*Official* Third Test (Headingley, Leeds) 6–10 July

[GIMH]

Smith 190 @ 31.66 and Labuschagne 144 @ 24 are key stats. How they go in the next 2 tests may determine the result.

Smith I think will surely score another big one before the series out. Labu I’m not so sure .

 

[CartyDurham]

I certainly believe this is his last season, and I’d love him to end it at The Oval, the scene of so many farewells. So emotional! But you may be right, Carty, he might not get the chance. Have to wait and see.

The Oval has seen loads of farewells over the years . I remember Shane Warne dragging McGrath over to take the applause back in 2005

Ambrose and Walsh walking off arm in arm as well in the 90s iirc

then the last big one was Alistair Cook going out on top v India a few years back

it’s possible for a few of this Aussie squad playing there last test in England as well , could even see Broad hang them up with Jimmy

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

I certainly believe this is his last season, and I’d love him to end it at The Oval, the scene of so many farewells. So emotional! But you may be right, Carty, he might not get the chance. Have to wait and see.

If he was planning on retiring wouldn't he have let the world know just before the series to put pressure on the selectors to pick him? Like a few others have done

 

[CartyDurham]

Smith 190 @ 31.66 and Labuschagne 144 @ 24 are key stats. How they go in the next 2 tests may determine the result.

The irony is they both came over early and played a few championship rounds, to get in form . Smith has that big ton at lords but labuschagne has been a bit of a let down so far

 

[CartyDurham]

If he was planning on retiring wouldn't he have let the world know just before the series to put pressure on the selectors to pick him? Like a few others have done

I remember Darren Gough packing in during a test at lords a few years back now ..

it’s gone very quiet in the U.K. media with Anderson over the last ten days , I feel the end is nigh

 

[GIMH]

If he was planning on retiring wouldn't he have let the world know just before the series to put pressure on the selectors to pick him? Like a few others have done

Not his style. I know plenty on here think he’s a **** because of how he goes about his business on field but he’s a team man to the end.

 

[CartyDurham]

Not his style. I know plenty on here think he’s a **** because of how he goes about his business on field but he’s a team man to the end.

The onfield personna is all an act . He’s a bit on stuttering wreck on comms, when he’s working for the bbc on the 100

there’s been plenty of players like that in all countries teams

 

[GIMH]

The onfield personna is all an act . He’s a bit on stuttering wreck on comms, when he’s working for the bbc on the 100

there’s been plenty of players like that in all countries teams

Yep agree

Do you remember the interviews with him early in career?like a moody teenager.

 

[Michelle Fivefer]

The Oval has seen loads of farewells over the years . I remember Shane Warne dragging McGrath over to take the applause back in 2005

Ambrose and Walsh walking off arm in arm as well in the 90s iirc

then the last big one was Alistair Cook going out on top v India a few years back

it’s possible for a few of this Aussie squad playing there last test in England as well , could even see Broad hang them up with Jimmy

Michael Atherton walking off with his bat just fractionally raised - to a standing ovation. Scores of 13 and 9.

 

[Michelle Fivefer]

If he was planning on retiring wouldn't he have let the world know just before the series to put pressure on the selectors to pick him? Like a few others have done

I doubt that’s his style.

 

[Michelle Fivefer]

Yep agree

Do you remember the interviews with him early in career?like a moody teenager.

Just very shy.

 

[GIMH]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1678097936201179142

WAFG Moeen. Match winning move

 

[Son Of Coco]

Oh no we're bowling short again to Wood

I knew we would have when I saw the scorecard this morning and Wood was striking at 200.

Congrats England!

I hope we reconsider some of our tactics before the next match instead of mindlessly bowling short to the tail.

 

[Victor Ian]

Yep agree

Do you remember the interviews with him early in career?like a moody teenager.

He is great on those club cricket things. Maybe needs broad around.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Damn. Grim result, but almost slightly less so than I expected before play started yesterday, good job from Starc to at least make it a less drastic loss than appeared may have been the case initially

Just desperately hope this doesn't spook the selectors into doing something majorly dumb for the next test

 

[GIMH]

Damn. Grim result, but almost slightly less so than I expected before play started yesterday, good job from Starc to at least make it a less drastic loss than appeared may have been the case initially

Just desperately hope this doesn't spook the selectors into doing something majorly dumb for the next test

Come on, you know deep down you’d rather lose the next for cricket’s sake

 

[Uppercut]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1678097936201179142

WAFG Moeen. Match winning move

Brook playing the match winning innings at 5 shows the benefit of putting your best players at their best place in the order and filling in the scrubs around them. Cricket consensus seems to be that the best players should move around to accommodate the scrubs.

 

[GIMH]

Brook playing the match winning innings at 5 shows the benefit of putting your best players at their best place in the order and filling in the scrubs around them. Cricket consensus seems to be that the best players should move around to accommodate the scrubs.

My first belief is that the team comes first. So if Joe Root scores ten less at 3 than 4, but there is a net benefit to the team, sound.

There are examples of the above I’m sure. But it is likely to be low margin. If a player who’s nailed on for the side averages double figures more in one position than another, you best have a good reason the move him.

Root at 4, Brooks at 5 - spot on

Now let’s look at Jonny with and without the gloves - oh and England have only batted without fielding first once this series and look how he got on then too…

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Is Warner really going to get the flick though?

I reckon he'll stay. I could be wrong.

 

[Pothas]

Root at 4, Brooks at 5 - spot on

Now let’s look at Jonny with and without the gloves - oh and England have only batted without fielding first once this series and look how he got on then too…

The thing is there wasn't a way of getting Root at 4 and Brook at 5 while not giving Bairstow the gloves. Stokes opening would be the only one I could see and that takes away his superpower.

Again, not saying Bairstow playing as a keeper has been anything other than a disaster so far but do understand how they got there.