Cricket

[Chris O'Connor]

I reckon they should go

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Buttler
Woakes
Curran
Bess
Broad
Wood

But think they may keep their new 85 mph medium pacer Archer and Anderson in. I blame Root as much as the bowler, he should tell him to bowl quickly, we have 85mph seamers who are better than him at medium quick bowling and can do far more with the ball at that pace, he's not picked to be snother inferior version and if Root is telling him to bowl that way he's wrong for me, it makes no sense . he needs to bring that X factor, something they can't do. short three over spurts is enough.

 

[Dannymini]

I reckon they should go

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Buttler
Woakes
Curran
Bess
Broad
Wood

But think they may keep their new 85 mph medium pacer Archer and Anderson in. I blame Root as much as the bowler, he should tell him to bowl quickly, we have 85mph seamers who are better than him at medium quick bowling and can do far more with the ball at that pace, he's not picked to be snother inferior version and if Root is telling him to bowl that way he's wrong for me, it makes no sense . he needs to bring that X factor, something they can't do. short three over spurts is enough.

That team may be the way to go with a 1-0 lead, as can all bat a bit.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Yes

Stokes withdraws from England squad to be with family in New Zealand

EXCLUSIVE: England all-rounder Ben Stokes will play no further part in the Test match summer as he flies to New Zealand to be with his family

www.mirror.co.uk

Massive blow but his family come first. It becomes same again now probable unless they bring in Wood but the makeup of the team will be the same with only five batsmen, a keeper, two bowling all rounders and four seamers

Curran Crawley and Wood in for me though

i had expected 3-0 after the first but this makes it wide open again.

Yeah would go along with those changes. Curran at 8 makes the batting a lot deeper.

Woakes 7
Curran 8
Bess 9
Broad 10
Wood 11

At least there are no complete mugs with the bat in that line up so you may get away with only 5 batsmen. I think they have to go for Curran to balance the side.

 

[summerisle]

Lancashire 184-5, lead by four ; Bohannon on unbeaten on 60.

 

[BigMick]

Lancs 199-5 at tea. Another hard fought session, Lancs held together by a mature innings from Bohannon, 64no. Balderson unbeaten on 11 after being dropped on 0. He's since played a couple of sumptuous straight drives for 4.

Earlier, Livingstone flattered to deceive, playing fluently until he tried one forcing shot too many and was caught at slip for 23. Croft then looked solid but was trapped lbw by Salisbury for 16.

Lancs 19 ahead.

 

[catcherintherye]

I reckon they should go

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Buttler
Woakes
Curran
Bess
Broad
Wood

But think they may keep their new 85 mph medium pacer Archer and Anderson in. I blame Root as much as the bowler, he should tell him to bowl quickly, we have 85mph seamers who are better than him at medium quick bowling and can do far more with the ball at that pace, he's not picked to be snother inferior version and if Root is telling him to bowl that way he's wrong for me, it makes no sense . he needs to bring that X factor, something they can't do. short three over spurts is enough.

A lot I agree with here. I am normally nervous of criticising captains, as it seems the easy scapegoat. Joe Root is a fantastic cricketer, arguably Englands best test mtch batsman and does lots of things right. He sometimes makes odd calls though. Archer you feel has to bowl in sharp, fast bursts. Hes a good line bowler too, but thts how you would utilise him. Anderson and Woakes both give England good control, they need a bit more.

I do worry we will bowl him into the ground and lose his pace. We have to look after him, and rotate him with Wood. It's what annoys me a little currently, there seems to be no real plans to rotate the bowlers properly. So for me yes, Wood for Archer makes sense.

We have discussed at length re Bess/Anderson. Personally I keep Jimmy in if he's fit (a big if). If not I rest him and Broad each of the next 2 for Bess

As for the rest, strangely the break for Stokes could be the making of the England team a little bit. I like Root at 4 and you know my views on Crawley.

I also think Sam Curran, in England is very very unlucky he hasn't played more. He has outstanding stats and is 22. I do worry for him abroad, but seems to have enough about him. England do need him, and Bess to start become more like allrounders as we move forward. So it's a great opportunity for him. I've een he averages 31 with the bat and 22.5 with the ball in England. Yes it's a small sample size 7 or 8 games but the cavaet should be, very few "easy" fixtures for him- Australia and India in there. Those numbers are outstanding and he could be a special player.

I mean I'm probably contradicting msyelf, but if England were brave, they may just commit to Anderon& Broad getting 1 game each next, Wood and Archer doing 1 game each next and giving Curran/Bess and Woakes the guarentee of 2 starts. You'd say all 3 of them represent the future of where we want to be.

Hard calls.

 

[catcherintherye]

Lancs 199-5 at tea. Another hard fought session, Lancs held together by a mature innings from Bohannon, 64no. Balderson unbeaten on 11 after being dropped on 0. He's since played a couple of sumptuous straight drives for 4.

Earlier, Livingstone flattered to deceive, playing fluently until he tried one forcing shot too many and was caught at slip for 23. Croft then looked solid but was trapped lbw by Salisbury for 16.

Lancs 19 ahead.

Balderson looks a decent player. Gleeson is a big plyer for Lancs and I'm surprised him and Bailey don't really get much of a look in with England. They will hopefully push thatb lead to 100+ and then they are in a really strong position.

 

[donny]

See the charts above. That's an incredible decline in test batting across the board.

Hawkeye technology and reviews have been a huge help to bowlers rather than batsmen.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Hawkeye technology and reviews have been a huge help to bowlers rather than batsmen.

Batsman can challenge as well as bowlers though?

 

[summerisle]

Lancashire 27-8, handy 23 run partnership for the 9th wicket, lead by 93. Luke Wood unbeaten on 46.

 

[donny]

Batsman can challenge as well as bowlers though?

Agree but still heavily weighted to the bowler.Many lbw decisions and caught behind were not given when it was the sole responsibility of the on field umpire leading to bigger scores for top batsman in decades past.

 

[ToffeeTim]

A lot I agree with here. I am normally nervous of criticising captains, as it seems the easy scapegoat. Joe Root is a fantastic cricketer, arguably Englands best test mtch batsman and does lots of things right. He sometimes makes odd calls though. Archer you feel has to bowl in sharp, fast bursts. Hes a good line bowler too, but thts how you would utilise him. Anderson and Woakes both give England good control, they need a bit more.

I do worry we will bowl him into the ground and lose his pace. We have to look after him, and rotate him with Wood. It's what annoys me a little currently, there seems to be no real plans to rotate the bowlers properly. So for me yes, Wood for Archer makes sense.

We have discussed at length re Bess/Anderson. Personally I keep Jimmy in if he's fit (a big if). If not I rest him and Broad each of the next 2 for Bess

As for the rest, strangely the break for Stokes could be the making of the England team a little bit. I like Root at 4 and you know my views on Crawley.

I also think Sam Curran, in England is very very unlucky he hasn't played more. He has outstanding stats and is 22. I do worry for him abroad, but seems to have enough about him. England do need him, and Bess to start become more like allrounders as we move forward. So it's a great opportunity for him. I've een he averages 31 with the bat and 22.5 with the ball in England. Yes it's a small sample size 7 or 8 games but the cavaet should be, very few "easy" fixtures for him- Australia and India in there. Those numbers are outstanding and he could be a special player.

I mean I'm probably contradicting msyelf, but if England were brave, they may just commit to Anderon& Broad getting 1 game each next, Wood and Archer doing 1 game each next and giving Curran/Bess and Woakes the guarentee of 2 starts. You'd say all 3 of them represent the future of where we want to be.

Hard calls.

I would pick Curran every time in England and probably anywhere except the subcontinent.

Its not a decision for me regarding Broad and Anderson. Theres no need for then to rotate. Broad is by far the better bowler on current form and Anderson doesn't make the strongest 11. The only difficult decisions are Archer vs Wood and whether to play a spinner. Woakes can't be left out in any circumstances at home.

I tend to favour Archer although he has to bowl quicker than this last test. Ideally I want Moeen back in my team as spinner but I think that ship may have sailed. Bess is extremely inconsistent on finding the right length.

 

[Mildredblues]

Yes

Stokes withdraws from England squad to be with family in New Zealand

EXCLUSIVE: England all-rounder Ben Stokes will play no further part in the Test match summer as he flies to New Zealand to be with his family

www.mirror.co.uk

Massive blow but his family come first. It becomes same again now probable unless they bring in Wood but the makeup of the team will be the same with only five batsmen, a keeper, two bowling all rounders and four seamers

Curran Crawley and Wood in for me though

i had expected 3-0 after the first but this makes it wide open again.

Nooooo!!
Now what? Sam Curran to replace him perhaps?

 

[summerisle]

Not exceptional, still problems with the batting, but should be enough.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

I would pick Curran every time in England and probably anywhere except the subcontinent.

Its not a decision for me regarding Broad and Anderson. Theres no need for then to rotate. Broad is by far the better bowler on current form and Anderson doesn't make the strongest 11. The only difficult decisions are Archer vs Wood and whether to play a spinner. Woakes can't be left out in any circumstances at home.

I tend to favour Archer although he has to bowl quicker than this last test. Ideally I want Moeen back in my team as spinner but I think that ship may have sailed. Bess is extremely inconsistent on finding the right length.

Yes I was thinking Curran replaced Stokes and Crawley had to then come in for 5 batters, a keeper, Woakes Curran

That leaves three positions, if one is Archer or Wood and one is Broad, your saying go without a spinner, I wouldn't mind that either tbh but it just looks so obvious it's not going to happen. They will pick Bess whether we want him or not I think.

Given that, which I think is highly probable tbf, the only way Anderson gets in is not picking Archer or Wood or not picking Curran. Either is possible but Root said he wants a man with the capability of bowling very quickly which means Curran or Anderson in effect for one place. It's why I think without arguably their best batsman, they have to have a mind to batting strength too and give Anderson a rest, picking Curran.

They can't go in with only four batters and Buttler, without Stokes you can see just how he balances the side being a batter and bowler and it's just not possible to replace him.