Uppercut
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Moving Root up suggests they're going with the opposite philosophy i.e. getting the best batsmen facing the best bowling.
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2nd Test, Lord's, London
- Thread starter Jarquis
- Start date
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
That's a lot of lower order. I think we're gonna have a hard time winkling out the last five.
Woodster
International Captain
And I’m being slated for picking Roy as an opener despite him not having a great pedigree in County cricket in that position.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think maybe I overestimated how easy the pitch was initially, though it's very gentle in pace. Still think it's a good batting surface though and 400 would be a good total.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Haha the Leach thing was a massive fluke. Bloke averages less than 12.
There are crazier ideas out there than Woakes doing it though.
aussie tragic
International Captain
Lol that Leach should be a real opener. Every batsman has their best day and Leach had his vs Ireland
Groundking
International Debutant
Woakes or Leach are the best batsmen
flibbertyjibber
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Not saying he shouldn't get a run as now we have picked him he should but the amount of failed openers over the last few years meant it was fairly obvious they were going to give the guy who is one of the best ODI openers around a chance in the hope he can do a Warner and take to test cricket.
TheJediBrah
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Woakes is by far the more serious choice. Funny how no one's addressed that yet and keep refuting the more questionable Leach and Curran
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Woakes honestly looks like he has the best technique of the whole lot, and I'm always surprised he's never scored more in tests.
As for Leach, I've been shaking my head for two weeks at people suggesting a guy averaging 11 from a big domestic career should open.
King Pietersen
International Captain
Leach got runs against medium plodders. In CC he has a reputation for being awful against pace, got pinned by Morkel and barely made a run until the Ireland game (CC high score of 9 this season from 12 innings). He's going to get peppered by the Australians when he comes in. Any real suggestions of moving him up to open are so dumb.
Surely Dom Sibley is the next bloke in line to get a chance? Reports I've read suggest he has a decent technique and can at least stick around and grind out an innings. Give him a go, move Roy down to 4.
Surely Dom Sibley is the next bloke in line to get a chance? Reports I've read suggest he has a decent technique and can at least stick around and grind out an innings. Give him a go, move Roy down to 4.
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Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Good first hour. How Test Cricket should be. Unfortunately the batsman not up to the task.
Second Spitter
State Vice-Captain
Literally opened him up
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I've said this before and will no doubt say it again, but Warner was averaging over fifty in first class cricket when he was picked for tests. Admittedly that wasn't from too many matches, some of which were against a Zimbabwe XI, but it's more than the likes of Finch and Roy have ever done.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
I think I've only seen one person ever suggest it (Leach) seriously. It gets tossed around as a joke/troll sometimes.
Woakes opening is a live option though. I wouldn't go there because it'd mean Curran would come in and I think five seamers in a Test should be punishable by death, but just from a "best opening options" angle it's not that crazy at all.
TheJediBrah
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I'd see him more as a sacrificial lamb to see off as many overs as he can, to allow the middle-order players to do what they do better, than a genuine "expect to make 50s" opener.
Yes it's dumb, but it's thinking outside the box.
What if, hypothetically, you pick your 3 best fast bowlers, but then 2 or 3 of your best 6 batsmen also happen to be seam bowlers as well. Then you'd have 5-6 seamers in your best team.
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Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
As someone who has sometimes played the role of toporderwatchman in club cricket I'm not totally against the idea for England. I do think it hurts their chances of building a properly serious test side in the long term though. And the added value of having the 5th seam bowling option if you squeeze Curran in or whatever is just so low.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I've been reading bits of the internet with people who probably would never follow domestic cricket making these suggestions.
aussie tragic
International Captain
So with a whole day lost to rain, with 98 overs to bowl today, and Australia bowls 12 overs in first hour