England versus West Indies
Disappointing that there’s been no comment on here about the current Test Series. Perhaps the demolition of the West Indies at Lords suggested that this was going to be a one-sided series. The current match has surely put that suggestion to bed.
The situation at lunch today highlights what a fascinating match this has been. Stokes is a superb captain but his sadly characteristic lapse of concentration just before lunch has put the outcome tomorrow back in the balance. I think England will need to set up a lead of at least 400 this afternoon making this potentially a four times four hundred innings match.
With our bowlers having to recover from various aches, pains and strains from their efforts in the warmth and humidity yesterday, they won’t want to have to bowl a full session today. A lot depends on Root and the tail-enders. (Predictive wanted Thai Lenders!!)
Comments
Apologies. Tried to make this NOT FOOTBALL and delete “Attach Poll” but lost me draft in doing so and am now shattered after having to rewrite it.
I needn’t have worried !!
I was looking forward to an intense day's cricket tomorrow, with the result in the balance until at least mid afternoon.
No comments on here because it's a football forum.
Sorry....there was no need for that pointless comment.... I'm just in a fecicious mood 🫣
"facetious".... I can't even spell
Disappointing series so far. One decent innings in 4 from the Windies. I want us to win but this is rather sad to see. Our bowling was decent and conditions had changed but you have to call that second innings more of a batting collapse.
Come on Windies, make a good fist of it at Edgbaston.
When you say “more of a collapse” I’m not sure if you’re referring to England’s loss of their last seven wickets for 96 runs or the complete disintegration of the West Indies second innings after they were 61 for none and looking as if they might do what I had hoped they would do - ie set up the final day tomorrow as an absorbing and determined bid to square the series and prevent the Edgbaston Test from becoming a dead rubber.
Not sure how @Alexo’s piece got there.
2-0 up, series won with one to go.
I'd give the young lads Pennington and Potts a go next game, never actually seen Pennington, seems to have come from nowhere, but apparently has good pace.
I was referring to the West Indies.
Shame the Windies are currently so inconsistent. Superb effort to beat the Aussies at the ’Gabbatoir’ but then they throw in the towel like that...
Not sure West Ham will give permission for Potts to play!
You’re a card and no mistake @mooneyman.
Some interesting commentary about the evolution of Bazball, which was evident in the second innings especially from Root who appears to have been given the freedom to play his way i.e. picking his shots rather than the bish-bash-bosh he felt he had to try to meet the requirements of Bazball 1.0. As someone said Baazball 2.0 is much more dangerous as the players are asked & allowed to think about the best way to win matches.
Also some interesting selection choices so far especially in respect of Smith & Bashir neither of whom are first choice for their counties & had to go out on loan to get first team cricket; clearly worked as they have both been excellent so far.
Yes it was a much better thought out game I think, a definite improvement, bazball version 1 was great when you won, but looked stupid when you didn't, agree re Root, but I mean why would you try and change him, he's going to end up England's greatest ever run scorer, and one of the best in history... just let him play how he wants.
Smith was a great pick, didn't do a thing wrong the whole game really, think Bairstows and Buttlers test match days are over now.
Wonderful insight from Stuart Broad throughout. Seems a complete natural as a pundit. I hope he becomes a regular and not just there because it was Trent Bridge.
It was the perfect transition and it’s surely unthinkable that he’d not continue to be part of the commentary team.
The insights he brought to each and every conversation and his clarity of thought and delivery (appropriate word) were outstanding.
is this on Sky's coverage?
Broady was brilliant on comms.
A real breath of fresh air and he has so many insights into the current setup.
Yes it was @our_frank
The test series against West Indies & Sri Lanka (later in the year) has given England the perfect opportunity to find Broad & Anderson's replacements. I hate to say that I agree with Stokes and McCullum's approach to move on Anderson however I would have liked more new players being given the opportunities and not just go back to Woakes & Woods. There are a number of younger options in the County game that they could have used instead.
I think that Jofra Archer needs to play more County cricket for him to be considered. If he doesn't build up his stamina and fitness, if/when he gets recalled to test matches, he'll only be able to bowl 4 - 5 overs at a time before needing a rest (Same issue with M.Ali in the last Ashes Series).
If you had a fit and firing Jofra, him only bowling 5 overs at a time might not be a problem, as long as you have 3/4 other bowlers who can bowl longer spells and keep things ticking over. If Robinson could sort his act out, he'd be a real weapon, and couple him with Stokes and someone else (I'm a big fan of Matty Potts but could be anyone really - a left arm seamer would be the dream but outside of Sam Curran we don't really have any) and you'd have a versatile, diverse, high quality seam attack, with genuine pace, seam bowlers, swing bowlers, and a point of difference. We can hope and pray it comes about in time for Australia next winter (and not just because I'm spending a lot of money to go out there!)
I agree with you but this is where the T20 leagues are corrupting some of our best talents. M.Ali struggled in the last Ashes because he was only needed to bowl 4 overs at a time in T20 but ripped his fingers to pieces when he was expected to bowl 8 + on the bounce. Pace bowling is the most un-natural sporting action and the warm-up & cool down after it is more important that the action itself! I do like Potts, he had an extra something about it and he's someone we need to manage and maintain. Robinson seems to have a chip on his shoulder, it might be what happened earlier in his career / old tweets that were discovered but I think he needs to sort out the mental side of his game before allowing him back into the fold. Tongue or Jamie Overton are other bowlers who could slot into an England side easier. Overton would get the nod as he can get good runs with the bat. In an ideal world, someone like a fitter and younger Tyrone Mills would be England's dream bowler, Left arm, pace, swing and height all goes in his favour.
Absolutely - I think that is one of the reasons they like Bashir. He's still very raw so they see him as someone who can be moulded a little bit more into a proper test match spinner, which we've not had since Swann retired. Tongue is a fine bowler for sure, although I'd question whether he can consistently bowl 20-25 overs a day like a Broad or Anderson could. If Mills' back wasn't made of papier mache he'd have played test cricket for sure - same could be said for Reece Topley, again with the left arm angle, the swing, good height for Reece, albeit not as quick as Mills.
Will be interesting to see how the next 18 months unfolds - the white ball team are in a poor state with question marks over captain and coach and the red ball team have India at home and Australia away, which will define Stokes as captain and McCullum as coach I feel.
Very interesting morning ahead. Not in a great position at all, but as their two big partnerships showed, plenty of opportunity to score runs if you dig in and bat sensibly - not the modus operandi of this England side though! Think this game will be close to decided by lunch - if England are 3/4 down you’d fancy them for a big score, but could just as easily be 8/9 down or all out. Should be excellent.
Great recovery by England led by Root, Stokes, Smith & Woakes, then turned into a great day by the 2 late WI wickets
Haven’t switched on yet but it’s hard to expect anything other than another relatively routine England victory. Dead rubber in this series but valuable in the context of world Test rankings.
It ain't over until the fat lady sings!
New (English) fastest 50 record set by the amazing Ben Stokes (Big Ben), opening with Ben “doesn’t need to” Duckett in place of the injured Zak (attack) Crawley. 24 balls, I think it was.
Do you think that knowing the game was done, West Indies were keen to get out of the game today and head off?