1st Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham

[harsh.ag]

Yeah, let's see if Smith bowls today. Premature conjecturing on my part.

 

[vcs]

Pretty bizarre to think that Anderson wouldn't have made any difference - he has significantly improved on unresponsive pitches as he's shown in Australia since 2010, UAE etc. At worst, he'll keep things very quiet. Also, the guy bowled outstandingly well last summer and has been tearing it up in CC this year by all accounts.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah I mean who knows what happens, and certainly Smith is still Smith. But only stephen* could actually suggest with a straight face he’d have made no difference.

*probably not quite true as I imagine Son of Coco still thinks Anderson is ****, too

 

[Arachnodouche]

Australia better find an exit strategy for Paine before things get decidedly awkward in that dressing room.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Somewhat related to the Smith On The Spectrum joke, I have never seen a grown-ass batsman complete an easy single with whole body flailing like a petulant child the way he does.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Smith had a couple of amazing exaggerated leaves yesterday where he flailed his arms even more than he would if he'd played an actual shot.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Smith had a couple of amazing exaggerated leaves yesterday where he flailed his arms even more than he would if he'd played an actual shot.

haha ya he was swatting at the air in a paddle-sweep style motion. Must be so annoying to bowl to.

 

[TheJediBrah]

haha ya he was swatting at the air in a paddle-sweep style motion. Must be so annoying to bowl to.

He must be an annoying person to be near in general

Smith had a couple of amazing exaggerated leaves yesterday where he flailed his arms even more than he would if he'd played an actual shot.

I think he's getting overconfident and that's when really weird **** like that comes out. He's going to have a couple of really dumb dismissals over the next few games as a result and then he'll tighten back up.

 

[Gob]

Put lightsaber sounds

 

[Burgey]

Somewhat related to the Smith On The Spectrum joke, I have never seen a grown-ass batsman complete an easy single with whole body flailing like a petulant child the way he does.

It's not a joke. I genuinely think he is. He's like a batting savant.

 

[stephen]

Yeah I mean who knows what happens, and certainly Smith is still Smith. But only stephen* could actually suggest with a straight face he’d have made no difference.

*probably not quite true as I imagine Son of Coco still thinks Anderson is ****, too

What I actually said was that Anderson wouldn't have made a significant difference yesterday. You know the day where there was no movement and Smith was belting the bowling attack all around the ground.

I did not say that he wouldn't make a difference at all. Only that conditions wouldn't have suited him based on the pitch and the ball.

But go on exaggerating what I said to three point of ridiculousness if you like.

Even if one concedes that Anderson would have shaved 70 runs from Australia's total, Australia would still have posted a total that's highly unlikely to be chased on this pitch.

He absolutely would have made a difference on day one though.

 

[trundler]

Also, let's cut the revisionism. Anderson isn't a skilled toiler away from home, he's nonthreatening. The best he can do is keep the runs down, like Siddle. Spinning that off as 'keeping it tight' is dishonest.

 

[OverratedSanity]

One of Anderson's biggest strengths in the last 5 years or so has been that he's ridiculously miserly and difficult to score runs off of even when he's not running through teams with the new ball. England sucked yesterday and late on day 3 because they had no one to stem the flow of runs. Having anderson would've helped greatly to build pressure.

 

[GIMH]

What I actually said was that Anderson wouldn't have made a significant difference yesterday. You know the day where there was no movement and Smith was belting the bowling attack all around the ground.

I did not say that he wouldn't make a difference at all. Only that conditions wouldn't have suited him based on the pitch and the ball.

But go on exaggerating what I said to three point of ridiculousness if you like.

Even if one concedes that Anderson would have shaved 70 runs from Australia's total, Australia would still have posted a total that's highly unlikely to be chased on this pitch.

He absolutely would have made a difference on day one though.

How the hell do you know they'd have still posted such a total?

It's all a bit moot isn't it as if he's there in the first dig the game is already over, so your hypothetical doesn't even make sense.

But a fully fit Anderson makes a difference yesterday. No reason to assume the most he would do is reduce by 70 runs. I mean he might not have done that much. But he could well have opened an end up. He'd have had more impact Saturday night too.

 

[JBMAC]

Expect a Draw myself. England usually just don't capitulate. Weather could be on their side

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The forecast currently offers little chance of rain.

 

[mr_mister]

He must be an annoying person to be near in general



I think he's getting overconfident and that's when really weird **** like that comes out. He's going to have a couple of really dumb dismissals over the next few games as a result and then he'll tighten back up.

I'm hoping how he eventually got out served as a reminder for him that he's not invincible

 

[vcs]

One of Anderson's biggest strengths in the last 5 years or so has been that he's ridiculously miserly and difficult to score runs off of even when he's not running through teams with the new ball. England sucked yesterday and late on day 3 because they had no one to stem the flow of runs. Having anderson would've helped greatly to build pressure.

Yep, wickets often fall as a direct result of a brief stall in run-scoring. Saying that, his absence obviously wouldn't take anything away from a potential Australia win because England's TM should have been more cautious before risking him. But it's silly to pretend they didn't benefit significantly from his absence.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yep, wickets often fall as a direct result of a brief stall in run-scoring. Saying that, his absence obviously wouldn't take anything away from a potential Australia win because England's TM should have been more cautious before risking him. But it's silly to pretend they didn't benefit significantly from his absence.

Don't be silly this obviously means Smith is nowhere near as good as kohli because he made all those runs at edgbaston last year with anderson actually bowling.

 

[hazsa19]

The lack of Anderson shouldn’t detract from Ali’s performance. A half decent performance with the ball would’ve given us a chance chasing 200odd, even after losing our best bowler half an hour into a Test Match.

I like him, I think he’s actually our best spinner, and amazing to watch with the bat when confident. I know we’ve messed him around in the past, but I don’t think we’d be doing him any favours by keeping him In the squad for the next match. Send him back to Worcester, maybe employ someone to give him a cuddle every now and then.