Comment deleted by Site Moderator

England to win 3rd test

Even more of a nust win game now with Smith out. That Labuschagne looks decent but if we can't beat them without Smith then we'll have no chance when he returns.

Let's just hope the weather doesn't play a part.

Anyone else a bit disappointed?

You want to beat teams with their best players imo.

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comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 30 minutes ago
Anyone else a bit disappointed?

You want to beat teams with their best players imo.
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Well we haven’t had Anderson, our best player, for two tests.

We wouldn’t have won at Edgbaston in 2005 if McGrath had played.

Having said that, I think Archer had hit rattled and could get him out cheaply if he’d played the third test.

No team is dependant on solitary batsmen as much as Aussies. They are 70% of side without him, Archer hit is defining point of the series

comment by palmers_spur (U8896)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 30 minutes ago
Anyone else a bit disappointed?

You want to beat teams with their best players imo.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well we haven’t had Anderson, our best player, for two tests.

We wouldn’t have won at Edgbaston in 2005 if McGrath had played.

Having said that, I think Archer had hit rattled and could get him out cheaply if he’d played the third test.
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Good point, hadn't considered the Anderson factor.

comment by Pakistan till I die (U10140)
posted 31 minutes ago
No team is dependant on solitary batsmen as much as Aussies. They are 70% of side without him, Archer hit is defining point of the series
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Yep. They said on the BBC before the 4th innings that Smith had made 37% of the Aussie's runs so far which is pretty ridiculous.

Our batting is definitely better than theirs when they don't have Smith.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by Pakistan till I die (U10140)
posted 31 minutes ago
No team is dependant on solitary batsmen as much as Aussies. They are 70% of side without him, Archer hit is defining point of the series
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep. They said on the BBC before the 4th innings that Smith had made 37% of the Aussie's runs so far which is pretty ridiculous.

Our batting is definitely better than theirs when they don't have Smith.
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we'll see on Thursday

Them losing Smith is slightly disappointing but even with that loss, I'd still fancy them to be favourites if they bat first. Their batting doesn't look particularly strong but they still have batsmen capable of putting some runs on the board and if they do, we've not shown an ability to cope with that pressure.

Looking forward to it thought having had a strong finish to the game despite not getting the result on Sunday.

We need to get our openers to stick in for a decent spell...I hope Roy does well

Sibley not exactly helping his cause in his 2 innings for Warwickshire - 0 & 9.

Ollie Pope playing well for Surrey.

Sam Cook from Kent has taken 12 wickets in the match, Kent got bowled out for 40!

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 3 hours, 46 minutes ago
comment by Pakistan till I die (U10140)
posted 31 minutes ago
No team is dependant on solitary batsmen as much as Aussies. They are 70% of side without him, Archer hit is defining point of the series
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep. They said on the BBC before the 4th innings that Smith had made 37% of the Aussie's runs so far which is pretty ridiculous.

Our batting is definitely better than theirs when they don't have Smith.
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I did not read the Article, crude guess only. Critical that England win now, if they lose it means they will be in rebuilding phase for next 2 years

Yeah that Essex Kent game is nuts. Amir's last ever first class game, although he got outshone with the ball (despite some outstanding bowled deliveries yesterday) he was Essex's top scorer with the bat in our pathetic first innings .

The match is an example of why we're struggling for batsmen in the longer form of the game. Stevens at the age of 43 bowling at probably around 70-75 mph seemed unplayable this morning. Sam Cook bowling at around 80mph was seemingly unplayable this afternoon.

All the talk was that game heading for a draw due to all the rain even though they still had tomorrow and it now looks like they won't need day 4.

Also whilst on the subject of the county games, poor Moeen had a bit of a shocker with the ball. Picked up 3 tail end wickets in the end but bowled a couple of overs of medium pace as he wasn't troubling the batsmen with spin. Glad we have Leach and aren't subjected to an out of sorts Moeen for the series. Needs to get back to batting well to get his confidence up and then maybe his bowling will follow.

What's Kohli's percentage of runs of late for India...probably not as high as Smiths...but up there maybe

Kohli is critical to India's prospects outside India but they have other world class test batsmen too. At their home, India are favourties to win with or without Kohli against any team in the world where as Australia became considerably weaker even in home tests.

would like to see Roy and Denly swap batting positions. if Roy is out wonder who will come in.


with smith out some cant is bound to step up for the aussies now

Agree re. Bairstow opening being horrible idea. Not only because he's a walking lbw/bowled candidate, but also because you don't take a guy who's only just scrabbling together a bit of form after 2 awful years... and jump him up to opening against Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood

Ollie Pope looking excellent now he's back from injury - perhaps he'll get a chance if Buttler continues to look poor, but he does bat in a position where we're well-stocked. Hopefully Rob Yates continues to develop over the next couple of summers too, since he's looking very handy at 3 for Warks. I've not checked Lancs' results this season - has Haseeb Hameed managed to scratch any runs together finally?

Re. Smith... I don't see the "hollow victory" argument if we win while he's out. I really don't. If anything it just (hopefully) shines a light on how poor the Aussie team are without him. Does a one-man batting team really deserve to win the Ashes? Answers on a postcard.

Besides, arguably winning the 05 Ashes due to the McGrath injury was arguably less deserved and more hollow than this would be (hopefully). At least Smith was injured by a combination of good bowling and his own batting error, and as others have mentioned we're without our best bowler too. McGrath's was a freak injury and a complete lottery win for England, but you don't hear people calling that Ashes win undeserved.

Interesting comments from Bayliss on Roy, reveals a lot about everything wrong with the England set up right now:

"Personally, I think Jason probably is suited to the middle order," Bayliss said as England arrived for training in Leeds ahead of the third Test starting on Thursday. "We've selected him at the top of the order because of his form in the one-day team, but it's obviously not quite the same as opening the batting in a white ball game.

"We think we've got the best seven batters in England available to us at the moment. Whether we can change the order round and make it any better, I'm not sure. But we'll certainly have a discussion about it. Just because they're not scoring runs doesn't mean it's not the right or wrong spot for them."

So he's basically admitted our selectors plan is just to pick the best batsman regardless of position and see what happens. What's the point of even having a coach if he gets no say?

Root, Roy, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow

3-7 middle order who are bat on ball players once the ball is older.

England to win the toss, bat first, comfortable win, Root first innings century.

Besides, arguably winning the 05 Ashes due to the McGrath injury was arguably less deserved and more hollow than this would be (hopefully). At least Smith was injured by a combination of good bowling and his own batting error, and as others have mentioned we're without our best bowler too. McGrath's was a freak injury and a complete lottery win for England, but you don't hear people calling that Ashes win undeserved.




good points

Roy looks like a natural fit at 4, to be honest. But Welsh Xavi's post above about Bayliss is spot on. Thing is, I get the sense it's not so much a question of Bayliss not having a say, I genuinely just don't think he gives a fack. It's his "style" to not get too involved, apparently. Wish I could do the same at my job. Just tell my boss "I'd rather not get too involved, thanks - I'll just let them get on with it and do their natural thing" and pick up my fat paycheck every month

Swap Roy for Denly in the order for me. Even if Denly is still only getting his 20's opening he is contributing for me as the ball will be significantly older by the time the lower order come into bat which makes things easier for them.