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

[Westham67]

Happy we are resting Archer, we need to be testing some more spinners 

[Fauxstralian]

England unchanged for Wednesday’s 2nd Test at Edgbaston 
Jofra Archer will train with the team but presumably then sent off to play for Sussex
No Indian team yet but word is that Bumrah will only play 3 of the 5 Tests so will miss here. Worrying for them as the rest of the attack is fairly average with Shami unavailable. Now lost 7 of their last 9 Tests

[Eerie Decent]

Hopefully the cheating blubbering weed can teach the rest of them what end of the bat to hold.

[Fauxstralian]

Australia cruise home by 159 runs despite a 55 run 9th wicket partnership
Glory days long gone for the Windies
Last 20 years of Tests v Australia …. 22 Tests 17 Australian wins 4 draws & 1 win for the Windies
Second Test in Grenada starting Thursday July 3
Steve Smith will return to the group to test his broken finger in the nets.

[only1billybonds]

Windies falling apart. 56-5

[only1billybonds]

West Indies need 301 to win. Decent 2nd innings total considering their batting limitations.
2 days and a session left but think the Aus bowlers will have to much. Lets see,.

[Eerie Decent]

That is, without doubt, the shittest batting lineup I've ever seen for the Aussies. That top 3 wouldn't start for Essex.

We're gonna pump them 5-0

[Fauxstralian]

Sydney (not so much now) used to turn a fair bit but can’t recall a turning pitch ever being deliberately prepared in Australia even in the days of WARNE
Most pitches due to the weather & soil have bounce & some pace  & ideally bring spinners in on days 4 and 5
Each type of bowler has some chance & good batsmen have the opportunity to score
Expect the same again

In a 5 Test series it’s hard to use the same attack throughout
Hopefully Starc, Hazlewood & Cummins can be backed up by J Richardson & Morris (& maybe Boland) before the next generation appears 
If Lyon drops off Kuhneman will get a go
The real problem is the top order batting though

[Westside]

"England very perky & must feel they have a genuine chance of ending their 10 (TEN) years without an Ashes series win & 14 years without a Test win in Australia."

England's bowling will need to be better to win in Australia. Australia have the one decent spinner, in Lyon, in the two teams. Can see some turning wickets being prepared.

Next  Ashes series in England, will make it over 25 years, since Australia, won the Ashes in England.

[Fauxstralian]

ha ha
DADDYS WATCHING 

Actually haven’t seen it but sounds like the pitch has been up & down with a fair bit of movement from ball 1. Understand the umpires (India, England & tv S Africa) have been a bit sketchy.
Hopefully can find another 150 & skittle the Windies with a few shooters
No improvement in the batting & the top 3 is a major issue for the Ashes
England very perky & must feel they have a genuine chance of ending their 10 (TEN) years without an Ashes series win & 14 years without a Test win in Australia 

[goose]

92-4 at the close of day 2.

[only1billybonds]

34-2. Konstas gone.

[only1billybonds]

Khwaja gone. 27-1.

Just seen a highlights reel of Aus 1st innings, if the Windies could get their act together when it comes to catching, they would have bowled out Aus for under 100 runs. Abysmal fielding.

[On The Ball]

One four day game and they've brought him back. Feels far too risky to me.

[only1billybonds]

Australia about to begin their 2nd innings. Trail West Indies by 10 runs.


Where the hell is Sven?

[Westham67]

Interesting stat about bowling first 
I suspect groundsmen have been asked to prepare fairly sedate pitches that will last 7 days rather than turn on days 4 & 5
Perfect for Bazball & teams that lack a quality spinner 
 

True, we have no Swanns for Aus

[violator]

Wurzels looking at turning the SCREW at Edgbaston, could be some win if they can.

[Fauxstralian]

Interesting stat about bowling first 
I suspect groundsmen have been asked to prepare fairly sedate pitches that will last 7 days rather than turn on days 4 & 5
Perfect for Bazball & teams that lack a quality spinner 

[SurfaceAgentX2Zero]

Win, Loss, Draw, Tie

Cheers, Eerie son 
Have always equated a draw and tie to be the same thing, although can see the difference between the two.

The best thing about scores finishing equal is that USUALLY one team gets a tie and the other a draw. Implying that a tie is better than a draw.

[Westside]

Unless it’s overcast and damp…and even then…you never..repeat never put the opposition into bat if you win the toss. 

From the BBC website:-On the 10 occasions England have won the toss in home Tests since Stokes became captain in 2022, they have fielded first on nine occasions.In those nine matches, they have won seven, lost one and drawn one, the latter a game they probably would have won against Australia at Old Trafford in 2023 had rained not wiped out most of the final two days.

[zebthecat]

Josh Tonge is the bunny killer and that is a useful skill to have.
When Adil Rashid still played county cricket for Yorkshire he was know as The Broom for exactly the same thing.

[Fauxstralian]

Great win by England in a proper Test. Decided late on Day 5 after lots of ebbs & flows, it’s why it’s the greatest format

I know bowlers are meant to bowl but India lost 6/24 & 6/31 at the back end of both innings. Catastrophic & cost them at least the draw

2nd Test starts tomorrow week Wed July 2 at Edgbaston 

[Westham67]

Baz ball with brains. Twas proper test cricket today

[twoleftfeet]

Superb stuff, good to shut the Indian crowd up.

[Westham67]

Bringing Archer back after one county game could be a mistake if he breaks down. We had a much better bowling attack last time we won in Aus 2010/11