5th Test 12-16 September 2019 The Oval

I'm glad England won, glad the Aussies haven't won in England since 2001 and that the likes of Stokes and Archer have shone. This team has a lot of work to do but the future is bright. Getting the right head coach though is important. And a bowling plan for Smith.

It's been interesting seeing the social media "Furore" over Gower and Botham leaving. Reportedly on large salaries and unwilling to embrace certain technologies but feels harsh to see both go in the manner they did. Gower has been stale for years, but Botham not so much.
 
A little bit of a black mark against Leach. Root putting himself on to break the stubborn partnership and the commentators also considering the prospect of Denly bowling an over or two. Leach has provided a lot of entertainment this summer with his gutsy batting but he’s there to take wickets and, in conditions that should suit him, he’s not really threatened often enough.

That delivery to Paine
 
I'm glad England won, glad the Aussies haven't won in England since 2001 and that the likes of Stokes and Archer have shone. This team has a lot of work to do but the future is bright. Getting the right head coach though is important. And a bowling plan for Smith.

It's been interesting seeing the social media "Furore" over Gower and Botham leaving. Reportedly on large salaries and unwilling to embrace certain technologies but feels harsh to see both go in the manner they did. Gower has been stale for years, but Botham not so much.

What happened?
 
I'm glad England won, glad the Aussies haven't won in England since 2001 and that the likes of Stokes and Archer have shone. This team has a lot of work to do but the future is bright. Getting the right head coach though is important. And a bowling plan for Smith.

It's been interesting seeing the social media "Furore" over Gower and Botham leaving. Reportedly on large salaries and unwilling to embrace certain technologies but feels harsh to see both go in the manner they did. Gower has been stale for years, but Botham not so much.
Gower sounded quite bitter about it and Botham apparently is going to concentrate on his wine business!
 
So for NZ who will be in the squad?
I am assuming that the 11 who started will be in the squad (possible exception of Woakes if Anderson and Wood are fit).
Who will the back up spinner be?
Will Foakes go and Crawley or Sibley?
 
Gower sounded quite bitter about it and Botham apparently is going to concentrate on his wine business!
Gower did a quite bitter interview with the press a few weeks back and you could feel a sense of this isn't fair this diversity lark - ironic since Gua is now off to the BBC. I suspect in part because it's been easy money for them both. I guess not being willing to make a prat of yourself like Bumble has it's deficiencies.
 
So for NZ who will be in the squad?
I am assuming that the 11 who started will be in the squad (possible exception of Woakes if Anderson and Wood are fit).
Who will the back up spinner be?
Will Foakes go and Crawley or Sibley?
I think it depends who the new coach is. Root will want his pals in but he shouldn't get his own way. Great win yesterday but it papered over some very large cracks batting wise.
I think we need to rebuild now. I would go back to a traditional test line up with a specialist keeper and the all rounder at 6.
Burns
Sibley
Root
Denly
Northeast/Pope
Stokes
Foakes
Curran
Archer
Leach
Broad
The rest of the squad should be balanced so that we can cover all areas. I would call up the Gloucs all rounder Higgins to understudy Stokes.
Roy, Bairstow and Buttler are fantastic white ball batsman and with loads of that coming up they should be told to just concentrate on that from now on. Some may say thats harsh but I don't think it is. It's probably doing them all a favour!!
 
I think it depends who the new coach is. Root will want his pals in but he shouldn't get his own way. Great win yesterday but it papered over some very large cracks batting wise.
I think we need to rebuild now. I would go back to a traditional test line up with a specialist keeper and the all rounder at 6.
Burns
Sibley
Root
Denly
Northeast/Pope
Stokes
Foakes
Curran
Archer
Leach
Broad
The rest of the squad should be balanced so that we can cover all areas. I would call up the Gloucs all rounder Higgins to understudy Stokes.
Roy, Bairstow and Buttler are fantastic white ball batsman and with loads of that coming up they should be told to just concentrate on that from now on. Some may say thats harsh but I don't think it is. It's probably doing them all a favour!!

Curran would depend on where we are touring for me. Should be a cert for in English conditions though. Also, I'd stick with Buttler as I think he adds something different, is an outstanding fielder and is cover for the wicketkeeper. Bairstow has done it in the past but needs to play 4 day cricket to get his mojo back. Roy I would tell to stick to one day cricket where he is excellent.
 
Roy, Bairstow and Buttler are fantastic white ball batsman and with loads of that coming up they should be told to just concentrate on that from now on. Some may say thats harsh but I don't think it is. It's probably doing them all a favour!!
Bairstow averages over 35 in Tests! Playing wicketkeeper for much of it. That is an excellent average .
To suggest that he is only a white ball player is totally wrong.
 
Result apart - and yes batting on both sides was a bit on the weakside (with obvious exceptions!)- it was, in the main, a fairly decent and exciting Ashes test series IMO

With Bayliss gone now, hopefully a lot of changes to the Test set up will happen, sooner the better IMO.... main one being building a team for test matches, one that can bat in test matches at that
 
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Baristow's average has been sliding in the past couple of years - there was a graphic on Sky the other week when they were talking about the batting order since he came back into the test side. He has a decision to make - change his stance to continue to lead the one day side, or compromise to keep his test place.
 
Bairstow averages over 35 in Tests! Playing wicketkeeper for much of it. That is an excellent average .
To suggest that he is only a white ball player is totally wrong.
Overall 35 yes.
But the last two years have seen a big drop. His last 17 innings averages 20 with two 50's a drop from 30 the year before. His 35 average mainly comes from 2016 when he averaged 58.
Buttler is not much better. His last 16 innings averages 26 with three 50's a drop from 44 the year before. In 64 test innings he has only ever hit a 100 once. Lets not forget he is playing as a batsman only in tests and has had to drop down to 7!!
I love them both in white ball cricket. I just feel their technical ability in test cricket has been exposed, especially Bairstow
 
Overall 35 yes.
But the last two years have seen a big drop. His last 17 innings averages 20 with two 50's a drop from 30 the year before. His 35 average mainly comes from 2016 when he averaged 58.
Buttler is not much better. His last 16 innings averages 26 with three 50's a drop from 44 the year before. In 64 test innings he has only ever hit a 100 once. Lets not forget he is playing as a batsman only in tests and has had to drop down to 7!!
I love them both in white ball cricket. I just feel their technical ability in test cricket has been exposed, especially Bairstow
Many England batmen are far more used to limited over Internationals/ and the Indian T20 league too in some cases, so theyre not getting in the right mindset - or utilising the right basic techniques , for batting in test matches ..... the England batting coaching set up needs to address that urgently IMO
 
Overall 35 yes.
But the last two years have seen a big drop. His last 17 innings averages 20 with two 50's a drop from 30 the year before. His 35 average mainly comes from 2016 when he averaged 58.
Buttler is not much better. His last 16 innings averages 26 with three 50's a drop from 44 the year before. In 64 test innings he has only ever hit a 100 once. Lets not forget he is playing as a batsman only in tests and has had to drop down to 7!!
I love them both in white ball cricket. I just feel their technical ability in test cricket has been exposed, especially Bairstow
I wonder if Buttler actually wants to carry on in test cricket. He mentioned in an interview this week that he hadn’t enjoyed batting in this series much until he let loose on Friday. Maybe he’d prefer to concentrate on white ball cricket?
 
So for NZ who will be in the squad?
I am assuming that the 11 who started will be in the squad (possible exception of Woakes if Anderson and Wood are fit).
Who will the back up spinner be?
Will Foakes go and Crawley or Sibley?

So Aggers pointed out that the Test Series with New Zealand doesn't count as part of the 2019-21 Test Championship, but the later series against South Africa and then Sri Lanka do. (as for why that's the case.....you'll have to ask the ICC!)

Given that we're hosting the final in June 2021, I suspect we'd quite like to be in it. In which case, those two series later this year are going to be crucial.

Sooooo…..this New Zealand series is probably the time for a) Root, Anderson & Broad to take a rest, and b) to try out some of the possible younger players. But we want to be back to fielding our strongest possible side by the time we take on the Saffers.

Assuming the squads are sixteen strong, something like:

New Zealand: Burns, Denly, Sibley, Pope, Crawley, Stokes, Foakes, Buttler, Archer, Curran, Leach, Overton, Woakes, Stone, Bess, Wood

South Africa: Burns, Root, Stokes, Foakes, Buttler, Archer, Anderson, Broad, Leach, Overton, Wood, Stone, Bess + whichever three of Denly/Sibley/Pope/Crawley play best in NZ

Notes:
- Assumes that Stokes wants to go play in NZ because that's where he's from
- Assumes that Dom Bess is (in a world where Moeen still hasn't got his act together) still our second best spin bowler. Someone who follows county cricket more closely than I do will probably know if this is true
- Assumes that Mark Wood and Olly Stone can get fit and stay fit (very dangerous assumption)
- Drops Bairstow because I think his recent play deserves it, I don't think there's space for him and Buttler in the squad, and I think Jos has been better in the last eighteen months
- Drops Curran & Woakes for South Africa because I don't think they'll be a ton of use on the hard, bouncy pitches there. They'll be effective in NZ though.
 
So Aggers pointed out that the Test Series with New Zealand doesn't count as part of the 2019-21 Test Championship, but the later series against South Africa and then Sri Lanka do. (as for why that's the case.....you'll have to ask the ICC!)

Given that we're hosting the final in June 2021, I suspect we'd quite like to be in it. In which case, those two series later this year are going to be crucial.

Sooooo…..this New Zealand series is probably the time for a) Root, Anderson & Broad to take a rest, and b) to try out some of the possible younger players. But we want to be back to fielding our strongest possible side by the time we take on the Saffers.

Assuming the squads are sixteen strong, something like:

New Zealand: Burns, Denly, Sibley, Pope, Crawley, Stokes, Foakes, Buttler, Archer, Curran, Leach, Overton, Woakes, Stone, Bess, Wood

South Africa: Burns, Root, Stokes, Foakes, Buttler, Archer, Anderson, Broad, Leach, Overton, Wood, Stone, Bess + whichever three of Denly/Sibley/Pope/Crawley play best in NZ

Notes:
- Assumes that Stokes wants to go play in NZ because that's where he's from
- Assumes that Dom Bess is (in a world where Moeen still hasn't got his act together) still our second best spin bowler. Someone who follows county cricket more closely than I do will probably know if this is true
- Assumes that Mark Wood and Olly Stone can get fit and stay fit (very dangerous assumption)
- Drops Bairstow because I think his recent play deserves it, I don't think there's space for him and Buttler in the squad, and I think Jos has been better in the last eighteen months
- Drops Curran & Woakes for South Africa because I don't think they'll be a ton of use on the hard, bouncy pitches there. They'll be effective in NZ though.
I definitely think Root will be on the plane to NZ. He’s desperate to keep the captaincy and establish his authority and identity on the team. With a new coach coming in, if the stand-in captain (say Stokes) has success and strikes up a good rapport with him, Root could possibly feel a little undermined
 
The series in NZ not counting to anything really helps blood those players. It would be tempting to play Curran at 6 to see what he has batting higher up to help inform what he is - a batter who bowls or a bowler who bats? Maybe even take Tom Curran too. We really need to blood some young players or give the likes of Pope another go.
 
The series in NZ not counting to anything really helps blood those players. It would be tempting to play Curran at 6 to see what he has batting higher up to help inform what he is - a batter who bowls or a bowler who bats? Maybe even take Tom Curran too. We really need to blood some young players or give the likes of Pope another go.
I think that Tom Curran is out injured for a while?
I am sure that Pope and Crawley or Sibley will get their chance
 
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