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

[Gob]

Well Woakes is not necessarily a tailender

 

[loterry1994]

Well Woakes is not necessarily a tailender

they basically gave him the easiest way to score by taking out Starc and letting Boland bowl that situation.I know people say he can’t be on forever but in this situation you had to push it a bit. Because he came back too late took another wicket when it was basically over

 

[Niall]

Woakes bat above Ali next test?

 

[trundler]

Head opening will go about as well as Brook at 3. Speaking of, I don't understand why people are so keen to discredit him after 2.5 moderate matches against the best attack in the world. He's not suited to batting up the order and has one glaring weakness but that describes many great #5s tbf.

That said, if people want to irrationally hate a cricketer I'm all for it.

 

[mackembhoy]

Woakes bat above Ali next test?

I'd be surprised if he doesn't bat 3 again.

Brook clearly better suited at 5. Root isn't going there ever again.

He's batted top 3 more than anyone in the entire series for England in FC cricket.

 

[Isura]

Fly Warner home, Mitchell Marshall to open. What most likely will happen is they play Warner until the Ashes is lost.

 

[ParwazHaiJunoon]

For England - who bats at 3. Neither Brook nor Mo looked settled there. Root must move up.

Bairstow - looks cooked. Keeping and batting have been poor. Baz has to swallow his pride and go back to Foakes.

Keep Root at 4 & Brook at 5. Don't move them out of their comfort zones.

Get Foakes in & Move Bairstow up to open or at 3. (Bairstow is ODI opener. Tests are extended ODIs under Baz)

Bairstow, Crawley/Duckett, Mo, Root, Brook, Stokes, Foakes, Woakes, Wood, Broad, Tongue/Anderson/Robinson.

 

[honestbharani]

I know that the temptation to find a way to keep Marsh in is huge and I understand that. But Warner is a very key reason Aus have won 3 tests in England this season and the one test he failed in, they lost. England have paid the price somewhat of trying to fit in a performing batsman by sacrificing a specialist. I am not sure if Australia would/should do that.

 

[honestbharani]

Stokes, Foakes, Woakes

Niiice..

 

[Ashes81]

For England, assuming everyone is fit and it's the usual OT pitch I'd go
Crawley, Duckett, Root, Brook, Stokes, Foakes, Mo, Woakes, Wood, Broad, Tongue

For Australia
Khawaja, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Marsh, Green, Carey, Neser, Starc, Cummins, Murphy

Both sides are probably one batter light but have good depth and plenty of bowling options.

At OT you need pace and spin. I've assumed Stokes won't be bowling much if at all and we need to win so you have to have bowling options. Foakes is one place too high but needs must and we only have Tongue as a genuine tail ender

For Oz, I'd open with Labuschagne. As with England they're a bit short of batting options so I'd play the all rounders. Boland looks spent and I'd give Neser the nod over Hazlewood - his batting is so much stronger. With Cummins at 10, the batting has more depth which they'll need if Wood plays.

 

[Nintendo]

Head opening will go about as well as Brook at 3. Speaking of, I don't understand why people are so keen to discredit him after 2.5 moderate matches against the best attack in the world. He's not suited to batting up the order and has one glaring weakness but that describes many great #5s tbf.

That said, if people want to irrationally hate a cricketer I'm all for it.

Travis head in a nutshell haha.

 

[TimAngas]

I think Smith and Labuschagne got out playing tired looking shots in the second innings. The way they get hyped up through test matches is surely unsustainable with the short breaks between tests. After four highly competitive tests on the trot, I can't see them having much left in the tank.
Cummins too, needs a break for obvious reasons, physical and mental.

Good too for us fans to not get desensitised to the drama provided by this all time great series we are witnessing.

 

[wpdavid]

Not really a great match for Bairstow. His best moment was carrying that pitch invader off.

It was about the only thing he held all match iirc.

 

[slowfinger]

Sanga is thinking Moeen will bat three again

I like your England line up though

your Aussie line up is seam heavy and I’m not convinced by greens batting this summer so far

dropping Warner could be his finish if so ?

it’s funny how inept he looked at 3 considering he batted 3 his whole first class career ar Worcestershire

 

[Nicky]

Bairstow should just bat at #6 without keeping the wickets, that's when he was at his best. Drop Crawley, bring Foakes in.
Woakes or Stokes or even Ali should try to open It would anyway be better than Crawley.

Stokes
Duckett
Ali
Root
Brook
Bairstow
Foakes
Woakes
Wood
Broad
Tongue

I know this won't happen, but i'd be pleased to see Crawley out of this XI, finally...

 

[TimAngas]

I think they should open with Renshaw and leave Green out. Green looked kind of shot during the Lord's test and Marsh bowled well enough that I don't feel we lose a whole lot. I think it would depend on what the feel is in the camp though. If Green is chomping at the bit to get out there then I'd consider him, but he's looked increasing uncertain as this tour has worn on.

As for the bowling, happy to do a straight swap Hazelwood for Starc.

 

[trundler]

Travis head in a nutshell haha.

S Waugh, VVS, Clarke, Flower, Chanderpaul, basically every noteworthy lower order specialist in recent memory

 

[wpdavid]

For England, assuming everyone is fit and it's the usual OT pitch I'd go
Crawley, Duckett, Root, Brook, Stokes, Foakes, Mo, Woakes, Wood, Broad, Tongue

For Australia
Khawaja, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Marsh, Green, Carey, Neser, Starc, Cummins, Murphy

Both sides are probably one batter light but have good depth and plenty of bowling options.

Definitely Tongue for Robinson, especially as the latter is clearly not 100% fit. I know it's a brave move not to pick Jimmy at Old Trafford, but we all saw how he went in the first two games of the series, and time waits for no man. Root may as well bat at 3 given how he's gone since the first innings of the series. Our side does look one batsman light though. Maybe keep Bairstow instead of Mo and let Root bowl the slow stuff. I don't think they'll drop Bairstow anyway, which does complicate things.

 

[ashley bach]

I think they should open with Renshaw and leave Green out. Green looked kind of shot during the Lord's test and Marsh bowled well enough that I don't feel we lose a whole lot. I think it would depend on what the feel is in the camp though. If Green is chomping at the bit to get out there then I'd consider him, but he's looked increasing uncertain as this tour has worn on.

As for the bowling, happy to do a straight swap Hazelwood for Starc.

Renshaw has gone home I believe.

 

[kevinw]

England will probably swap Robinson out for Anderson and move Ali up to three. Bairstow will keep the whole series, for good or ill.