England v India - 5 Test series

[Fauxstralian]

1st Test June 20-24 @ Headingley
England team : Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

No Bethell & various fast bowlers .. Atkinson, Wood, Archer unavailable

India lose Kohli and Rohit Sharma to retirement after the debacle in Australia

[Eerie Decent]

The pitches down there recently have favoured more of your nip it off the surface bowlers, like Boland, we have a plethora of them, but we've gone down a different route the time we dont need to. Also the Kookaburra ball is more like the Dukes then ever before.

If we were going out there with the right batting line up, we'd wipe the floor with them.

[Fauxstralian]

Australia obviously have some work to do on their top 3 and it might even come down to the 4 rounds of Sheffield Shield cricket that take place before the Ashes and possibly someone coming in from nowhere (Weatherald? Sangha?)Which obviously isn’t ideal!
This is all of the selectors making letting Warner drag on two seasons too long and probably now doing the same with Khawaja.
I am hoping Labuschagne has had time to go away & work on his technique problems and can come back.
Smith (excellent on utterly shit Windies pitches) & Head plus Carey are their batting standouts and Webster has been a bit of a revelation. Cameron Green finished well in the Windies … he isn’t a no3 but understand he will be able to bowl again soon.
The bowling is fine for one last push … Starc Cummins & Hazlewood backed up by Boland, Lance Morris & J Richardson. Lyon still going after passing 500 wickets with Kuhnemann (25 wickets in 5 Tests @ 22) as back up

[southbankbornnbred]

Early guess is that the Aussies won't be too troubled in the winter. Unless England's creaking bowlers somehow stay fit, just can't see them taking 20 wickets enough times to be a threat.

Genuine question: you need a wicket-taking spinner in Oz. Who will it be?



 

Have you seen the Aussie batting line up? It's fucking abysmal. The young opener averaged 8, and his partner Khawaja 19. They've got Cameron Green at 3 ffs

They have Smith, who isn't what he was, and Travis Head, who we need to really target. If we can't take 20 wickets against that batting line up, we might as well cancel the tour.

Yeah, the Aussie batting line up looked poor on tour. But the pitches down under will be nothing like the churned up/cracked, inconsistent surfaces that lot faced in the West Indies.

It’ll be the usual Aussie tops that force bowlers to bend their backs a lot more. If England are struggling to get their quicks on the field, and they don’t have a an effective spinner, they could be long days against Smith, Labuschagne etc.

If they can keep Archer, Atkinson and Wood fit, then they have the extra speed they’ll need. Definitely think England’s bowling fitness will determine how competitive we’ll be. And find a fecking spinner!

[Eerie Decent]

Early guess is that the Aussies won't be too troubled in the winter. Unless England's creaking bowlers somehow stay fit, just can't see them taking 20 wickets enough times to be a threat.

Genuine question: you need a wicket-taking spinner in Oz. Who will it be?


 

Have you seen the Aussie batting line up? It's fucking abysmal. The young opener averaged 8, and his partner Khawaja 19. They've got Cameron Green at 3 ffs

They have Smith, who isn't what he was, and Travis Head, who we need to really target. If we can't take 20 wickets against that batting line up, we might as well cancel the tour.

[Fauxstralian]

England will need Archer & Wood to be fit to play at least 3 or 4 Tests each
There was some evidence that Bazball was evolving somewhat to play the situation not bat like lemmings heading for the cliff ALL the time
England have a relatively settled top 7 (more so than Aust at the moment) but they will have to cope with the extra pace & bounce, wickets that take SOME spin. Also boundaries that aren’t toy town minimum distances. 
Have no idea how it will turn out but England have their best chance in Australia for 14 years. They haven’t won a Test since doing that gay sprinkler celebration… coincidence?

[southbankbornnbred]

Early guess is that the Aussies won't be too troubled in the winter. Unless England's creaking bowlers somehow stay fit, just can't see them taking 20 wickets enough times to be a threat.

Genuine question: you need a wicket-taking spinner in Oz. Who will it be?

 

[southbankbornnbred]

Bit late to this thread due to work. But thought that was a really entertaining series.

In any "normal" circumstances, England win that final test. But Woakes out injured on day 1 so can't bowl or bat fucked us over - especially on the sort of skiddy green top on which he would have chipped in with some cheap wickets. Overton is not a test match cricketer, but then he wouldn't be picked if everybody was fit. And losing your skipper is always hard on any team.

India had their troubles, too. But two good sides going at it in the series and it made for good viewing most of the time.

Still hard to see how England's bowlers will make enough headway in Australia to trouble the cheats at home. They have to hope that Archer, Atkinson, Wood, Stokes and one other quick can all get fit and stay fit for the duration of a long Ashes tour (so they can rotate) - which looks unlikely. Also, clearly still lacking a test class spinner. But how long have we been saying that?

[Westside]

"If he keeps insisting to put the Aussies in first this winter we won't win the ashes. "

Strangely, the last time we won The Ashes in Australia, the 3 tests we won, we batted second.

[Fauxstralian]

If Bethel was in the squad for various Tests he should have been released for county games on the morning of the Test when not in the eleven 
Thats always been the way hasn’t it?
Probably would have helped if he’d binned the IPL for county games & the Zimbabwe Test

Harsh to judge coming in cold to a highly charged series but he looked like a rabbit in the headlights 
 

[only1billybonds]

ED is bang on re Crawley. If he was going to show that he is a genuine e test match opening batsMAN he would have done so by now.

[Eerie Decent]

Because he has a 'high ceiling'

Absolutely ridiculous to throw him in in the final test with no red all Cricket. They should've picked him in the 1st test to bed him in the series, or not picked him at all. But then again, they're happy to stick with Crawley, who averages 30 after 50+ tests.

[Eastside surge]

Great series exciting to the very last day  , I have been listening to tms quite a bit and it kept coming up again and again about how bethel hadn't played any cricket recently at least of the red ball variety and I have to ask myself what was he doing in the team then? Simply because stokes was injured?

[Swiss.]

Twats. Another series blown because they didn't bat first.  Similar to the NZ series when Stokes enforced the follow on and we lost and drew the series. The guy is cretin and a liability albeit a great cricketer. If he keeps insisting to put the Aussies in first this winter we won't win the ashes. 

[Eerie Decent]

Ollie Pope averages 19.8 in 2nd innings in Tests, the worst ever in history for a batter who has played a minimum of 45 innings.

That's our current no.3

But the NERVOUS lads averaging 60 & 50 are the problem

[Eerie Decent]

I know you didn't, others did.

Pope looks nervous when we're way in front and he's set on 30.

[fraser]

He was ranked #9 in the world I think a couple of matches ago, been good but absolutely bottled it this innings 

 

The lad averages 50 in Test cricket so far. I'd be worrying about our opener and number 3 bottling it, Test after Test, before worrying about Smith.

People blaming him for the series, even though he averaged 62, is as hilarious as it is ridiculous, but then again it's casual fans who really know fuck all.

I'm not blaming him for the series but just saying that innings... Looked so nervous yesterday and when Overton came out swinging today I expected Smith as the recognised batsman to be more reserved, but clearly the occasion got the better of him, I'd also like to see him batted up the order and I would have had him come in one earlier this innings. 

[Eerie Decent]

An enthralling, high drama ending of the sort that is unique to test cricket.

We could spend eternity debating the razor thin margins that would've produced this or that result, I can't help but have a nagging feeling that England contrived to lose that though, with Bazball's continuation of head-scratching selections based on "vibes" more than logic.

Dropping Dawson was slightly harsh, although his bowling didn't look especially threatening he could at least tie up an end and allow you to rest and rotate your quicks. And he's actually spent time in the middle, whereas Bethell has been carrying drinks all summer (bizarrely not released back to Warwickshire for any red ball games) and then just plonked into the highest of pressure situations and told to perform. That just isn't fair on the lad regardless of how much innate talent he has, and the lack of experience and preparation showed. 

Overton was a waste of time as most expected him to be. Could've used this test to bring Potts or Cook back into the fold but they plumped for the thick oafish yokel instead, presumably because he's a bit tall? Another who contributed too little.

I can't find much, if any, fault with Jamie Smith's wicket keeping this series, this match in particular was a torrid time for glovemen. It's concerning how his bright start with the bat tailed off massively towards the end, particularly as he leapfrogged over Foakes because of purported ability to bat with the tail. Maybe it's down to inexperience of these match situations and he'll learn from it, I really do hope he's able to adapt and not a typical player of the Bazball era i.e. plenty of ability but only demonstrates it in favourable conditions.

Brook also of that ilk, so much natural ability but lets himself down with decisions that straddle the arrogant and the absurd (that slog sweep against Akash Deep comes to mind, and him carelessly chucking his wicket away last evening when well set).

Bashir has missed the last 2 tests but his previous inclusion has embodied this approach to team selection. A babe in the woods who isn't even his county's second choice, and indeed won't have any county contract come The Ashes, expected to learn on the job and then go perform in one of the most unforgiving places for spin in the world? All because he has a "high release point"?

For better or worse, this is the lot that will tour Oz. High risk, high reward. If the vibes come off, we could bloody some noses for the first time since 2010/11. But it's just as likely to be 30-3 as 300-3 and I don't imagine the Aussies would take their boots off throats in that scenario.

All that absolute bollocks you've just typed, and not once mentioned the biggest problems in the side.

Slag off a bloke averaging nearly 60, slag off a bloke averaging nearly 50, no mention of the 2 chumps averaging 30.

Have any of you watched any Test Cricket other than tbis match?

[Eerie Decent]

He was ranked #9 in the world I think a couple of matches ago, been good but absolutely bottled it this innings 

 

 

The lad averages 50 in Test cricket so far. I'd be worrying about our opener and number 3 bottling it, Test after Test, before worrying about Smith.

People blaming him for the series, even though he averaged 62, is as hilarious as it is ridiculous, but then again it's casual fans who really know fuck all.

[Snodders' Beard]

An enthralling, high drama ending of the sort that is unique to test cricket.

We could spend eternity debating the razor thin margins that would've produced this or that result, I can't help but have a nagging feeling that England contrived to lose that though, with Bazball's continuation of head-scratching selections based on "vibes" more than logic.

Dropping Dawson was slightly harsh, although his bowling didn't look especially threatening he could at least tie up an end and allow you to rest and rotate your quicks. And he's actually spent time in the middle, whereas Bethell has been carrying drinks all summer (bizarrely not released back to Warwickshire for any red ball games) and then just plonked into the highest of pressure situations and told to perform. That just isn't fair on the lad regardless of how much innate talent he has, and the lack of experience and preparation showed. 

Overton was a waste of time as most expected him to be. Could've used this test to bring Potts or Cook back into the fold but they plumped for the thick oafish yokel instead, presumably because he's a bit tall? Another who contributed too little.

I can't find much, if any, fault with Jamie Smith's wicket keeping this series, this match in particular was a torrid time for glovemen. It's concerning how his bright start with the bat tailed off massively towards the end, particularly as he leapfrogged over Foakes because of purported ability to bat with the tail. Maybe it's down to inexperience of these match situations and he'll learn from it, I really do hope he's able to adapt and not a typical player of the Bazball era i.e. plenty of ability but only demonstrates it in favourable conditions.

Brook also of that ilk, so much natural ability but lets himself down with decisions that straddle the arrogant and the absurd (that slog sweep against Akash Deep comes to mind, and him carelessly chucking his wicket away last evening when well set).

Bashir has missed the last 2 tests but his previous inclusion has embodied this approach to team selection. A babe in the woods who isn't even his county's second choice, and indeed won't have any county contract come The Ashes, expected to learn on the job and then go perform in one of the most unforgiving places for spin in the world? All because he has a "high release point"?

For better or worse, this is the lot that will tour Oz. High risk, high reward. If the vibes come off, we could bloody some noses for the first time since 2010/11. But it's just as likely to be 30-3 as 300-3 and I don't imagine the Aussies would take their boots off throats in that scenario.

[zebthecat]

The game seemed to change when Bethell came out, he looked woefully out of touch and nervous. He faced about 40 balls and got 5 and his nerves just seemed to transfer to everyone else.

Not surprising given he has only played one first class match this season.

[fraser]

He was ranked #9 in the world I think a couple of matches ago, been good but absolutely bottled it this innings 

[Eerie Decent]

Also, Smith's overall average with the bat is 49

Ben Foakes 29

Planks

[Eerie Decent]

Jamie Smith scored 434 runs @ an average of 62 in this series, from number 7 (batting with the tail a lot)

And he's the problem? Some of you lot haven't got a clue.

Crawley 290 runs @ 32
Pope 306 runs @ 34

There's your problem, you planks.

Smith should be batting 3, Pope with the gloves at 7, Crawley should be working with his dad on the trading floor.

[twoleftfeet]

I'd bring back Johnny Bairstow, he has the experience and the balls to tough it out.

Smith can be a match winner on his day but Foakes just fills me with more confidence with bat and gloves.

[Ron Eff]

Woakes going out to bat one handed to save the test is absolute theater.

He shouldn't even need to be in that situation though, the moronic Bazball prick Brooks threw his wicket away and Smith bottled it this morning (I thought we binned off Foakes for Smith because the former supposedly can't bat with the tail?)

Bazball prick Brooks who top scored with 111?

Do you not watch sport to be entertained?