Cricket- the sport not the insect

[Cyivel]

Just when it looked like we might get a game, the rain is back, annoying.

KP gets a hundred on his return for Surrey.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Well bottled from England. 110-4 needing 30 from 4 overs with 2 set batsmen in...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Looks like Bairstow is getting picked despite 0 form and not having played a substantial innings all season.

Amazed how many people view it as Compton vs Root - terrifying that sort of misdirection works with some cretins.

 

[darwin553]

Jackson Bird bowled well yesterday

 

[Froome19]

Looks like Bairstow is getting picked despite 0 form and not having played a substantial innings all season.

Amazed how many people view it as Compton vs Root - terrifying that sort of misdirection works with some cretins.

In a way it is Compton V Root as Bairstow has an advantage as you want the better player playing higher up the order in this case (Root) so Root is more likely to take Compton's place as it is more important for the selectors to have a good opener then a good number 5/6.

So it is not a direct Compton V Bairstow as just because Compton may be performing better doesn't mean he will get picked. Whilst England want the best opener they can find.. therefore Compton V Root, though of course Root's place is secure just his opening place isn't.

 

[hoerpi]

In a way it is Compton V Root as Bairstow has an advantage as you want the better player playing higher up the order in this case (Root) so Root is more likely to take Compton's place as it is more important for the selectors to have a good opener then a good number 5/6.

So it is not a direct Compton V Bairstow as just because Compton may be performing better doesn't mean he will get picked. Whilst England want the best opener they can find.. therefore Compton V Root, though of course Root's place is secure just his opening place isn't.

I don't really see Bairstow's advantage since Root clearly has showed that he is a great middle order batsman so far in his short test career, Bairstow hasn't showed too much lately. No he's alsow been warming the bench in CT and it was a long time since his last competetive game.

 

[Alphabet]

Bairstow looks to me to be another product of England's approach of fast-tracking players from the high performance set-up to the team, at the detriment of better players who perhaps weren't quite as impressive when they were 15 but now they're 25 are far ahead of high performance set-up members.

Going down this route will ruin your cricket team. It did so with us (see: Hughes and Warner getting chance after chance while Rogers scores 20k first class runs before getting noticed).

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Early call.... England to win 3 - 0.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Early call.... England to win 3 - 0.

England always seems to have one absolute shocker so I'm going for another 3-1 win. 10 Ashes test's in 6 months, bring it on!

 

[darwin553]

England 2-1 for first Ashes test series. For Aussie tour Australia 3-2

 

[darwin553]

Argh **** - clarke's back has gone again

 

[Cyivel]

3-1 England in both.

 

[hoerpi]

4-1 to England.

 

[Gubby Allen]

3-1 to England.

Its bound to p1ss down at some point in August and someone cling onto a nerve jangling draw.

Otherwise, could see Aussies sneaking one of the first two but nothing more.

 

[Alphabet]

If Australia don't win/perform strongly in the first test, England may win this 3 or 4-0. This squad hasn't shown very much character or bounce-back-ability before, so a good start is crucial to maintaining motivation and morale. If Australia win the first test I can see a 2-2 or a 2-1 (England's way) series. Both of which would be perfectly acceptable outcomes, good experience for the next tour for the new generation as well as a confidence boost coming into the home series, which I think we should go in expecting to win (pending the result of this series, that may change).

 

[darwin553]

Go Australia - both surprise selections for Australia good calls I reckon. Smith in for Warner and Agar in for Lyon.

 

[auscyclefan94]

God save our Aussie team, Long live our Aussie team, God save the Aussie Team, Send them victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over England, God save the Aussie team!

 

[darwin553]

Terrible first over from Pattinson!

 

[darwin553]

Great delivery from Pattinson to take the wicket of the English captain

 

[auscyclefan94]

Great delivery from Pattinson to take the wicket of the English captain

It wasn't a great delivery. It was quite wide actually. England doing quite well atm. Very healthy run rate.

 

[movingtarget]

Siddle's wicket was a great ball.

 

[darwin553]

I got to say although Siddle and Pattinson have got the wickets, they have also bowled a lot of ****.

 

[darwin553]

Haha another great delivery by Siddle gets Trott

 

[movingtarget]

I got to say although Siddle and Pattinson have got the wickets, they have also bowled a lot of ****.

Yeah they need Cummins and Harris back in the team when they are fit. Starc has not been too good either.

 

[thrawn]

Yeah they need Cummins and Harris back in the team when they are fit. Starc has not been too good either.

No to Harris. Will just get injured again after 1 game, no point picking him.

Starc shouldn't be in the team. Good one day bowler, just can't seem to control the red ball all that well. Johnson-esque. Having said that, he's a better batsman than most of the actual batsmen...