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England Cricket 2021

Tl:dr?

We fielded like shit and this game could be ridiculously closer than it is.

Still a lot of weather in that forecast. Should have to bat stupid bad to lose.
 
All they need to do is survive today, of which there won't be more than about 50 overs max. Plenty of rain around.

So, two down in half an hour. India bowling well. But they're meant to. It's a test match.

Not looking good.
 
And that was a much better last 90 minutes. Christ England take their time to get going in tests. Root is pulling them out of a hole, again (imagine his average if he actually didn't have to do this every time he bats) but nobody should complain about Sibley's score rate. He's still there.

Rain coming in at 3, may not be much play after that.
 
It really shouldn't feel like a relief when a top order, specialist batsman, gets off the mark. But that's how it feels with Crawley and Lawrence. I feel more confident when Jimmy strides out.
 
Dinesh Karthik is easily the best, most well informed commentator working on this test. Please keep him on and get rid of fucking 'bumble'. Who is far more interested in idiots necking pints and making beer snakes in the crowd than England's batting deficiencies.
 
If you don't want to listen to Bumble then listen to Test Match Special instead.


Oh, and immediately after Curran and Broad go in two consecutive balls the wife rings. I answer. She says "You sound miserable..."
 
Remarkably better than the first day. I didn't think it would still be going today. I'd rather be listening to Bumble than Vaughan or, thank goodness he's buggered off, Boycott.
 
Amazingly England have a chance of winning. The beauty of test cricket. But only a small chance, India favourites. And the chance at all is down to Root as usual. Nobody else got more than 32. If just one of them had made 60 or 70, that would make a massive difference. I thought it was going to be Lawrence but he got cocky. Don't know wtf Buttler was doing.

Worst culprit today was the weather forecast. Hilarious to see Root being interviewed in a torrential downpour 5 minutes after play finished.
 
I’m just watching Adil Rashid take another wicket in the Hundred. He’s matured into a seriously good bowler and surely would be a huge asset to the test team.
 
He doesn't want to play test cricket as far as I know. Why would he at this point in his career when he can make hay on the t20 circuit?
 
He doesn't want to play test cricket as far as I know. Why would he at this point in his career when he can make hay on the t20 circuit?

Don’t assume he’s a shameless mercenary. Eoin Morgan makes him feel valued…and as I type this he takes yet another wicket.
 
Don’t assume he’s a shameless mercenary. Eoin Morgan makes him feel valued…and as I type this he takes yet another wicket.

Well he wouldn't be on a central contract so would only make about £15k or something similar per test as opposed to the 700k basic the others get. Whereas on the T20 circuit he'd make a lot, a lot more. Presumably he's got a young family and not getting any younger. England missed their chance with him.
 
Well he wouldn't be on a central contract so would only make about £15k or something similar per test as opposed to the 700k basic the others get. Whereas on the T20 circuit he'd make a lot, a lot more. Presumably he's got a young family and not getting any younger. England missed their chance with him.

Get him on a central contract. Multi-format players make a mint.
 
They only give out a certain number of contracts, I don't know how many, but not many. Yes, I would sign him up - he's the best spinner in the country by a stretch but this is England we're talking about. They've been studiously treating him like shit for years so I can't see that changing. Honestly, in his shoes, I'd lap up the dollars coming my way in T20 rather than dealing with the idiots at the ECB.
 
I don't wish to take anything away from Rashid but it's surely madness to compare a player's performance in a game where batters take massive risks because an innings is just 100 balls to a game where (in theory) batters face a minimum of 2,700 balls...
 
I don't wish to take anything away from Rashid but it's surely madness to compare a player's performance in a game where batters take massive risks because an innings is just 100 balls to a game where (in theory) batters face a minimum of 2,700 balls...

His consistency is one area that’s massively improved which is one major requirement for test cricket.
 
Rashid has a shoulder problem that means he can't manage the workload of a test spinner.

Aside from that though he's never had the same success as a test or first class bowler as he has in limited overs and it's not like he hasn't had plenty of chances.
 
Massive escape, huge let-off, problems solved = 0

On to Lords on Thursday. Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Lawrence all fighting failure rather than chomping at the bit to prove themselves you feel.

Play Hameed.
 
Aye, it would be outrageous not to play Hameed at Lords.

It’s infuriating the selectors are most likely going to replace Lawrence with Pope when Moeen could get the runs they offer while adding a spin option.

Anyways, my XI for Lords

Burns
Hameed (scored a ton against this Indian attack 2 weeks ago)
Malan (World No. 1 T20 batter, whose main criticism is he takes too long to get in)
Root
Bairstow
Moeen
Buttler
Leach
Robinson (yea, he goes at 9. His hubris is a liability. Want to bat at 8? Be consistent)
Wood (Broad needs winding up)
Anderson
 
“Although all-rounder Moeen Ali was left out of the initial squad for the first two Tests, Silverwood said he is "certainly in consideration" for a recall at Lord's.”


…and Silverwood on Hameed…

“"He is making a very strong case," said Silverwood. "He's done everything he possibly can to be ready.

"What he did early season in the Championship shows there's a lot of class there.

"He put his best foot forward in Durham when he scored that hundred - it shows he can cope against this [India] attack.”
 
Aye, it would be outrageous not to play Hameed at Lords.

It’s infuriating the selectors are most likely going to replace Lawrence with Pope when Moeen could get the runs they offer while adding a spin option.

Anyways, my XI for Lords

Burns
Hameed (scored a ton against this Indian attack 2 weeks ago)
Malan (World No. 1 T20 batter, whose main criticism is he takes too long to get in)
Root
Bairstow
Moeen
Buttler
Leach
Robinson (yea, he goes at 9. His hubris is a liability. Want to bat at 8? Be consistent)
Wood (Broad needs winding up)
Anderson

I understand it's very much your preferred team, and not one you think they'll pick, but there's several reasons they won't pick that team. They won't make 5 changes for starters.

Hameed has to play, and presumably in the place of Crawley somehow. Burns has one of his better averages at Lords and only failed there against Ireland - but who didn't? Remember the 85 all out embarrassment? Sibley has only one test at Lords but did score 60* against NZ there. Which one of Burns, Sibley or Hameed they stick at 3 is anyone's guess (and, of course, it may be none of them if Crawley gets another chance. And Root was talking him up yesterday.)

Moeen for Lawrence? Could happen. Who knows? I like Lawrence and still think he has massive potential. Unorthodox approach may be weighing against him. But I don't think they like Moeen much these days and can easily see him being overlooked. And you don't need two spinners, so he may well be fighting Leach. Please, ffs, don't give in to Bess's whining.

I do actually agree Broad may need winding up. Though he bowled better than his figures in the last test. So again, maybe they'll leave him alone, and I can't see Wood as the argument for replacing him.

And Robinson can hold a bat btw. Hubris or not.

So what do I think they might pick?

Burns
Hameed
Sibley
Root
Bairstowuurghh
Lawrence
Buttler
Robinson
Leach/Currannooooooooo
Broad
Anderson
 
Broad out of the whole series, Anderson out of this test.

Bairstow is now the second senior man in the side.

It's 20 innings and 2 years (almost to the day) since he even scored a 50.

So he's probably due right?
 
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