Off Topic The Ashes

I suggest merging this thread with the In Memorium or RIP thread

 

Certainly the Aussies day, 479-4 at the close. S Marsh on 98 & M Marsh on 63, a lead of 133 runs.

 

The way it's going I can see Australia having to chase about 80 on the last day.

If I was Australia I'd bat until Tea tomorrow and have a lead of 250-300.

 

I think that is what they will do, then Lyon could have a field day on a deteriorating pitch.

 

Our bowling is rubbish in Aussie conditions.
We never look remotely like taking 20 wickets in a game.

 

How the hell is Crane a better bowler than Rashid? There’s about 10 better spinners than him?

 

Without wanting to sound pessimistic, realistically I don't think we'll see the Aussies bat a second time. We've been in the field for 150 overs, completely knackered and it's 42 degrees tomorrow. They'll bat until tea and then bowl us out cheaply. We have been terrible this series

 

Aussies declare at 649-7, leaving England 303 behind on first innings. Not a good start Stoneman out for a duck LBW Starc. England 10-1 after 4 overs.

 

This is going to be over quickly by the looks Cook gone for 10, bowled by Lyon. 15-2, can Captain Root before a miracle an bat the day out?

 

At tea 25-2, Root and Vince still there on 8 & 6 respectively.

 

Vince gone for 18, 43-3.

 

Malan gone for 5, Root still there on 34, Bairstow comes in can the 2 Yorkshire boys put on a stand? 68 - 4.

 

Close of play day 4, 93-4 with Root on 42 and Bairstow on 17, these two are going to have to bat put most of tomorrow to have a chance of saving this test.

 

Can’t see it somehow

 

Me neither.

 

Unless these two both get hundreds we have no chance. I see us being bowled out for about 250.

We really need a clear out. Stoneman, Vince, Malan, Alli and Woakes just aren't good enough.

I'd be looking at Hammed from Lancashire, I think Keaton Jennings has alot potential. Curran and Crane look to have potenial as well. Also there Jamie Overton, Craig Overtons brother who is rapid.

I'd go into New Zealand test seris with this team of

Cook
Hameed
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Stokes(hopefully)
Foakes(wk)
Broad
Overton
Crane
Anderson

 

Good shout, certainly I would have Hameed in, and Jennings at Number three, I also feel would be a good additions. Not sure I would drop Moeen,, but have to agree not easy to fit him in just for his batting, as certainly they have to now go with Crane as the spinner.

 

Why are we dropping Malan who is averaging over 50 in this series?

Let's be realistic let's not make too many changes, as we will just go backwards. There is no way Broad should be batting at 8 anymore he is nowhere near good enough. Crane isn't ready, why rush him in he has shown in domestic cricket to not be good enough yet, let's stop rushing people in.

Same as Hameed..... He isn't ready he scored two fifties all season and Jenning hasn't scored any runs.

I've always though England make changes for the sake of it and not actually strengthening the team.

 

Dropping Malan is bonkers, been our best batsman out in Aus without a doubt, prob the only bright spot of the entire series. Broad at 8 is about 3 positions too high in the batting line up! and given how he's bowled in this series is lucky that there aren't any obvious replacements, being frank about him, I think he's been stealing a living as England's #2 bowler for a while now, even at home he consistently wastes the new ball and maintains his standing on the back of his reputation of that 1 innings in 15 where he blows someone away - been over 18 months since he took 5fer now and I think I'd rather have Woakes in instead of him, who has been just as **** in Aus to be fair. Sadly, Hameed scored about 5 runs all last summer for Lancs and is far too out of form to come back into the team, I really hope he has a decent season in the CC this year because he showed great promise in India last time out.

Questions also need asking of Cook, tucking in with, what was admittedly an outstanding innings, 244no on the roadiest road ever to have been played on in Aus doesn't for me mask the fact that he has in his other 8 innings on tour failed to go past 50 and he is consistently failing to set the tone at the top of the innings. This is also quite representative of 2017 as a whole where he scored **** all runs against SA and WI other than one massive double hundred, he's almost presenting the opposite problem that Root is, where one is getting consistent 50s without going on and the other 1 massive score in every 5 or 6 tests. I don't think he should be dropped, yet, but if this form, or lack of, continues he'll need to be moved on.

Moeen needs to be dropped, if nothing more than to send a message to him that his place is not guaranteed, and also to give Crane a run in the team, no point reverting to type selection wise, not playing him in NZ and then not playing him at home if he is seen as a long term prospect.

I hesitate to suggest a starting 11 for NZ, simply because I don't think there are 11 people either nailed on for a place or in good enough form to come in and secure one, I think we have players for the following positions, everything else is pot luck, basically pretty much the same position we were in before this tour:

1 Cook
2
3
4 Root
5 Malan
6 Stokes
7 Bairstow
8
9
10 Crane
11 Anderson

 

This is batshit crazy on several fronts.