Cricket fred

[Banquo]

I do like Bess kept coming back for more, and kept trying to get the ball up to challenge the batsmen. With something on the line in just a few days, with Leach not having played yet and Bess not able to control length so far, and with a number of RHB in the Windies side I think they will make a change, and I probably just about think that's the right call, but it wouldn't upset me is Bess stays in, only no spinner (bar Root) would annoy me

you went a bit early with asserting he'd be dropped perchance?

I still think he will be dropped, and should be. But I did like watching a young player get stuck in even if his technical skills weren't quite there, reminiscent of a young Owen Farrell perhaps

apols, I did misread wot you had wrote.

[Digby]

My theory on the spinner selection is dissolving quickly

[Banquo]

My theory on the spinner selection is dissolving quickly

...they are talking about dropping Bess anyway, because its been raining....and Stokes may play only as a batsman.

[Digby]

My theory on the spinner selection is dissolving quickly

...they are talking about dropping Bess anyway, because its been raining....and Stokes may play only as a batsman.

Ah, my worst case scenario, marvellous

[Banquo]

My theory on the spinner selection is dissolving quickly

...they are talking about dropping Bess anyway, because its been raining....and Stokes may play only as a batsman.

Ah, my worst case scenario, marvellous

yep, not great.

[Banquo]

Thats a fudge and dropping Crawley is poor form! Shows what happens when you don't have an all rounder in the side (ie stokes can't bowl). It would have been fairer, although harsh, to drop Pope. Now Root has to bat 3, which he doesn't like. Windies sniff a bit of blood and put us in.

[Big D]

Thats a fudge and dropping Crawley is poor form! Shows what happens when you don't have an all rounder in the side (ie stokes can't bowl). It would have been fairer, although harsh, to drop Pope. Now Root has to bat 3, which he doesn't like. Windies sniff a bit of blood and put us in.

I am not sure what they should to do when Stokes can't bowl. Crawley has one decent score but Pope has had a better start to his career and is a tremendous fielder in the silly positions.

They could have been really bold and dropped Buttler and given Pope the gloves.

Sibley misses a straight one. Good start that. Although given the expected weather Sibley going early may not be a bad thing and England need to take 20 wickets.

I also think England should have having a serious discussion about Root to 3 and Stokes to 4. The better Stokes is getting with the bat the more he will feel wasted further down the order.

[Banquo]

Thats a fudge and dropping Crawley is poor form! Shows what happens when you don't have an all rounder in the side (ie stokes can't bowl). It would have been fairer, although harsh, to drop Pope. Now Root has to bat 3, which he doesn't like. Windies sniff a bit of blood and put us in.

I am not sure what they should to do when Stokes can't bowl. Crawley has one decent score but Pope has had a better start to his career and is a tremendous fielder in the silly positions.

They could have been really bold and dropped Buttler and given Pope the gloves.

Sibley misses a straight one. Good start that. Although given the expected weather Sibley going early may not be a bad thing and England need to take 20 wickets.

I also think England should have having a serious discussion about Root to 3 and Stokes to 4. The better Stokes is getting with the bat the more he will feel wasted further down the order.

Root is a much poorer three than 4/5 , and 5 (or 6) is perfect for Stokes. Hope he can make a go at 4 in this match- be easier as not bowling.

Personally, in the scenario they had, it might have been better to bin Bess and use Roots spin. The batting is way weaker with Root at 3 and Buttler at 6.

[Banquo]

If Gabriel is really crocked, then if we get through this session relatively unscathed, that'd be a great result.

[Digby]

It's been nice to see Gabriel back, but he looked knackered in the 2nd test and turning around this soon I was fairly sure they'd have to be responsible to him and the side by not selecting him.

[Banquo]

FFS

[Digby]

Sibley has clearly been watching videos by Shane Watson on how to open an innings, he played beautifully around a straight ball. And whilst I might think Holder could be a tad more aggressive as a captain it clearly worked on Root who wasn't happy to bat with the run rate being constrained.

Good, I think, Gabriel is back out there. Hope that's not taking a pain killing injection to get him back on the pitch. And it's great fun watching Cornwall bowl, but I would also like to see him chasing a few out to cow corner, or maybe hairing back to long on as Stokes did off his own bowling.

[Banquo]

Stokes gone, trouble now. Wobbling about, and we are wobbling.

[fivepointer]

Hate seeing a wicket fall to a run out in a test match when there is no requirement to chase runs. You are giving a wicket away.
Sibley made a real hash of a straightforward defensive shot and Stokes got beat by a good ball.
Cornwall is in no kind of condition to be playing at this level.

[Digby]

Cornwall looks to be firing the ball down so to get the turn is impressive, but yes for all it amuses he does look too large to be a pro

[Digby]

Aussies will be noting the use of the short ball to halt Stokes' footwork with interest

[Banquo]

Good for Burns!

[Banquo]

That'll teach you to take the pi55 out of Cornwall

[Digby]

That's like saying people will stop taking the piss out of Boris

[Banquo]

That's like saying people will stop taking the piss out of Boris

true, thought Boris will fck you over more.

[Banquo]

at least they didn't drop Pope I suppose. Or Ricky Pontiff as he also known apparently

[Puja]

Fair play to Buttler, this is a fantastic innings for him. Coming in with England rocking and he tempered his normal instinct to attack in order to steady the ship and make sure he survived. Now he's getting his reward by being set and able to tuck into tiring bowlers and an aging ball. I'll still be annoyed if he now gives away his wicket doing something stupid, but I think this effort has secured his place ahead of Foakes for the next series.

Puja

[Digby]

Still think the Windies are a bit negative. But they're coming off a low base and building nicely, so far it reminds me of us under Nasser, not easy to know where they suddenly find two decent batters from to take them that next step

[Banquo]

Fair play to Buttler, this is a fantastic innings for him. Coming in with England rocking and he tempered his normal instinct to attack in order to steady the ship and make sure he survived. Now he's getting his reward by being set and able to tuck into tiring bowlers and an aging ball. I'll still be annoyed if he now gives away his wicket doing something stupid, but I think this effort has secured his place ahead of Foakes for the next series.

Puja

He's a massive talent, Just not played much red ball cricket in truth (500 games, 100 of which are red ball), and always ..yeah but....he may yet have a late Gilchrist like surge in tests.

[Banquo]

Still think the Windies are a bit negative. But they're coming off a low base and building nicely, so far it reminds me of us under Nasser, not easy to know where they suddenly find two decent batters from to take them that next step

I think we are making them look slightly better than they are tbh. They have no batsman averaging in the 40's, and its not that close for most, and only Roach, approaching 33 has an average under 30 as a bowler. Holder is a decent all rounder.