Ashes 17/18

[Posh Red]

England have one or two good days in a test match, which is fine if you battle through the other three.

The problem is when England don't have a good day they are woeful, and against any decent opposition that's going to cost them.

You can see a 5-0 coming

[michael]

We have too many southpaws in the middle order and tail.

Malan out for Ben Foakes (scored 80+ for the Lions, and is a better fielder too). Middle order is then Vince (rh), Root (rh), Foakes (rh), and potentially Bairstow (rh) and maybe even Woakes (rh) ahead of Ali (lh), Broad (lh), Jimmy (lh).

Lyon has taken 1 wicket against right handers and averages 100+ against them. A succession of right handers would see him out of the attack, and the pacemen having to bowl more. And then we hope.

[JoeMezz]

Cook
Stoneman
Root
Bairstow
Vince
Foakes
Ali
Woakes
Overton
Broad
Anderson

Would be my line up for next test

[RobertT]

Almost how I'd go.  I'd have Ali in at 5 - he doesn't eanr a spot as a bowler in my eyes so he has to be in as a batsman he probably has a bit more than Vince in terms of threat.  Let hi be a batsemn, tell him that is his focus and he can earn his spot or not.

Then Woakes and Overton can work out which one is an all rounder and the other needs to be a frontline bowler, aiming for a sub 30 per wicket average.  We need to begin looking for Broad's replacement as well.  A bowler who does something different.  You then get Crane in as the spin option as we are not good enough to play with 4 bowlers at the moment.  The team still gets beat, but everyone needs to know their roles.

[RedRag]

Lyon has taken 1 wicket against right handers and averages 100+ against them. A succession of right handers would see him out of the attack, and the pacemen having to bowl more. And then we hope.

You're certainly right in that Lyon has loved bowling to the left handers.  Lyon's wicket taking and average is much, much inferior at the Waca and Sydney and pretty modest at Melbourne too.  All the more reason to be in a better position to get after him and raise the pressure and workload on Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood - assuming they don't just skittle us anyway.  Not sure of Aussie options but, if I were an Aussie selector, I may be tempted to bring in a further quick if one were available for the next test (and even drop Lyon )

[Nemo]

305/4 after Day 1 at the WACA with Malan and Bairstow putting on 174 for the fifth wicket.

Now that's the kind of day we haven't had all series. A bit late, but good to see all the same.

[Reg Smeeton]

305/4 after Day 1 at the WACA with Malan and Bairstow putting on 174 for the fifth wicket.

Now that's the kind of day we haven't had all series. A bit late, but good to see all the same.

We've had good days, but not managed to back that up; that is the requirement. I still have the odd sleepless night about the Adelaide 2007 Test when we declared 1st innings at 500 odd for 6, Colly got a double ton and put on 310 with KP... we still lost 

[RobertT]

A good effort, although top order still putting pressure on the middle/lower order, but today they responded.  Finally someone pushes onto a score, hopefully they keep adding pressure and get to 450.  That way at least we have some runs to put some pressure on their batsmen if any wobbles occur.  The bowling line-up still worries me though, but even a draw would be progress.

[Reg Smeeton]

A good effort, although top order still putting pressure on the middle/lower order, but today they responded.  Finally someone pushes onto a score, hopefully they keep adding pressure and get to 450.  That way at least we have some runs to put some pressure on their batsmen if any wobbles occur.  The bowling line-up still worries me though, but even a draw would be progress.

Draws are quite rare in Test cricket these days unless weather intervenes. 450 is probably nowhere near enough.

[fittons_coaching_badge]

Draws are quite rare in Test cricket these days unless weather intervenes. 450 is probably nowhere near enough.

Reg is probably right about this.

Australia have generally been able to force a wicket due to their extra pace.

Flat pitch + Lightning outfield mean I worry tomorrow could be the day David Warner tees off.

450 will get England in the game.  500+ would see them in front. Collapse in a heap for less than 400 tomorrow morning and tell the fat lady to empty her throat! 

[Batch]

OH.
Bugger.

[kirky69]

What a time to be a Swindon and England supporter. Makes you appreciate the good times when they arrive though. Off to Sydney in 2 weeks, looking forward to the barmy army experience, think the cricket may be a side show now as 5-0 looms although we may perform well in what is likely to be a dead rubber. Last series for Cook.

[RobertT]

Same old problems - which is not unexpected with the same players.  I am beginning to wonder if the set-up behind he scenes has flipped to one day as the primary focus, given how bad we were and the flak we were taking.  Do we have the right people trying to build a Test team?  Even Strauss is culpable, he never sounded that inspirational as a pundit.

[michael]

The Ashes are gone, but we did at least get to enjoy some farce this morning with a load of Aussies using weapons-grade hairdryers to dry out some wet patches on the pitch. Luckily my wife didn’t see else she’d be demanding one for Christmas.

Malan played well this test match. It was a bad shout by whoever said he should be replaced. #5 solved maybe? Overton has done as well as could be hoped for too but may well miss the boxing day test. There are some questions over a few others with Broad and Cook in particular very disappointing. Root short on runs, but as captain I think Brearley is 3-0 down here too.

[RedRag]

Think I'd just show myself up if I posted as I felt right now.

Malan has excelled in this test, so there is some hope but harsh to call out any doubters as his test record hitherto was uninspiring.  One thing for sure is that it is the senior players who have let us down (with the honourable exception of Anderson) and in particular Broad, Moeen, Root, Cook.

We'll continue to win tests at home I imagine but the off field antics, not so damning in themselves, indicate a whiff of complacency about the team's ambitions.

PS  Kirky69 - very envious indeed and I hope you have a wonderful experience