*Official* Second Test at Lord's

[Furball]

I dont and never have bought that argument. Im not saying I am right, just saying I dont agree. Every game must be played independent of the rest unless it is the final game of the series.

I completely disagree, I think the fact that the 1st Test only finished on Monday and the workrate of both Anderson and Swann needs to be taken into consideration. Why bowl virtually all day today and into tomorrow with the weather set the way it is?

 

[wpdavid]

I completely disagree, I think the fact that the 1st Test only finished on Monday and the workrate of both Anderson and Swann needs to be taken into consideration. Why bowl virtually all day today and into tomorrow with the weather set the way it is?

Sounds fair. The decision will be criticised if we do fold for a totally inadequate total that gives Aus a chance, but you have to assume that your batting will be competent when you make these calls.

 

[Pothas]

Bob on fine form here.

 

[Furball]

Cliffs? Watching Super League atm.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

I haven't watched tonights bob rant but he was saying what we all think about Bairstow last night. Something that the main comms won't do.

I love me a bit of Bob. He's far enough removed from it to say exactly what he thinks.

 

[MW1304]

I think if you look at how our batters' averages have been dropping over the last year and a bit, but our bowlers' averages have also been dropping, it says a lot about their respective performances and how much we have relied on one group to consistently get the other group out of a hole.

 

[Pothas]

I haven't watched tonights bob rant but he was saying what we all think about Bairstow last night. Something that the main comms won't do.

I love me a bit of Bob. He's far enough removed from it to say exactly what he thinks.

Fantastic weather forecaster as well.

 

[greg]

I think if you look at how our batters' averages have been dropping over the last year and a bit, but our bowlers' averages have also been dropping, it says a lot about their respective performances and how much we have relied on one group to consistently get the other group out of a hole.

Maybe, although i don't think one can exclude the fact that our batting line up is coming down from an almost unprecedented peak, whilst our two main pace bowlers are still recovering from the statistical effects of the slow starts to their careers. In the 2010/11 Ashes we won 3 tests by an innings. In Australia. Against pretty much the same bowling attack we are facing now which is now routinely described as 'dangerous' (needless to say it wasn't so described then!).

I think there are probably elements of age creeping in to some of the batsmen's games. And Cook has often gone through lengthy lean spells which almost overnight seem to seamlessly morph into lengthy godlike spells. He hasn't been throwing away starts, he just hasn't been getting them in the first place. There is also presumably the usual problem of having less time to work on his game now he is captain (and in the One Day side).

I'm pretty confident that this evening's mini collapse can be put squarely down to the effects of two sessions in the field. Doesn't sound a lot but it really was incredibly hot out there. They have obviously suffered a bit more damage than they were hoping, and it will be tougher for Bell tomorrow coming in when the bowlers will be a bit fresher, but it is very difficult to see them doing badly enough to genuinely give Australia a sniff. Especially with the ball turning as it is. Could do with Prior getting his act together again though.

 

[MW1304]

There's obviously mitigations and its a very vague point, but it does reflect a general theme in our Test performances.

 

[Furball]

How are England facing pretty much the same bowling attack?

Only Siddle and Harris of the current touring party played in the last series.

 

[GIMH]

Watson and Smith too obv

 

[Cabinet96]

Three out of five tbf. Obviously Patto and Agar are better than Hilf and Doherty though.

 

[Furball]

Did Smith even bowl in the last Ashes? And Watson's bowling isn't a factor either, IIRC he didn't bowl at Perth.

Point remains. Siddle played all 5 Tests, Harris played 3. Hilfenhaus and Johnson played 4 and aren't here, Doherty and Beer played 2 and 1 and aren't here. It's not remotely close to being the same attack.

 

[GIMH]

Did Smith even bowl in the last Ashes? And Watson's bowling isn't a factor either, IIRC he didn't bowl at Perth.

Point remains. Siddle played all 5 Tests, Harris played 3. Hilfenhaus and Johnson played 4 and aren't here, Doherty and Beer played 2 and 1 and aren't here. It's not remotely close to being the same attack.

Pretty sure smith bowled now and again but I was just being pedantic tbh

 

[greg]

Watson and Smith too obv

Well quite. With the differences being Starc, who has been dropped, and Pattinson who must potentially be in danger of following him.

Not that it really makes a difference to my point - which is that we've had a period of unprecedented riches from our batsmen over a 2-3 year period, and some of what is happening now is a reversion to a norm. Even more so if the attacks they are facing are better!

Complaining about batsmen not turning hundreds into 150+ is a sign of our changed horizons (remember the nineties when i think we went for 2-3 years with barely a century in sight for the whole team!). But also a sign perhaps that sometimes we are asking a bit too much.

 

[Burgey]

Trott's not out of form at all, he's just doing an impersonation of Shane Watson and finding ways of getting out when he's well set.

Unlike Watson, it isn't always the same way though.

 

[greg]

Trott seems to have speeded up a bit to me at the crease - both in his mannerisms and scoring rate. I don't know if the former is down to umpires saying something, and i wonder if he has actually been affected by some of the criticism he got from his batting on the third evening against New Zealand. The media loved to criticise England for being too boring and "machine like" when they were doing everything right, and now like to criticise them for not being so when they aren't.

 

[Cabinet96]

He certainly has seemed to have lost a bit of paitence in his game. There were a few airy drives that cost him his wicket against South Africa last year, and it stayed the same against New Zealand.

 

[Adders]

16 wickets for the day on a wicket the "experts" were calling a road and excellent for batting???

Seriously, that scorecard has the look of a train wreck about it and makes Ian Bell look like he's from a higher division. As you may have picked up I'm a bit a fan of Belly, but lets be honest here......he aint that ****ng good!!

How the **** can we piss our pants laughing at the Aussies when we're 30/3 for the second time in the test ourselves???

Gotta be one of the most bizarre test I've ever witnessed.

 

[GIMH]

Pietersen's reaction to Watson reviewing was brilliant