*Official* Fourth Test (Old Trafford, Manchester) 19-23 July

[chris.hinton]

Masterstroke getting Moeen at 3. 28 already and 100 is incoming

 

[Blenkinsop]

How many does Mo have to get to make the gamble of putting him #3 worthwhile? I'd say we're pretty close already.

 

[slowfinger]

what a swan song this is from Moeen

 

[loterry1994]

Jesus how man edges do these blows want

 

[Jarquis]

Reckon we can say the Moeen move has paid off already.

 

[slowfinger]

time to take that part timer Cummins out the attack and TUCK in ... I told you all this is a buffet of a pitch ... just watch how unbothered Starc was (when he was batting)

 

[Stapel]

Reckon we can say the Moeen move has paid off already.

I guess it has truly paid off, when JR comes in with the ball 20+ overs old.

 

[Owzat]

How has Moeen gone from hitting 2 100's in India at #4 to being shoved at number 7 for his whole career?

well he started middle of the order, moved up for that series but bear in mind 'in India' you play against spin not pace and can often be a war of attrition, what he did out there has little bearing on elsewhere

also where he's batted more than a handful of times ie 16+ innings and averages 33.48 and 25.93 happens to be 6 and 7 respectively, otherwise 1-5 he has scored 988 runs @ 24.09

so not much of a case for him to bat #4 anywhere but 'in India', 1-6 not 'in India' he averages 20.33, may as well bat care free down the order where it doesn't have much consequence if he's going to be the spinner

 

[Spark]

Crawley has been somewhat blessed so far

 

[Owzat]

I guess it has truly paid off, when JR comes in with the ball 20+ overs old.

was going to say is it the tactic/man or the aussie failings, like someone was raving about the Marsh hundred which could have been the unraved 18 had Root caught it!

 

[mackembhoy]

3000 runs and 200 wickets is some achievement

A top 3 county batsman that bowled as a glorified part timer.

Turned into a test bowling all rounder that has batted 1-9 and been somewhat messed around at times in his England career.

The beard to be feared take a bow.

Keep on going and get 6th test ton Mo.

 

[RightArmMystery]

Crawley has been somewhat blessed so far

It's been a horrible innings, barely timed anything. Other times in the series he's looked fluent until chucking it away, this has been the worst of Zak Crawley, fortunate to still be there.

 

[Owzat]

Crawley has been somewhat blessed so far

would you take a "blessed" 21no or a skilled 1 (if you can call it that).....?

aussies need a wicket bigtime, they let this pair score for much longer and could be a long day and long way back

 

[slowfinger]

well he started middle of the order, moved up for that series but bear in mind 'in India' you play against spin not pace and can often be a war of attrition, what he did out there has little bearing on elsewhere

also where he's batted more than a handful of times ie 16+ innings and averages 33.48 and 25.93 happens to be 6 and 7 respectively, otherwise 1-5 he has scored 988 runs @ 24.09

so not much of a case for him to bat #4 anywhere but 'in India', 1-6 not 'in India' he averages 20.33, may as well bat care free down the order where it doesn't have much consequence if he's going to be the spinner

that's just a loser's mentality though. every time he's batted up the order it always felt like one failure and he was the first to go, he's not the most vocal but for someone that bats for his County at 3 and ONLY 3 it's actually more of an effort to ruin his batting confidence and keep him down the order to make him 'feel' like a bowler... anyway he got 200 test wickets at least but there's a case to say that the ECB completely ruined a potentially class number 3

 

[ripper868]

You just know Mo is going to bash out a century here.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

congratulation for 3000 Test runs : M. Ali


3000 runs & 200 test wickets
(Botham 5200 runs / 383 wkts)
(Flintoff : 3845 runs/226 wkts)
(Broad 3640 runs & 600 wkts)
(M. Ali 3000 runs & 200 wkts)

 

[Owzat]

It's been a horrible innings, barely timed anything. Other times in the series he's looked fluent until chucking it away, this has been the worst of Zak Crawley, fortunate to still be there.

well if he sees off the new ball and scores a few in the process does anyone care whether they are streaky or technically proficient in scoring?!?

bet Root, Brook and Stokes (and Bairstow) are glad they're out there and scoring runs instead of each of them in there.....

 

[Bahnz]

How many does Mo have to get to make the gamble of putting him #3 worthwhile? I'd say we're pretty close already.

yup, England will be very happy with 30. Anything from here is a bonus.

 

[Owzat]

England won't want lunch, that break could bring new fortunes and change the game.

then again it's their own fault Woakes bowling a no ball meaning they had to bowl longer for the last wicket

 

[G. S. Kohli]

You just know Mo is going to bash out a century here.

He has to do big job with the ball in second innings.

Aus missed Lyon