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Acchh!
Bairstow's had a good game so far, good catch earlier stood back - but that's why you want your best keeper playing
there has to be a new rule brought in for England selection. First name on the team sheet is your best keeper (even if he bats 11).
It's hard enough to take 10 wickets on these pitches, that's now 14 we need including the Broad no-ball. Not including 2 that are really hard but your best keeper just might grab, because that's what they do.
and if your going int0 a game with 3 main seamers please pick a spinner whos bowled more the 25 overs in a day this season (hopefully more than once). Such stupid selection mistakes :/
I've got a bit more sympathy with that - it was a gamble but they clearly wanted Mo, to have pursued him out of retirement. However, with pitch deteriorating he might need to bowl a few more in the second dig.
Oooh, Khawaja gone.
This is fine balance now. Take these 3 for around equality and we'd feel in the better position batting first in a one innings game. If their tail wags for another 50-odd from here, and then their bowlers are tail up ......
And now it's chin music time. Anyone that hasn't played the game at any serious level and thinks it's all cucumber sandwiches and one off the mark for you Vicar..... quicks at my level might have only nudged the 80 mark but as an opening batter I've had to sleep on my right hand side only enough times.
looks painful
Is that the equivalent of 'office hands'? Bowls so few overs these days he's turned into a soft handed office boy.
"play to resume @ 15.30" looks a tad optimistic looking at the radar !
This Graham Thorpe looks a decent prospect though
England need to be careful here. The wicket is a belter. If weather doesn't intervene, Australia will fancy knocking off <300.
It's going to take something pretty spectacular from England - or deadful from Australia - for England to get a result now. Baffling declaration.
Pessimists.
It'll be rain affected tomorrow, Aus are going to be chasing the second or third highest total in history at Edgbaston by some way - ENG chased 378-3 last year, after that it's 283 and then next best is 211.
Either way ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!!!!!
For all the good intentions, I’m not sure Bairstow and Ali have outperformed the players they’ve replaced. I’d rather have had 2x Foakes’ batting average and those two extra wickets his keeping would likely have got us. As for Ali, it’s a dead end - should have brought in one of the two successful young spinners from the ****stan tour.
Barmy army singing “we saw you cry on tv” at Smith is good value, however.
Either way ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!!!!!
Granted, it's entertaining stuff, no denying that 🙂
Barmy army singing “we saw you cry on tv” at Smith is good value, however.
I disagree. All it shows is that the level of the average England cricket 'fan' is now at the same level as the Australians 25 years ago in terms of boorishness. It isn’t a good look nor is it particularly topical any more.
I disagree. All it shows is that the level of the average England cricket ‘fan’ is now at the same level as the Australians 25 years ago in terms of boorishness. It isn’t a good look nor is it particularly topical any more.
Smith captained the cheating. He cried crocodile tears. He’s playing in this match. Seems topical enough 🤷🏻♂️
Anyway, when your only commentary available is the bogans on channel 9, hearing the hollies giving it back raises a wry smile. Oh how I miss TMS….
280 to defend
280 to defend
Where's your money?
Feels like a perfect 50/50 to me.
Maybe, if the start is delayed by rain tomorrow and the pitch sweats a bit, it will zip around.
another miss from the keeper
Bairstow has been poor behind the stumps. The impressive catch he did take was nothing that any other half descent county keeper would have taken. But he's missed key chances. Watching him on TV and he's just not moving well at all, certainly not enough to be keeping in a test. I'm not sure he's scored enough runs either.
Bairstow has been poor behind the stumps. The impressive catch he did take was nothing that any other half descent county keeper would have taken.
I'd go further - a more natural, agile keeper would have taken that two handed and it would have looked routine. Bairstow always looks as if he comes up too early, stance is too wide.
If England lose this they need to reconsider their approach to the keeper for the second Test, Bairstow's let too many chances go by
I’d go further – a more natural, agile keeper would have taken that two handed and it would have looked routine. Bairstow always looks as if he comes up too early, stance is too wide.
Completely agree.
We watched Carey warming up at the ground yesterday and he looked so neat and compact. He keeps really low all the way until the ball hits the gloves and everything looks effortless. With him behind the stumps for England we’d be chasing 100 runs less than we are I suspect.
Definitely.
Conventional test wisdom should be taking the 3 (at least) best bowlers and the best keeper, regardless of their ability to bat.
Wanting another slice of the bazball batting frenzy pie with bairstow may be the downfall in this test
game on!
Bairstow .....for Foakes sake.....🙌
Bairstows batting was sensational last year though - he deserves his place on that basis. He looks overweight to me though, ok not exactly Mike Gatting, but it ties in with the comments about his lack of agility, relatively. But getting him in to the team as a batter only is problematic - who do you drop? Maybe one of the openers and play him there? That’d be peak bazball.
Great test match.
Aye, maybe Duckett?
Bairstow was sensational last year but I reckon he's in negative equity with his misses/drops so far. The Aussies are too good to not take every chance offered.
Catches win matches.
No amount of bazball will change that fact, no matter how entertaining to watch
You can argue similarly about picking Moeen over Liam Dawson. Moeen clearly doesn't bowl enough any more and his batting is that of a guy who will only average 25 or so from now on. I was a big Moeen Ali fan, but his time has passed. He also looks off the pace in the field.
They should have gone like for like with Dawson and had Foakes in the squad too. The trouble is Stokes and his dodgy knee. He practically had to push himself back to his feet using his bat like a crutch after sweeping Lyon. He isn’t going to be a full fourth seamer again in Test cricket, I'm afraid.
I still think Aus have a better balanced team and are broadly better player vs player. Over a five match series I think that will show. Bazball can paper over a lot of cracks, but not all of them. Smith, Labuschagne and Head will all probably deliver at some point, Carey is a better keeper by miles vs Bairstow and they can afford to leave out Starc.
dander
Full Member
Bairstows batting was sensational last year though – he deserves his place on that basis
Fascinating stat from Zaltzman on TMS that Bairstow's batting average is notably worse in the innings after he's kept wicket than in the first innings of matches, so not only is his keeping not up to scratch, it's dragging his batting down too.
Not entirely sure how one would make space for him as just a batsman though?
Not entirely sure how one would make space for him as just a batsman though?
I wonder how to rate batsmen in the Bazball era. If it's here to stay, at least while he and Stokes are in charge, then your solid batter with an average above 40 doesn't have the same value as someone like Bairstow with an average in the 30's, but double the strike rate and the potential to absolutely turn a game or take a game away and cause panic in the opposition - even if it is only 1/4 or 1/5 innings. Plus batting at the other end when someone like Bairstow or Stokes, or Buttler in the past is off on one becomes so much easier, no pressure to score, just run when told and get off strike if you should accidentally end up facing.
It wasn't my way when I played and I still rate Cook as the best batter 'of my type' - but I wonder if he'd even get a game for this team. 2 scoring shots and the patience to wait all day to use them......
I wonder how to rate batsmen in the Bazball era.
Sums up Zak Crawley perfectly. I still don't know what to make of him as a test opener. Bazball has certainly upset the applecart of norms - but is it a winning strategy in the medium to long term?
Pitch inspection ongoing.
Squeaky bum time for both sides now.
Absolutely enthralling test this has been.
This is on a knife edge! Khawaja digging in, need him out.
Australia being patient to get past the worst of the weather. The more it dries out the easier it should be to bat.
EDIT and they've still scored 50 runs. Soon the target will be down to double figures. Oz are favourites unless England can get Khawaja soon.
English bowling is very good and khawaja seems to have nerves of steel.
Could go either way this
with this tail its effectively 2 wickets to win it, with one of the current partnership, and then Carey. Khawaja might have the nerves but does Carey?
bookies currently favouring Aus, will be interesting to see how that turns following a wicket.
with 38 overs remaining seems the draw is out of the picture unless the weather intervenes.
if England had a proper keeper, fit spinner and a bowling all rounder they'd have won this match at a canter.
with this tail its effectively 2 wickets to win it
Cummins is pretty handy with the bat.
That wicket of Green was vital. It puts more heat on Khawaja to get on with it a bit. Or does Carey have a look then press the pedal?
what we haven't done (yet) in this innings is something that England have been good at recently....and that's get one followed by another and cause a bit of panic. I think it'll happen yet. New ball in 8 overs as well.
KHAWAJA!!
Stokes makes things happen!
there's a odious yorkshire man nodding with approval @ that innings from Khawaja
Advantage England.
Come on!
Carey is going to do something daft soon.