| Ashes thread 17:11 - Jul 15 with 91701 views | johnhoop |
Now that the World Cup’s done and dusted we can turn our attention to the next major event.
For me the most interesting questions about team selection are;
1) Do we open with Jason Roy? For me it’s a no brainer. I know all the arguments against- he doesn’t even open for Surrey, he struggles against the moving ball etc- but I feel that he’s in such good form and the alternatives are so mediocre that it would be silly not to. If he does come off he could give us control of the game in the first couple of hours. Him and Rory Burns for me.
2) Now that Jofra Archer has to have a place in the side, who are the other two quick bowlers going to be. If fit I guess Anderson has to play and I would give the third spot to Woakes but this means no place for Stuart Broad and the 90 mph+ Mark Wood.
3) Which spinner to go with - Ali or Rashid? Ali’s batting form seems to have dipped but it’s still not an easy decision to make.
Any thoughts? |  | | |  |
| Ashes thread on 02:53 - Aug 5 with 1690 views | Hooparoo |
| Ashes thread on 15:23 - Aug 4 by isawqpratwcity |
Thank you for two great innings, Steve Smith! |
😃 |  |
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| Ashes thread on 03:09 - Aug 5 with 1683 views | SydneyRs |
| Ashes thread on 16:37 - Aug 4 by CamberleyR |
Hindsight I know but the decision to take a gamble on Anderson's fitness looks like it's going to bite us on the arse big time. I know he knows his body the best but common sense tells you, you don't recover from a calf tear in a month.
Had we a full bowling attack I think they would have struggled to get 150 in the first innings. Batting second time with a deficit of 200+ is a whole different ball game psychologically to batting again just 90 behind. |
Regardless of Anderson they should have been all out for around 160 in the first innings even if Smith finished not out. England have thrown this one away around 3 or 4 times already and still haven't lost it yet. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 06:10 - Aug 5 with 1651 views | nix |
Can kind of see why we took a risk on Anderson, though. Jofra Archer was out with a side strain and Mark Woods out for the season with a knee injury, our attack looks a little blunt against the Aussies without all three of them. Hope Archer is fully fit for the next test, but I don't think they'll risk him if there's any doubt.
Our key issue is definitely getting Steve Smith out. Without him, they look eminently beatable. With him, we just don't like we can get twenty wickets in enough time or with a low enough score to win matches. |  | | |
| Ashes thread on 06:49 - Aug 5 with 1635 views | jonno |
| Ashes thread on 06:10 - Aug 5 by nix |
Can kind of see why we took a risk on Anderson, though. Jofra Archer was out with a side strain and Mark Woods out for the season with a knee injury, our attack looks a little blunt against the Aussies without all three of them. Hope Archer is fully fit for the next test, but I don't think they'll risk him if there's any doubt.
Our key issue is definitely getting Steve Smith out. Without him, they look eminently beatable. With him, we just don't like we can get twenty wickets in enough time or with a low enough score to win matches. |
Exactly what I have been saying. Smith looks like the only batsman on either side who can play a proper test match innings. Even the Rory Burns innings the other day, and well done to him, he played and missed over forty times so he had a fair bit of luck. We currently seem to have no idea how to bowl to Smith to either get him out or dry up his runs. |  | | |
| Ashes thread on 07:40 - Aug 5 with 1619 views | toboboly |
I hope it rains all day in Birmingham today. |  |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
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| Ashes thread on 08:03 - Aug 5 with 1606 views | Hooparoo |
| Ashes thread on 06:49 - Aug 5 by jonno |
Exactly what I have been saying. Smith looks like the only batsman on either side who can play a proper test match innings. Even the Rory Burns innings the other day, and well done to him, he played and missed over forty times so he had a fair bit of luck. We currently seem to have no idea how to bowl to Smith to either get him out or dry up his runs. |
Wade also made a century. We aren’t just Smith. | |
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| Ashes thread on 08:56 - Aug 5 with 1580 views | TheChef |
| Ashes thread on 17:12 - Aug 4 by Snipper |
I wouldn’t count Moeen Ali as a spinner at the moment. We’ve played this test with 9 men. |
Exactly. Based on this I'll be delighted to get away with a draw (which is a shame, given our Ashes record at Edgbaston, say compared to Lord's...).
Has Woakes got an injury too? Seeing how little he bowled yesterday. Given the ridiculous schedules they have these days it's no surprise they're all breaking down.
Seems fairly clear that the England management were not firm enough with Anderson re his fitness, and it was ridiculous to play Moeen based on this current awful form. Archer and Leach for the 2nd Test please. |  |
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| Ashes thread on 09:01 - Aug 5 with 1569 views | TheChef |
| Ashes thread on 18:44 - Aug 4 by thame_hoops |
This 100%.
Looking at the positives, we will get archer in for Anderson and probably leech for Ali, making us much stronger and Australia will probably keep the same side.
No way they recover from 110-8 in first innings or 35-3 in 2nd innings with a fully fit Anderson
Hope we bat out the draw and gain confidence from this
On a side note, as a Middlesex member I just saw an incredible innings from AB de Villiers at Richmond today, wow just wow |
Different gravy isn't he, AB?
He played one of the most amazing innings I've seen against Essex the other week. Unfortunately he couldn't repeat the trick against Kent last week (they looked very decent), hoping to see more runs from him this Thursday evening. | |
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| Ashes thread on 09:30 - Aug 5 with 1530 views | isawqpratwcity |
| Ashes thread on 08:03 - Aug 5 by Hooparoo |
Wade also made a century. We aren’t just Smith. |
Agreed. Don't forget about the performance of Siddle and Lyon providing partners for Smith in the first innings. Siddle scored 44 and Lyon 12 n.o., respectable knocks for bowlers, but look at the fall of wickets: 8-122 (Pat Cummins, 43.6 ov), 9-210 (Peter Siddle, 67.2 ov), 10-284 (Steven Smith, 80.4 ov).
Fantastic support for a top batsman in the form of his career! [Post edited 5 Aug 2019 9:37]
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| Ashes thread on 09:50 - Aug 5 with 1521 views | nix |
| Ashes thread on 08:03 - Aug 5 by Hooparoo |
Wade also made a century. We aren’t just Smith. |
Maybe. But if Smith had been out cheaply, I think psychologically it' would have been different for the player up the other end. Knowing he can just carry on batting once he's got in means the pressure is off for the other player. They're not thinking, it's all down to me and I'm going to have nurse the tail. Plus, he's so discouraging for our bowlers to play against. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 09:55 - Aug 5 with 1514 views | jonno |
| Ashes thread on 08:03 - Aug 5 by Hooparoo |
Wade also made a century. We aren’t just Smith. |
Whilst that has been true, it was against a very weakened England attack, with Anderson missing and Moeen totally out of form. I think it's a general thing across all nations, the preponderance of white ball cricket these days seems to have reduced the ability of batsmen to be able to defend and leave balls which are not threatening their wicket and thus build a long innings. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 10:17 - Aug 5 with 1501 views | Hooparoo |
| Ashes thread on 09:55 - Aug 5 by jonno |
Whilst that has been true, it was against a very weakened England attack, with Anderson missing and Moeen totally out of form. I think it's a general thing across all nations, the preponderance of white ball cricket these days seems to have reduced the ability of batsmen to be able to defend and leave balls which are not threatening their wicket and thus build a long innings. |
Agree. Whilst I enjoyed the World Cup, tests are a different skill set particularly concentration levels. | |
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| Ashes thread on 10:30 - Aug 5 with 1480 views | CamberleyR |
| Ashes thread on 06:49 - Aug 5 by jonno |
Exactly what I have been saying. Smith looks like the only batsman on either side who can play a proper test match innings. Even the Rory Burns innings the other day, and well done to him, he played and missed over forty times so he had a fair bit of luck. We currently seem to have no idea how to bowl to Smith to either get him out or dry up his runs. |
Stats show he is weakest (relatively) against bowlers who move the ball away from him whether it be leg spin, left arm spin or conventional away swing. Without Anderson to swing the ball late away against him,what I would try if I was Joe Root was this: His strength is the on side so to try to dry up his runs and keep him quiet they need to bowl as wide of the off stump as possible without conceding a wide.
His unconventional technique with the bat coming in an arc from third/fourth slip is to try to shovel everything leg side so bowling very wide of the off stump should mean he'll play few if any shots to these deliveries. Meanwhile they concentrate everything on getting out the batsman at the other end. It might be negative and pushing the letter of the law to the limit but they need to try something.
Leach needs to come in for Moeen next test and I might also go with Curran's left arm swing to replace Anderson rather than the more obvious Archer although Archer obviously offers raw pace which we are lacking.. [Post edited 5 Aug 2019 10:32]
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| Ashes thread on 11:18 - Aug 5 with 1425 views | ted_hendrix |
Oh dear. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Ashes thread on 12:19 - Aug 5 with 1377 views | Nov77 |
Oh dear, oh dear!
Doesn’t Roy want to play test cricket?
Stupid shot. |  |
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| Ashes thread on 12:25 - Aug 5 with 1361 views | jonno |
| Ashes thread on 12:19 - Aug 5 by Nov77 |
Oh dear, oh dear!
Doesn’t Roy want to play test cricket?
Stupid shot. |
One day slogger who has no idea how to play against spin. We have plenty of those I'm afraid. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 12:29 - Aug 5 with 1342 views | ted_hendrix |
The bloke must be thick as shit, this game was save-able. | |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Ashes thread on 12:38 - Aug 5 with 1323 views | Nov77 |
Top three have all failed....again, oh, and wasted a review in the process | |
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| Ashes thread on 12:38 - Aug 5 with 1323 views | toboboly |
Same problems as pre-series. Batsman can't bat, Root can't captain. Problem this test has been Anderson injured and Ali killing off his test career. | |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
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| Ashes thread on 12:42 - Aug 5 with 1305 views | jonno |
Yes - not looking good for England. Edgbaston test - where England usually do their best - lost. Lords test - where England usually lose - coming up. Anderson and Wood both out for the series and they have no idea how to get Smith out. Can't see us winning one match - probably be 3-0 to the Aussies in the series. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 12:56 - Aug 5 with 1276 views | Tonto |
Root gone game over I'm afraid. |  |
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| Ashes thread on 12:56 - Aug 5 with 1273 views | ted_hendrix |
We'll be all out before I eat me bloody pudding. | |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Ashes thread on 13:22 - Aug 5 with 1226 views | TheChef |
| Ashes thread on 12:19 - Aug 5 by Nov77 |
Oh dear, oh dear!
Doesn’t Roy want to play test cricket?
Stupid shot. |
Very silly shot given how we were starting to frustrate them a little.
Denly not lasting long was no surprise. We must surely have better than him to bat number 4.
Needed Root to stay there - time for Buttler and Stokes to perform their batting heroics again from the World Cup final. | |
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| Ashes thread on 13:42 - Aug 5 with 1191 views | johnhoop |
| Ashes thread on 12:56 - Aug 5 by Tonto |
Root gone game over I'm afraid. |
It’s not so long ago that people were talking about Root, Smith, Kohli and Williamson as the best four batsmen in the world, as if they were all at a similar level above the rest. To mention Root in the same company as Smith now seems absolutely preposterous. His captaincy is truly dreadful so the best thing for him would be if they take it off him and let him concentrate on his batting so he can hopefully recover his form. A few years ago I thought he was potentially the best England batsman I’d seen in fifty plus years of watching the game but something has gone badly wrong. | | | |
| Ashes thread on 13:49 - Aug 5 with 1175 views | jonno |
| Ashes thread on 13:22 - Aug 5 by TheChef |
Very silly shot given how we were starting to frustrate them a little.
Denly not lasting long was no surprise. We must surely have better than him to bat number 4.
Needed Root to stay there - time for Buttler and Stokes to perform their batting heroics again from the World Cup final. |
Buttler has gone. Neither he or Stokes are test match batsmen - just more one day sloggers. | | | |
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