shubs
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Post by shubs on Mar 4, 2021 19:53:18 GMT
Guess we will find out tomorrow what the pitch is really like once both teams have had a bat. England do look light in the bowling department though. Thought Siraj looked very handy today. He has a great back story too.
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Post by champair79 on Mar 4, 2021 20:02:08 GMT
It looks ominous again but basically England aren’t good enough against quality spin. We need to play with 12 players (bolster the batting and to have a decent bowling attack!) to even worry India slightly. I applaud them for being brave although I do wonder how late in the day Jofra became unavailable.
I actually thought perhaps that Pope should have been dropped just to give him a rest. He’s looked a bit out of sorts all series. I would’ve played Lawrence at 6 and possibly played Ollie Stone. I am not convinced Ben Stokes is fully fit for bowling especially after his episode of Delhi belly.
Positives - Bairstow seemed to grow into the game after a ropey start. Stokes played well with the bat. Dan Lawrence looked really good until his inexperience threw away his wicket. Negatives - the light bowling attack and the failure of the openers and top order yet again!
Here’s a question. If the current team excel in English conditions this summer, do you pick them for future sub-continent tours? Or do you go with a new-look team with more specific skills to play spin? Remember Sri Lanka saying that England would miss Keaton Jennings! Maybe they have a point...
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shubs
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Post by shubs on Mar 5, 2021 6:26:49 GMT
Wow what a session for England. Game on!
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TallPaddy
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Post by TallPaddy on Mar 5, 2021 8:30:35 GMT
I'm secretly pleased that my 13yr old has sneaked down to watch the cricket. Although now will be a nightmare to get him through the online school day. I'm just fantasising about watching cricket in that stadium. 110,000 people! It must be brilliant.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Mar 5, 2021 11:38:44 GMT
Wow what a session for England. Game on! That didn't age well! Once again, some signs of flawed management and selection in this test. Only 2 seamers, needing to flog Stokes to death, who is not a new ball bowler or even a front line seamer on recent evidence is a panic selection based on the last two tests; also, the way Bess has been man managed is appalling.
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shubs
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Post by shubs on Mar 5, 2021 13:09:56 GMT
Wow what a session for England. Game on! That didn't age well! Once again, some signs of flawed management and selection in this test. Only 2 seamers, needing to flog Stokes to death, who is not a new ball bowler or even a front line seamer on recent evidence is a panic selection based on the last two tests; also, the way Bess has been man managed is appalling. Totally agree Imp. England’s lack of bowling options really bit them in the last session. They were totally in the game and possibly ahead of it for 2 sessions. Felt sorry for Bess. Didn’t bowl well but he has been hung out to dry. What an innings by Pant though-unbelievable. Washington was class too.
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danielcufc
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Post by danielcufc on Mar 5, 2021 13:14:48 GMT
Wow what a session for England. Game on! That didn't age well! Once again, some signs of flawed management and selection in this test. Only 2 seamers, needing to flog Stokes to death, who is not a new ball bowler or even a front line seamer on recent evidence is a panic selection based on the last two tests; also, the way Bess has been man managed is appalling. Agree exactly the 'management' of the tour has been horrendous. Players coming and going so Root cannot have the best XI he wants on the pitch. IF they wanted 7 batsmen for this test then unfortunately - with a series on the line- Foakes should have been left out and Bairstow kept at No7 allowing the extra batter. A harsh call on Foakes perhaps but better than flogging Stokes & Anderson by allowing the extra bowler - I would have gone for Wood. Better balance and some lower order Batting in Bess & Wood at 8 & 9. The whole selection policy for the tour has been a shambles. A younger side could have gone to Sri Lanka with the dual format players rested then not going home mid tour.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Mar 5, 2021 13:30:11 GMT
I believe the spectre of the IPL and the next 20/20 World Cup is dominating our test match selections. There is too much cricket in the calendar, players need rest. Sadly some of our players are prioritising the big bucks to be gained from the IPL over loyalty to their country for the premier competition. We are happy for them to do so, chasing the "glory" of winning the 20/20 World Cup.
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nutsaboutamber
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Post by nutsaboutamber on Mar 5, 2021 14:12:38 GMT
And yet.......Silverwood's middle name already appears to be Teflon.
Why the hell did Wood go from Colombo to Ashington, then back to India(after a two and a half day journey with Bairstow)...for what exactly? Got to feel sorry for Stone too.
I guess we haven't lost yet but no doubt the first hour tomorrow will determine things. I assume Kohli must owe his side some runs.
All of the above negativity aside, I thought the Pant v Stokes and Anderson tussle was theatre of the highest calibre.
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nutsaboutamber
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Post by nutsaboutamber on Mar 6, 2021 7:46:09 GMT
Six tests down, eleven to go this year, isn't it?
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Mar 6, 2021 8:11:09 GMT
I know we are going to get soundly beaten, but there are some players whose brains are already on the plane home. Some shocking shots played in this innings.
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Post by Tom Shaw's Fist of Rage on Mar 6, 2021 8:30:15 GMT
If Bairstow wasn't a Yorkie & part of Vaughan's agency surely he would have been dropped for good about 2 years ago. Dreadful test player. Let him focus on what he's good at, opening in white ball - painful to watch.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Mar 6, 2021 8:43:36 GMT
Why is it that Lawrence and Foakes have settled down and look relatively untroubled so far? Not so mentally scarred by the previous 2 tests maybe?
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Post by champair79 on Mar 6, 2021 18:46:35 GMT
Why did Pant, Sundar and Axar look relatively untroubled batting? Because the pitch wasn’t that bad. England were spooked by the Indian bowlers.
Foakes has the temperament for test cricket. Dan Lawrence looks very promising. At the moment, I’d prefer Lawrence at 6 to Pope based on what I saw today and in the first innings. Foakes is unlucky because we’re spoilt in the wicket keeper department. Is Buttler good enough to play as a specialist batsman? I’m not sure but maybe that’s an option and keep Foakes behind the stumps.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Mar 6, 2021 18:53:27 GMT
If I was Jonny Bairstow, I'd be wondering when my next Test match appearance was coming. He is behind both Buttler and Foakes for the gloves and doesn't impress enough as a specialist batsman. A promising time in Sri Lanka is quickly forgotten after his performances in India. It mystifies me why he went home for a break. I heard Root talk earlier about "looking after the players", giving them rest, but to me, we seem to be resting them from the Test team, knowing they are going to pick up big bucks playing 20/20 over the next couple of months.
It's almost getting to the stage for me when we should ask the players which form of the game they want to play in, and select them just for that, taking the opportunity to build a stable and settled Test team, which we haven't got at the moment.
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