3rd Test: Australia v England at The WACA, Perth, 13-17 Dec

[ParkedTheBus]

Where.The.Hell.Is.Nicholas.Richard.Denis.Compton?!?!

 

[IceAgeComing]

That Harris ball BTW. Couldn't wish for much more as a fast bowler

 

[ste_mc_efc]

Is Bairstow expected to take over as w/k from prior and to bat at 6?

Because then Stokes at 7, broad 8 and 3 pure bowlers would be fine for the next few years. I'm not particularly sold on Bairstow yet, though.

 

[Skater]

Until now I can't say I'd see anything from Stokes which made he think he was anything other than a Liam Plunkett 2.0, decent at county level but limited to ODI caps for England.

But that innings today was very gutsy. He played some lovely strokes, showed the more senior batsman how it is done and I'd love him to go and make our first hundred of the series.

If Bell was still there I might have even said this game wasn't over, but I can't see it making it far past lunch.

 

[MUFC1987]

Good to see Stokes getting some runs today. I like him personally, he's batted up the order for Durham, which is where he should be to gain time in the middle and exposure to the better bowlers. Plus, his bowling has looked better than expected and with his age, he's probably going to get better at that too. Deserves a go at Number 7 for the next few Series at least, for me. I think this has to be the end of the road for Prior, his batting and keeping just aren't up to it any more and he's looked poor in both series. Time to bring in one of the 'keepers from County Cricket, as Bairstow doesn't look good enough yet either.

Nice to see some fight from Stokes even if it's just putting off the inevitable. I'd like to see Finn and Rankin in the next test, as we really have got nothing to lose, so we may as well give them some experience.

 

[PackenHols]

It still confuses me that batting was the problem for England but they put an all rounder in the side to replace Trott. Stokes has done an all right job. Today he was really good. However, a main batsman surely would of been better.

 

[Gone4aDuck]

I'd like to see Finn and Rankin in the next test, as we really have got nothing to lose, so we may as well give them some experience.

NEVER going to happen. I'm guessing you would have Finn for broad and rankin for bresnan? If that's the case then that's a seriously weak tail. Prior, swann, rankin, Finn and Anderson following up that dodgy top order really would be 5-0.

 

[MUFC1987]

It's weak how it is now, so I don't think it makes much difference batting wise. A couple of fresh bowlers with a point to prove might mean that we're chasing less than 500 in each test though.

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And who cares about 5-0? It's probably going to be that anyway, if we keep on blindly sending out the same team. May as well give some of the younger guys some experience for 4 years time. I'd count Ballance in that too. He does have a future at Test level.

 

[barmyarmy]

Broad might be out anyway so that would force the selectors' hand.

 

[War]

Is Bairstow expected to take over as w/k from prior and to bat at 6?

Because then Stokes at 7, broad 8 and 3 pure bowlers would be fine for the next few years. I'm not particularly sold on Bairstow yet, though.

I'd hope its not Bairstow. The best man to replace Prior for test right now is Steven Davies. But now that he has moved to Lancashire in effort to improve his long format keeping, Joss Buttler should be the man long term across all-formats for England.


I always thought Stokes had to goods, been saying it since the end of the home ODI series in September. England have found the Flintoff replacement - just need to back him now.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

Well I only said I thought Stokes could bat about 5 pages ago but I'm still going to pat myself on the bat about it.

Jaffa to bowl Clarke as well.

Flintoff is a difficult guy to assess, really. A genuinely awesome 95+mph bowler with a huge heart, never went round the park, but didn't get a lot of wickets either. A fearsome hitter of the ball, but a batsman who rarely made hundreds and whose technique was fundamentally compromised by years of clubbing everything for 6 at the lower levels of the game ; he was literally seen as a Viv Richards-level prodigy by many prior to his arrival in first class cricket, as they mistook his sheer physical strength for genius level batsmanship.

A massive personality beloved by the fans, but often unpopular in dressing rooms, and reportedly largely disliked by those in the game these days.

 

[Skater]

Well I only said I thought Stokes could bat about 5 pages ago but I'm still going to pat myself on the bat about it.

Jaffa to bowl Clarke as well.

Flintoff is a difficult guy to assess, really. A genuinely awesome 95+mph bowler with a huge heart, never went round the park, but didn't get a lot of wickets either. A fearsome hitter of the ball, but a batsman who rarely made hundreds and whose technique was fundamentally compromised by years of clubbing everything for 6 at the lower levels of the game ; he was literally seen as a Viv Richards-level prodigy by many prior to his arrival in first class cricket, as they mistook his sheer physical strength for genius level batsmanship.

A massive personality beloved by the fans, but often unpopular in dressing rooms, and reportedly largely disliked by those in the game these days.

Which is a great shame, as the way Freddie played cricket brought the game in this country a large number of new fans. The manner in which after retirement he has largely disassociated himself with the sport and even been on the Graham Norton Show to tell the nation how boring it is has been disappointing.

At least his great mate Steve Harmison, who seemed out of love with cricket as he reached the end, has stayed within it and been doing some commentating. Notice too how Shane Warne hasn't completely moved onto the World Poker tour and some such, he can't drag himself away from the cricket field either.

 

[merksfi]

Broad may be out of the Boxing Day test - who do you think they should draft in to replace him? I have a feeling they would go for Finn at the MCG but really as someone who has watched Ireland for about the past ten years and their results I think it could be worth throwing Rankin in.

Australia wouldn't have done as much homework on him, I mean Australia rarely play Ireland and so they would have done next to nothing against Rankin.

I think something dramatic needs to happen or else Cook wont remain as captain after the Ashes, he looks like a man on borrowed time and yesterday's delivery just made him look ordinary.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

I think something dramatic needs to happen or else Cook wont remain as captain after the Ashes, he looks like a man on borrowed time and yesterday's delivery just made him look ordinary.

That was an absolute jaffa. Absolutely no disgrace in missing it, especially first ball. In fact, the only way you could hit it is by playing down the wrong line, effectively.

He had more chance of hitting the Mitchell Johnson jaffa in the first test, because if he'd really pressed forward he might just have got a little bit of bat on it. No disgrace there either though.

 

[merksfi]

That was an absolute jaffa. Absolutely no disgrace in missing it, especially first ball. In fact, the only way you could hit it is by playing down the wrong line, effectively.

He had more chance of hitting the Mitchell Johnson jaffa in the first test, because if he'd really pressed forward he might just have got a little bit of bat on it. No disgrace there either though.

I agree it was a jaffa but his performances throughout this series have been less than impressive and just the look on his face is that of a defeated man.