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

Shady Slim

International Coach
i think the declaration was bad but the result shouldn’t change how one thinks about it

which is to say, if not for the million dropped catches and letting australia’s ninth wicket score sixty unbeaten then people would be calling it a master stroke. i think it was @OverratedSanity who in another thread was decrying hindsight based analysis of tactical picks and that is one
 

Anthony Clayden

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
AoC, call for
Early declaration or not still don’t know how England didn’t win it after 8 wickets down. They wanted to do the short ball tactic then stokes should have bowled a few overs of it at one end. I still would have taken the new ball earlier and have Anderson and broad pitching up with the field in. Spreading the field just gave the aus tail more confidence. Australia got lucky to escape with this victory

Bowlers were knackered, Australia had ground an ageing attack with a injured spinner and a fifth bowler who could only bowl limited overs.
Bumping players for long periods is very exhausting.
 

Shady Slim

International Coach
I mean I definitely agree but it's still fun to gloat and tease those who were wrong all along, especially since many of them responded to any criticism of the declaration at the time with, "What if they win?"
yeah i should say, the opposite is true too - which is to say if you’re in my camp and think the declaration was a stupid gamble, had it come off that wouldn’t suddenly render it a smart one
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
And finally, this match was a decisive victory for the straight seam ball over the wobble seam ball. Good stuff.
 

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