TEST MATCH :: England v Pakistan

[brandon]

He hasn't batted consistently for years like, and I am his biggest fan

They have to try something, or we will continue to get hammered.

Of the two openers, Stoneman is the biggest problem.

There are far more causes of us being hammered, before you get to Cook.

 

[rentaghost]

Jennings in for Stoneman. I hope he does the business and wass one of only 3 realistic choices. Personally I would have went for Burns but good luck to the lad.

 

[GordonMuchallNo1Fan]

Absolutely staggering how Stoneman is preferred over Jennings.

It's a very bang average test side.

Well done the selectors

 

[Dexter]

He hasn't batted consistently for years like, and I am his biggest fan

They have to try something, or we will continue to get hammered.

All test you've been saying we're a good team and have a great home record - and that people are overreacting.

And now you want to move Cook to 3 and say we'll continue to get hammered unless things change? Strange.

 

[rentaghost]

Well done the selectors

Good luck to the lad - he has a poorer test record than Stoneman and has only had one season in his entire life where he has been anywhere above average - however he is still young at 25, has a good temperament and at least he's been picked when he is in form giving him a chance.

 

[Bri]

I thought Wood had bowled quite well …. he did in his County match for Durham.

Speaking up for Wood …..

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for Durham.
several of these were down to batsmen being late on the shot.....

also from the Telegraph … only Michell Starc has a faster average bowling speed than Mark Wood in Tests since the start of 2016. He's no slouch.

 

[Boo]

He had the worst winter of anyone mind, couldn't pick him after that, need to move on.

There is an argument for picking him in May in England as you don't bowl much overs of spin I guess.

He certainly had a terrible winter, but I think 'move on' is overstating it. Simply, would we rather have Bess or Ali right now? I would still go for Ali.

 

[Dougal]

I haven't watched any of the (predictable) way this all panned out, except to say that we are miles away from a proper Test team and we seem determined not to learn the lessons.

We need to be very careful here. In England it's still Test cricket that funds the game and not white ball stuff, and if the Test team collapses the crowds will follow and we will be in trouble.



I think Jennings will be on the radar, he's got 2 centuries in CC and has carried the form into the one dayers. If you aren't going to pick him now, then when?

Good call, he's in for Rocky at Headngley!

 

[Johnap]

Well that must have been a short selection meeting.

 

[brandon]

Well that must have been a short selection meeting.

Aye, I'd have binned off more than Stoneman.

 

[smoker]

It will all be deckchairs on the Titanic until Bayliss is replaced.

Test cricket is all about strategy and psychology and he is simply too hands off.

Seriously, that's a horrid suggestion. Cook is the greatest England opener of the modern era, he's always been an opener, why the fuck would he suddenly go 3?!

Either have him open, or drop him.

Cook has played 12 tests at number 3 averaging 52.5.

We've always done better with a grinder or third opener in that spot.

 

[The Rat]

All test you've been saying we're a good team and have a great home record - and that people are overreacting.

And now you want to move Cook to 3 and say we'll continue to get hammered unless things change? Strange.

We've been a very good team at home

you lot were writing them off before lunch on the first day

well done, your overreacting guess paid off this time, do you want a medal?

 

[brandon]

It will all be deckchairs on the Titanic until Bayliss is replaced.

Test cricket is all about strategy and psychology and he is simply too hands off.



Cook has played 12 tests at number 3 averaging 52.5.

We've always done better with a grinder or third opener in that spot.

How many Tests has he played whilst opening though?

And of those 12, how many were in run chases where a more aggressive batsman was elevated to open?

 

[The Rat]

How many Tests has he played whilst opening though?

And of those 12, how many were in run chases where a more aggressive batsman was elevated to open?

Its not a criticismof Cook putting him at 3, I think its a decent shout, and maybe a new challenge is what he needs.

We are just shuffling the deck, its not working, I have no doubt it will be another six months of Cook just about doing enough to hang on, and Jennings then being replaced by Gubbins, and on we go

 

[Bri]

It will all be deckchairs on the Titanic until Bayliss is replaced.

Test cricket is all about strategy and psychology and he is simply too hands off.



Cook has played 12 tests at number 3 averaging 52.5.

We've always done better with a grinder or third opener in that spot.

I've long wanted this for England.

A while ago I wanted Cook, Jennings and Hameed in whatever order. (Then ofc Hameed got injured and lost form and Jennings did similar.)