*Official* Pakistan in England 2020

[honestbharani]

The only problem with the Archer is that he's been billed as this speed demon imported to run through batting lineups and be the English Macko or whatever. So at every point in his career there are going to be a lot naysayers who go nah he's not that good. In reality he's just a 25 year old quick who can hit 150 KPH on occasion, get it to seam and has a sneaky bouncer. Theres a lot to work with there and in no universe does Mark Wood come in ahead of him at home. He hasn't even been bad. He's had a couple of impressive spells in his last 2 or 3 games so let him continue unless they're rotating again. That said it's fun to dish on him because he comes off as a bit twattish and he's English.

None of what you said is the reason I think he should be dropped. I just don't like the idea of a player who thinks he is too cool to give his 100% at different stages of the game. I know Steyn used to pick and choose when he went full Demon but there was more method there to it as he wanted to be able to swing it more with the new ball which meant he had to give up a bit of pace etc. Archer actually seems to (and this is based on what he does and says, tbh) be deciding when he gives a crap to go 100% and when he doesn't and that is not a good look for a newcomer. And I honestly think England will get more out of Woods than him next test.

 

[grecian]

In the end we are rotating bowlers , I think Archer and anderson are due to be rotated, the dropped word is a bit pointless. Wood should be champing at the bit. Would bring in a bat for Anderson. Probably Leach for bess, but that would be a drop for me,but you can diplomatically call it rotation.

Oh and am I imagining it, but didn't a Jos drop cost us the first Test against Windies, anyway he plays for the rest of the series for me.

 

[grecian]

The problem is that the game can be lost by that poor session, so we're having to play catch-up later. I know it's rarely mattered in home tests (perhaps Edgbaston last year the one significant exception) but it's frequently a problem overseas. Even here, we probably should have lost after we lost the plot a bit in the latter stages of their second innings and we can't expect to be regularly bailed out by minor miracles.

That's being ridiculously harsh, particularly on Yasir's thrash yesterday morning, it happens, a tail-ender decides to go for it, with the heavy bat they have, not sure he middled anything. We should have bowled them out for 200ish if Buttler hadn't dropped Masood, in the first inningsand that was a top-class piece of bowling to scythe through them Friday. Classic bit of only seeing the bad not the good there.

It's the bowling that bail out the useless top-order more IMHO.

 

[Howe_zat]

Buttler will play all the tests I'm sure, and now that I think about it, it's odd that rotation doesn't seem to apply to wicketkeeping.

 

[grecian]

Buttler will play all the tests I'm sure, and now that I think about it, it's odd that rotation doesn't seem to apply to wicketkeeping.

I agree he will.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

We can only rotate the bowlers because we have a decent selection available in English conditions. If this lot rock up in Australia they’ll probably die laughing.

 

[grecian]

We can only rotate the bowlers because we have a decent selection available in English conditions. If this lot rock up in Australia they’ll probably die laughing.

Archer and Wood have pace, not really a bad thing in OZ, Broad has done okay there, not sure I get your scorn, but I rarely do. More worried about our batting in OZ, in fact I think we'll get tonked barring a Stokesy miracle.

 

[wpdavid]

That's being ridiculously harsh, particularly on Yasir's thrash yesterday morning, it happens, a tail-ender decides to go for it, with the heavy bat they have, not sure he middled anything. We should have bowled them out for 200ish if Buttler hadn't dropped Masood, in the first inningsand that was a top-class piece of bowling to scythe through them Friday. Classic bit of only seeing the bad not the good there.

It's the bowling that bail out the useless top-order more IMHO.

Yeah, I wasn't talking about Yasir's thrash, and I wouldn't criticise Root at all for that. I wouldn't even criticise the bowlers actually. I was more thinking about the passage of play after their 4th and 5th wickets when we didn't really threaten their batsmen at all and, imo, Bess was kept on for far too long when it was obvious that he wasn't threatening, he was leaking far too many runs in a tight match situation, and even allowing for the turn in the pitch I reckon that their middle order were much happier facing him than Broad or, after he'd been rested for a while, Woakes. And that's before we even knew that Stokes was able to turn his arm. Classic bit of Root reacting too slowly to the moment actually. Looking back at it now, it probably only cost 15-20 runs but it was always looking like that might be important in this situation.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I always exaggerate a bit (a lot) to make a point. If we turn up in Australia rotating the same squad of bowlers I don’t think Australia will be too worried. Whether Archie is capable of bowling with the extra pace over the course of a match, never mind a series, is something we’ve yet to see. I think Root, Pope and Stokes could make runs in Australia, if one of Sibley and Crawley come off the batting might surprise a few.

 

[wpdavid]

Here's a cheery thought. Apparently Broad's recent form has officially put him in the the ICC's top 10 allrounders.

 

[Daemon]

Buttler will play all the tests I'm sure, and now that I think about it, it's odd that rotation doesn't seem to apply to wicketkeeping.

That’s a new thought - what’s the argument in favour of this though?

History suggests there isn’t much of an injury risk unlike for fast bowling.

Fatigue leading to poorer performance might be a thing, but I’m not sure it’s strong enough to warrant rotation.

 

[Howe_zat]

My only inexpert thinking here is knowing a guy who permanently buggered their knees from years of wicketkeeping

 

[trundler]

That’s a new thought - what’s the argument in favour of this though?

History suggests there isn’t much of an injury risk unlike for fast bowling.

Fatigue leading to poorer performance might be a thing, but I’m not sure it’s strong enough to warrant rotation.

Your face should be rotated as it fatigues my eyes

 

[chris.hinton]

Due to Ben Stokes being unavailable, Archer will keep his place i think. Would like to see Dan Lawrence giving a chance in the England Team, But i feel they will opt for Zak Crawley again.

 

[chris.hinton]

Chris Woakes has seriously been impressive this series with the bat and ball. And has proven to be the 2nd best all rounder in England ahead of Curran.

 

[Woodster]

If England want one of their bowlers to offer quick spells for four/five overs max (per spell), then for me Wood gets the nod over Archer. I know I may be in a minority here, and I‘m not necessarily suggesting he’s a better bowler than Jof, but he is more likely to offer something different than Archer currently is. Of course in England you can conceivably go in with an attack consisting solely of similar paced fast-medium bowlers and it can still be effective if they’re skilled bowlers.

Pace alone isn’t enough to run through a side but I do think Mark Wood has more to offer than just someone that bowls it quickly and falls over.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

I think the sad absence of Stokes increases the appeal of playing Wood. Stokes has been the go-to bowler for hostile short pitched spells this summer when nothing else is working and the ball has gone soft. Wood most naturally fills that void. Obviously Archer is capable of filling that role too, but he doesn't seem keen to take it on (unless Steve Smith is in his sights).

 

[MW1304]

Bored of the Archer convo now. I just don't see why you wouldn't pick him if he's fit. Bloke's a long-term prospect who needs game time, and keeps getting results.

I mean he took 4/86 and people are bemoaning a poor game. He just takes wickets, keep picking him.

 

[Flem274*]

its because he's right arm fast medium who very sporadically graduates to 150kph and he's selected to provide that every time. his head also drops at the sight of remotely unfriendly conditions.

the frustration is understandable. he's still englands best change bowler option though. getting wickets bowling 130kph is success and fans/selectors need to let go of the idea he's this speed demon.* mark wood isn't in his league.

*could see him doing a johnson at some stage though

 

[trundler]

his head also drops at the sight of remotely unfriendly conditions.

I see he's taken to his adopted country very well