[Cricket] England vs Australia, Ashes 4th test - Old Trafford

[Steve in Japan]

Suffering withdrawl symptoms today. Been a good Summer for cricket.

 

[nickjhs]

It's very straight forward. One day champions and struggling top order techniques in Test cricket. Go figure.

Yep, no three guesses which game Smith refuses to play - 20/20. He does play ODI though

 

[nickjhs]

Suffering withdrawl symptoms today. Been a good Summer for cricket.

Ah well the international break is over, so back to the PL and hopefully Potterball comes really good against Burnley.

 

[BensGrandad]

Is Ian Bell back playing yet.

 

[Eeyore]

Suffering withdrawl symptoms today. Been a good Summer for cricket.

Important to remember that the series is not a dead rubber. If England can get a win then the Aussies will arrive next time having not won a series here for over 20 years.

 

[Eeyore]

Is Ian Bell back playing yet.

Yes, but recalling a 37 year old is a backward step.

 

[blue-shifted]

Suffering withdrawl symptoms today. Been a good Summer for cricket.

Yep, disappointing outcome and some poor (by historical standards) levels of technique displayed with bat and ball, but the matches have been really tense and enjoyable

 

[blue-shifted]

For the last test I’m picking

Robson
Burns
Sibley
Root
Malan
Stokes
Foakes
Sam Curran
Woakes
Broad
Leach

I’m going to be fair to the selectors and say that picking a side is not easy when you don’t have anything that resembles a top order

 

[BensGrandad]

Yes, but recalling a 37 year old is a backward step.

Not if it means Root can get back to being a decent no 4 batsman for a couple of years while we find both a competent new opener and number 3 in the meantime.

 

[BensGrandad]

For the last test I’m picking

Robson
Burns
Sibley
Root
Malan
Stokes
Foakes
Sam Curran
Woakes
Broad
Leach

I’m going to be fair to the selectors and say that picking a side is not easy when you don’t have anything that resembles a top order

Stokes, Woakes and Curran 3 all rounders 3rd or 4th choice bowlers and no opening bowler to partner Broad, strange.

 

[blue-shifted]

What's your team then mate?

Stokes, Woakes and Curran 3 all rounders 3rd or 4th choice bowlers and no opening bowler to partner Broad, strange.

 

[BensGrandad]

What's your team then mate?

I wouldnt play Woakes and Curran but one of them with Overton who did nothing wrong in the 4th test. Also not include either Sibley or Malan and bring in Pope and Archer to your team.

 

[Bold Seagull]

For the last test I’m picking

Robson
Burns
Sibley
Root
Malan
Stokes
Foakes
Sam Curran
Woakes
Broad
Leach

I’m going to be fair to the selectors and say that picking a side is not easy when you don’t have anything that resembles a top order

Id have Ballance over Malan I think, Sibley deserves a chance, but not sure Malan has pulled up any trees in the longer format has he to warrant another look?

 

[blue-shifted]

A plausible team

The over-riding principle in selection, in cricket or any sport, is that it should be based on performance, (either at the level they’ve been playing at, or if out of the team, the level below)

Occasionally you can pick on potential, but at some point this has to run out. So Buttler, Bairstow, Roy do have the potential that they might eventually come good in test cricket. However their averages are pitiful and they’ve had plenty of time. If they get off to a flyer in the Championship next year, which I doubt they will, then they can then start to make a case again for selection. None of those 3 deserve a chance in the last test.

 

[blue-shifted]

Id have Ballance over Malan I think, Sibley deserves a chance, but not sure Malan has pulled up any trees in the longer format has he to warrant another look?

Yep, to me that's a fairly narrow selection decision, and I certainly wouldn't argue with you. They've both had test chances, came out of the team and have rebuilt in the Championship. I'd just give Malan the nod as he's had fewer chances

 

[Eeyore]

For the last test I’m picking

Robson
Burns
Sibley
Root
Malan
Stokes
Foakes
Sam Curran
Woakes
Broad
Leach

I’m going to be fair to the selectors and say that picking a side is not easy when you don’t have anything that resembles a top order

Sibley is an opener. Robson and Malan is a retrieval from a previous cycle.

Bayliss leaves after the Oval test. Suspect we will see changes then.

 

[blue-shifted]

Sibley is an opener. Robson and Malan is a retrieval from a previous cycle.

Bayliss leaves after the Oval test. Suspect we will see changes then.

Well, it’s the usually problem for an England selector, when you have an excess of quality openers, you have to drop one down to 3.

Won’t be sorry to see Bayliss go

 

[Bold Seagull]

Sibley is an opener. Robson and Malan is a retrieval from a previous cycle.

Bayliss leaves after the Oval test. Suspect we will see changes then.

Sibley / Burns has to be worth a look opening in the winter.

 

[Perry Milkins]

You might be right, but on the flip side Australia are dropping Khawaja who has a better average than everyone in the England team apart from Root, and Root is only a shade over 40. The rest of them have poor averages over a period of time, not just everyone is shit, some of them are flattering to deceive. You don't get clean bowled as many times as Bairstow has as well as LBWs and say it's just the coach and attitude. Fundamentally, England's batting in particular has been dire.

I think we matched their bowling other than having little understanding of how to get Smith out, but our batting is just woeful. The decision to take the momentum from the world cup and think you can immediately turn the likes of Roy into a test player is flabbergasting. We have the likes of Pope and Foakes who did really well just cast aside because the WC bubble was bound to transfer into the test team. What an absolute mistake that has been.

Butler / Bairstow together has been an unmitigated disaster for the middle order. Root having to move from no.4 a huge mistake.

I do agree it's not all the players. Ed Smith and James Taylor sat in the stands in their shades like rock stars have a lot to answer for in the selection process over the last year. I have some sympathy for Bayliss who was told to win a world cup and he's done that, but I'm not sure the memo also read 'at the expense of the test side. A indication of the management process is giving the players the decision to rest or not after the world cup. Bairstow decided to play against Ireland, but only because he was terrified of a decent performance from Foakes or Butler with the gloves. That is no way to run a team.

We've got NZ and South Africa now in the winter, followed by Windies and Pakistan next summer. 12 tests to have a real overhaul of what we're doing selection wise, and attitude. That the counties simply don't want to produce or pick any test players anymore doesn't help – who wants to have an opener on their books with only 3 shots when there are lucrative short format tournaments to win? They'll be far better test batsmen in league cricket than in the county game at the moment, because unless they have a range of shots, they'll be picking the guy who has.

This was a really poor Ashes quality wise, Smith aside who was obviously so outstanding as to be almost mystical, the rest on both sides are bang average compared to previous Aussie / English teams. Cummins and Hazlewood have bowled well enough, but have made a meal at times of shifting this shocking England batting.

AND, you and others moaning about England getting that world cup win due to the over throws, what the hell was that ball change yesterday!? Could the umpires have picked a better replacement ball, what an absolute joke that was, Smith's face said it all, it was like Xmas had come early. Totally changed the complexion of the afternoon. Went from ball doing nothing to hooping round corners. Indicative of disgraceful umpiring all series. You simply cannot grab a ball that flippantly at that crucial stage of a match. I don't recall England being able to get a ball changed all series, and Aussies had 2 or 3 swapped.

isn't that the case!!

 

[Perry Milkins]

We must wrap Mark Wood and Jof up in cotton wool.