The Ashes & Hampshire Cricket Summer Thread

Not really fair, you can't just discount a players best performances when criticising him... He's still got two centuries, two fifties, averaging around 45 in nine matches at the age of 22. Take out Jimmy's efforts at Trent Bridge and what's he done this series? Also what's the random captialisation about haha?

 

And another one bites the dust.

 

Glad you find it funny .

What are his TEST figures with and without the 180 ..............

 

Cook has been far worse then Root.

 

Well remove all his innings where he's scored less than 50 and he averages over 100! That has about as much worth in examining his performance as removing his 180 does, you can't just ignore, twist and edit stats to criticise a player.

What are Jimmy's bowling figures this series with and without his wickets at Trent Bridge? What are Kevin Pietersen's figures this series without his century at OT? What has Clarke done without his 180? Remove most players best performances and only a handful will stand up.

Fact is Root has made a higher total than Cook, Trott and Prior combined, three of our best and most experienced players, singling him out for criticism seems bizarre to me.

 

Valuable runs here.

 

Some good counter attacking from Jimmy and Bresnan.

 

Go Jimmy! Stumps 238/9. Poor day for England.

 

Australia's day, but can't judge completely until we've bowled tomorrow.

 

Pietersen walking today makes a mockery of the cheat claims and the two decisions in the last game. Hopefully we can get some sort of partnership going tomorrow for the last wicket even if it's only an extra 20

 

Surrey captain Gareth Batty has been banned for 2 T20 matches for an onfield spat with Trego. So he will be unavailable for Final's Day.

 

Actually on reflection , I was harsh on Root . I stand corrected . Sorry .

 

Bit over the top imo but good news for us. He's their leading wicket taker.

 

Off to work now, so missing a crucial day for England. Were the Aussies that good (probably) or will we show that it is a hard pitch to score on (possibly). If we get a few runs today and keep them within touching distance, the pitch may favour us bowling last. Crucial day.

 

Removing the 180 isn't completely unreasonable because he gave a fairly simple chance in single figures that Haddin should have taken but left for first slip. If that had been taken (and as I say it should have been taken) he'd be averaging 11 I think. Having said that, you need a bit of luck and the ability to take advantage when you get that luck. Root has that so I wouldn't say he's out of his depth or that he needs to be dropped but he does appear to have something of a technical problem dealing with fullish deliveries that swing and that is being exposed at the top of the order far more than it would be at 6.

I think we've moved him up the order prematurely and created problems for ourselves. Early in the summer we had a question mark over Compton but the rest of the batting looked fine and Root seemed to be claiming that number 6 spot that's been an issue since Collingwood retired. Now we have Root trying to establish himself as an opener and Bairstow trying to establish himself as a test player. Neither has been a total success. We can afford one batsman in that position but not two.

 

The difference between Root and Bairstow is that Root at least looks like a Test player in the making. Bairstow, on the basis of this series, just doesn't cut it. It won't happen, but England should drop Bairstow, put Root back at 6 to build his confidence back up, and bring in Compton to open.

 

Agree but Carbs not Compton!

 

On this season's form I'd have to agree.

 

Agreed about Bairstow. Compton coming back might work but I agree that Root won't move. Taylor may come in for Bairstow I suppose.

 

England bowled out for 238.