General cricket thread
Discussion
Root would have got the double ton and then the declaration and the lead around 150 - 175 with 20mins in the session left. Or to lunch if Root needed. Those would have been the instructions sent out with the last batsmen to Root. So in reality very little different whether Jimmy got out or not bar maybe 15 runs and 15 mins.
So 5 half tons in the last 8 innings for Chef. Ballance is only behind Herb and Sir Len in tests to 1000 runs and Joe Root joins a very select club of converting tons to 150s.
Mr bowling s
t Broad got 4 stumps in the first innings.
Past It Jimmy got, well pretty much an entire team out by himself to win the match.
Problem really is Trott. Lyth comes in for the 3rd Test and we see how he does.
If KP is currently better than any of Ballance, Bell or Root then I'm a Yorkshireman.
So 5 half tons in the last 8 innings for Chef. Ballance is only behind Herb and Sir Len in tests to 1000 runs and Joe Root joins a very select club of converting tons to 150s.
Mr bowling s
t Broad got 4 stumps in the first innings.Past It Jimmy got, well pretty much an entire team out by himself to win the match.
Problem really is Trott. Lyth comes in for the 3rd Test and we see how he does.
If KP is currently better than any of Ballance, Bell or Root then I'm a Yorkshireman.
Edited by DJRC on Sunday 26th April 05:47
Beating the Windies at home isn't too easy. Winning any series away isn't too easy, not many away series victories are recorded compared to home series. That's the first general point.
Secondly - those two tracks so far have been utter Chairman specials. Steyn & Morkel, the Aus attack or ours are the only current attacks that would have taken 20 wickets on either track.
Thirdly - Aus will be in the UK, on UK tracks. The last time you came over Jimmy and Broad took them apart. Jordan looks useful and Stokes is a 94mph guy which I think makes him the fastest of either attack currently.
Fourthly - Rhino isn't staying fit for 5 tests. Mitch Johnson has played a grand total of one decent test in the UK. He has been flayed in the others.
Out of touch Chef has 5 half tons out of last 8 innings, averaging over 60. Bell is one of the best batsmen in the world and has been for most of the last decade. Root and Ballance look like born Test players.
I personally think Eng are favourites so long as Jimmy is fit. The Aus batting lineup isn't strong enough to deny him 25 wickets. Personally I don't think Broad is the dead weight others do and he is taking wickets - again I don't see this Aus lineup keeping him from 20 wickets. The question mark is then over what Jordan, Stokes, Ali/Root can do. There I think it's a guess.
It will be a proper contest no doubt. I would go for 2-1 England or a drawn series 2-2.
Secondly - those two tracks so far have been utter Chairman specials. Steyn & Morkel, the Aus attack or ours are the only current attacks that would have taken 20 wickets on either track.
Thirdly - Aus will be in the UK, on UK tracks. The last time you came over Jimmy and Broad took them apart. Jordan looks useful and Stokes is a 94mph guy which I think makes him the fastest of either attack currently.
Fourthly - Rhino isn't staying fit for 5 tests. Mitch Johnson has played a grand total of one decent test in the UK. He has been flayed in the others.
Out of touch Chef has 5 half tons out of last 8 innings, averaging over 60. Bell is one of the best batsmen in the world and has been for most of the last decade. Root and Ballance look like born Test players.
I personally think Eng are favourites so long as Jimmy is fit. The Aus batting lineup isn't strong enough to deny him 25 wickets. Personally I don't think Broad is the dead weight others do and he is taking wickets - again I don't see this Aus lineup keeping him from 20 wickets. The question mark is then over what Jordan, Stokes, Ali/Root can do. There I think it's a guess.
It will be a proper contest no doubt. I would go for 2-1 England or a drawn series 2-2.
DJRC said:
Beating the Windies at home isn't too easy. Winning any series away isn't too easy, not many away series victories are recorded compared to home series. That's the first general point.
Secondly - those two tracks so far have been utter Chairman specials. Steyn & Morkel, the Aus attack or ours are the only current attacks that would have taken 20 wickets on either track.
Thirdly - Aus will be in the UK, on UK tracks. The last time you came over Jimmy and Broad took them apart. Jordan looks useful and Stokes is a 94mph guy which I think makes him the fastest of either attack currently.
Fourthly - Rhino isn't staying fit for 5 tests. Mitch Johnson has played a grand total of one decent test in the UK. He has been flayed in the others.
Out of touch Chef has 5 half tons out of last 8 innings, averaging over 60. Bell is one of the best batsmen in the world and has been for most of the last decade. Root and Ballance look like born Test players.
I personally think Eng are favourites so long as Jimmy is fit. The Aus batting lineup isn't strong enough to deny him 25 wickets. Personally I don't think Broad is the dead weight others do and he is taking wickets - again I don't see this Aus lineup keeping him from 20 wickets. The question mark is then over what Jordan, Stokes, Ali/Root can do. There I think it's a guess.
It will be a proper contest no doubt. I would go for 2-1 England or a drawn series 2-2.
I do agree on some of your points but not all.: Secondly - those two tracks so far have been utter Chairman specials. Steyn & Morkel, the Aus attack or ours are the only current attacks that would have taken 20 wickets on either track.
Thirdly - Aus will be in the UK, on UK tracks. The last time you came over Jimmy and Broad took them apart. Jordan looks useful and Stokes is a 94mph guy which I think makes him the fastest of either attack currently.
Fourthly - Rhino isn't staying fit for 5 tests. Mitch Johnson has played a grand total of one decent test in the UK. He has been flayed in the others.
Out of touch Chef has 5 half tons out of last 8 innings, averaging over 60. Bell is one of the best batsmen in the world and has been for most of the last decade. Root and Ballance look like born Test players.
I personally think Eng are favourites so long as Jimmy is fit. The Aus batting lineup isn't strong enough to deny him 25 wickets. Personally I don't think Broad is the dead weight others do and he is taking wickets - again I don't see this Aus lineup keeping him from 20 wickets. The question mark is then over what Jordan, Stokes, Ali/Root can do. There I think it's a guess.
It will be a proper contest no doubt. I would go for 2-1 England or a drawn series 2-2.
1) The WI team is very poor and currently only above Zim and Bang is the test rankings. They have performed well at points but overall I would have expected a 3-0 series victory. They are struggling to get people playing cricket and keeping interested in the long term game.
2) The wickets have been rubbish, slow and not offering much to the bowlers. We have bowled ok, with Jimmy leading the attack as always. We do seem to consistently bowl to short of a length especially Broad which is frustrating. I do also think we lack variation in the seam attack.
3) The English wickets will suit our bowlers and the groundsman will take out all the pace of the wicket. I think if it swings then we have a very good chance, just depends on how we can vary it when the ball is soft and batsman are set. Can we bowl to fields, or can Cook be attacking to mix up the fields? They have a very quick attack with Starc, Johnson all bowling over 90 plus Hazelwood and Rhino are not slow. Stokes has been upping his pace but can he be consistant in his line? I hope he can.
4) I wouldn't underestimate Rhino or Johnson. Rhino managed to get through the tests last time, and Johnson has got himself together and become the test bowler he was before his issues and will be dangerous. With him and Starc wizzing it through left arm over the wicket at 90+ we will need to show we can handle the short ball.
5) Root, Bell and Ballance are very good and are the perfect middle order for me. Cook i still worry about. Yes he has got some 50's but hasn't hit a 100 since 2013, and his current average is poor. Plus he is very negative in the field and this is where my biggest concern is. I want him to do well but if he struggles against NZ then he has no chance in the Ashes.
I think Aus will take the series 3-1 but i really hope we show up and take the game to them.
Beating ANYBODY away is difficult, was the point I was pressing. Whatsmore this Windies side has some backbone under PV and Curtly. The tracks have made taking 20 wickets esp difficult, but its been managed.
Again, "expectations" of the average cricket fan are generally very incompatible with reality - as this thread invariably proves.Nobody is ever actually happy with the England team unless they are a Steve Waugh outfit rivalling team, instead of just decent.
The reality is Chef is groping back into form. Ballance, Bell and Root is a hell of a middle order. Jimmy and Broad are the best opening pair in English history I believe (and I say that as a devotee of Statham and Larwood) and in English conditions nobody can touch them except Steyn and Morkel on their best days.
Our weak spot is (still) having to bed in a second opener, i.e. replace Strauss properly. Stokes & Jordan aren't nailed down. Ali is still developing but has earned his place well. Lets have a look at Lyth over a few tests and see what he can do.
Again, "expectations" of the average cricket fan are generally very incompatible with reality - as this thread invariably proves.Nobody is ever actually happy with the England team unless they are a Steve Waugh outfit rivalling team, instead of just decent.
The reality is Chef is groping back into form. Ballance, Bell and Root is a hell of a middle order. Jimmy and Broad are the best opening pair in English history I believe (and I say that as a devotee of Statham and Larwood) and in English conditions nobody can touch them except Steyn and Morkel on their best days.
Our weak spot is (still) having to bed in a second opener, i.e. replace Strauss properly. Stokes & Jordan aren't nailed down. Ali is still developing but has earned his place well. Lets have a look at Lyth over a few tests and see what he can do.
...and did those feet, in ancient times...
So the third test is about to start, England to bat first having won the toss.
England unchanged, which seems to me to be missing a trick. I really want Trott to find some form, but I more want us to try something different with the bowling line up. It seems that apart from Anderson the other bowlers have been picked by their ability to bat.
C'mon England.
TMS in the background, work pottering away gently, what will the first session bring. A touch of moisture on the ground but once that's burnt off then it should be a perfect batting track.
So the third test is about to start, England to bat first having won the toss.
England unchanged, which seems to me to be missing a trick. I really want Trott to find some form, but I more want us to try something different with the bowling line up. It seems that apart from Anderson the other bowlers have been picked by their ability to bat.
C'mon England.
TMS in the background, work pottering away gently, what will the first session bring. A touch of moisture on the ground but once that's burnt off then it should be a perfect batting track.
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