The Cricket Thread

[sycophantia]

Great win, pleased we've taken the series to another game. Such a close fought ashes.

 

[PuntsWolf]

If Foakes comes in (he won’t), it would be for a bowler and we can’t afford that with Stokes not fit enough to bowl.

Why?

 

[Sniffer]

Why?

If Foakes was to come in for Bairstow we will be a batsman light even though Foakes has a better record in innings 2,3&4 as a keeper. If we drop a bowler we’ll be a bowler light unless Stokes can miraculously become fit enough to do 15+ overs an innings.
According to Cook on TMS yesterday the management feel that Bairstow can produce a game winning innings in each match whereas as competent as Foakes is, they don’t think he’s got that in him.
FWIW I’d play Bairstow and Foakes if Stokes was a viable bowling option.

 

[PuntsWolf]

If Foakes was to come in for Bairstow we will be a batsman light even though Foakes has a better record in innings 2,3&4 as a keeper. If we drop a bowler we’ll be a bowler light unless Stokes can miraculously become fit enough to do 15+ overs an innings.
According to Cook on TMS yesterday the management feel that Bairstow can produce a game winning innings in each match whereas as competent as Foakes is, they don’t think he’s got that in him.
FWIW I’d play Bairstow and Foakes if Stokes was a viable bowling option.

The first line is the bit i don’t get. Just swap keeper for keeper. Give away less runs and score probably the same (Bairstow averaging 24!). It is not making us “a batsmen light”.

He obviously has ability to produce said innings but it isn’t happening and his keeping had been pretty awful.

 

[Tredman]

Last summer he was probably our best batsman.

 

[PuntsWolf]

But he isn’t that this summer and has the added benefit of costing lots of runs and test matches.

 

[Tredman]

But he isn’t that this summer and has the added benefit of costing lots of runs and test matches.

I know, I wouldn’t keep him in the team but just pointing why England might. He also wasn’t keeping last summer either.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

 

[Stan Hullis]

I like both of them actually.

Crawley does frustrate me, always seems to get himself in and then finds a way to get out and not go on to get that 50/100.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I think if you'd offered everyone a series average of 30+ for Crawley after three games they'd have taken it (he's having a far better series than Warner on the other side, and vastly better than Lyth did in 2015 or Roy did in 2019).

The spectre of him averaging 10 or so against this attack did worry me coming in but he's done alright.

 

[Tredman]

I really like watching him bat, it’s just unfortunate he doesn’t seem to have the concentration for test match cricket.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I wouldn't have thought so, Neser would be a better bet if one of Cummins/Starc/Hazlewood can't play both remaining games.

Murphy bowling 2 overs yesterday would be a worry for them.

They also have a decision to make as Green (shite figures so far, but they have invested a lot in him) should be fit for Manchester but how do you leave Marsh out now? Some talk that Head could open and Warner could drop out.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I know, I wouldn’t keep him in the team but just pointing why England might. He also wasn’t keeping last summer either.

It’s just I’m not having the “batsmen light” argument when if stokes isn’t a bowler, then he’s a number 6 and you have to work round that. So then you’ve got 6 batsmen, a keeper and 4 bowlers. So Foakes for Bairstow is like for like. And Foakes isn’t a rabbit is he.

If we genuinely think Bairstow is one of the top 5 batsmen available then we pick him as a batsmen and someone else has got to miss out. I don’t think he is.

I just don’t want him keeping anymore this series. It’s in his head now and it will continue to cost us.

4 bowlers shouldn’t be an issue, particularly if we’re producing a result pitch and the bowlers picked are actually fit

 

[Sniffer]

Duckett, Crawley, Root, Brook, Stokes - Who is the 6th batsman?

Foakes, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Wood, Robinson being 7 -11

 

[BillyDee]

Ali will bat 3 at Old Trafford.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Duckett, Crawley, Root, Brook, Stokes - Who is the 6th batsman?

Foakes, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Wood, Robinson being 7 -11

Well then I guess you put Moeen and Bairstow up against each other and ask who is bringing more to the table.

 

[Johnny75]

Ali will bat 3 at Old Trafford.

Should be Bairstow. Ali should be dropped.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Mo bowled very well on Friday, held an end which allowed us to rotate the quicks, went at 2 an over and got two huge wickets.

All-seamer attacks are wank.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Mo bowled very well on Friday, held an end which allowed us to rotate the quicks, went at 2 an over and got two huge wickets.

All-seamer attacks are wank.

Not helped by Robinson being injured.

All seam can be fine if we’re producing a green top and there’s weather about. Plus Root can obviously bowl a bit and it’s not like Moeen is a world class spinner.

Personally I’m not seeing a massive deal of difference in what I’d expect Bairstow or Moeen to deliver with the bat, so if I want a spinner then Moeen plays and Bairstow doesn’t.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We're very unlikely to produce a green top against these. I generally always want that change of tempo too, then you look at Head getting out 3 times to spin in the series, it's not a move that I ever feel goes well. Root is also not really a proper bowler, he's a Graeme Hick level part timer.