Cricket

[Chris O'Connor]

Looks as if Broad axed

Low scoring test in prospect as both sides' batsmen are likely to struggle imo, over in possibly three or three and a bit days unless possible rain extends it.

No problem with giving two real quicks a go, if they play just one there seems a tendency to seriously overbowl them and perhaps kill their most potent weapon going forward. They will all get a go throughout the series but dropping Wood after his last test would have been unbelievably harsh. Perhaps it came down to Broad or Archer and maybe they decided playing Archer the right thing to do atm.

In Australia they can't expect either Broad or Anderson to contribute too much, you have to match 90 mph pace and with these two and Stone they may just have it.

 

[Connor]

Toss delayed, ah yes

 

[Connor]

Incredibly powerful stuff from Sky and Mike Holding so far. Hard watch? Yes, but a must watch.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

I honestly think making Stokes captain is a huge ask for him. The man already does everything outstandingly well, bats, bowls and fields and plays all three formats too.

The last two big name English all rounders were Andrew Flintoff and Ian Botham. They too were both made captain and in both cases badly found out, not just losing test matches but it really affecting their batting and bowling too. There were mitigating circumstances, in that Botham was unlucky enough to mostly have the superb, and all conquering, West Indies side of the late 70's and early 1980 as his main opponent. Mike Brearley took over, Botham was transformed and 1981 became the year of Botham's ashes.

Back in the mid 2000's (2005/6) the choice was Flintoff or Strauss, Flintoff was given it, a mistake. Flintoff overbowled himself in a home test against Sri Lanka and was never really the same afterwards. Under his leadership they went onto lose the Ashes 5-0 in Australia. Andrew Strauss then was belatedly given it and England rose to be the number one ranked nation, Strauss winning the Ashes back at home and then doing them in their own backyard too.

When Joe Root is either sacked or retires they perhaps best not burden their best player by a long way in all three formats with the extra burden of captaincy. Perhaps Buttler, in captaincy terms, could be a modern day version of Mike Brearley or Andrew Strauss.

(Apparently Brearley was a much better captain than he was as a player - certainly at test level, in fact in playing terms there is no way he merited a place in the side)

 

[Billy Dean]

I honestly think making Stokes captain is a huge ask for him. The man already does everything outstandingly well, bats, bowls and fields and plays all three formats too.

The last two big name English all rounders were Andrew Flintoff and Ian Botham. They too were both made captain and in both cases badly found out, not just losing test matches but it really affecting their batting and bowling too. There were mitigating circumstances, in that Botham was unlucky enough to mostly have the superb, and all conquering, West Indies side of the late 70's and early 1980 as his main opponent. Mike Brearley took over, Botham was transformed and 1981 became the year of Botham's ashes.

Back in the mid 2000's (2005/6) the choice was Flintoff or Strauss, Flintoff was given it, a mistake. Flintoff overbowled himself in a home test against Sri Lanka and was never really the same afterwards. Under his leadership they went onto lose the Ashes 5-0 in Australia. Andrew Strauss then was belatedly given it and England rose to be the number one ranked nation, Strauss winning the Ashes back at home and then doing them in their own backyard too.

When Joe Root is either sacked or retires they perhaps best not burden their best player by a long way in all three formats with the extra burden of captaincy. Perhaps Buttler, in captaincy terms, could be a modern day version of Mike Brearley or Andrew Strauss.

(Apparently Brearley was a much better captain than he was as a player - certainly at test level, in fact in playing terms there is no way he merited a place in the side)

I hope Buttler can nail down his role so he can be considered for the captaincy. Although with him a candidate to take over from Morgan as white ball captain that might be a heavy burden for him too.

 

[Ivo]

Seems a strange decision to bat given the overhead conditions and potential to be on and off with the weather.

 

[Connor]

God awful leave

 

[Walken]

Incredibly powerful stuff from Sky and Mike Holding so far. Hard watch? Yes, but a must watch.

Loved it, the sort of speech that might actually change minds

 

[ToffeeTim]

WFH means I can listen to TMS all summer

And listen to England top order collapses...

 

[ToffeeTim]

Weird decision by Sir Ben to bat first when it's to rain most of the first 2 days

 

[Connor]

Another spell of.... light drizzle

 

[EvertonCJ]

I live about 15 miles from the ground and it’s not rained once all day.

 

[gonetomorrow]

God the quality of TMS chat hasn't improved. What a bore!

I suppose I was spoilt listening to Johnners and co back in the day. I used to pray for rain to hear some of those guys talk!

 

[Alan Whittle]

God the quality of TMS chat hasn't improved. What a bore!

I suppose I was spoilt listening to Johnners and co back in the day. I used to pray for rain to hear some of those guys talk!

CM-J, Trevor Bailey, Henry Blofeld, Don Mosey John Arlott, also when the Aussies were over Alan Mcgilvray.
Remember particularly one very wet Saturday morning c1988. No play but the team had Eric Idle in the box with them. Majestic entertainment.

 

[Ivo]

Weird decision by Sir Ben to bat first when it's to rain most of the first 2 days

It's like we're just hanging in there trying to survive for the day. Not ideal, especially by choice