Globe Trotter

2 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

From my point, I was never as high on Bazball as others seemed to be but then I loved test cricket anyway. 3 runs an over is fine for me.  England were 1-0 up against NZ and gambled defeat for victory in a two test series. That doesn’t make sense to me and I was completely pissed off by it. Especially when it then transpired that part of the reason was they could fit in an extra game of golf before they flew home.  Personally I don’t get how it’s exciting to gamble a series needlessly when they could have easily have just drawn the game.  If a football manager chucked on a striker when winning with ten mins left there would be uproar if it went wrong. I see no difference.  I was very worried that Bazball batting would result in what we are now seeing as the Aussies are so much better than the opposition we have beaten in the last year.  Finally, I think a persons reaction is a lot down to how much they care about the result.  For me, England winning the Ashes is more important than anything else in the sporting world so naturally I am going to care more about winning than how we win.  When it comes to City I would rather be entertained than watch dire 1-0 wins. 

I’ve no issue with the approach in NZ or anywhere else up until this Test to be honest. The NZ ‘tour’ was not part of the Test championship and compared to the last NZ tour the entertainment value was 100x better (you’ll remember Root bowling Archer in to the ground at Mount Maunganui, BJ Watling scoring 193929 runs and Denly dropping the easiest catch at Hamilton).
 

The Ashes though as you say is the most important and matters - I’m all for the attacking approach but surely the attacking thing to do when you are 180-1 against Aus is just duck and weave for 30 mins, they’ll get bored/tired and our dominance continues. Still room for a bit of old fashioned common sense surely!

Just now, Super said:

The Aussies haven't done anything apart from bang it in short and wait for the mistake.

If we just bat normally for an hour, duck and ignore their bouncers,  when we’re 190 for 1 their bowlers will soon be tired and with Lyon looking injured for now we could then go on and grind them into the ground. Alas now we could be in for who knows what 

4 minutes ago, Maltshoveller said:

Makes a nice change for the supporters who just want to sit and watch the cricket

Every cricket  ground I’ve ever been to you can just sit and watch the cricket, you’ve just got to consider the most appropriate area / stand for your enjoyment.

Some areas - Western Terrace at Headingley, Hollies at Edgbaston - clearly not the best for sitting quietly, same as you wouldn’t go in S82 if you wanted a peaceful afternoon 

8 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

I've always wondered about that, as whenever I've been to Lords there's been no obvious Barmy Army presence like you see at the other grounds.

They seem to have no problem with big groups of Aussies sitting together though.

One of the unintended consequences of no Barmy Army / the ‘normal’ crowd means Lords is a much more relaxing experience for touring Australian teams. 

As for the Aussie touring parties these are generally much older groups, part of official tours arranged by Merv Hughes and the like and not perhaps in the ‘lager lout /football fan image’ Lords look to avoid which is why I imagine they are accepted

2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

It's what happens when you charge £180 a ticket. 

Barmy Army also not allowed group tickets at Lords (unlike all other English Test grounds) which along with the price putting people off contributes to a flat / different atmosphere 

Missed chances cost us. It was a great decision to give Root another over to get Carey but then he should have immediately been taken out the attack, new ball taken with an attacking field and Broad and Robbo bowling normally at the tail. 
 

Can’t begrudge Cummins though after the year he has had, he batted excellently. 

Despite the result, another great day out at Edgbaston and I think we’re in for a close series 

Outer covers coming off, brightening up here now!

You have to take that. The missed chances across our two bowling innings will be the difference sadly 

Not gonna be enough runs sadly 

17 minutes to double our overnight lead 

1 minute ago, TomF said:

KP is horrendous 

He just needs to shut up, we’re here to watch the cricket not listen to him witter on 

I love this but my nerves don’t!

4 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Sorry I meant New Zealand. Forgot about the weird one test against Ireland 

We lost by 1 run! Anyway, tight finish ahead in this game me thinks..

2 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Results up to now have been excellent. He got it wrong in the last test and also this one though.  It sounds like if Wood was going to play it would be in place of Anderson.  Big call go not pick Jimmy. Not sure how you sneak Foakes in really. I’m yet to see a 1-7 batting order that’s better with Foakes in it 

Thanks 

We beat Ireland in the last Test? And I think a little too early to say he’s got it wrong it this Test. I’d have picked Wood in place of Robinson if Wood is fit enough but I’m sure he’ll be in for the next game, I certainly wouldn’t have dropped Jimmy. I’d move Bairstow to open in place of Crawley / Duckett but appreciate JB doing a fantastic job where he is in the order now

19 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Imagine if Pearson said “we will look to entertain, get people of their feet, increase the chances of winning and losing, winning is the bottom priority though and if we don’t win, oh well”.   There would be pandemonium.  I’m not saying Stokes isn’t mainly doing the right thing but in my view he has gone a bit far in recent matches. 

Results speak for themselves, 11 wins from 13 after 1 in 17 or whatever it was. Difference here is that Australia are the best team in the world and I feel like we have got selection wrong - need a point of difference in attack on this pitch (Wood) and I’d have found a way to sneak Foakes in. 

I’m going to contradict myself here and say that we shouldn’t judge the pitch until both teams have batted, but whatever we get here feels short. Feels like a 450 pitch. 

Aus will bat much more traditionally and the lack of real pace in our bowling attack worries me, they can just wear us down. Lack of seam/swing movement so far, which is our strength. 

6 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

Ali's batting skills flatter to deceive in international cricket, Woakes has a batting average 0.3 less than Ali does, for someone with the level of ability he showed earlier in his career he just didn't replicate often enough at test match level and my post above about his last 30/40 test match innings is evidence of that.

This England team is less concerned about batting averages and more interested in the impact individuals can have on the game. Stokes himself has a modest batting average  
 

Ali is, if he’s in the right frame of mind and up for it, someone who has exactly the right mentality and attitude (and skills) for this England side - batting or bowling 

8 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

His whole thing with Leach is trusting that he won't get hit at 4/5 an over so that he can rotate the quicks, it allows England to play a 3 seam attack rather than needing a 4 seam attack

And the reason he doesn’t get hit for runs is he’s hugely improved his confidence under Stokes thanks to how he’s been handled - being thrown the ball and told to attack and take wickets which he has done. a by-product of that is that his economy rate is generally good 

1 minute ago, And Its Smith said:

Moeen is better at batting than Leach so any talk of his batting not being good is moot really.  The Aussies would go after Leach and they will go after Moeen.  I don’t see Moeen as any better or worse than Leach at dealing with that really.  Personally, I’d go with four seamer’s for the first test unless it looks like a bit of a turner and it’s not often I say that. 

Also under Stokes, economy rate is not a priority - he’ll set attacking fields to take wickets and support the spinner whoever that might be, as he’s done with Leach over the past year.
 

We’ve already moved a long way from trying to ‘slow the runs’ - this England team demands attacking cricket whether that’s bowling or batting and I love it. 

If Mo is up for it get him in I say 

Would love Everton and Leeds to be relegated but sadly I think other than Southampton, Bournemouth at home is about the easiest fixture Everton could have. 
 

O’Neil has done a great job there but I just don’t see them having the fight to get anything today with nothing riding on the fixture for them - would love to be wrong!

36 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Don’t really get this thread. If it was the same old teams in the play offs we’d be moaning about the inequality of parachute payments and how can we ever hope to compete etc etc etc.

With a young, improving team and likely a lot of money coming our way assuming Scott goes, we’ve given ourselves a platform to build on next season. If Luton and Coventry can get there, so can we. We should use it as a source of inspiration, not bitterness.

Quite right, and also, quite refreshing to know a different club will be promoted this year to the usual yo-yo teams like West Brom, Norwich, Watford.
 

9 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

That’s a mistake in my mind but guess we will see.  Foakes a better keeper than Bairstow and a better batsman than Crawley.  Bairstow or Brook could open. 

Hmm tricky isn’t it. Both Bairstow and Brook have to play given their recent Test form, but Foakes as you say the better keeper and glues the lower middle order. 

I’d have Bairstow open and instruct him to play his natural game - could create havoc with the field up, new ball. Could treat it like opening in an ODI - aggressive running, punish the bad ball.
 

His weakness between bat and pad and being bowled through the gate would be exposed at times but I’d fancy over a 5 test series against Aus he’ll do better than Crawley. 

2 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Love him.....or Loath him?   What Warnock has achieved in his career, including tonight .........is Remarkable.   What with him and Roy at Palace, it is the oldie's renaissance?

Shows the importance of keeping things simple and not over complicating football. Warnock with old fashioned man management and organisation, making Huddersfield far more robust (and entertaining at times). Roy giving his flair players the freedom to be brave and play to their individual and team strengths rather than being stifled as they were under Vieira

Quite right too. The Hundred is an abomination and a crime against both cricket and humanity 

19 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

 

Wow! Still never seen anything as bad as Denly’s drop at Hamilton mind