The England Cricket Thread

Soldato
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What's nice is aus only have 1 review left. So they are going to use that very carefully.

Or not.

Text updates then radio for an hour got in for the final 4 overs. Unbelievable. After last night there was a little hope but after those wickets in quick succession. Stokes just unbelievable with bat and the ball yesterday in that little spell.

From being all over to being absolutely riding a wave of confidence. And hopefully a lot of the guys there will have realised you've got 5 days to bat. No doubt be some changes to the openers for next test.
 
Soldato
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Test cricket is still the best format.

"Stupid game where you can play for 5 days and still draw."

Yeah, but you can also play for days and it still comes down to a few heart stopping moments like that.

There's just no comparison in, say, football (which I also love) to matches and days like today.
 
Associate
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Was sitting in a bar with the phone speaker thrust into my lughole. We won. I drank.

Ridiculous elation, and one of the innings of the century, but we can't forget that we put ourselves in that situation with a dismal, pathetic showing first time out. For cricket it's amazing because it was spectacular, but for England it was the culmination of demonstrating our epic flakiness.

Just realised I've said the same thing twice.

I love them.

I hate them. :D
 
Caporegime
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It's still a concern that we lost 5 for 41 runs. Leach made one run but that's all we needed from him, he used his head and stayed at the crease to let Stokes bring it on home.
 
Soldato
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I still think we're only an opener or 2 from being a very good side.

I'd put Roy down the order for Buttler if we could solve the opener problem.

Anderson comes in for Woakes, there's no way you're dropping Jofra, he's the most exciting new talent since THAT ball from Warne for me, watching him pin people like it was the eighties again got the blood pumping.
 
Soldato
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This is why test cricket is the best form of the game. Still can't believe it.

That being said it still doesn't hide the fact that the administration of this test side is broken
 
Soldato
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I see where you’re coming from, and believe me, I’ve enjoyed this as much as anyone, but I still feel that the first innings was embarrassing. All credit to the boys for the win, but it should never have been that hard after the aus first innings.
Precisely. It does mask what has been a lttle all too frequent collapse. Glorious victory nonetheless.
 
Soldato
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It was embarrassing and was onky rescued by a heroic knock and a hefty slice of luck.
True although it's not like we don't have form in that area, innings against Ireland anyone? :eek::)

Anyway, a top change, put Root in at 4 and we may give the returning Smith a run for his money.

We just have to figure out a way of getting him out without taking his head off.

Edit: Although Root plays better at 4 and her prefers it to 3, just had a quick look and his average is far better at 5. By some margin - pre-Ashes 40/48/71 off 40/60/29 innings (3-4-5)
 
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Associate
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True although it's not like we don't have form in that area, innings against Ireland anyone? :eek::)

Anyway, a top change, put Root in at 4 and we may give the returning Smith a run for his money.

We just have to figure out a way of getting him out without taking his head off.

Edit: Although Root plays better at 4 and her prefers it to 3, just had a quick look and his average is far better at 5. By some margin - pre-Ashes 40/48/71 off 40/60/29 innings (3-4-5)

Correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation. When he was batting at 5 the top 4 consisted of: Cook, the best opening batsman England have had for many years averaging high 40's, Gary Ballance who at that period of time was averaging around 50 and Ian Bell, one of England's best middle batsmen in the modern era who was averaging around 40.

You bat him at 5 right now and he's going to be coming to the crease far earlier than he was at that period of time and his average would suffer for it.

Ultimately it all comes down to whether they want to give Roy one more chance, but in the middle order, or get rid. If they put him in the middle order then Denly goes up to open and Root has to stay at 3.
 
Soldato
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Correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation. When he was batting at 5 the top 4 consisted of: Cook, the best opening batsman England have had for many years averaging high 40's, Gary Ballance who at that period of time was averaging around 50 and Ian Bell, one of England's best middle batsmen in the modern era who was averaging around 40.

You bat him at 5 right now and he's going to be coming to the crease far earlier than he was at that period of time and his average would suffer for it.

Ultimately it all comes down to whether they want to give Roy one more chance, but in the middle order, or get rid. If they put him in the middle order then Denly goes up to open and Root has to stay at 3.
Fair points are fair.

I think at 5 would be wrong but if the order was easy they would have sorted it out by now.

Part of me would like to see Stokes at 3, for the fun of it more than anything. He could quickly add on some pressure or steady the ship and have more batsmen to hang around with him.

Won't happen though.
 
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