The Ashes: (England tour of Australia)

[LiveLoveABD]

Lot of knee-jerk reactions to England's loss. Their fans need to be careful and not let the apple cart topple over. I think for this test, they have themselves to blame. People were raving about their first innings but I thought they threw it away. That Vince run out changed everything.

Also, I observed Smith very closely when he came to India and he goes into this weird space, almost out worldly as a person where he's just someone who bats like his life depends on it. I've seen him take to this sort of mentality in big series and England are in for a lot of him if that's the case no matter who they select to bowl at him. I think Joe Root is an exceptional cricketer but he needs to really step up. He makes too too many 20-80 scores. His mindset should not even be hundreds.. they need to be daddy hundreds. Their batting is good, they just need to be more focussed, concentrated and feisty.

I think Jake Ball is an awful cricketer. Sorry, but I've always felt this. I have no idea how he's playing an Ashes series but every time I see him, he's a template of mediocrity, even pathetic.

I personally feel that because the Aussie batting line up itself is unstable, England can still retain the Ashes. But, their senior pros need to step up for that. Had this been an Aussie team with a half decent batting line up of previous years, this series was heading towards 5-0.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

This would be my English line up for Adelaide-

Stoneman
Cook
Root
Vince
Bairstow
Ali
Foakes
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Anderson

 

[blockerdave]

This would be my English line up for Adelaide-

Stoneman
Cook
Root
Vince
Bairstow
Ali
Foakes
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Anderson

sadly, i don't think they will take the gloves off bairstow, though they absolutely should. i also don't think they will (or should) switch vince and root.

who is quicker - Curran or Overton?

I saw a picture with Wood in the background of the training. is he in the squad? if so we should play him, since we have 5 bowlers, never make him bowl more than 4 overs in a spell.[DOUBLEPOST=1511775637][/DOUBLEPOST]@Dutch - anything to confess?

 

[LiveLoveABD]

sadly, i don't think they will take the gloves off bairstow, though they absolutely should. i also don't think they will (or should) switch vince and root.

who is quicker - Curran or Overton?

I saw a picture with Wood in the background of the training. is he in the squad? if so we should play him, since we have 5 bowlers, never make him bowl more than 4 overs in a spell.[DOUBLEPOST=1511775637][/DOUBLEPOST]@Dutch - anything to confess?

I don't get this logic of protecting Root at 4. He's got to step up. Anyway, he needs to get runs, wherever he bats and the promotion of Bairstow is critical.

 

[blockerdave]

I don't get this logic of protecting Root at 4. He's got to step up. Anyway, he needs to get runs, wherever he bats and the promotion of Bairstow is critical.

I don't get the logic of insisting he bat at 3? Cuz Ponting did??

Vince did well first innings so why disrupt that?

Root needs a massive rocket up his arse about his conversion rate. His place in the order is merely a distraction.

 

[Markkkkk]

With the current England batting line up Root is practically batting 3 anyway

 

[Chris Swift]

Cook should move to number 3, he's no longer good enough to open the batting.

 

[Markkkkk]

Cook should move to number 3, he's no longer good enough to open the batting.

No.

 

[Aislabie]

Cook should move to number 3, he's no longer good enough to open the batting.

If he's not good enough to open (his natural position) then he's not good enough to bat at three (mildly out of position).

Root needs a massive rocket up his arse about his conversion rate. His place in the order is merely a distraction.

Couldn't agree with this more. Let's look at the six leading Test batsmen in the world at the moment:

|Innings|Hundreds|Fifties|Conversion Rate|Inns per 100
Virat Kohli |104|19|14| 57.6% | 5.5
Cheteshwar Pujara |88|14|16| 46.7% | 6.3
Joe Root |112|13|33| 28.3% | 8.6
Steven Smith |105|21|21| 50.0% | 5.0
David Warner |125|20|25| 44.4% | 6.3
Kane Williamson |110|17|25| 40.5% | 6.5

Now, these stats don't necessarily tell you who the best batsmen are, but they do tell you which batsmen make the most of their opportunities. So make of them what you will.

 

[blockerdave]

If he's not good enough to open (his natural position) then he's not good enough to bat at three (mildly out of position).


Couldn't agree with this more. Let's look at the six leading Test batsmen in the world at the moment:

|Innings|Hundreds|Fifties|Conversion Rate|Inns per 100
Virat Kohli |104|19|14| 57.6% | 5.5
Cheteshwar Pujara |88|14|16| 46.7% | 6.3
Joe Root |112|13|33| 28.3% | 8.6
Steven Smith |105|21|21| 50.0% | 5.0
David Warner |125|20|25| 44.4% | 6.3
Kane Williamson |110|17|25| 40.5% | 6.5

Now, these stats don't necessarily tell you who the best batsmen are, but they do tell you which batsmen make the most of their opportunities. So make of them what you will.

someone should pin that to the wall of the England dressing room!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

What I feel is Root was pressurized a lot. He is captaining the side and is expected to play Smith kind of innings every day he comes out to bat. When Australia were bowled out the headlines were Root needs to play a Smith innings. Why? For me the biggest failure was Cook, he had to absorb the pressure in the second innings and allow England to build the innings. Root should stay where he is in the batting order and others need to really step up or else this Australia and New Zealand tour will be really long for England. This will be career defining series for Vince and he has all the potential, played a fantastic innings and need to continue that. Key to doing well in Australia is being fearless and not getting intimidated by Aussies, Kohli was successful because of his attitude, Stokes would have been gem.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I think the star of the first Ashes test was Lyon. He's doing the job of two bowlers. Holding the runs, getting wickets and bowling from one end non stop. This is allowing Smith to play a 6-1-4 combination. He can simply keep his quicks fresh and there's no respite for the Poms.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0726975522910772789-4

Ben Stokes has been granted a No Objection Certificate by the ECB and is free to play in New Zealand this weekend. This is surprising and interesting. If he has a NOC to play in New Zealand why not in Australia? :/

 

[Velocity]

Cook should move to number 3, he's no longer good enough to open the batting.

What makes you say that? This man has scored at least 98% of runs opening and there's no reason why he should be batting down on the order. If you're basing it of the first test, that is totally unfair as every player flops and does not have a good game. That was a bit ridiculous to read.

 

[Velocity]

English lineup at Adelaide:
Cook
Stoneman
Root
Vince
Malan
Bairstow
Moeen
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Anderson

Bairstow is better off as a batsman, but it's unlikely England will play Foakes. Ball is pure shite no business what so ever of playing him. Why play him when you got two good ones in the wings. Root should move one up, nothing wrong in Vince playing at 4.
I really want to see Curran. He impressed this home summer and this bloke has a couple of tricks up his sleeve. Might be unfair to Overton, but this guy looks gold. He swings the ball beautifully, bowls a good Yorker and mixes it up nicely. It would be good if England have a wily bowler alongside the veterans and Woakes.