It's not really embarrassing that two of the greats of the game, scripted a once in a lifetime piece of magic that turned a game on its head. Moments of sheer brilliance are part of all sports, and just because Australia were at the receiving end, doesn't mean that they were embarrassed.To be honest losing a game when you make the opposition follow on is as embarrassing as it gets and that was long before 08/09.
All non Asian sides struggle at various times in Asia, some more than others. Most Asian sides struggle outside Asia. It is one reason why we love the game as no side dominates totally apart from truly great ones.
They never struck me as hinting, much to me, but I guess you with your great word power know better.Australia of old would have got Ajmal reported for chucking and gotten mildly beaten instead. Then there's the way they intimated umpires as a given in each game and how no DRS would have meant very few of the lbws would have been out. I also think the extra 'allowance' for unorthodoxy (and controlled chucking) these days favours the sub-continent far more than it does the likes of Australia and England.
Be an acceptable fudge, actually.They never struck me as hinting, much to me, but I guess you with your great word power know better.
Anyway, ridiculous argument, we're not remotely in the League of those great sides of the past, yet.
Anyway another Cricinfo article heavily hints that Anderson and Broad will be rested. I really wouldn't mind Finn and Onions playing at Edgbaston, also if there's an injury to Prior which has been suggested wouldn't mind Bairstow being picked as WK, and them playing another bat.
I will say in defense of Bairstow that I've watched him many times for Yorkshire against loads of different kinds of fast bowlers, particularly last season and he's never looked to have any sort of problem against the short ball, funnily enough I'd say it was the opposite and it's been a productive shot of him. He does to tend to try to play the bouncer instead of ducking or swaying out of the way like other batsmen do. I think if he had a obvious short ball weakness I don't think he'd have got picked ahead of the others.Be an acceptable fudge, actually.
Assuming Ravi's fit for Brum I imagine he'll have first dibs on #6.
TBH even if Matt plays I wouldn't object to someone other than Bairstow at six anyway. Kid is a talent, but to let with such an obvious weakness against the short ball play against a seam attack of the quality of SA's would be foolhardy in the extreme.
Obviously there were a couple of good short balls by Roach, and anyone can get in a tangle against them. But it was the way he constantly didn't know whether to duck or play that made it look quite poor. You've probably got more of an idea on his ability against the short ball than me, so I won't get too far into it, but I can see why people are concerned.Why is getting out to a good piece of short-pitched fast bowling so much worse than getting out to full-pitched swing bowling? Aren't they both cases of the bowler managing to carry out a plan properly?
It doesn't mean Bairstow has a weakness because it happened to him once. It was a very good piece of bowling.
If we do that lets ignore form and go for someone who as a serious chance of being a very good (and ideally long term) Test player.If we are gonna be bringing in another batsamn at least make it Compton, the mans in serious formand has a really good technique.
Rampaul could be very dangerous at Edgbaston, but, yeah, won't be much problem with no-one to back him up.Only real threat, next test should be a formality.