*Official* Second Test at Lord's

[The Battlers Prince]

Lords will be quite dry like the NZ tests I guess, although it was the quick bowlers who dominated that game. I like these dry pitches tbh, the fast men get reverse swing while the spinners get turn, but the batsmen get runs if they apply themselves and bat well, good contest. I expect another close England win, but the Aussies certainly have a chance of getting up. The same bowlers should be picked IMO, maybe Bird or Harris for Starc, I certainly think Khawaja should come in for Cowan, but the batting order should be reshuffled so that Hughes comes in at 3, Uzi at 4, Clarkeh at 5 and Smitteh at 6.

Yeah that's the team i'd be picking as well.

 

[Adders]

as if you dont pick the great man tremlett

Depends how fit he is.....if he can take the role of workhorse and bowl a lot of overs I'd have no problem having him in. TBH I'm not that fussed between either Bres, Onions or Tremlett........my only criteria is that whoever it is can bowl a lot and keep it tight so we don't have to kill Jimmy Anderson in order to win the test match.

 

[Spikey]

trust ben dorries to actually write a serious article about it

Is Simon Katich the left-field answer to Australia's struggling Ashes top order? | Fox Sports

 

[Arachnodouche]

Starc can use the slope at Lord's to the righties, can't he? Obviously won't be as adroit as Mcgrath for instance but it might be worth holding onto him.

 

[morgieb]

trust ben dorries to actually write a serious article about it

Is Simon Katich the left-field answer to Australia's struggling Ashes top order? | Fox Sports

Would be good in theory, but I dunno if his output would be better than Rogers and Watson.

At least he's a tough bastard though.

 

[social]

Starc can use the slope at Lord's to the righties, can't he? Obviously won't be as adroit as Mcgrath for instance but it might be worth holding onto him.

Starc is a huge talent that will (hopefully) improve with experience

However, Harris is regarded by virtually everybody as a world class bowler when fit

If he's fit then he should be picked as he is one of our 3 best seamers atm

I also regard Bird as a better bowler than Starc atm but the selectors have pretty much pegged out their campsite with the guys they chose for the first test

 

[uvelocity]

Pattinson finished the test as strongly as he started it. Unless he's injured he has to play.

If Brumber's post re Warner is on the money, I could see him batting six with Hughes to three. Would think about the People's Champ at four and Clarke five tbh.

hughes 3 is a must as is warner in for cowan. how they arrange warner clarke and smith i care not

 

[Howe_zat]

 

[Spikey]

Adam Mountford ‏@tmsproducer 19s
England name an unchanged 13 for the 2nd @InvestecCricket #Ashes Test with Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions pushing for a place at Lord's.

you monsters

 

[Furball]

Onions shouldn't replace Finn, he's equally as rubbish.

 

[grecian]

No big surprise obviously I'd have done differently, but England were always going to stick to their guns, especially after a win.

Really wish Tremmers was in the squad for Finn.

 

[91Jmay]

Don't really see how Starc is an huge talent. Looks a guy who will always be a good not great quick bowler to me, nothing about him screams world class.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Really disappointed that Bairstow is being pushed as the future of the England middle order ahead of James Taylor. Taylor looks the far superior player.

 

[Spark]

Don't really see how Starc is an huge talent. Looks a guy who will always be a good not great quick bowler to me, nothing about him screams world class.

Really? Tall left arm quick who swings it in (and at his best, both ways) at 145kmh+?

If that's not "potential word class" then nothing is. A long way from there yet obviously but his potential is pretty obvious to see.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Really disappointed that Bairstow is being pushed as the future of the England middle order ahead of James Taylor. Taylor looks the far superior player.

Agreed. Its starting to be talked about in the press though. Colville mentioned it on the verdict last night. "Needs some runs at lords" was Bob Willis' reply.

 

[Salamuddin]

Starc is a huge talent that will (hopefully) improve with experience

However, Harris is regarded by virtually everybody as a world class bowler when fit

If he's fit then he should be picked as he is one of our 3 best seamers atm

I also regard Bird as a better bowler than Starc atm but the selectors have pretty much pegged out their campsite with the guys they chose for the first test

Starc seems a bit overrated to me. Sure he's tall and he swings it and he's a left armer but so was Brendon Julian and well know how that turned out.
Even if he does improves his accuracy looks a reasonable to good bowler but nothing more than that.

World class left arm at a young age is Wasim Akram - Starc isn't even in the same ballpark as Wasim.

 

[91Jmay]

Really? Tall left arm quick who swings it in (and at his best, both ways) at 145kmh+?

If that's not "potential word class" then nothing is. A long way from there yet obviously but his potential is pretty obvious to see.

Swings it both ways? We must have different definitions of swing bowling. He occasionally puts a bit of shape in and his natural angle takes it away on occasion. Sort of like saying Finn swings it, technically true on occasion but its hardly a weapon is it. His accuracy is also not something I can see drastically improving without his pace dipping below 140 clips either. GOod bowler, but not a guy I see ever being world class but perhaps I am missing something.

 

[Spark]

How much of him have you actually watched?

 

[91Jmay]

About 3 test matches closely and highlights of a couple of others, 5 or 6 ODIs. Not a whole lot but nothing about any of the displays (other than his batting which is impressive) really shone to me. I don't think a guy who is potentially world class look as terrible as he did in India tbh.

 

[social]

Swings it both ways? We must have different definitions of swing bowling. He occasionally puts a bit of shape in and his natural angle takes it away on occasion. Sort of like saying Finn swings it, technically true on occasion but its hardly a weapon is it. His accuracy is also not something I can see drastically improving without his pace dipping below 140 clips either. GOod bowler, but not a guy I see ever being world class but perhaps I am missing something.

Accuracy can be learned

Being a 6'5", left arm quick that hoops it around cannot