The Ashes - August/September 2019

[BetBuddy]

England don’t have any real test match batsman.

Nowadays the money is in ODI and T20.

You can see Roy is unhappy batting that way. He doesn’t want to spend 8 hours scoring 25 runs. It’s not in his DNA, therefore he will take risks when he shouldn’t etc.

[greenmark]

England don’t have any real test match batsman.

Nowadays the money is in ODI and T20.

You can see Roy is unhappy batting that way. He doesn’t want to spend 8 hours scoring 25 runs. It’s not in his DNA, therefore he will take risks when he shouldn’t etc.

Sadly, you are absolutely spot on about Roy.

[superfrank]

Test cricket (and their markets) are so often fascinating, today being a case in point.

Shame Roy had that brain fart.

[PunterLog]

At best, England have 3 batsmen who are proper Test quality bats. The rest of the hacks should stick to LOI's.

Having different set of players for Tests and LOI's is absolutely necessary if you want to dominate all formats. It should be no surprise to see that England increasingly focussing on LOI's has costed them results in the Test format.

[superfrank]

At best, England have 3 batsmen who are proper Test quality bats. The rest of the hacks should stick to LOI's.

Root, Stokes, who's the 3rd?!!

[greenmark]

Roy is a South African. That ludicrous charge down the pitch to Lyon (and missing spectacularly) tells you all you need to know about his motivation.

[greenmark]

OK. Radical thought. Give captaincy to someone other than your top batsman. Maybe....errr.... the wicket keeper. He then does all the "Captain" media, pressing of the flesh, corporate beano's. Your top batsman gets rest and can still input to the on-field tactics.
Oh butter! The Aussies have got there first.

[Berts Certs]

OK. Radical thought. Give captaincy to someone other than your top batsman. Maybe....errr.... the wicket keeper. He then does all the "Captain" media, pressing of the flesh, corporate beano's. Your top batsman gets rest and can still input to the on-field tactics.
Oh butter! The Aussies have got there first.

Smith was captain until he was banned for cheating, this test he seemed to be conducting things out in the middle quite a lot.

[BetBuddy]

Its a test match and the ashes. What you need is someone that can get in the Aussie faces and question their bowling and turn the self doubt back onto them.

There have been a few capable of doing that but ALL got themselves into trouble with the management.

Botham, Flintoff and KP. None of whom were great at opening. But at number 3 and above, they seriously got in the opposition's faces when needed. All 3 knew how to play the occasion.

I once watched KP block 18 balls and the next over hit 3 fours and 2 sixes in a test match. Call him what you may but at his peak he was an arrogant, unplayable world of grieve for a fast, medium or spin bowler.

Maybe the management should get on the phone and ask for some non playing help!!!!!

[PunterLog]

At best, England have 3 batsmen who are proper Test quality bats. The rest of the hacks should stick to LOI's.

Root, Stokes, who's the 3rd?!!

Though he's just starting out, Burns at least has the temperament for Test cricket.

Its a test match and the ashes. What you need is someone that can get in the Aussie faces and question their bowling and turn the self doubt back onto them.

Spot on!

Opponents need to learn to get into the face of the Aussies. Virat Kohli has been one such captain who's happy to give it to the Aussies and people need to learn that you need to beat the Aussies at their own game.

[greenmark]

Burns played and missed over 40 times. He was super lucky to make 140.
He isn't the next big thing.... yet!!

[PunterLog]

Burns played and missed over 40 times. He was super lucky to make 140.
He isn't the next big thing.... yet!!

I watched every ball of his first innings,which is why i said he has the temperament. In no way did i say that he's an amazing bat. He's better than the other filth as far as temperament goes and he can improve.

[greenmark]

So the ultimate batsman is a Boycott/Botham hybrid. Its just about when to defend or attack. So Roy failed miserably. One of the most cretinous decisions I've seen in a test. He clearly decided to knock Lyon out of the park, but had a talent failure.

[BetBuddy]

So the ultimate batsman is a Boycott/Botham hybrid. Its just about when to defend or attack. So Roy failed miserably. One of the most cretinous decisions I've seen in a test. He clearly decided to knock Lyon out of the park, but had a talent failure.

Roy is not a test player. Should never have been picked for that format of the game. I think when asked he will openly admit it.

Who wants to bat for several hours, make 30 runs and get paid £12k for a test match when you can go play T20 in the IPL and earn £800k plus for 5 weeks work ?

[Archangel]

England a bigger price for the second test than they were for the first. Given what we have seen so far it looks generous. These lines will be different by next week I imagine