The Cricket Thread

[Trips]

There's a difference between taking the game to the opposition and playing it like it's a one day game

Still another 2 days left so no need to bat how he did. Had a let off the previous ball yet goes for it again. Moronic

 

[Carrotdude]

Yesterday showed if you get yourself in, once the ball is a bit older things get a lot easier. Not that any of our lot will find out. Fact is, one partnership has won the game

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Bairstow bowled? Never.

 

[Sniffer]

Nobody in test history has been bowled out in both innings of a test match at lords more than once, except Bairstow who has done it 4 times.
He’s got an average of just 13 to balls that would have hit the stumps.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

All in all, a very enjoyable day's cricket. About the only result not in play is the draw (although tie is!)

Should be a very good morning to watch tomorrow.

 

[Tony Towner]

These 2 have got to get us within 25 I think, given we are playing 4 number 11s

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I reckon they need to get to 255 maybe even 260. And Root absolutely has to be there at the end

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Bairstow since he got recalled in early 2021 (along the way he's been extremely lucky to stay in and around the team at various points):

47
35*
28
29
0
0
28
0
29
30
57
2
29
37
0
35
5
113
41
140
15*
20
29
0
22
1
16

27 innings, 788 runs at 31.52.

Ultimately you might accept that from your keeper at seven if there wasn't anyone obviously better available as an all-round package (there isn't, because Foakes hasn't scored enough runs, Buttler is probably worse with both bat and gloves, no-one else stands out at this point, and Bairstow isn't a horror show behind the stumps or anything).

We can't have him in the top five with those kind of returns - which are actually better than his overall record since 2017 - he's part of the problem.

We can't hang our hat on Pope either, especially not at three. Problem is they're not likely to admit after one game (a game we might still win) that they've made a mistake.

 

[Tony Towner]

Just looked at the Championship averages for the season to date. If you were going there for a keeper it would be Foakes, so I'd stay with him at least for this series. After that it's Bracey who looked like a rabbit in headlights last year and Burgess who only got 8 in the Counties game vs NZ.

The wildcard shout would be Salt to open the batting and wear the gloves, but I think that puts too much pressure on him and batting wise there's every chance it goes down the Jason Roy path.

I'd be replacing Bairstow anyway - he plays too much 1 day cricket to get his head right for tests, yesterday's innings was a good example.

 

[Carrotdude]

It’s exactly why Brook should have played but for whatever reason they thought Bairstow was too important to drop.

I feel sorry for Pope, he’s got the ability but he’s not a number 3, unfortunately he’s going down the Ramprakash route at the moment.

Hard to really pin the blame on anyone when they basically all fail though!

 

[Tony Towner]

Just seen the conditions. NZ @ 3/1 is good value

 

[PuntsWolf]

15 overs until the new ball. Can’t see that coming in to play either way unless they somehow restrict england to 2 and over. Doubt Root is going to let that happen though. If they get him early then I don’t think the rest survive those 15 or they knock them off in that time

 

[Carrotdude]

230 all out I reckon

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

227-5 after a decent first three overs. 50 to get.

 

[Tony Towner]

This old ball isn't doing much despite the conditions

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

They are desperate to change it. Which is amusing as they changed from a swinging ball to this one about seventy minutes of playing time ago.

 

[sycophantia]

It's all going too well

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I'm saying nothing yet

 

[Dinowolf]

I'm saying nothing yet

Very wise

 

[Stan Hullis]

Well done Joe Root.