Off Topic Cricket Thread

Broad is the leading wicket taker in the series (or at least he was at the start of play). He has to play IMHO

 

Duckett who score over a hundred runs at Lords?

 

I wouldn’t be changing much. We would easily be 3-0 up such was the closeness of each game. Bairstow is a worry with bat and gloves, but I can’t see them going back on their decision to exclude Foakes

think Root might go up the order and possible Tongue in for Robinson

Crawley, Duckett, Root, Brook, Bairstow, Stokes, Moeen, Woakes, Wood, Broad, Tongue

 

Root scored a hundred too. He also looks fragile. But yes I would drop Duckett.

 

I think Anderson will replace Robinson

 

Madness. The bloke averages 45 in test cricket

 

To be fair I think there is zero chance Jimmy is left out at OT

 

I think they might ask him how he's feeling physically and mentally before naming the team. Nasser Hussain said after today's match that there's no sentiment in Ashes cricket and you have to agree with him. My team would be Duckett, Crawley, Root, Brook, Bairstow/Foakes, Stokes, Ali, Woakes, Tongue, Wood, Broad. I do agree with you though, with it being Anderson's home ground and maybe his last game in test cricket, he'll play

 

Listened to the afternoon session on TMS as I was travelling for work. Was brilliant drama and a fitting end to a fabulous test match.

Interesting issue around Barstow, he scored loads last summer, but didn't keep wicket as well. When he keeps wicket his average drops massively.

Special note for Woods, he did exactly what was required, bowled lightning quick in short sharp bursts

 

Fantastic day made even better by the win. Thought at times some of the batsmen didn't want to win getting out to stupid shots (particularly those down the legside).

 

He played great against spin in Pakistan. He struggles with the Aussie attack. It's not madness...it's just an opinion.

 

Got the win which was the main thing and gets us back in the series plus momentum. All three games could have gone either way. I thought watching Sunderland over the seasons could be torture by our cricket team takes that to a new level. Win at Old Trafford and that will set it up for a hell of a final test!!

 

I really hope sentiment doesn't get in the way of selection at Old Trafford... Jimmy Anderson HAS been a great servant to English cricket, but his time is up. We need to win in Manchester, so to give him one last bow before his home crowd would be senseless given we need a result.

 

Who you replacing him with? Not many openers left who haven't already tried and failed to replace Cook/Strauss

 

Strangely, his average as WK is almost identical to his average when he plays as a batter only (36.43 v 36.62) but I heard a stat about his average in the 4th innings being in the teens when he's kept all game.
I'd certainly be making the change to Foakes, but that might be more detrimental to Bairstow who is quite an emotional guy, Ultimately you do what is best for the team and if it means taking the gloves off him, or dropping him entirely then so be it

 

I get what you're saying....I think it's the end for him too....but,he is an OT specialist and,not for sentimental reasons, would be worth a go for this match imo.

 

I'd play Stokes at three.....Crawley,Duckett,Stokes,Root,Brook,Foakes,Ali,Woakes,Broad,Wood,Anderson.

 

Big ask for him to (potentially) be back in the field 2nd ball of the innings after captaining all day. Also, he's been so good at 6 I'm not sure I'd move him
I think the obvious one is to move your most experienced player (Root) to 3 although it might be that Moeen stays at 3

 

Unfortunately , I think you're right.

It would be Tongue in for Robinson for me, but I think they might find it too hard not to give give Jimmy a last chance to bowl in an Ashes at the Jimmy Anderson end.

Great last day yesterday though. Another great, tight match, but we came out on the right side of this one.

I would like to take some credit here!
Ali bowled really well in the second knock, it was a vital spell, and bowled right after I had condemned him as worse than my dog that doesn't exist!

 

I suppose it was a bit of a loose cannon suggestion,but I feel that Stokes has the ability when batting to switch between a "build an innings" mode as opposed to a" let's smash everything" mode, which I'm not sure Moeen has. Root has already been tried at 3 and it's clear he's much happier at 4,which,in the past,is where most successful teams have played their number 1 batsman. I wouldn't move him.