World Cup and Test Cricket 2019

[DracoM]

I'm not.

[muzzer]

Roy’s shot should be a dropping offence. It gave the game away, in both senses of the expression. He had played well until then, but it was an appalling lapse of judgment. Personally, I think Root is feeling the off stage pressure of Morgan’s triumph in the World Cup. I don’t rate Root as a captain. Jimmy A has been mismanaged, though granted he reported fit for the match, apparently. England are in danger of making a proper old horlicks of this series, only one game in.

Smith is clearly going to have the series of the era, great for the crowds.

Apparently Archer bowls spin, both right and left arm, during practice. All may not be lost!

[gradus]

Michael Vaughan was right on the money when he predicted that England would have the greatest difficulty in scoring enough runs to beat a 150+ second innings lead.
I agree about Roy, what on earth was he thinking?

[DracoM]

He was just being Roy - I am not a fan.

[Belgrove]

I don’t rate Root as a captain...

I never have; he's pretty clueless when the going gets tough in the field, failing to ginger things up and create change. I think his position as captain should be examined at the end of the series irrespective of the outcome.

So for Lord's the incomers should be Archer for Anderson, Leach for Ali (Smith's only apparent weakness is to left-arm spin), Curran who can also bat (space created by dropping Bairstow and giving the gloves to Buttler). Not entirely convinced by Burns despite his stalwart century, but they should stick with him and Roy, for who else is there?

Starc will probably be playing in the next match, which will create additional headaches for the home side.

[antongould]

I never have; he's pretty clueless when the going gets tough in the field, failing to ginger things up and create change. I think his position as captain should be examined at the end of the series irrespective of the outcome.

So for Lord's the incomers should be Archer for Anderson, Leach for Ali (Smith's only apparent weakness is to left-arm spin), Curran who can also bat (space created by dropping Bairstow and giving the gloves to Buttler). Not entirely convinced by Burns despite his stalwart century, but they should stick with him and Roy, for who else is there?

Starc will probably be playing in the next match, which will create additional headaches for the home side.

I would drop Buttler and bring in Foakes as wicketkeeper and is there not a young opener at Essex called Cook .... ???

[DracoM]

Yes, Foakes, Archer, Leach, and someone who can set a proper field and keeps thinking ahead - which Root notably does NOT.

[muzzer]

Truly abysmal swish from Roy. Aussie will be loving this, with Denly to come.

[Stanfordian]

Only the English could invent a game that is so depended on favourable weather and after five days can end in draw.

[muzzer]

Noted ;). But if this match, now only 4 days max, ends in a draw, as an England fan I’ll be relieved.

[vinteuil]

Only the English could invent a game that is so depended on favourable weather and after five days can end in draw.

... yes. But if you want a really slow 'game', it's Oxford. It can take many many years for a boat to reach the Head of the River in Eights or Torpids -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpids

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eights_Week

[ ... I see the last time my college was Head of the River was 1868 (Torpids) and 1884 (Eights). . ]


.

[LMcD]

In understand that the Eton Wall Game often finishes scoreless.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Only the English could invent a game that is so depended on favourable weather and after five days can end in draw.

Rules worth introducing for non-sporting international confrontations??

[burning dog]

In understand that the Eton Wall Game often finishes scoreless.

.. but cricket never finishes scoreless. The very rare result in cricket is a tie which is what draws in football and rugby football really are. I'd have thought football would be the game that finishes scoreless most often.

[muzzer]

Back on topic ;) Today will determine how the rest of the series goes. If England can get a lead of 220 and declare mid-pm, then unleash Archer again, all bets are off.....IMHO he only really let rip after Smith had hit him for 4. There’s not enough time today for him to get 15 overs into a spell before that happens. But he’s the most exciting prospect to play for England in a decade.