*Official* Second Test (Lord's, London) 28 June–2 July

[halba]

Said David Warner as he edged behind for the 8th time in 20 balls.

Apparently smith and Labuschagne were unable to play neser in the nets. He must play at lords!

 

[Daemon]

Neser is such a swing bowlers name. Sounds like he’ll snake right through your bat pad gap. It’s like Wasim.

 

[Burgey]

I reckon Wasim would play if he was in the squad

 

[Woodster]

Josh Tongue the only change for the England side, coming in for Moeen at Lords…..I did not see that coming!

 

[social]

Woakes I could understand because he’s good with the ball in England & can bat but Tongue is a very strange selection

 

[Woodster]

Would have thought Wood would get the nod ahead of both of them for that x-factor option.

 

[Gnske]

Are they trying to get Stokes banned for slow over rates?

 

[Molehill]

Woakes I could understand because he’s good with the ball in England & can bat but Tongue is a very strange selection

Tongue was the pick of the bowlers in the Ireland Test. Unlucky in the first innings but a deserved 5fer in the 2nd. He also got Smith out in a County Match. I'm still surprised by the decision and it lengthens the tail too (imagine he'll bat at 10).

 

[social]

Would have thought Wood would get the nod ahead of both of them for that x-factor option.

In an ideal world, Wood would bowl a maximum of 15 overs per day

Maybe want someone who can bowl more?

That’s all I got

 

[chris.hinton]

Tongue will get the Aussies hopping about. A good choice. Broad/Anderson will be better on a more helpful deck and with Robinson, Stokes & Root to back up. It's going to be more fun. No Aussie will score a century

 

[Burgey]

I thought he bowled well vs Ireland from what I saw of him. Is Wood injured though, or just not preferred?

 

[trundler]

Tongue will get the Aussies hopping about

Isr

 

[Molehill]

I thought he bowled well vs Ireland from what I saw of him. Is Wood injured though, or just not preferred?

It would suggest the pitch will offer more for the seamers than raw pace. I'm guessing that probably rules Starc out too.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah would think Boland holds his place ahead of him if that’s the case, or Neser comes in. Though he mostly swings it I guess

 

[Woodster]

In an ideal world, Wood would bowl a maximum of 15 overs per day

Maybe want someone who can bowl more?

That’s all I got

With him having not played much cricket of late it is a fair assumption that he might not offer much reassurance with the number of overs he could get through. Doesn’t quite seem in-keeping with previous selections if that is the reason given though.

 

[Spark]

If Lyon is bowling on a seaming pitch then something has already gone wrong.

He's actually pretty good on greentops tbh. Gets good bounce which has long been one of his main weapons.

If he hasn't bowled that probably means England have gotten a double figure score, he's usually good for a few overs by the middle session drinks break.

 

[Socerer 01]

I thought he bowled well vs Ireland from what I saw of him. Is Wood injured though, or just not preferred?

someone said both Woakes and Wood aren’t fit

 

[Woodster]

I thought he bowled well vs Ireland from what I saw of him. Is Wood injured though, or just not preferred?

Yes I like Tongue from what I’ve seen of him, admittedly not much in the last 12 months or so. He looked a handful against Ireland, I’m more surprised about how he’s leapfrogged more likely candidates.

 

[Woodster]

It would suggest the pitch will offer more for the seamers than raw pace. I'm guessing that probably rules Starc out too.

Yes but when you’ve got Broad, Anderson, Robinson who thrive on pitches/conditions with something in them surely you can afford an alternative style just in case they don’t quite read the pitch accurately, which isn’t unheard of.

I actually think Tongue is slightly different, bit more aggressive, bit more pace, but we’re not talking Mark Wood point of difference.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

No Aussie will score a century

The trouble for England is that a Pakistani and a South African probably will though.