***Official*** 2nd Test at Adelaide

[Woodster]

No problem bud.

I must admit. I'm surprised at Robson merely with the fact that he like others have failed and didn't go back and dominate massively either. Would you put him at 3 ?

I find it interesting. All 3 Middlesex seamers looked at in TRJ, Finn, Helm averaged a touch over 30 last season. Does that suggest decent batting conditions where Middlesex played if you take a line of TRJ's form in international cricket.

You then compare that to Porter (16) & Coverton (22 in unfavourable cobditions) as seamers in division one last season.

Funny looking back. Im sure Vince was in the same u19 team as Root and Stokes and was seen as the big boy. But I think you hit the nail on the head with him.

I think Foakes is a must for the 3rd test.

Robson was more a pick specifically for this tour, but the way it looks like panning out, I would probably give him a shot in New Zealand at number three if Root remains at four. It isn't ideal, as you say he was tried back in 2014 as an opener but got exposed (a technical problem that is supposedly resolved) after a promising hundred against Sri Lanka. Due to the lack of options open to us, you can make a case against selecting literally anyone that gets picked as a batsman, let's not forget Gary Ballance is our back-up batsman on this tour on the back of an exceptional 2017 season.

I'm still a fan of Tom Westley aswell (but I'm an Essex fan so I would say that), but his chance to impress with the Lions unfortunately ended prematurely with a finger injury that has since required screws to be inserted.

I watched the last day of a CC game at Lords last season and they couldn't penetrate in cloudy miserable conditions, very little assistance off the pitch, they were well on top and couldn't force the win so yes I think it was tough for the pacemen to get wickets there, though TRJ was the most impressive that day.

Jamie Porter was superb on the occasions I saw him, he needs that bit of assistance off the pitch, but he hits the deck harder than you'd expect for someone bowling around 80, and troubled the very best batsmen. Would like him to make his England debut in a home series, but again he doesn't necessarily add any variety to our attack. Also England's new bowling coach Chris Silverwood thinks very highly of him.

If we lose this Test, which obviously is still looking a distinct probability, I wouldn't mind Foakes coming in at all and Bairstow moving up the order as a specialist bat.

 

[mr_mister]

struggled with the short ball and would eventually just slash something to gully if I remember. Was way too loose outside off... which I guess was also where he scored. I think it's a jump to say he would be successful now without knowing if he could've solved the technical issues that teams had noticed since his debut

Way off here. Was handling the short ball way better in his last few seasons

 

[Spark]

I remember he got 50 near the end of that disastrous tour of India in 2013, where the pitch was a complete minefield and frankly he looked totally lost, but somehow managed to find a way to make runs.

Like Smith, he understood it's how many you get, not how you get them.

 

[Starfighter]

Also England's new bowling coach Chris Silverwood

I look forward to 137 km/h no sideways movement whatsoever from all English bowlers now.

 

[Woodster]

I look forward to 137 km/h no sideways movement whatsoever from all English bowlers now.

You not seen the impression he's made at Essex ? Maybe not specifically or solely with the bowlers, but he's certainly helped develop Jamie Porter's game and a few of the others I'm sure.

 

[Starfighter]

More talking about his own bowling in his (international) career actually.

 

[Woodster]

More talking about his own bowling in his (international) career actually.

Ha, yes I presumed that was what you were alluding to!

 

[Spikey]

Had a great knock in the Agar test. Think he got dropped immediately after which was a bit BS.

A result of the farcical situation we put ourselves in thanks to Lehamnn making Watson opener and Warner returning from suspension. One of Smith/Hughes had to get dropped.

 

[Tom Flint]

What time will it start in the morning?

 

[Gnske]

Way off here. Was handling the short ball way better in his last few seasons

Not that well.

 

[Cabinet96]

So I guess the theory England could do something in this test had substance. We were just too **** for it to matter.

 

[harsh.ag]

So I guess the theory England could do something in this test had substance. We were just too **** for it to matter.

Best part is you let Darsh be the reason.

 

[Cow]

Lyon was extremely lucky that cricketing administrators frown upon physical contact with his antics in the last over. If that was ice hockey he would have received a severe pasting.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Not that well.

Oh God

 

[GIMH]

Lyon was extremely lucky that cricketing administrators frown upon physical contact with his antics in the last over. If that was ice hockey he would have received a severe pasting.

Didn’t you get the memo. We are not allowed to criticise what Lyon did because England did it eight years ago, and also if you support England you can’t criticise other teams for engaging in unsportsmanlike practices as England may also engage in these practices, and as a supporter you are therefore responsible.

 

[vcs]

Oh God

I'm so going to Hell...

 

[TNT]

Didn’t you get the memo. We are not allowed to criticise what Lyon did because England did it eight years ago, and also if you support England you can’t criticise other teams for engaging in unsportsmanlike practices as England may also engage in these practices, and as a supporter you are therefore responsible.

You should not even mention his name, this is bigger than cricket.

 

[vcs]

What did Lyon do?

 

[GIMH]

What did Lyon do?

Attacked Jonny Bairstow with his bat

 

[Spark]

Didn’t you get the memo. We are not allowed to criticise what Lyon did because England did it eight years ago, and also if you support England you can’t criticise other teams for engaging in unsportsmanlike practices as England may also engage in these practices, and as a supporter you are therefore responsible.

Not bothered by English posters here at all tbf, but some supporters are a lot more ridiculous than this (I mean we're talking about Phil Hughes here; the number of people I've already seen criticising Australia for bowling bouncers at tailenders after they, quote "killed one of their own" is already too many).

More odious though are the English cricket newspaper journos, who are mostly terrible, sanctimonious ****s. Ours are too, of course, with notable exceptions. It's one thing which made the whole kerfuffle over sledging in the last week so grim, as if anyone has any right to a moral high ground in that regard.