The Cricket Thread.

[Welderman]

I would get rid of cook, And have (England Women's opener).
Tammy Beaumont to partner Mark Stoneman..

[scoundrel]

England closed their 2nd innings 195 all out and did not climb a drumlin, let alone a mountain. No doubt Australia bowled well but this is still a pretty disappointing performance and I can already hear the usual bullshit about how everyone in the dressing room knows they have to dig deep and do much better next time. Australia have bowled better and have batted better, though batting better is not so hard if the opposition bowlers are inferior to your own bowlers.

Are Broad and Anderson fully fit? If they are, then why on earth were Woakes and Ball bowling for 45 minutes after the lunch break on Day 3 when the match winning partnership was getting established? Is Moeen Ali fully fit? He looked like a man bowling well within himself and just concentrating on getting through his overs, nothing more. I think we need to look hard at our bowlers. I am quite sure that Steven Finn would be picked for the next game if he were available because, to be quite frank, none of the existing team bowls fast enough. We need an enforcer to drive home the advantage when we have Australia struggling, as we certainly did have them struggling, and couldn't make it stick.

This has not been impressive.

[bp666]

Australia have driven home their advantage after bowling England out for 195 in their second dig. Needing 170 to win, Australia strode to 114 in 34 overs with all 10 wickets in hand. Both Warner and Bancroft batted very well. England contained them well at the start but lacked any penetration and then leaked runs (not dramatically) through Ball, Woakes and Ali. 56 runs to go to claim the 1st test (barring bad weather or a dramatic collapse).

Anderson and Broad have kept it tight this test, but struggle on wickets that don't offer movement. That's where Australia's extra pace have them at an advantage, and Lyon seriously outbowled Ali in this test. Smith was a class above anyone else with the bat, and England didn't have a real idea how to get him out.

[victor meldrew]

I am just wondering if Smith will do a Bradman on us and plunder runs at will. The only way The Baggy Greens will lose here is if a biblical miracle occurs.

So chalk the Aussies one up and on to Adelaide, where we will have to improve dramatically or otherwise Glenn Mcgrath's 5-0 thumping will be on the cards.

Will we continue with Ball in Adelaide or are we going to shuffle around with Curran & Overton in the hope that one makes good?

Early days though and the second test is now a must not lose for England.

[Motorboater]

Leading up to the series. The talk was that England would win a game. Almost unanimously, that win is expected to be at Adelaide.

[bp666]

Originally Posted by welderman

Trust me, Chris Woakes will play out of his skin, as he has done for Warwickshire in the past..
By the time we get to Melbourne on Boxing Day, England will be 2-0 up..

I think his skin is still well attached to his body looking at his performance so far in this test.

[buttsie]

Steffan Jones, whose recent spell with Hobart Hurricanes won praise from Stuart Broad and Dan Christian, has warned fast bowlers are not being looked after properly despite the increase in medical staff, physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches working in the game. The issue has come into focus again with England suffering a spate of injuries to players who would have been in contention for the Ashes.

He has a huge amount of experience - not least as a player, when he wholeheartedly headed down the 'strength and conditioning' route in the hope it would add pace to his bowling and concluded it would not

England's Ashes casualty list
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...-casualty-list

'We are building fragile bowlers'
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...-steffan-jones

Australias record with its bowlers isnt any better

The current methods are anything but smart judging by the results

Probably time for the bowlers from an early age to start making smart decisions
rather than doing what their told like sheep

I figure too many high performance / strength & conditioning experts
are too well paid to change because then they'd be out of a job

[Welderman]

Originally Posted by bp666

I think his skin is still well attached to his body looking at his performance so far in this test.

You're right mate, I've just lost all confidence in my ability to predict the outcome..

[DB83]

Seems there's another story to hit the back pages today.

One day in to the tour and Jonny Bairstow is reported to have used his head in an inappropriate manner.

I do not subscribe to BT Sports but they appear to have cornered the market by not having any FTA broadcaster showing some 'highlights'. I guess it is an issue that many will not stay up overnight to watch and if there are even 'highlights' on later there is even less reason to subscribe. But $ky do not have that same problem.

So I managed today (Sunday) to catch the on-line highlights which were barely 10 minutes and that included the thoughts of the three wise men - Pietersen, Boycott and Swann.

[buttsie]

Typical media

Tight match turns one sided and they bring out the breaking news

Reminds me of the farcical Warner / Root circus where Warner got banished to an Australian A tour.

Show me some physical damage but otherwise stop muck raking for the sake of ratings


Seems to me on most occasions these instances are little more than pampered immature boys not being able to handle the drink.


edit


George Dobell spots this: "Every member of Aussie team - and staff - shook hands with Bairstow at end... Don't think there's much to see here."

Australia win by ten wickets and that's a hammering regardless of how tight the first two days were. A very fine finishing job done by Warner and Bancroft, especially impressive from the debutant. Plenty to ponder for England. They looked toothless in that second innings. How much damage will this have done? We'll find out next week in Adelaide.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1...and-nz-2017-18