Cricket

[jim mk2]

Ali at No 3 is Bazball thinking in extremis and just entrenches the team's T20 mindset. He hits the ball in the air too much, he struggles with the basic defensive skills even at No 8 so it's highly unlikely it will work at No 3. They tried him there a few years ago and the experiment was quickly dropped. Having said all that I'd be delighted if he scores a hundred at Old Trafford. 

[chaddyrovers]

55 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Ali at No 3 is Bazball thinking in extremis and just entrenches the team's T20 mindset. He hits the ball in the air too much, he struggles with the basic defensive skills even at No 8 so it's highly unlikely it will work at No 3. They tried him there a few years ago and the experiment was quickly dropped. Having said all that I'd be delighted if he scores a hundred at Old Trafford. 

still you don't understand what Stokes and McCullum are asking saying to the players. 

Ali is batting at 3 cos Pope is out and Stokes can't bowl so we need 4 seamers plus a spinner. 

[wilsdenrover]

From what I’ve read, Jim fully understands what’s being asked of the players - he just doesn’t agree with it being the right approach ‘come what may’

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[matt83]

[jim mk2]

Bairstow has to produce in the next Test. No more dropped catches, no more missed stumpings, and meaningful runs on the board. He’s a liability at present and one reason England aren’t ahead in the series. 

[Dreams of 1995]

Bairstows best form has always been when he has been a batter only 

I get the Ali shift - a free whack by a spinner we really need to include - but I feel as though we could have gone for Foakes instead and used Bairstow at three 

Bairstow would also replace the specialist fielder that Pope is

[oldjamfan1]

England women have just made an absolute mockery of the multi format system of scoring in their version of The Ashes. 
They lost the one test match but won both the T20 and ODI series but somehow still didn’t win the Ashes.

Bizarre.

[47er]

On 18/07/2023 at 04:56, chaddyrovers said:

still you don't understand what Stokes and McCullum are asking saying to the players. 

Ali is batting at 3 cos Pope is out and Stokes can't bowl so we need 4 seamers plus a spinner. 

Ali is batting at No 3 because no-one else will step up and take the responsibility. Root and Brooke have both run away.

[jim mk2]

2 minutes ago, 47er said:

Ali is batting at No 3 because no-one else will step up and take the responsibility. Root and Brooke have both run away.

Mmmm.... not sure about that. I'd keep them in their best positions, No 4 and No 5. Ali's promotion reflects the dearth of Test class batsmen in the domestic game. We haven't had a good No 3 since Trott was in his pomp

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, 47er said:

Ali is batting at No 3 because no-one else will step up and take the responsibility. Root and Brooke have both run away.

have to disagree there, Root and Brook best form comes at 4 and 5 so why change things when it already works. 

England could have gone for Dan Lawrence at 3 and not play a seamer or Ali but they want 5 fully fit bowlers and Stokes isn't one

[47er]

38 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Mmmm.... not sure about that. I'd keep them in their best positions, No 4 and No 5. Ali's promotion reflects the dearth of Test class batsmen in the domestic game. We haven't had a good No 3 since Trott was in his pomp

We haven't got a decent No 3.Root and Brooke both failed at 3 but are succeededing at 4 and 5. The only reason Ali is batting at 3 is that no-one else wants the job.

[Silas]

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

England women have just made an absolute mockery of the multi format system of scoring in their version of The Ashes. 
They lost the one test match but won both the T20 and ODI series but somehow still didn’t win the Ashes.

Bizarre.

Exciting though right.

The fact that it was in effect lost by the 3 run margin a few days ago.

Tightest of margins. 

Not saying I agree with the format, but it's like the women's football chat in the other thread, it's not always about quality, it's competitiveness and entertainment that wins the day.

Can't say this women's ashes series hasn't had both of those qualities. 

Sadly, I'm not confident the men will follow suit. Hope I'm massively wrong.

[oldjamfan1]

28 minutes ago, Silas said:

Exciting though right.

The fact that it was in effect lost by the 3 run margin a few days ago.

Tightest of margins. 

Not saying I agree with the format, but it's like the women's football chat in the other thread, it's not always about quality, it's competitiveness and entertainment that wins the day.

Can't say this women's ashes series hasn't had both of those qualities. 

Sadly, I'm not confident the men will follow suit. Hope I'm massively wrong.

Oh I’m not knocking the quality of the cricket but too much weighting was given to the test match. They probably should have played three 5 day games in truth.

[Silas]

19 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Oh I’m not knocking the quality of the cricket but too much weighting was given to the test match. They probably should have played three 5 day games in truth.

I think it will come soon.

An evolving market.

I understand why they had this format back in the day.

But it will mirror the men's competition soon. 

[Mattyblue]

Not sure about that, only one Test and Trent Bridge (smallest of the remaining Test grounds) was not close to full on any of the days, whereas they were hitting 20k crowds for some of the limited order games.

Obviously there is a place for a Test, but it won’t be mirroring the men’s format any time soon.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Ewood Ace]

13 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

have to disagree there, Root and Brook best form comes at 4 and 5 so why change things when it already works. 

England could have gone for Dan Lawrence at 3 and not play a seamer or Ali but they want 5 fully fit bowlers and Stokes isn't one

But 3 it is not Moeen's best position he averages 13 batting at 3 that is more than half his career average. If Stokes isn't going to be bowling much he should bat at 3 he's got the technique & temperament to bat there. And the Aussie's would hate to see it as they are clueless as to how to bowl at him.

12 hours ago, Silas said:

Exciting though right.

The fact that it was in effect lost by the 3 run margin a few days ago.

Tightest of margins. 

Not saying I agree with the format, but it's like the women's football chat in the other thread, it's not always about quality, it's competitiveness and entertainment that wins the day.

Can't say this women's ashes series hasn't had both of those qualities. 

Sadly, I'm not confident the men will follow suit. Hope I'm massively wrong.

A great turnout at Taunton yesterday incredible to see how the crowds have grown over the years in the Women's game, when I think back to the crowds we had at Taunton when hosting the entire group stage of the 2009 Women's T20 World Cup.

England got a lot closer to Australia than I thought they would this series (although I don't think you can understate how big the absence of Meg Lanning was) the big difference in the end was fielding Australia are a gun fielding side whereas England resemble more a club cricket team especially when it comes to catching. If England catch better they most likely win the test and the ODI at Southampton.

I think the format is perfect for the women's game & has improved the Women's Ashes as a competition immeasurably. It's only right that the test match the purest form of the game holds the most weight. Although I do think that they were right to lower it from 6 to 4 points as they did after the 13/14 series as that weighted it slightly too much in favour of the test.

[Dreams of 1995]

Stuart Broad again

Big wicket of Khawaja. About time we tucked him up early doors. It's like his feet are in concrete until he reaches 30

Time for Broady to get Warner for his 600th wicket; Jimmy to castle big ears and the cheat for below 10

[jim mk2]

Bairstow takes brilliant catch shocker. 

[wilsdenrover]

JB’s caught one!! 😀😀

[oldjamfan1]

Apparently Stuart Broad got Head for his 600th test wicket?

It’s the least he deserves to be fair.

[wilsdenrover]

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Apparently Stuart Broad got Head for his 600th test wicket?

It’s the least he deserves to be fair.

Cummins needs to be his next target.

[Gav]

Superb by England today, especially with the sun out for most of the day!

Woakes was on fire and just brilliant by Broad to have taken 600 wickets.

It’s once again setup nicely for an England onslaught.  

[jim mk2]

Manchester weather forecast for dull and cool with showers tomorrow ........ theoretically not good for batting and ought to favour the bowlers

And England need to knock those last 2 wickets over cheaply. 300 may already be too many

[Ewood Ace]

Not picking Woakes at Lords could end up being a series defining mistake.

[Gav]

19 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Manchester weather forecast for dull and cool with showers tomorrow ........ theoretically not good for batting and ought to favour the bowlers

You’re making it up again….

Edited July 19, 2023 by Gav