4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester

[Bahnz]

Buttler surely deserves a crack at an actual specialist batting position based on today's effort.

He's had stints up the order before iirc. At the end of the day, he averages 33 and after 35 tests I'm not sure if you can expect much better than that. Whether or not that's good enough (or rather whether or not England has anyone who can do better than that) is a separate question.

 

[Pothas]

England's top order has actually been better then expected, even with Roy being a disaster. The decline of the middle order (Stokes aside) has been a huge factor, obviously that is linked to the excellent bowling.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

He's had stints up the order before iirc. At the end of the day, he averages 33 and after 35 tests I'm not sure if you can expect much better than that. Whether or not that's good enough (or rather whether or not England has anyone who can do better than that) is a separate question.

This. 1 ton in 35 games says it all about his ability. Get rid.

 

[Bahnz]

One of the greatest test match I have witnessed

Really? Australia dominated from start to finish. The only thing that kept it interesting was the rain.

 

[hazsa19]

This. 1 ton in 35 games says it all about his ability. Get rid.

Yeh, we’ve some of our best ever limited overs players in Buttler, Roy and maybe Bairstow. Maybe it’s time to stop asking them to do something that so clearly doesn’t come naturally.

 

[tcblue]

Yes might be an idea I suppose it's pretty obvious he was the difference between the two teams

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Really? Australia dominated from start to finish. The only thing that kept it interesting was the rain.

If you’re Australian it probably felt like it was getting close to the wire. As an Englishmen it felt like the two wickets last night put us way behind getting a draw and we never quite caught up.

 

[Bahnz]

Yes might be an idea I suppose it's pretty obvious he was the difference between the two teams

He's not the only one obviously. Roy, Root and Bairstow - there needs to be a clean out of all the ODI specialists if England wants to start moving in the right direction.

 

[tcblue]

We can still draw the series at the oval which makes the summer a good one especially with so many of our players drained after winning the world Cup

 

[Bahnz]

If you’re Australian it probably felt like it was getting close to the wire. As an Englishmen it felt like the two wickets last night put us way behind getting a draw and we never quite caught up.

Yeah, I get today would've been tense to follow. Just from a neutral perspective this wasn't nearly as interesting as any of the first 3 tests.

 

[tcblue]

Drop bairstow get foakes in

 

[Groundking]

England's top order has actually been better then expected, even with Roy being a disaster. The decline of the middle order (Stokes aside) has been a huge factor, obviously that is linked to the excellent bowling.

The lack of Sam Curran is the biggest thing imo.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Moeen Ali’s loss of form was also a blow to the lower middle order.

 

[Compton]

I know Jos done pretty well today, but I do wonder how Curran would have gotten on instead of Buttler in the ‘spare’ role at 7.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Really? Australia dominated from start to finish. The only thing that kept it interesting was the rain.

Was being hyperbolic.

I enjoyed both of Smith's innns. The cover drive to get to his half century in the first inns was iconic. Cummins bowling in both inns have been spirited and shows the perseverance that lacked in most of the other bowlers.

It might not be the greatest test match in history, but within it, the mini battles were immense, and a joy to watch.

 

[zaremba]

I know Jos done pretty well today, but I do wonder how Curran would have gotten on instead of Buttler in the ‘spare’ role at 7.

But isn't that just repeating the error of picking a spare/luxury player at 7? I'd have picked another specialist batsman (Pope) instead of Buttler.

Though, to be fair, Buttler had a pretty good Test. He batted well in both innings.

 

[MW1304]

Yeah it is worth noting that in both games we've won, a long period of scoring at 3.5-4 has been pretty vital to giving Aus enough time to win in the game. England just seem to lose the plot in the field for long stretches for no particular reason.

It's not no particular reason though, the main reason is Smith.

We had that stretch in the Headingley game where we bowled like complete **** but most often the origin comes back to Smith.

When you have a guy nailed on for 80 but more likely to get a decent-sized hundred every innings that's the main difference between the sides, as fantastic as Cummins and Hazlewood in particular have been.

 

[GotSpin]

Yeh nice

 

[sphynx]

Crickets a funny game, 3 tests ago it was Smith vs the rest in terms of batting, with just Head as a promising young player for Australia.

An Archer bouncer later and they have a 24 year old #3 who has averaged 58 in his first away series in England and is averaging 27 with the ball as a part time leg spinner and looks one of the best young prospects in world cricket.

Smith will get all the credit and deservedly so, but with Smith and Labuschagne and that bowling attack, Australia are a force again.

 

[Adders]

Well I guess we got some answers in this test on those questions lingering from Headingley.

Steve Smith isn't scared of Joffra and his short balls, and the Aussies don't appear to be mentally shot from the manner of the loss in Leeds. What ****s.