The Cricket Thread

Go on Woody, finish it with 3 6s.

A crowd awarded wide there :rofl:

1 Like

Long live Bazball

Much needed win. Keeps the series interesting.

2 Likes

Wood and Woakes

The crowd showed up Lords and a Old Trafford crowd similar to follow.

2 Likes

Have that Glenn McGrath. Another fantastic test match. Pick a MOTM between Wood and Woakes, both deserve it for an all round contribution. Absolutely vital both remain a mainstay of the England test team for a long time.

2 Likes

That was a LFC style win :rofl:

Should have been easy…yet ended up a nailbiter

2 Likes

Fantastic result. Woakes rode his luck at times, but that stand with Brook was crucial.

Jimmy back for his last OT test which will be a special occasion in itself.

Foakes has to come in somehow, there’s a question mark about number 3, and the spinner conundrum remains.

1 Like

Keeps the series alive :clap:

1 Like

Good for the neutral Ifti. Bloody nerve wracking for the rest of us.

2 Likes

They have a decision to make between Anderson and Tounge for me assuming Robinson’s series is done with that injury. Can’t really have any room for sentiment at this point, and given how Anderson has bowled in the previous two games and the extra pace Tounge provides, I think we might not see Jimmy again in this series.

1 Like

It’s going to be a tough decision. I certainly wouldn’t want to be the one to tell Jimmy that he’s played his last home ashes match.

There are a couple of tricky selection questions for both sides.

Bairstow has been an abject failure with bat and especially with glove. Moin is Moin, attacking spinner when on form but cannon fodder when off…hasn’t had enough red ball cricket and it shows.

Also, Robinson’s fitness is an issue, especially given that Ben can’t do any meaningful bowling whatsoever. Can’t be considered an all-rounder while his knee issue remains.

Robinson out will be the only change. They’ll push Ali up to three again.

Bairstow bats better when not keeping. He was so good last summer that it makes him hard to drop, and the loss of Pope leaves the batting short. I’d like to give him one last chance with the bat, but not the gloves. Tricky to square that with picking five bowlers though.
The only alternative to Ali is a teenager at the moment, so he probably keeps his place. Can’t see even the Bazball crew taking that big a chance in a match of this importance.
Robinson is the least of England’s problems, as Woakes is an improvement.

Crawley
Duckett
Root
Stokes
Brook
Foakes
Ali
Woakes
Wood
Broad
Anderson/Tongue

Would probably be my team. I’d rather have Foakes at 7, but everyone in that tail can contribute apart from No11. Ali only gets in because he’s the only realistic spin option, unless you use Root in that role.

1 Like

Not sure about that. Stokes didn’t seem keen when asked about it.

As for the Aussies, what to do about Warner? Green or Marsh?

Marsh as an opener?

If not that, then Root to 3. They still have an issue with balancing the side given Stokes injuries. Could move him up the order but he’s proved again this test that you probably want him at the back end smashing it to all parts with the tail.

I expect as with this test they’ll be somewhat fluid with the order depending on the match situation. If they bat first then Root will be 3, if they are chasing a modest total second innings then Ali will go up etc.

The spin questions remains for the aussies too - what’s the point picking Murphy if Cummins isn’t going to bowl him? Might as well pick both Green and Marsh, and use Head if you want a spin option.

Surely Foakes has to come into the side, even if Bairstow remains (which he’ll be lucky to do). I’d also have Tongue ahead of Anderson, but maybe Jimmy plays if it’s decided Broad needs a rest.

I think the Aussies will stick with Warner and hope Broad doesn’t play. If Warner is dropped, they’ll also probably want Green in to strengthen the slip cordon.

1 Like

Has Marsh ever opened the batting? Not something I’ve heard him do.

The only other option would be Harris, but not convinced by him

In one dayers apparently