2nd Test The Ashes - England v Australia @ Lords

[yellowbow]

The English top order batting isn't good enough consistently to make a platform that gives the lower order the freedom to make runs quickly (they have to dig in so we get some sort of respectable score). That in turn means the bowlers are always trying to make up for the deficiencies of the batsmen. Imagine if todays top three had managed to stay in. We would have scored our runs quicker and would have had another five or six overs (at least) to bowl at the Aussies.

The big question though is what do the selectors do? Dropping Roy is an option but who replaces him, someone else who as also failed? Roy is clearly all at sea with trying to work out how to bat in test matches but he just has to play his normal game. I know the white ball in one day cricket acts differently but even in that form of the game he still has to play sensibly to start with before he starts flailing the willow. I think he’s over thinking things at the moment. Stick to what you do best JR and block all the white noise out. 5 day cricket doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t bat aggressively and dictate the game, Marcus Trescothick did alright! He just needs a decent knock to get his confidence up

 

[Oufcrealist]

The big question though is what do the selectors do? Dropping Roy is an option but who replaces him, someone else who as also failed? Roy is clearly all at sea with trying to work out how to bat in test matches but he just has to play his normal game. I know the white ball in one day cricket acts differently but even in that form of the game he still has to play sensibly to start with before he starts flailing the willow. I think he’s over thinking things at the moment. Stick to what you do best JR and block all the white noise out. 5 day cricket doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t bat aggressively and dictate the game, Marcus Trescothick did alright! He just needs a decent knock to get his confidence up

Roy is not an opener in county cricket, thats the problem. He bats in the middle order in the longer game. We need specialists in each position and opener is one of the most important along with wicket keeper.

 

[RATC]

Reckon if we didn't have that rain delay we would've got them.

 

[Gary Baldi]

I saw someone suggest James Hildreth as replacement to open the batting instead of Roy.

As for today, the Aussies look flat out scared of Archer. It's been a long time since I've seen an Aussie batting order look so vulnerable to out and out pace and the fans complaining about how physical it's got at Lords. They don't like it up 'em, it seems.

Lest we forget their teams witty bantz about Anderson breaking his arm. Then it was funny. Now they are worried.

 

[nige01ox]

From this thread, Jan 2018:

Has anyone seen any of Jofra Archer in the Big Bash? Gutted we've gotta wait another 5 years to see him in an England shirt!

The ECB shortening the qualifying period is the best decision they ever made! What a superstar this lad is, and he's only played one test. Will be a fixture for 10+ years. The guy is a machine - in the first innings even into his 27/28th overs he was getting it up at 93+mph. Wheels

 

[Shropshire U]

Roy is clearly all at sea with trying to work out how to bat in test matches but he just has to play his normal game.

Agreed, and play that normal game lower down the order. The same applies to Buttler, who seems to be playing like some kind of cramped, dithering version of his usual aggressive self.

 

[Marked Ox]

Agreed, and play that normal game lower down the order. The same applies to Buttler, who seems to be playing like some kind of cramped, dithering version of his usual aggressive self.

Thankfully Buttler played like it was a test match where we were in trouble, like we were and he supported Ben Stokes long enough to get him on his way. This was necessary after the way the top order performed.

 

[RATC]

Be interesting to see what we do with Roy drop him or move him down the order.

I'd personally have Denly and Burns open with Bairstow at 4 and Stokes at 5 with Roy and Butler at 6 and 7. I'd take the gloves of Bairstow and give them Buttler as well. But that's just me.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Starting at 3, Root, Stokes, Bairstow, Roy, Buttler, Woakes, is potentially such a strong middle order, no matter what exact order you have them in.

Burns seems to have done enough to cement his place as an opener. Just need to find a reliable partner for him.

Bowlers we have incredible options:

Pace: Archer, Wood, Stone
Seam/Swing: Anderson, Broad, Woakes
Spin: Leach, Moeen

Good luck picking from them if they’re all fit/in form! (Which will be rare, I admit!)

But overall, there’s reasons to be optimistic. If we could somehow unearth a young Alistair Cook, we’d be quite the side.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Jack Leach also bowled well in that test - it highlighted how out of sorts Moeen has been recently when the Aussie batsmen had to work hard against a spinner. Hopefully Moeen will kick on again so if we need to, we can have 2 spinner in later tests