I don’t get all the criticism of Bairstow because he missed a few chances. The assumption that Foakes would have performed perfectly is flawed. It’s like saying that Kane should never have taken the penalty v France. Should have given it to Rashford. Players are always better when they are not actually performing. Nothing is ever done on paper. And have people forgotten what he contributes with the bat? He’s one of the most destructive batsmen in the world. Does nobody remember what he did last summer? Or even in the first innings? By the same logic, Jimmy Anderson should never have been picked. Or Duckett. And Stokes didn’t do that much did he? Illogical nonsense.
Bairstow has also just come back from a long injury, he has had little preparation and was always going to be rusty with the gloves. Stokes is causing a problem as the all rounder if he can not bowl many overs. It`s highly unlikely, but I would drop an opener and move Stokes up to open (playing bazball, where you bat does not really matter if they are all playing the same way) and pick another all rounder, Curran, Woakes perhaps.
Just back from my sunbed in Crete where I listened to every day of a brilliant 1st test , on the last day and the last overs in a local bar I had an audience of 10 others wanting updates with a very iffy internet connection , looking forward to the rest of the Ashes and dreading what the roaming cost will be on my mobile bill
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Just had an email this evening, tomorrows meeting in Birmingham has been cancelled and that means a day working from home while the test is on , damn
Pietersen's on the TV slagging off the Eng player for being too friendly..... how short is his memory
The Ashes are slipping away from England. Nothing to do with Bazball. England’s batting is very strong, even when taking risks and smashing it everywhere. But the bowling was lacking at the end of the last Test and again today. In 2015, batting in those overhead conditions, the Aussies would have been 100 all out v Anderson & Broad. Today, the threat wasn’t really there. Anderson seen off respectfully, Broad and Robinson toothless and Tongue was easy to score off even if he did produce one cracking delivery for Warner’s wicket. Root was England’s best bowler - tells you everything you need to know
Pietersen is 100% correct, this is The Ashes, the biggest contest in cricket and England have been treating it like a jolly up down at Lashings. Well, the Ashes are all but staying with Australia after 6 days of cricket, the chance of winning at Lords is slipping away, even a draw means England will need to avoid defeat in the final 3 Tests, while winning at least 2 of them to regain the urn. England threw the game away at Edgbaston in stupid fashion and gave Australia the initiative, a massive session is needed tomorrow morning to stay in this game. Still, at least they entertained a few casual cricket followers in the process.
As much as I like Bazball , come on England don't be stupid we had this don't throw it down the ****ter
Crazy 45 minutes, falling into the short ball trap with their eyes open. Stokes has calmed things down. Put on 50+ with Brook now
He’s certainly talented enough to stay in and score plenty of runs if he chooses rather then get out playing over ambitious shots to the wrong ball. Nobody succeeded playing aggressively to the short ball; they went from 188-1 to 325 a/o
Today is NBA Free Agency Day, which is basically Deadline Day in the NBA As in, a day people would normally be checking Twitter all day to see who has gone where As in people at work, who don't want to log into their Twitter account as that gets them a telling-off So good choice of day to turn the platform into a walled garden, you clueless bumblecunt who has all that money but can't buy affection from a single member of his family...
Don't post here normally but from a different perspective. Isn't Bazball more or less 2020 over 5 days. You can't go gung ho constantly. Horses for courses, the Aussies have worked it out and are playing to a plan and executing it perfectly.
Aussies 187-2 to 279 a/o Bizarre sight of a hobbling Lyon coming out to bat (very slowly) but he did add 15 useful runs with Starc. Can England chase 371? They’ll have to bat a lot more smartly against the short ball
