.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Pope at 3 also has me worried against the aussie's, because he's going in to bat inside the first 6 or 7 overs more often than not, and his record against the aussie's is poor, albeit from a smart sample, 67 runs from 6 innings. The batting 4 to 8 looks strong though, I reckon Root and Brook will both have to have very good series for us to stand a chance.

Brook is the interesting one - a very different bowling attack to what he'll have seen before, I think.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Brook is the interesting one - a very different bowling attack to what he'll have seen before, I think.

He's top class though, I back him to come out on top.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Vaughan talking a lot of sense here about the ashes and the England team and it opened my eyes to our bowling situation this summer doesn’t look good really! We could get hammered!

My concern as well. Tests might be over in 3 days depending on the toss.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

My concern as well. Tests might be over in 3 days depending on the toss.

If Australia win the toss, England will have to be truly inept to lose in 3 days.
I think they are more likely to win in 3 days than Australia are.

 

[supercity88]

Pope at 3 also has me worried against the aussie's, because he's going in to bat inside the first 6 or 7 overs more often than not, and his record against the aussie's is poor, albeit from a smart sample, 67 runs from 6 innings. The batting 4 to 8 looks strong though, I reckon Root and Brook will both have to have very good series for us to stand a chance.

You could apply those same concerns to the Aussie middle order though, which is capable of being torn apart in English conditions against our bowlers. I would have liked Wood in the side for some pace and the short stuff but presumably the pitch is better for traditional line and length bowling in this first test.

Moeen gives us an extra strength with the bat to counter the potentially weaker top 3.

It is an intriguing series. We have been spectacular but the stakes are much higher now. I hope we get a bowl first, fans ramp the pressure up. Win this 1st test and then rain dance all summer!

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

You could apply those same concerns to the Aussie middle order though, which is capable of being torn apart in English conditions against our bowlers. I would have liked Wood in the side for some pace and the short stuff but presumably the pitch is better for traditional line and length bowling in this first test.

Moeen gives us an extra strength with the bat to counter the potentially weaker top 3.

It is an intriguing series. We have been spectacular but the stakes are much higher now. I hope we get a bowl first, fans ramp the pressure up. Win this 1st test and then rain dance all summer!

I don't really have concerns over the middle order other than they will be batting too soon. Australia's top 3 are far superior to England's. How many England players get in the Australian team though? I think it's difficult to make a case for more than 3.

 

[supercity88]

I don't really have concerns over the middle order other than they will be batting too soon. Australia's top 3 are far superior to England's. How many England players get in the Australian team though? I think it's difficult to make a case for more than 3.

Their middle order I meant. Ours are much better than theirs. Which would make up for their supremacy in the top 3. We will see how their openers get on. Warner has struggled recently, Khawaja has emerged again relatively recently but could struggle in English conditions. Labuschagne and Smith...well they'll be key!

What Stokes has done is evened the playing field through our style. Whilst in a traditional test you would take three of their 4 alongside Root as well as Lyon and Hazlewood, if you are chasing 350 at 5 an over or more then I wouldn't pick any over what we have!

The tests we have played have swung one way and another. We have chased huge totals. We have had a first innings deficit but then bowled well to limit the opposition. But we have always stayed in the game because we are aggressive and go for the win. The mentality is very strong as a result. And Australia may well go defensive and weaken themselves as a result.

As I said it is intriguing! We will have an idea after the first test but it's worth remembering how often we have looked down and out or like we have thrown it away, only to win, in the last couple of years.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Their middle order I meant. Ours are much better than theirs. Which would make up for their supremacy in the top 3. We will see how their openers get on. Warner has struggled recently, Khawaja has emerged again relatively recently but could struggle in English conditions. Labuschagne and Smith...well they'll be key!

What Stokes has done is evened the playing field through our style. Whilst in a traditional test you would take three of their 4 alongside Root as well as Lyon and Hazlewood, if you are chasing 350 at 5 an over or more then I wouldn't pick any over what we have!

The tests we have played have swung one way and another. We have chased huge totals. We have had a first innings deficit but then bowled well to limit the opposition. But we have always stayed in the game because we are aggressive and go for the win. The mentality is very strong as a result. And Australia may well go defensive and weaken themselves as a result.

As I said it is intriguing! We will have an idea after the first test but it's worth remembering how often we have looked down and out or like we have thrown it away, only to win, in the last couple of years.

Will we get English conditions though? If what Vaughan has said is true and England have asked for good pitches, will we get enough sideways movement? We hace no out and out pace to trouble them otherwise. Can our bowlers stay fit with the schedule, can Stokes bowl? If so can he stay fit and captain in all 5 tests?

Not taking anything away from the team and their style of play under Stokes, but the team selected for the first test has a bit of a Dad's Army look about it, with players undercooked, patched up, and brought out of retirement. And Pvt Pike is still opening the batting.

 

[middlewichblue]

Bit of a long shot but does anyone have 2 tickets for old Trafford they want to sell ? Thought I’d ask here before shelling out nearly £400 for two online!