*Official* First Test (Edgbaston, Birmingham) 16–20 June

[Gob]

I’m finding it hilarious

360 for 6

must be a few angry people had arguments at home and then getting their anger out on here

this is fantastic test cricket . If people can’t enjoy that without all the name calling rubbish, I don’t know what they want

though im on a wind up about McGrath and Anderson

Wtf for a moment we were heading somewhere

 

[Son Of Coco]

Not stats wise and wickets taken , he is not, Anderson has 122 more wickets than McGrath. That’s easy to read

Which stats are we referring to? I get the wickets taken bit, although McGrath took wickets for fun, whereas Anderson takes them when it's fun

 

[CartyDurham]

Certainly

You'd reckon Anderson to be better than Marshall/Hadlee aswell?

Stats wise. You have to accept it , I’m afraid . Those that finish their careers with the best record are the best players, until someone surpasses them

it’s reality

 

[Starfighter]

'Slower ball from Jimmy Anderson'. Turns out to be one of his faster ones for the morning.

 

[Spark]

Yeah I personally never minded the Moeen selection because who else are you going to pick? Dom Bess?

A massive part of England's revival has been simply down to picking the most talented cricketers in the country and playing a style which suits those individuals. Moeen is entirely consistent with that.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Anderson was to come. He can’t bat

Not stats wise and wickets taken , he is not, Anderson has 122 more wickets than McGrath. That’s easy to read

Anderson has 8 more runs than Trent Boult (and thus the most ever runs at no 11).
Look, Bradman doesn't have the most ever runs in a batting position. The Burnley Lara is a batting allrounder imo.

 

[CartyDurham]

Wtf for a moment we were heading somewhere

 

[TheJediBrah]

Australians who think Moeen was a completely terrible selection really don't understand how bare the spin cupboard is.

It was a risk that didn't work but it wasn't an unnecessary risk at all. I would've just picked Wood or Woakes and let Stokes rest his knee from bowling for another Test but if they wanted to pick a spinner I do think he was the least bad option. We all know it was a bad option but when faced with a bad option or a worse one, you take the bad option.

There is absolutely no way the spin cupboard was that bare. There would have to be 2nd XI minor county offies who could do a better job than Moeen has

 

[Aidan11]

This Foakes v Bairstow debate is getting tiresome.

Drop them both and bring in Sam Billings.

 

[Spikey]

Australians who think Moeen was a completely terrible selection really don't understand how bare the spin cupboard is.

It was a risk that didn't work but it wasn't an unnecessary risk at all. I would've just picked Wood or Woakes and let Stokes rest his knee from bowling for another Test but if they wanted to pick a spinner I do think he was the least bad option. We all know it was a bad option but when faced with a bad option or a worse one, you take the bad option.

Do any English spinners even play in the first XI of a county team

 

[Prince EWS]

There is absolutely no way the spin cupboard was that bare.

Yes it is.

 

[Burgey]

Broad's often good value, isn't he. I liked that he correctly described his no-ball 'dismissal' yesterday as 'unforgivable', as that's what it was. Beyond that, there's an entertaining piece by Barny Ronay this morning about his dismissal of Labuschagne. First off the whole idea that he had discovered a previously unseen delivery in, er, the out-swinger. But then the piss-taking mimicry of Labuschagne as he tried to get some bloke in the crowd behind the bowler to sit down. It remains to be seen how the rest of the series goes for Broad, and for all I know he may be totally ineffective hereafter. My guess is that this will probably be his last series of test cricket, and we should enjoy him while we still can.

He is very good value. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. I’ve never really understood a lot of the anti-Broad sentiment when there’s a far less likeable bloke taking the new ball at the other end imo

 

[GIMH]

brother your head is for up your team's arse that you're not allowing yourself to see common sense

You think "Spinner who hadn't played long form cricket in years struggling to hold on to the ball because he's bowled too much might have been a bad selection" is a logical fallacy

brah

You said in your post that we picked Moeen because Bazball, radical, etc etc. This is untrue, we picked him because Leach is injured and they didn’t think anyone else is good enough. But you’ve tried to make it something it’s not, in your usual midwitted manner. I guess it’s a consequence of you being of limited intellect.

 

[CartyDurham]

Anderson has 8 more runs than Trent Boult (and thus the most ever runs at no 11).
Look, Bradman doesn't have the most ever runs in a batting position. The Burnley Lara is a batting allrounder imo.

Gladstone Small. Anyone remember his bowling at the MCG in 1986 ? That was a nice win

 

[Calm_profit]

Cummins showing footwork than Warner has ever showed.

 

[slippy888]

Khawaja is the goat

 

[Prince EWS]

Do any English spinners even play in the first XI of a county team

Not this early in the season unless they can bat in the top seven.

 

[Gnske]

He is very good value. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. I’ve never really understood a lot of the anti-Broad sentiment when there’s a far less likeable bloke taking the new ball at the other end imo

You forget that the hate is warranted. Some of us still remember when Pietersen bravely called them both out in his memoir for bullying him

 

[wpdavid]

Given how little Stokes has been able to bowl it wouldn't surprise me if they went with four quicks + Root.

I was wondering about that. Supposedly fit enough to bowl, got rid of Smith, and yet he's only bowled 7 overs.

 

[Starfighter]

Australians who think Moeen was a completely terrible selection really don't understand how bare the spin cupboard is.

Even if practically all of England's spinners, some of whom I think are quite promising, are struggling to get games due to sheer stupidity (the cupboard isn't bare. They're not even opening it), Dawson was still not a terrible idea to replace Leach.