1st Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham

[lordscc]

Jason Roy...what a plonker

 

[Test_Fan_Only]

Shocker of a shot by Roy. If he is going to play that crap he needs to be dropped. Sibley is surely a better bet.

 

[Spark]

Lyon does get bounce but he gets swept a lot because doesn't bowl a straight one.

Misbah and Younis to confirm

 

[slippy888]

Take off Siddle now and bring on Cummins or Pattinson

 

[morgieb]

I would have sent in Stokes at 4 really and made a statement to Australia

This isn't one day cricket, Australia's bowling isn't one that would go into their shells. Would be a dumb move.

England going a lot more aggressive than I anticipated, though I guess it's still early enough that if everything goes right they may win.

 

[mr_mister]

Denly here for a good time not a long time

 

[NotMcKenzie]

I've never fully bought the "can't just shut up shop" comms line.

I've never bought it in the slightest. Do they know anything about cricket?

Edit:

South Africa

Just who I thought of.

 

[the big bambino]

Fantastic stuff by Roy. I wish England had 10 like him.

 

[morgieb]

Can't remember how much you followed cricket at the time but South Africa employed absolutely dead batting it a couple of times to great effect too, with one of the players you'd most associate with not liking it too (de Villiers).

If anything they took it to even greater extremes than Flower England side, especially since they have more strokeplayers.

 

[Prince EWS]

Misbah and Younis to confirm

To be fair it's a bit different in the UAE because no-one gets bounce there. He gets wickets when batsmen premeditate sweeps against him in Aus.

 

[Burgey]

I would have sent in Stokes at 4 really and made a statement to Australia

The statement would play straight into Lyons hands as he’s a much better bowler to lefties

 

[Burgey]

Paine having a nightmare

 

[Starfighter]

Yeah but that's only a problem under normal circumstances. Here he's happy to be swept, brings the top edge into play.

I honestly can't remember him getting too many top edges. Seems odd, don't know why.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Tim Appropriately Named

 

[slippy888]

Stokes is actually the best England batsman in current form sending him at 4 would be a risk worth taking he can bat time and ruin the bowlers thought process.

 

[Uppercut]

Can't remember how much you followed cricket at the time but South Africa employed absolutely dead batting it a couple of times to great effect too, with one of the players you'd most associate with not liking it too (de Villiers).

Yeah I remember seeing the scorecards.

I think AB was more adaptable than a lot of aggressive batsmen. Had that big innings at Headingley 2008 where he left the swinging ball religiously.

 

[morgieb]

I've never bought it in the slightest. Do they know anything about cricket?

I guess the logic is:

1. Puts more pressure back on the bowler rather than letting them bowl at you
2. If they shut down too much they'll struggle to build a proper innings

Agree they overuse it though.

 

[quincywagstaff]

This Australian performance reminds me of opening Test of their 2017 India tour. Brave selections, planned from along way out and after a stuttering start dominate on the back of a Smith masterclass.

 

[Burgey]

Denly is ****ing smoking them here

 

[Starfighter]

That's awful keeping.