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

[CartyDurham]

Strange interview on sky by Stokes just there. Seemed more interested in how we played and entertained than by a loss.

Will need to watch it again as may have got the wrong end of the stick

He did the same in New Zealand after that close loss

it’s a whole new game under Stokes and he will die by the sword or win more than he loses

he’s ahead on wins at this stage

 

[Cricket CoachDB]

Strange interview on sky by Stokes just there. Seemed more interested in how we played and entertained than by a loss.

Will need to watch it again as may have got the wrong end of the stick

I think he genuinely believes that. For now.

 

[SteveNZ]

Four overs in fading light

it’s amazing how this is getting to people

it’s irrelevant when taken what did happen.

You know I'm trying to see the merit in it too, my good man, but I can't see the argument for it being irrelevant. 50 more runs and England are largely bullet-proofed from defeat on the final day. And a lot of things on this forum are revisionist, but there were plenty at the time saying it would bite them. I love their mentality of push for victory at all costs but sometimes ensuring you probably can't lose in the first Test of an Ashes when you don't hold the urn is probably OK. They've now lost out of their last 3 based somewhat (depends on your opinion) on the mentality...which again, they'd say they're prepared to do, but the Ashes are now a much tougher assignment when the control was with them to hold complete power in their first innings.

 

[subshakerz]

The most heartening thing about this game is that it confirms that Australia are not a league ahead of England and it wont be a one-sided contest. Which is great.

 

[CartyDurham]

England will play exactly the same at Lords, that's how the team will play under Stokes and McCullum.

You can argue the toss all day about the declaration but in the same position, he'd do the same again.

We didn't lose the game because of that decision.

The seeds of the defeat lay in the injuries we've got.

On top of that we missed too many chances - well Bairstow did.

If a gutting loss because we should have won but on the plus side, we now know we can not only compete with the Aussies but beat them.

That’s exactly what I’ve been saying

people need to get into their heads that Stokes cares not a jot about convention and normal practice

he is off the cuff and spilt second decision making

what he has been doing is trying to turn tests into a second innings chase

that’s his method and he only barely failed in this game

It’s not arrogance , it’s just a belief he has in his team

 

[Kirkut]

You think? I absolutely hope so...the sight of a guy with 11000 Test runs reverse ramping someone bowling as innocuously as Boland so early in his innings (let alone at all) is too much for me.

Crazy to say about a guy who averages 67 under McCullum's leadership but whilst there's been some huge scores for Root over the past year (and big not out scores) I don't think the approach is best for someone of his immense skill.

There will be questions and I do see Root going back to his original game.

Bazball has its risks, they lost here but the same approach won them the series in Pakistan on those dead wickets. Tradeoffs are always there..

 

[anil1405]

 

[Socerer 01]

you can do your bazball thing without that declaration too, why are some people so hung up on it being the pinnacle of their new approach jesus

 

[OverratedSanity]

We didn't lose the game because of that decision.

Yeah, you probably did tbh

 

[shortpitched713]

Well I dont think England did much wrong towards the end, Australia just held their nerve more and luck favored them.

You make good decisions, instead of thinking you're smarter than decades of conventional cricketing wisdom, and **** like this doesn't even come close to happening, regardless of how improbable it was at the end.

 

[anderbroad]

Gutting to miss out.

Well done Australia. Great test match that. Here's to 4 more

 

[subshakerz]

England are perfectly capable of winning at least two out of the next four games. Winning a third might be asking but then there is also a possibility of a rain-out draw.

 

[Socerer 01]

There will be questions and I do see Root going back to his original game.

Bazball has its risks, they lost here but the same approach won them the series in Pakistan on those dead wickets. Tradeoffs are always there..

is Root reverse ramping or playing funky shots really a bad thing? didn’t he get runs with them and force field changes?

 

[Cricket CoachDB]

You know I'm trying to see the merit in it too, my good man, but I can't see the argument for it being irrelevant. 50 more runs and England are largely bullet-proofed from defeat on the final day. And a lot of things on this forum are revisionist, but there were plenty at the time saying it would bite them. I love their mentality of push for victory at all costs but sometimes ensuring you probably can't lose in the first Test of an Ashes when you don't hold the urn is probably OK. They've now lost out of their last 3 based somewhat (depends on your opinion) on the mentality...which again, they'd say they're prepared to do, but the Ashes are now a much tougher assignment when the control was with them to hold complete power in their first innings.

Well said Steve. I remember you always had wise opinions when I was researching for a computer game years ago. Good to see you again.

 

[Nintendo]

You know I'm trying to see the merit in it too, my good man, but I can't see the argument for it being irrelevant. 50 more runs and England are largely bullet-proofed from defeat on the final day. And a lot of things on this forum are revisionist, but there were plenty at the time saying it would bite them. I love their mentality of push for victory at all costs but sometimes ensuring you probably can't lose in the first Test of an Ashes when you don't hold the urn is probably OK. They've now lost out of their last 3 based somewhat (depends on your opinion) on the mentality...which again, they'd say they're prepared to do, but the Ashes are now a much tougher assignment when the control was with them to hold complete power in their first innings.

2 balls before the declaration root ran down the pitch and spooned one just over the fielder for two. It's just as likely england lose the next two wickets for 10-20 runs and don't get the four overs at the openers with the new rock after they've been running around all day, and another shot at them with a new rock on day 2 first thing if they don't declare. England got Aus to 20-2 and 50-3 after the declaration on a dead pitch. The issue was bairstow costing them 100+ runs in the field, not the declaration.

 

[Bahnz]

While I’m obviously thrilled we can watch this on FTA in NZ I’d really rather have the TMS radio commentary. Pietersen can **** right off.

 

[CartyDurham]

You know I'm trying to see the merit in it too, my good man, but I can't see the argument for it being irrelevant. 50 more runs and England are largely bullet-proofed from defeat on the final day. And a lot of things on this forum are revisionist, but there were plenty at the time saying it would bite them. I love their mentality of push for victory at all costs but sometimes ensuring you probably can't lose in the first Test of an Ashes when you don't hold the urn is probably OK. They've now lost out of their last 3 based somewhat (depends on your opinion) on the mentality...which again, they'd say they're prepared to do, but the Ashes are now a much tougher assignment when the control was with them to hold complete power in their first innings.

I do fully accept this but this is Stokes is choosing to captain

in his head and the team , declaring is irrelevant and he took the gamble which had failed

it’s his things are going to be until he retires

that’s my argument and the sooner people accept this the easier it will be

he is the ultimate non conformist and all previous methods are out the window

 

[Molehill]

You make good decisions, instead of thinking you're smarter than decades of conventional cricketing wisdom, and **** like this doesn't even come close to happening, regardless of how improbable it was at the end.

Agreed, you don't give away a wicket for free of a bloke seeing it like a football unless you've already got 550 on the board.

 

[Socerer 01]

Well said Steve. I remember you always had wise opinions when I was researching for a computer game years ago. Good to see you again.

are you the cricket coach dev

 

[Spark]

Not surprised. That must've hurt like **** to not bowl when the whips were cracking at the end

Yeah you want two blokes who aren't interested in anything but the win/loss, Anderson and Broad would be it. They would be crushed right now.