Wood has to play I think. If England use him correctly being undercooked shouldn't be a huge issue. Wood should be bowling 3-5 over spells over 3 -4 spells of bowling. He is a potential point of difference whereas Woakes just isn't compared to Tongue and Anderson.Banquo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 05, 2023 11:53 amNot happy about that. Undercooked player, and previously undercooked player who hasn't played since and Wood....who is probably undercooked. Brook to 3 isn't great either.Big D wrote: ↑Wed Jul 05, 2023 10:13 am I am not sure I understand the rumoured moves within the team that England are allegedly planning to make.
Pope, Tongue and Anderson out for Woakes, Wood and Ali with Brook moved to 3.
Firstly, Brook is the least experienced batsman England have, hasn't batted at 3 very often and doesn't really have the technique for it based on what we've seen over the series.
Tongue was pretty decent and Woakes hasn't played a 4 day game since early May.
They are clearly worried about the batting yet will not call up Foakes who has averaged a respectable 39 in the "Bazball" era and will save runs by his keeping being better than JB.
Bairstow to 3 and Foakes keeping is a much better idea, though would leave us a bowler light/depending on Stokes.
Bit of a mess, all in all. Not sure we will see Jimmy again, though they'll be tempted by a last hurrah at OT. Quite interesting how bad his stats are v Australia in England, an anamoly.
I was talking to my mate about Jimmy and Broad. Which career would you rather have? Both obviously terrific careers. Anderson had a huge amount of wickets and great spells but it feels like Broad has had the "moments" sports people live for. Several defining spells in Ashes (8/15 being the pick), that spell in SA in 16 or 17 where he rolled through them, a couple of spells where he ripped through NZ (home and away) and India too IIRC. Plus the 169 at Lords.
