He has only played 8 test matches and already has close to a thousand runs. He’ll surely be the fastest ever England batsman to reach 1,000 runs. His average is 75. Impossible to drop someone with them stats, despite his last poor performance.
That's why I asked to be 'enlightened'. So, with Brook's record it is difficult to understand his woeful performance in the 2nd Test? From what you say, better give him another chance, I guess. Frankly, I am not confident he will succeed. He played some shots that were pure kindergarten. I wish him well though, really do.
Brook at 3 is either extremely brave or unbelievably foolish. His test stats are fantastic but he was brainless at Lords. I suspect the Aussies will have a plan for him. We could rattle along at 6 an over or be 6-3. Still no wicketkeeper which is just dumb as far as I’m concerned. Foakes is a very fine lower middle order batter with plenty of resolve too.
He has had three decent starts and whilst he hasn’t converted into big scores or match winning performances, that can be said for 10 of the team.
Just Stop Oil throwing jigsaw puzzles over the turf at Wimbledon has to be the most middle class protest ever.
He hit a 50 in the first innings. Both of his dismissals were poor, I'd agree with that. We can't take him out of the team on the back of a poor game when the full team is disjointed and out of form. I feel there's too much pressure on him to go out and knock the ball all over the ground. It isn't his natural game. In county cricket he has a strike rate of 70 runs from 100 balls. In test cricket he's going at one run a ball. He needs to be allowed to take his time to build an innings.
Carlos Rodríguez is already fifth in the general classification. Took 14/1 Top 3 (and 80/1 win ) a couple of weeks ago. The problem for him is that being so young (22 years old) and being his first time in the Tour it is possible that the third week will be too long for him. In any case, and however he ends up in the end, he is confirming all the hopes that were placed in him.
Pace, real pace is the downfall of all batsmen and Wood had it all day yesterday, and boy did he bowl quick. Pinging 90mph rockets towards the opposition batsmen, making them duck and dive for cover is a wonderful sight especially if its an Aussie batsmen...!! But in truth that innings by Mitch Marsh and the loss of 3 wickets for us has left this match delicately balanced, with the Aussies just in front by a nose as it stands going in to Day 2. If we lose any wickets early on today we could be turned over 100 runs back, Ashes gone and the potential of a 5-0 whitewash on the cards. And we don't want that bollox now do we...!! The Yorkshire pair of Root & Bairstow have to put runs on the board, get back in credit for their drop catches, and stay in a partnership for at least an hour to get the deficit under 100 runs if at all possible for us to have any chance of staying alive in what's turning out to be a very absorbing Test Match series... Bring it on...!!!
They both owe a few on their respective fielding performances. Root normally a safe pair of hands drops a gozzer when Marsh was on just 6. Broken record I know but Bairstow is just hopeless behind the timbers. Zaltsman (TMS statto) yesterday. Carey 15 taken from 17 chances. Bairstow 9 from 16. There’s the Ashes right there in that one stat.
Totally agree Chan... You can move a batter up and down the order, maybe not so much an opener, but there are plenty of batters who have played various positions over the years. Bowlers can be a horses for courses sort of selection, sub-continent, green swinging pitches and hard fast tracks... But the position of wicket keeper is so specialised that you get in for being the best keeper first and hopefully he can contribute with the bat next. As good as a player ole Johnny B is, he isn't the best keeper in the England set up is he now. Oh well, don't say we didn't tell them hey Chan...!!
Half way through singing Jerusalem and pop, Root gets caught 1st slip...!! He's had better Test matches before now...!!!!!
Some good sport today indeed. Hopefully England can knock off the required runs against Australia to keep the Ashes alive (but they will no doubt give us all a heart attack in the process, win or lose). Then over to the Tour de France and what will hopefully be another explosive duel between Vingegaard and Pogacar. The last 5km of the HC have some serious gradients. Also well done to England's U-21 team - winning a tournament without conceding a goal is some performance . The Spanish have a really good team too and the final was very absorbing - apart from all the handbags at various stages. Not sure what that was about, seemed quite niggly?
I wonder if we will see a bit of a calmer stage today and a breakaway winner. I don’t think Vingegaard will want to attack or let Pogacar take bonus time for the stage win. They might as well let the stage go and defend in the final climb. Save themselves for weeks 2 and 3.
