2nd Test, Lord's, London

[Test_Fan_Only]

Who can skipper though? Stokes being skipper would be a literaly disaster - like Flintoff or Botham on steriods as he isn't even a good enough bowler to bring himself on as much as he probably would. Buttler could easily be dropped soon. They should just pick the most handsome.

Chris Woakes (c)

I had the same question but really Root is not batting like himself currently, he is not doing well enough to maintain his place in the team if there were any other decent batsmen around. He was one of the better batsmen in world cricket, they are rare and need to be allowed to be the best they can.

 

[Test_Fan_Only]

Well the England innings seems interesting.

Thank god it seems like Smith is OK. I think as long as he bats Australia probably can't lose.

He will be batting with a sore arm and neck against a bowler who hit him seriously twice. I am not sure there is any guarantee he is going to be comfortable batting especially against Archer and making runs is questionable. I hope if the situation arises someone else steps up and gets the job done. Warner needs runs, hopefully he can make some.

Still I think the most likely scenario is rain and Australia not batting at all. Hope I am wrong.

 

[morgieb]

He will be batting with a sore arm and neck against a bowler who hit him seriously twice. I am not sure there is any guarantee he is going to be comfortable batting especially against Archer and making runs is questionable. I hope if the situation arises someone else steps up and gets the job done. Warner needs runs, hopefully he can make some.

Still I think the most likely scenario is rain and Australia not batting at all. Hope I am wrong.

Looking at the forecast there's a pretty good chance we'll get a full day's play in, I think.

Agree that's a worry but Smith is just a freak. Australia basically need to "not badly **** the bed" to not lose here, and I think even in his state he can do it. Agree it's a great chance for someone else to get a good innings. Khawaja's had starts but his BPI is pretty bad and Warner's been horribly out of form. Head could do something I guess but not if the ball is swinging, and we need someone else anyway.

 

[mr_mister]

This series is gonna be a shootout between who's batsman don't **** the bed the most

 

[morgieb]

This series is gonna be a shootout between who's batsman don't **** the bed the most

Yes it's going to be fun to see. On the one hand, Australia have Smith (and I think more likely to be able to find decent replacements for players not performing). On the other, England have a better tail (in theory) and better fielding/reviewing (thus far in the series).

 

[Adders]

This series is gonna be a shootout between who's batsman don't **** the bed the most

True, but Aus having Smith tips that balance hugely in their favour.

 

[Spark]

Khawaja needs to make an actual score here. He's looked really quite good in the last two innings but his dismissals have been pretty limp.

 

[Spark]

It means he doesn't have one, which means he should be right to bat.

Hope he's a little bit more discerning about staying leg side of the ball. He does it against spin, so there's no reason he can't adapt when he's facing just one particular bowler.

I've seen him do that before against particular bowlers (Boult especially). Not sure he will though, if anything he's likely to get even further across to try and get outside the line of the bouncer.

 

[Daemon]

Imagine the pace of Archer with the accuracy and persistence of Wagner bouncers

 

[Prince EWS]

Imagine the pace of Archer with the accuracy and persistence of Wagner bouncers

Wagner is so strange though. I actually think the fact that he's shortish (for a fast bowler anyway) and not that quick actually works in his favour, as Test batsmen don't really think they can/should be ducking it.

Wagner at the same height but quicker would be interesting. He'd definitely make more batsmen look like muppets but I'm not sure he'd actually be more effective.

 

[morgieb]

Imagine the pace of Archer with the accuracy and persistence of Wagner bouncers

So....Mitchell Johnson circa 2013/14?

Agree that would be a nightmare to face. They'd have to have some variety in their MO though, which all 3 do.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Looks like Aussies really missed Smith's fielding as well. Warner at slip not exactly a big success

 

[Test_Fan_Only]

Looking at the forecast there's a pretty good chance we'll get a full day's play in, I think.

Agree that's a worry but Smith is just a freak. Australia basically need to "not badly **** the bed" to not lose here, and I think even in his state he can do it. Agree it's a great chance for someone else to get a good innings. Khawaja's had starts but his BPI is pretty bad and Warner's been horribly out of form. Head could do something I guess but not if the ball is swinging, and we need someone else anyway.

Forecast I saw said showers but who really knows until it happens.

 

[morgieb]

Forecast I saw said showers but who really knows until it happens.

Hourly forecast:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/gcpvj0v07#?date=2019-08-18

So some interruptions look possible but I wouldn't expect rain to play that significant of a factor.

 

[Spark]

There's definitely one band of showers moving through which looks like it could hit late morning, so we could have a delayed start

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The more important thing is how cloudy it gets and do they need the lights on. Becomes more bowler friendly straight away if lights come on.

 

[morgieb]

The more important thing is how cloudy it gets and do they need the lights on. Becomes more bowler friendly straight away if lights come on.

Oddly it looks like there won’t be that much by the way of clouds once the rain goes away. At least not straight away.

 

[burr]

For Australia not to have a good slipper out of its top three is historically most unusual. And could cost em this series.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So where are the Aussie bat's heads going to be today after what Archer did yesterday? Could be the deciding factor in the game. We know in 2013/14 that Johnson had fried the English players so it will be fascinating to see how the Aussies go today and Smith in particular after being given a torrid time yesterday.

 

[hazsa19]

Want to say too, anyone trying to stoke up I’ll feeling by saying anything about the Eng players reaction need to have a word with themselves.