*Official* Second Test at Lords

[Craig]

The 'haus is back on.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I'm a sucker for a good cover drive TBH.

Yeah, nice drive by Strauss then for 4.

The Australian bowlers can take a wicket now if they like...

Ah ha, so Johnson was on for an over to change up the others and not the other way around. Makes more sense.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

So much criticism of Johnson, even though in the last match he improved on his bowling average, on an incredibly flat and slow pitch.

 

[tooextracool]

Looking at this pitch, Steve Harminson coming in and trying to bowl bouncers would be dreadful. Good call selectors.

Yeah, would have got spanked and then dropped at the end of the test.

 

[JBH001]

Jeez, Bumble commenting that Strauss and Cook are the longest opening pair, in terms of innings, in English cricket history.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown in comparison to some of the other great opening pairs.

Edit/ nice shot from Cook through the covers.

 

[Craig]

Didnt Vaas have trouble with the duke ball too? From recollection his record in England is awful.

If averaging 77.66 with the ball and having a strike rate of 159.4 is bad, then yes.

 

[tooextracool]

Didnt Vaas have trouble with the duke ball too? From recollection his record in England is awful.

Yep couldnt swing the ball to save his life in England. Quite unfortunate for someone who was known primarily as being a swing bowler.

 

[simmy]

Whilst he's technique is dreadful atm, he's only 24 and is averaging roughly 45 already. To do that with a poor technique is a sign of a good player tbh.

Too right Also averaging 45 for an England opener is the equivalent for almost 50 you would say for an Aussie or Indian say.

Plus he seems like a quality bloke.

 

[zaremba]

The best results pitch in England is easily Old Trafford because it genuinely does have something for everyone. Spinners enjoy it, fast bowlers can get bounce and movement out of it and batsmen love it too. So what do England do? Give Wales a Test match instead on one of the deadest pitches ever. A pitch were Monty Panesar was made to look like Len Hutton.

One of a series of great posts from you today if I may say so.

The only way in which I am tempted to disagree is that it amuses me that the opulent powerhouse that is Lancashire CCC no longer have a Test match ground.

 

[simmy]

Cannot believe that Cook and Strauss are England's most frequent opening partnership.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Jeez, Bumble commenting that Strauss and Cook are the longest opening pair, in terms of innings, in English cricket history.

Would be interesting to see a breakdown in comparison to some of the other great opening pairs.

Partnership records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Too right Also averaging 45 for an England opener is the equivalent for almost 50 you would say for an Aussie or Indian say.

After seeing the pitches for the 1st two Tests, definately not.

 

[simmy]

One of a series of great posts from you today if I may say so.

The only way in which I am tempted to disagree is that it amuses me that the opulent powerhouse that is Lancashire CCC no longer have a Test match ground.

It's Lancs fault too. Put the money up and make yourself heard.

 

[GIMH]

So much criticism of Johnson, even though in the last match he improved on his bowling average, on an incredibly flat and slow pitch.

Maybe because averages aren't everything? Anyone could see his figures flattered him

 

[simmy]

After seeing the pitches for the 1st two Tests, definately not.

Come back in May.

 

[Son Of Coco]

McDonald on...making his Ashes debut

Funny Bumble bringing up the substitute rule. England made it a speciality of theirs in 2005.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Whilst he's technique is dreadful atm, he's only 24 and is averaging roughly 45 already. To do that with a poor technique is a sign of a good player tbh.

It's a sign he's played on a hell of a lot of dead pitches against garbage bowling attacks.

 

[zaremba]

I can't watch on TV this morning because I've had to come in to work. But from how it sounds on the radio, this was another good toss to win. As Pizzorno has rightly reminded us, England have an almost unparalleled ability to self-destruct on even the flattest pitch. But with the score at 50-0, and with a flat pitch, a fast outfield, and Johnson still not getting it right, the opportunity is there. Let's hope they don't squander it as they so wastefully did in the 1st innings at Cardiff.

 

[tooextracool]

Whilst he's technique is dreadful atm, he's only 24 and is averaging roughly 45 already. To do that with a poor technique is a sign of a good player tbh.

On the flip side, his technique was originally exposed during the 2006/07 Ashes and to this day he's still showing the same technical weaknesses that Clark, McGrath and later Zaheer Khan and Ganguly exposed over 2 years earlier. Not a very quick learner is he?

Wouldn't really give much though to his average tbh. When hes scored runs, they have been on some of the flattest tracks in the world (wouldn't be surprised if he scored here) and when hes got big scores hes usually had at least 2-3 letoffs on the way there.

 

[Craig]

Mick Jagger is at the ground.