South Africa v England 3rd Test - Port Elizabeth



You could understand it if he was using Anderson or Archer in tandem with Broad. But Sam Curran - give f***ing over. Cracking lad, but he's barely a fourth seamer, let alone a new ball bowler.
I just think with South Africa having to survive just an hour or so, and with loads of runs to play with Root had nothing to lose by chucking the ball to Wood first up and say give me 5 or 6 overs at full pelt.
I just don’t understand it.
 
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I just think with South Africa having to survive just an hour or so, and with loads of runs to play with Root had nothing to lose by chucking the ball to Wood first up and say give me 5 or 6 overs at full pelt.
I just don’t understand it.
Too reliant on stats and pre-determined plans. Doesn't have the gut instinct to react to a situation.
A modern captaincy failing, not just Root.
 
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Yet averages 29with the ball a lot better than wood

Oh give over man. Averages are partial like any statistic. Who would you rather face in those conditions - Curran or Wood. Nonsense.

We've never seen a fully fit Wood charge in at test level. The Windies series really was a breakthrough and I expect he can kick on now if he stays fit. Mother of all ifs, but he's a much more promising bowler than Curran at this level.
 
Oh give over man. Averages are partial like any statistic. Who would you rather face in those conditions - Curran or Wood. Nonsense.

We've never seen a fully fit Wood charge in at test level. The Windies series really was a breakthrough and I expect he can kick on now if he stays fit. Mother of all ifs, but he's a much more promising bowler than Curran at this level.
Agree he had another 4 years or so bowling at this pace if fit.
 
Oh give over man. Averages are partial like any statistic. Who would you rather face in those conditions - Curran or Wood. Nonsense.

We've never seen a fully fit Wood charge in at test level. The Windies series really was a breakthrough and I expect he can kick on now if he stays fit. Mother of all ifs, but he's a much more promising bowler than Curran at this level.
So just because he's quicker hes more promising
 
Yet averages 29with the ball a lot better than wood
Why be contrary about averages in this instance.

Flat pitch where we've seen very little natural swing. Two things that impacts currans bowling.

You could see wood was buzzing to get off and bowl after spanking them round the park with the bat.

Would have been good to set that on Elgar their best batsman immediately and Malan off the back of a brilliant knock last time.

Curran should have been pulled after 2 overs after root made the decision to see if he could get some swing.

As it wasn't doing anything and his length was all off.
 
Oh give over man. Averages are partial like any statistic. Who would you rather face in those conditions - Curran or Wood. Nonsense.

We've never seen a fully fit Wood charge in at test level. The Windies series really was a breakthrough and I expect he can kick on now if he stays fit. Mother of all ifs, but he's a much more promising bowler than Curran at this level.
Wood is 30
Sam Curran is in his early 20s ;)
 
So just because he's quicker hes more promising

He's pacier, bouncier, threatens the stumps more and has more chance finding reverse swing with an old ball - especially the Kookaburra.

Sure, if they play all their lives on green-tops in England, with the swinging Dukes ball, then Curran might get more wickets. But it is very difficult to see how the lad takes wickets abroad consistently.

There are bowlers as slow as him, but they are either really tall (McGrath) or bowl a heavy ball (Philander). And like, honestly, I don't know why I even bother mentioning those two because they probably have more control than any other bowler of my lifetime with the possible exception of Ambrose. Curran is never going to get control like that seems a fairly safe assumption.

For me that puts him on a level with someone like a Chris Woakes. His average will be decent too, but his success is heavily skewed towards England. And, for my money, he's a better bowler than Curran too.
Wood is 30
Sam Curran is in his early 20s ;)

Oh aye, I know. But Curran has played slightly more tests iirc, so in terms of test experience they are comparable.
 
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Why be contrary about averages in this instance.

Flat pitch where we've seen very little natural swing. Two things that impacts currans bowling.

You could see wood was buzzing to get off and bowl after spanking them round the park with the bat.

Would have been good to set that on Elgar their best batsman immediately and Malan off the back of a brilliant knock last time.

Curran should have been pulled after 2 overs after root made the decision to see if he could get some swing.

As it wasn't doing anything and his length was all off.

Pace gets wickets at the other end too. Bess will be thankful for Wood tonight.
Best couple of days cricket for England in ages.

Do people still think there isn't quality in the CC or Trev Bayliss just wasn't a very good test coach?

In fairness, I still don't think the counterfactual - that Pope and Sibley would have come in and changed the direction of the Ashes holds. I actually think we did bloody well to get a 2-2 draw against a vastly more talented side and in the long-run, probably better that these very promising batsmen weren't bedded in against that exceptional attack.

Especially Pope anyway, I think Sibley you can probably say it'd been worth it all the same given how bad Roy was.
 
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At home
He's pacier, bouncier, threatens the stumps more and has more chance finding reverse swing with an old ball - especially the Kookaburra.

Sure, if they play all their lives on green-tops in England, with the swinging Dukes ball, then Curran might get more wickets. But it is very difficult to see how the lad takes wickets abroad consistently.

There are bowlers as slow as him, but they are either really tall (McGrath) or bowl a heavy ball (Philander). And like, honestly, I don't know why I even bother mentioning those two because they probably have more control than any other bowler of my lifetime with the possible exception of Ambrose. Curran is never going to get control like that seems a fairly safe assumption.

For me that puts him on a level with someone like a Chris Woakes. His average will be decent too, but his success is heavily skewed towards England. And, for my money, he's a better bowler than Curran too.


Oh aye, I know. But Curran has played slightly more tests iirc, so in terms of test experience they are comparable.
Why doesn't wood get more wickets then
 
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