Brumstopdogs Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eidolon Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 (edited) Great start by Mitch Starc! Edited December 20, 2021 by Eidolon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 It really is hard to get your head around the fact that it can be boiling hot in a month like December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted December 20, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 20, 2021 Hit wicket after all that! So very England. Any chance of rain?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted December 20, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 20, 2021 8 minutes ago, blandy said: Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 Looking at the batting so far this series, it's time we gave Woakes a go at number 3. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 Who else have we taken out there that can hold a bat? Burns, Pope and Hameed simply haven't performed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 don't think we can bring anyone else in to bat. Bairstow in for Pope maybe? Crawley and Lawrence will fare no better, going in cold. At least the current lot have now had some time figure out what they're up against. I'd be inclined to just give them all the whole series. It's not as if there's any chance of us not losing the series, and if the players all fail an entire series they can't complain when the re-shuffle happens next year. But again, the alternatives even for a re-shuffle are limited Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 Surely any of those alternatives couldn't do any worse? Over four innings, Woakes is three runs away from matching the combined totals of our opening batsmen. Woakes test average in 2021 is higher than Burns'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 (edited) Possibly not, though I would back them to give it a jolly good go. Bairstow won't be nicking off moving bouncers, he'll just be guaranteed bowled / lbw. Crawley absolutely will just push randomly at deliveries and do a Vince, a couple of showy 4s and then out. Lawrence, who knows. Might be fine and worth a shout. Buttler's temperament today saves him for the time being, but long term they need to get Foakes back asap. The other problem is for all Woakes being solid with the bat, his bowling was not up to scratch on that deck. They next one isn't easier. I'd be tempted to bring a bowler in for Pope and push Woakes up the order, and have Woakes as a batting option with bowling support available. Edited December 20, 2021 by Rodders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted December 20, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 20, 2021 28 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: Looking at the batting so far this series, it's time we gave Woakes a go at number 3. 7 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: Surely any of those alternatives couldn't do any worse? Over four innings, Woakes is three runs away from matching the combined totals of our opening batsmen. Woakes test average in 2021 is higher than Burns'. Reading posts on BBC TMS texting people are calling for Woakes to be dropped as his bowling wasn't every effective. Not sure what else he needs to do with the bat to justify his inclusion for that alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 (edited) The stats suggest that winning away in Tests is getting harder and harder to do which makes the sporting spectacle more predictable. And for a long format that isn't great. I suspect it might be down to the condensed fixture calendar which gives the touring side less time to adjust to different playing conditions. Edited December 20, 2021 by The Fun Factory 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 11 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: Surely any of those alternatives couldn't do any worse? Over four innings, Woakes is three runs away from matching the combined totals of our opening batsmen. Woakes test average in 2021 is higher than Burns'. The problem is, or one of many, that he’s wasted as 2nd change bowler. They need his batting because too many others are below par, but if they pick him, it needs to be instead of one of Broad or Anderson and let him use the new ball. I guess they will drop him for the next game, pick Wood and then he will play in the 4th test for one of Broad or Jimmy. The selection has been all over the place. Too clever by half. Just pick the best 11 and take it from you there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 20, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 20, 2021 5 minutes ago, blandy said: The problem is, or one of many, that he’s wasted as 2nd change bowler. They need his batting because too many others are below par, but if they pick him, it needs to be instead of one of Broad or Anderson and let him use the new ball. I guess they will drop him for the next game, pick Wood and then he will play in the 4th test for one of Broad or Jimmy. The selection has been all over the place. Too clever by half. Just pick the best 11 and take it from you there. In fairness, I'm not sure that any eleven England pick are capable of scoring three hundred runs, there aren't enough decent batsmen in the squad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 5 hours ago, The Fun Factory said: The stats suggest that winning away in Tests is getting harder and harder to do which makes the sporting spectacle more predictable. And for a long format that isn't great. I suspect it might be down to the condensed fixture calendar which gives the touring side less time to adjust to different playing conditions. Unfortunately we were shite at home this summer as well. India and New Zealand coped alright. I think that was more damning for Root and Silverwood as I've seen better England teams get thumped 5-0 in Australia. We need a better international calibre coach and a captain with some tactical nous. That might be Buttler, even though his form is poor, but he has covered for Morgan in one day cricket pretty well. Stokes would be good but he is more likely to miss matches through fitness issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 On 19/12/2021 at 11:50, Xela said: Spineless batting. I can just copy and paste my original comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornso Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 Gutsy innings by Buttler. Didn't know he had that side to his game. Was stiff to succumb the way that he did in the end. Disappointing I won't be at the G for the Boxing Day test this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 25, 2021 Moderator Share Posted December 25, 2021 Well, here we go again, we're batting on a wicket where batting looks tricky, we have no confidence and we're against a capable, talented Australian bowling line up with their tails up on a ground they know well. I'm full of cake and wine. What could possibly go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Follyfoot Posted December 26, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 26, 2021 1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said: Well, here we go again, we're batting on a wicket where batting looks tricky, we have no confidence and we're against a capable, talented Australian bowling line up with their tails up on a ground they know well. I'm full of cake and wine. What could possibly go wrong? Left the father-in-law downstairs with a bottle of scotch, I’ve highlighted to him where the knife drawer is when he needs to use it. Will probably make a good score seeing I’m not watching it, not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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