Cricket fred

[Banquo]

Also, when was the last England test where the commentators could not say:

England have bowled a little bit too short.

It’s a plague upon our bowlers.

Not sure its reflected in our home record, where its the bowlers who consistently....erm...deliver. They usually sort it out at home.

[Stom]

Also, when was the last England test where the commentators could not say:

England have bowled a little bit too short.

It’s a plague upon our bowlers.

Not sure its reflected in our home record, where its the bowlers who consistently....erm...deliver. They usually sort it out at home.

I know, but still...

[Digby]

It's not easy to bowl a fuller length, and if you want to pitch it up you need to have some shorter stuff in there anyway. Very hard to pitch it up every ball unless you're getting enough seam movement to keep the batters honest

[Stom]

It's not easy to bowl a fuller length, and if you want to pitch it up you need to have some shorter stuff in there anyway. Very hard to pitch it up every ball unless you're getting enough seam movement to keep the batters honest

I know that. Considering the state of my bowling, keeping your length consistent is tough. But these are the cream of the crop, they should be able to keep it relatively consistent. They're just scared of being hit, so drop their length back a bit.

[Banquo]

got the lengths sorted Babar is the big wicket they need now.

[Digby]

It's not easy to bowl a fuller length, and if you want to pitch it up you need to have some shorter stuff in there anyway. Very hard to pitch it up every ball unless you're getting enough seam movement to keep the batters honest

I know that. Considering the state of my bowling, keeping your length consistent is tough. But these are the cream of the crop, they should be able to keep it relatively consistent. They're just scared of being hit, so drop their length back a bit.

Mechanically it is harder, even for the very best. And then if you make a mistake with your release you are much easier to score off which makes it harder again. Also if everyone pitches it up how do you push the batters back? there has to be some shorter stuff even before you might want some out and out short pitched stuff.

[Big D]

Pretty poor from Butler there. Ball didn't deviate a lot.

[Banquo]

notwithstanding how difficult being a bowler is they were sh*t in that period after lunch.

[Banquo]

jimmy on the money, Broad unlucky imo

[Banquo]

very soft after lunch again. Let all the pressure off- poor captaincy. Pakistan are getting the game back through our slipshod thinking. Buttler also owes us a lot of runs

[Banquo]

very soft after lunch again. Let all the pressure off- poor captaincy. Pakistan are getting the game back through our slipshod thinking. Buttler also owes us a lot of runs

let me rephrase, utter shoite since lunch. Its absolutely poor tactics and captaincy- if you were going to say what would Pakistan want us to do, this would be it- Woakes now trying to bounce them out, with Bess at the other end bowling with a nearly new ball.

[Stom]

very soft after lunch again. Let all the pressure off- poor captaincy. Pakistan are getting the game back through our slipshod thinking. Buttler also owes us a lot of runs

let me rephrase, utter shoite since lunch. Its absolutely poor tactics and captaincy- if you were going to say what would Pakistan want us to do, this would be it- Woakes now trying to bounce them out, with Bess at the other end bowling with a nearly new ball.

Shit, they keep telling me not to overbowl Archer. Anderson's in a strop, Broad is shagged...What do I do? I know, Bess and bounce. Who can bounce? Archer! Oh, wait, I shouldn't overbowl him...OK, Woakes will bounce them out.

[Banquo]

Great call bringing Bess on, obvs . reverse jinx works

[Banquo]

very soft after lunch again. Let all the pressure off- poor captaincy. Pakistan are getting the game back through our slipshod thinking. Buttler also owes us a lot of runs

let me rephrase, utter shoite since lunch. Its absolutely poor tactics and captaincy- if you were going to say what would Pakistan want us to do, this would be it- Woakes now trying to bounce them out, with Bess at the other end bowling with a nearly new ball.

Shit, they keep telling me not to overbowl Archer. Anderson's in a strop, Broad is shagged...What do I do? I know, Bess and bounce. Who can bounce? Archer! Oh, wait, I shouldn't overbowl him...OK, Woakes will bounce them out.

I think Archer needs to get some miles in his legs tbh and Buttler's mare continues. Think he will have to get a truck load of runs here.

[Stom]

let me rephrase, utter shoite since lunch. Its absolutely poor tactics and captaincy- if you were going to say what would Pakistan want us to do, this would be it- Woakes now trying to bounce them out, with Bess at the other end bowling with a nearly new ball.

Shit, they keep telling me not to overbowl Archer. Anderson's in a strop, Broad is shagged...What do I do? I know, Bess and bounce. Who can bounce? Archer! Oh, wait, I shouldn't overbowl him...OK, Woakes will bounce them out.

I think Archer needs to get some miles in his legs tbh

I actually agree in this instance. I don't think Root is actually a very good captain. But I fail to see who else could do it. I mean...Stokes was pretty terrible and in the ODIs, Moeen was even worse!!!

Buttler is having a 'mare. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, bring in Foakes and make him captain :p

[Banquo]

Shit, they keep telling me not to overbowl Archer. Anderson's in a strop, Broad is shagged...What do I do? I know, Bess and bounce. Who can bounce? Archer! Oh, wait, I shouldn't overbowl him...OK, Woakes will bounce them out.

I think Archer needs to get some miles in his legs tbh

I actually agree in this instance. I don't think Root is actually a very good captain. But I fail to see who else could do it. I mean...Stokes was pretty terrible and in the ODIs, Moeen was even worse!!!

Buttler is having a 'mare. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, bring in Foakes and make him captain :p

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

[Stom]

I think Archer needs to get some miles in his legs tbh

I actually agree in this instance. I don't think Root is actually a very good captain. But I fail to see who else could do it. I mean...Stokes was pretty terrible and in the ODIs, Moeen was even worse!!!

Buttler is having a 'mare. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, bring in Foakes and make him captain :p

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

lol.

Pope is meant to be a future #3, so why not bring Morgan in at 5, Stokes down to 6, and we have balance. But I doubt that'll happen, tbh. Morgan has specialised too much.

[Banquo]

I actually agree in this instance. I don't think Root is actually a very good captain. But I fail to see who else could do it. I mean...Stokes was pretty terrible and in the ODIs, Moeen was even worse!!!

Buttler is having a 'mare. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, bring in Foakes and make him captain :p

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

lol.

Pope is meant to be a future #3, so why not bring Morgan in at 5, Stokes down to 6, and we have balance. But I doubt that'll happen, tbh. Morgan has specialised too much.

not the worst idea tbh, and Morgan only specialised as he was dropped from tests.

Lo and behold, Archer comes on and gets 2 in 2,....and Root keeps Bess on, despite it being obvious what will happen....

[Stom]

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

lol.

Pope is meant to be a future #3, so why not bring Morgan in at 5, Stokes down to 6, and we have balance. But I doubt that'll happen, tbh. Morgan has specialised too much.

not the worst idea tbh, and Morgan only specialised as he was dropped from tests.

Lo and behold, Archer comes on and gets 2 in 2,....and Root keeps Bess on, despite it being obvious what will happen....

I really feel like Root has mixed concepts in his head over what he should do. And so he messes it up.

Ponting, as an example, always knew exactly what he wanted: to win by an innings.

Root seems to want to make sure he doesn't lose by an innings and also he wants to bed in new players, and also he wants to get runs...

[fivepointer]

Lost the plot this afternoon after a good morning session. Dull stuff from the outset, allowing Pakistan to get going and build a good partnership.

Buttler having a game with the gloves to forget. He's been poor.

[Banquo]

Lost the plot this afternoon after a good morning session. Dull stuff from the outset, allowing Pakistan to get going and build a good partnership.

Buttler having a game with the gloves to forget. He's been poor.

They did exactly the same yesterday, though this was a huge tactical misfire by opening up with Bess (he was getting turn to be fair) and worse Root. They'd probably been happy with 312-8 given the overnight score, but opportunity and opportunities missed. This is a seamer and spin friendly pitch, so has to be a worry.

[Big D]

I actually agree in this instance. I don't think Root is actually a very good captain. But I fail to see who else could do it. I mean...Stokes was pretty terrible and in the ODIs, Moeen was even worse!!!

Buttler is having a 'mare. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, bring in Foakes and make him captain :p

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

lol.

Pope is meant to be a future #3, so why not bring Morgan in at 5, Stokes down to 6, and we have balance. But I doubt that'll happen, tbh. Morgan has specialised too much.

I don't think Stokes was that bad tbh bar the big decision at the toss. The decision to rotate bowlers and keep his best option on the bench would not have been his call.

Morgan hasn't played red ball cricket for too long and there are far better red ball batsmen out there.

[Digby]

Would Morgan have to show he's got an actual defence at any level? Or that he can captain in the longer format?

Also how are we still in this game? We've gone out of our way to put this match beyond us, but whilst we need a big innings from someone all three results are possible (all four for the pedants)

[Banquo]

I reckon we have to bite the Root bullet somehow, but not easy, We need his runs at the level he wasn;t captain. Bring Morgan in and let him fail at 3

lol.

Pope is meant to be a future #3, so why not bring Morgan in at 5, Stokes down to 6, and we have balance. But I doubt that'll happen, tbh. Morgan has specialised too much.

I don't think Stokes was that bad tbh bar the big decision at the toss. The decision to rotate bowlers and keep his best option on the bench would not have been his call.

Morgan hasn't played red ball cricket for too long and there are far better red ball batsmen out there.

It was mostly a joke, fairly obviously. That said Root is a problem as skipper, (lack of big runs being obvious) and Stokes already has too much on his plate.

Not sure how I feel about 326 all out- at two points it looked like it would be worse, but for a long time looked like it'd be better.

[Digby]

Sometimes you just have to laugh