Our first test squad of the Summer is announced today. The press seem to think our top 3 for the first match will be Lees, Crawley and Pope.
I hope they’re wrong.
Who would you like to see?
There isn’t really a quick fix with our top order. Having two players there who like to play shots and score quickly is a recipe for disaster so I’d probably go with something a bit more solid looking.
Lees Crawley Pope Root Bairstow Stokes Foakes Overton Leach Broad Anderson
Interesting that Overton has been included despite his injury scare. We desperately need someone at 8 that can hold a bat. Woakes left out meaning this spot is vacant. Can Potts bat a bit? 8 might be too high on his test debut, so they'll probably go with Overton.
The top 3 does looks very vulnerable, and they will get a proper working over from Southee, Boult and co. Interesting series coming up!
Lees Crawley Pope Root Bairstow Stokes Foakes Overton Leach Broad Anderson
Interesting that Overton has been included despite his injury scare. We desperately need someone at 8 that can hold a bat. Woakes left out meaning this spot is vacant. Can Potts bat a bit? 8 might be too high on his test debut, so they'll probably go with Overton.
The top 3 does looks very vulnerable, and they will get a proper working over from Southee, Boult and co. Interesting series coming up!
That seems bang on.
As a short term measure I’d have gone for Toby Roland-Jones at 8 over Overton, in good form with bat and ball and on his home ground. Plus I can’t abide Overton…….
We’ll do well to avoid a whitewash against New Zealand. You look through their side and there are no weaknesses, you look through ours and are left with more questions than answers.
Crawley has played over 20 tests now and averages under 30. We’ve all seen enough of him to know he’s not cut out for this level and his form in the County Championship this season has been poor.
Pope has failed to establish himself in the side batting at 5/6 and now we hope he’s going to be able to do a job at 3?
Our fascination with picking bowlers who can bat a bit means that Overton and Leach will play over the likes of Potts and Parkinson. Call me old fashioned but I’d be picking the four bowlers that’ll give us the best chance of taking twenty wickets, I couldn’t care less if they can bat or not.
The catch off the next to last ball was one of the best one-handed diving catches in the deep I think I have ever seen.
Agreed. It’s one of those where you watch the replay and still think he’ll shell it even though you know he didn’t. I don’t actually think the bowling was too bad by either team in general (perhaps Lucknow wobbled a bit in the later overs) but it was more a case of some supreme batting. De Kock scored 100 in boundaries alone!
Post by professorplump on May 18, 2022 22:04:54 GMT
It looks a pretty weak England team. With Crawley and Pope in the top three, I can see us being 20-2 after 5 overs. Without Woakes, it looks a weak lower order so our batsmen have to deliver. Sadly, I can't see Parkinson ever being picked until he improves his batting. Also think we have picked the wrong Overton. Jamie is a better prospect than Craig.
Australia have similar issues with their fast bowlers. (e.g. Pat Cummins missed 5 years with injury)
They just seem to have more quality fast bowlers to choose from, so that, over here, we don't really notice.
Cummins was a lot younger when he had his problems though (late teens into early 20's) he's been available for all formats pretty much ever since in fairness.
That's the worry some of the English lads whilst not old are hardly just starting out either (Archer is the one actually who's probably played less 4/5 day cricket than anyone)......
Australia have similar issues with their fast bowlers. (e.g. Pat Cummins missed 5 years with injury)
They just seem to have more quality fast bowlers to choose from, so that, over here, we don't really notice.
Cummins was a lot younger when he had his problems though (late teens into early 20's) he's been available for all formats pretty much ever since in fairness.
That's the worry some of the English lads whilst not old are hardly just starting out either (Archer is the one actually who's probably played less 4/5 day cricket than anyone)......
But it is not just Cummins. Coulter-Nile, Stark and Pattinson are 3 more (off the top of my head) who have all suffered serious long term injuries.
About 5 minutes ago on the IPL coverage, the commentator was asking why are so many Indian fast bowlers suffering hamstring problems at the moment.
There is an article in one of the newspapers today that raises an interesting question
