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scat1620

L'espion mal fait
May 11, 2008
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Don't know much about cricket, but I do have a lot of respect for whichever wag managed to fool Mike Atherton into informing the viewership that Hugh Jardon has 6 for 9 at Cockermouth during his commentary. Good skills.

 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,337
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Whatever happens in the remainder of this test I would bring back Broad for Wood and Roote for Denly and choose Foakes over Butler . My reasoning on the Butler / Foakes position is that Butler is proving to be a one day specialist and his technique seems to be lacking in test cricket as for Foakes from what I read from many cricket experts he is a better keeper than Butler / Bairstow and I think I am right in saying the last and only time he played in a test match he scored a century and was then dropped for either Butler or Barstow who both suit the one day game but come up short in test matches . Foakes is one unlucky fella to be dropped after scoring a century .

Agree with Broad for Wood, and Root for Denly.

Foakes wasn't scoring big runs in the county championship last year and his century was against Sri Lanka, so it's not as if he's banging the door down. An in-form Buttler can get us a quick 50, 75, and that's invaluable in the lower middle order; but his form hasn't been good for a while, so I'd give him one more Test, but have a word.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
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200 needed. Not enough for the bowlers, I don't think, but you never know. Someone needs to have a good day!
 

SE Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2018
2,669
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Good start from Archer. Injured one out for now, and a nice bit of bowling and fortune to get Brathwaite inside edge.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
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22,286
Agree with Broad for Wood, and Root for Denly.

Foakes wasn't scoring big runs in the county championship last year and his century was against Sri Lanka, so it's not as if he's banging the door down. An in-form Buttler can get us a quick 50, 75, and that's invaluable in the lower middle order; but his form hasn't been good for a while, so I'd give him one more Test, but have a word.
It’s not just about the runs though, Buttler isn’t even a good keeper, you saw with that one down the leg side off Stokes today, there are fine margins in tests and a decent keeper snaffles that up. Buttler needs dropping from the test side.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
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Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes (Wishful thinking)
Bess
Archer
Broad
Anderson

Would be my side. I understand why they did what they did and the bowling attack from The Rose Bowl will likely be the line up at the GABBA in 2021 providing there is no injuries, but I still want us to play to win every series.

Long term I see Pope at 3 but maybe not until next year. He's going to be as good as Ian Bell but with a lot more spunk so he'll be able to handle it.
 

sharky127

SC Supporter
Jan 14, 2005
2,465
1,100
Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Foakes (Wishful thinking)
Bess
Archer
Broad
Anderson

Would be my side. I understand why they did what they did and the bowling attack from The Rose Bowl will likely be the line up at the GABBA in 2021 providing there is no injuries, but I still want us to play to win every series.

Long term I see Pope at 3 but maybe not until next year. He's going to be as good as Ian Bell but with a lot more spunk so he'll be able to handle it.

They've got to bring Foakes in as he's a far better keeper (would have caught Blackwood down the leg side) and also much more suited to test match batting than Buttler but i doubt very much they will.

Pretty much agree with you team but I might keep Wood in the team instead of Broad but it depends on how the pitch looks.
 

Archibald&Crooks

Aegina Expat
Admin
Feb 1, 2005
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We do not pick the best wicketkeeper. The odd occasion aside we haven't done so for a very long time IIRC. We go for the best wicketkeeper/batsman. Otherwise James Foster would have had over 100 caps.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,337
54,973
We do not pick the best wicketkeeper. The odd occasion aside we haven't done so for a very long time IIRC. We go for the best wicketkeeper/batsman. Otherwise James Foster would have had over 100 caps.

I think Foakes will get the 3rd Test if Buttler flops in the 2nd, even though his County batting average in 2019 was less than 25.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,337
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England squad for second Test: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.

Anderson & Wood out.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
I think Foakes will get the 3rd Test if Buttler flops in the 2nd, even though his County batting average in 2019 was less than 25.
He’s also got the same amount of Test 100s as Buttler, you keep making this point about his County runs but it has never been the be all and end all, if it was Hick and Ramprakash would never have been dropped from the Test side.
 

Arnoldtoo

The thinking ape's ape
May 18, 2006
35,337
54,973
He’s also got the same amount of Test 100s as Buttler, you keep making this point about his County runs but it has never been the be all and end all, if it was Hick and Ramprakash would never have been dropped from the Test side.

I see the point, but to replace an incumbent who is on a bad run you really want someone who's banging the door down rather than being on a similarly bad run in an easier form of the game. Hick & Ramps demanded the chance through the runs they scored. Very sadly, they didn't take that chance.

If we had a reliable top 3 I think Foakes would be in by now, but before the last game the runs looked like they had to come from Stokes, Pope and (hopefully!) Buttler. With Root back, and Crawley looking promising, and Burns / Sibley showing signs of being a decent pair, this is Buttler's last chance, but it is still one that I would give him. (I admit that in part it's cos I like the guy, but I'd still give him one more chance.)
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
I see the point, but to replace an incumbent who is on a bad run you really want someone who's banging the door down rather than being on a similarly bad run in an easier form of the game. Hick & Ramps demanded the chance through the runs they scored. Very sadly, they didn't take that chance.

If we had a reliable top 3 I think Foakes would be in by now, but before the last game the runs looked like they had to come from Stokes, Pope and (hopefully!) Buttler. With Root back, and Crawley looking promising, and Burns / Sibley showing signs of being a decent pair, this is Buttler's last chance, but it is still one that I would give him. (I admit that in part it's cos I like the guy, but I'd still give him one more chance.)
Absolutely nothing wrong with showing faith in a player you like old chap, Christ I did it for years with Robin Smith even after he'd retired!

My ideal world was Buttler came back as a batsman and cemented his place that way, and I do prefer him as a keeper to Bairstow. I just lean towards Foakes maybe because as a former Keeper myself I want to see the best gloveman in the role.

Not sure anyone on here has ever listened to the podcast The Grade Cricketer? It's basically a couple of Aussies so I immediately filed it away under shite (soz @aussiespursguy) but it's actually alright. In the latest one they discuss Buttler as a "project" player along the same lines as Shane Watson, in that they always tried to find a role for him as they knew he was so talented. We also have to remember that when Ed Smith took over as Chief Selector, the first thing he did was bring Jos back from the IPL to play Test cricket (even though he'd only played about half a dozen First Class games in the previous 18 months), so I don't think he'll be overly keen to renege on nailing his balls to the mast in that respect.
 

Archibald&Crooks

Aegina Expat
Admin
Feb 1, 2005
55,533
204,721
Jofra Archer is out of this test now, for breaching bio-secure protocols.

We're not adding a replacement to the squad.

EDIT: Snap!
 
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