Right, time for the eponymous red line and looking forward to the 2nd installment
Crisis averted. New, in form opener found.
https://twitter.com/legsidelizzy/status/1158775544131084294?s=19
I’ll keep this simple, the team is worse than I thought and Australia are slightly better, but quite obviously the difference is Smith, no one in the World has one of him bar the Aussies so if our bowling is off we’re screwed 99% as who has any rightful faith in the current batting line up (sporting jingoism and blind faith doesn’t cut the mustard), few of the top 6 have any rightful nailed on claim to start apart from maybe Root so we’re a cricket team without our 37 year old star bowler relying on an uncapped one to fill his shoes and a batting line up so poor we’re picking the people who’ve been previously dropped as the other have been as equally as poor.
It would appear the standard of cricket in the long format is poor in the Country and what the solutions are are wide and varied but more people playing the game and it being more accessible would obviously help.
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As you say Baz,
But I am still going for blind faith optimism hope and glory.
because I can and it makes me feel better until we are confirmed as actually having lost.
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Baz is right.
Shame Ian Bell got crocked for the season.
Smith’s only lesser strength in the stats is getting out to left arm bowlers. Pick Leach just to get him out imho
(H standing for hopeful in this instance)
Thank you @Barry-Sanchez for the well considered and well put argument, not a lot I can disagree with in that.
However I am going to continue with my jingostic optimism and say we will beat Australia at Lords despite having a dismal record against them at the home of cricket!! (and weather permitting)
All about the toss these days at Lords. 1st couple of sessions can be carnage, then pitch gets flat in Session 3 & day 2 until about tea time on day 3.
Win toss survive 2 sessions win test. We could also be all out before tea if we do.
Obviously they win toss Smith will be there for 5 days
Olly Stone out injured for 2 weeks with back injury
https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1159826679272857601
Joe Root ©
Jofra Archer
Jonny Bairstow (w)
Stuart Broad
Rory Burns
Jos Buttler
Sam Curran
Joe Denly
Jack Leach
Jason Roy
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
No surprises there. Bairstow lucky to keep his spot.
Indeed. Selectors going for proven class rather than form I guess - it’s not long back that he was scoring plenty. Moeen’s a different matter as he can’t buy a run and his wickets have cost a fortune. He has plenty of class but his form is shot to hell right now.
Not sure Denly’s the answer in the batting, but I guess he deserves a chance at least. Roy also deserves more time to see if he can get used to Test cricket, but an Ashes series is a tough place to do it.
On a positive note, great to see Sam Curran back in the side. Brings something different to the bowling, scores some runs and has an excellent attitude too. And Archer’s debut is certainly something to look forward to. Leach too is worth a shout (can’t remember if he’s played a Test other than the one against Ireland).
I’d be tempted to leave Denly out of the XI; might leave us light in the batting but we’ll bat all the way down the order and if Denly would score bog all we won’t lose anything that way anyhow.
Roy
Burns
Root
Buttler
Stokes
Bairstow
Curran/Woakes
Woakes/Curran
Archer
Leach
Broad
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Moeen is shot to shit, and I said earlier the Aussies would hammer him if he played, Curran as I also said is deserved, Bairstow is only there at the moment as there is no one else, Denly the same, also Roy in many senses.
#sportingjingoism
Just as a matter of interest, where exactly does that hashtag fit in?
It doesn’t but I thought I’d throw it in there, it keeps cricket fans feet on the ground.
You can’t help yourself.
I do think Curran will score more runs in 2 innings than Denly…
Sorry, but that’s really fucking desperate.
You’ve left Denly off your list. Curran won’t play unless Woakes really is injured ( or he’s pissed Root off like last Sunday by fingering his wife or something).
I’m sure you’re right. The team I suggested is strong on bowling and iffy on batting; but then I have my doubts about how many runs Denly would contribute as opposed to Curran. And I’d like to see Curran play, especially if the ball is likely to swing.
But yes, Denly will play.