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England v India (2nd test) Lords

I asked if people would rather their team go after a tricky run chase and risk the loss than go out and be defensive and draw. Not about this run chase

Obviously some run chases are just out of the chasing teams grasp so you can't just go after every target but I feel teams can be too cautious.
Most often than not teams will err on the side of caution if they are level or already ahead in a series.
 

Zimbawbe - Andy Flower
currently root has a record of biggest gap between leading team run scorer and the next best (burns) in a calendar year (was 855 runs when he was on 4)


Threadbare cupboard to say the least

37% wtf :eek: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I thought Zimbabwe but Murray Goodwin was a fairly reliable turn for a bit and averaged 40+. Also debatable whether they’d be considered a top level Test outfit.

Aside from that, I genuinely can’t think of a side where the disparity between the best and next best is so vast. Obviously if Stokes was playing the gap would be closed but this is as bad as it ever has been.

We’re kept just about competitive by Root and Anderson.
 
Some of the stats quoted on here about the opening partnership man.

It almost feels like we could just play an extra couple of bowlers, and get them to open the batting and either block or slog.

What we lose in ruins scored (not much) we might make up for with the bowling.
 
Regardless of the end result, this demonstrates why test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game. All 3 results still (theoretically) possible with 3 and a bit hours to go after starting the day with an England win looking the most likely.

The England team is starting to feel very 90s again though. Very little quality in the batting line up, Root excepted of course. An unsettled bowling line up constantly plagued by injury and the feeling that we can turn any situation, no matter how positive, into defeat.
 
I thought Zimbabwe but Murray Goodwin was a fairly reliable turn for a bit and averaged 40+. Also debatable whether they’d be considered a top level Test outfit.

Aside from that, I genuinely can’t think of a side where the disparity between the best and next best is so vast. Obviously if Stokes was playing the gap would be closed but this is as bad as it ever has been.

We’re kept just about competitive by Root and Anderson.
Bradman & Steve Smith ;)
 
They won’t change both openers for the next test, especially having just changed number 3

Who do you ditch of the two? Sibley for me, Burns has slightly more credit in the bank

Curran has to go. Buttler isn’t in good form either but stays.
We need to stop treating Curran as a bowler who can bat, because he doesn't offer enough with the ball. I've said before he's got a bit of natural batting ability, so let's focus on turning him into a batsman who can bowl a bit, more like Collingwood was. He would be so much more valuable to the side.
 
They won’t change both openers for the next test, especially having just changed number 3

Who do you ditch of the two? Sibley for me, Burns has slightly more credit in the bank

Curran has to go. Buttler isn’t in good form either but stays.
Agree with all that. Buttlers keeping has been a bit shabby as well but no danger of being dropped.
 
They won’t change both openers for the next test, especially having just changed number 3

Who do you ditch of the two? Sibley for me, Burns has slightly more credit in the bank

Curran has to go. Buttler isn’t in good form either but stays.
Sibley has to go, which is a shame as he did a very good job last year for us.
hameed probably bumps up but worried that he should have been out for 0 & 2 here, could ruin him if he struggles in the rest of the tests.
pope in at 3? malan at 6 or switch them or Bairstow to 3, Vince to come in
we have plenty of options just none of them are any good :lol: :lol:
Marnus doesn’t like that suggestion!
he does look quality
 
Sibley has to go, which is a shame as he did a very good job last year for us.
hameed probably bumps up but worried that he should have been out for 0 & 2 here, could ruin him if he struggles in the rest of the tests.
pope in at 3? malan at 6 or switch them or Bairstow to 3, Vince to come in
we have plenty of options just none of them are any good :lol: :lol:

he does look quality
I like Pope, I think he’ll come good

but Malan at 3. And Bairstow deserves to stay at 5
 
Regardless of the end result, this demonstrates why test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game. All 3 results still (theoretically) possible with 3 and a bit hours to go after starting the day with an England win looking the most likely.

The England team is starting to feel very 90s again though. Very little quality in the batting line up, Root excepted of course. An unsettled bowling line up constantly plagued by injury and the feeling that we can turn any situation, no matter how positive, into defeat.

We had a much better selection of batsman in the 90s. Atherton, Stewart, Thorpe, Hussain, Smith all averaged around the 40 mark at that time (Atherton and Hussain’s career average finished a bit lower). The system was a mess which completely hindered players like Hick and Ramprakash but it was a better batting side than this one.
 
Tbf to Vince he impressed in that last 1 day series and actually looked okay in his last few test innings.
Malan just seems an obvious middle order bet if the Ashes goes ahead this year

Woakes is miles better than Curran tbf
Vince doesn't open in red ball cricket anymore though.

So he's not coming into the side.
 
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