The Cricket Season of 2018/19

[oldracer]

I know why Kwaja averages 40.....he cant make any more jeebas

[Grumpy8]

We might need every last one of them

Reckon we will

[Grumpy8]

I know why Kwaja averages 40.....he cant make any more jeebas

Be very lucky to be in the next test team

[PerryGroves]

Be very lucky to be in the next test team

Obvious replacement from your viewing of shield cricket?

[Yossarian]

I know why Kwaja averages 40.....he cant make any more jeebas

Great insight.

[Stuart]

England aren't out of this yet - the pitch looks to be getting a bit easier, and Root is looking like a big score is very possible. If England can bat around him, another 200 is not impossible.

[TheNuclearOne]

Far from impossible but i'd still much rather be us at this point. We need wickets before they settle tomorrow and the second new ball is not too far around the corner. It might end up quite important. Luck might start to go with us again and taking chances when they come and getting reviews right will be of paramount importance.

Great effort by the Poms under immense pressure. how would the press asking for Root's captaincy look if he led them home? It's been pretty savage.

[oldracer]

Great insight.

typical lack of input, just pissweak potshots

[Yossarian]

Like you picking on the only player of colour in our team. Did you watch his ridiculous ton in the UAE?

Bit hypocritical to have a go about pissweak potshots.

[Yossarian]

Career average of 42.Series averages for last 5.56 v sri lanka28 v india76 v Pakistan 20 v south africa47 v englandHe isn't due he is just a bit hot and cold but not in a SOS way

Potshots 4 dayz

[coalesce]

That was never in doubt

[Pickles]

Woeful leadership in the last hour. How many balls in the last hour would have hit the wickets? Horror fields set, and don't get me started on the ridiculous review. Surely Smith takes back the captaincy next test.

[Yossarian]

Gee whiz

[Yossarian]

20190825_233050.jpg

[TheNuclearOne]

What a calamity at the finish. Harris dropped a hard one, they get taken but extremely tough under the conditions. Lyon's run out tho, wow. He's usually our rock under pressure. Poor review but the umpire missed a trick too. That's at least three times Lyon has been straightening from middle and leg to hit the stumps and not been given out. Amazing effort from the Poms regardless. It's going to be damn hard to pick ourselves up off the floor after that.

[SundayHack]

Credit where credit is due. Stokes played one of the great test match 100’s of all time.

[SundayHack]

Who makes way for Smith to return?

[Grumpy8]

Who makes way for Smith to return?

Paine , wade or Cummins as token captain

[Steve57]

Who makes way for Smith to return?

Harris unfortunately, Kwakker to open.

[TheNuclearOne]

Harris unfortunately, Kwakker to open.

That's been talked a bit. Not the easiest decision between Harris, Kwaka and even Wade. Wade has that brilliant ton and an important 30 odd last game at a potentially pivotal time. He adds a lot of enthusiasm in the field too. Wade would be safe i reckon.

The other question is the bowlers. Having sold rotation to them at what stage does Cummins get rested, if any? I suspect a part of that was letting Starc down easy as they moved toward a different balance of bowlers over there. Cummins is the only quick to have played every Test but given his importance they would be loathe to leave him out but that also flies in the face of their policy particularly given his history of injuries. Do we go all in this Test or do we save Cummins for the last? We've got 2 good reserves. A lot might depend on the pitch.

[coalesce]

I wouldn't be resting Cummins for this test - win it, retain the Ashes, and rest him in the last if you want to. In bowling, I'd be telling Starc to impress in the tour game. If he does, I'd bring him in for Pattinson or Haslewood depending on how they react to Stokes getting at them. Stokes showing the other English batsmen that you can score runs off the pace bowlers could have a positive impact on them which could be negated by bringing in someone new like Starc if his form warrants it.

For batting, Smith comes in for Wade or Harris - not overly fussed which. Opening the batting is a tough gig in this series, no matter who the person doing it is - moving Kwaka up to open isn't likely to make him get any better results than Harris would. If they want Harris as a long term opening option, drop Wade.

No point dropping Paine at this point as Wade isn't the long term solution and that creates a captaincy issue. Probably better to kick that can to the end of the series and allow Paine to "choose" to retire.

For the English, I'm not sure what they are going to do. I like Woakes but I don't think Root trusts him, so if he isn't going to be bowled, then Anderson comes in for him. For the batting, I hope they make some kind of change, if only to the batting order. I don't think there are other in form openers knocking around county cricket. I'd open with Denly as he's proven he can get stuck in better than Roy. If they drop Roy down the order then he's got to be low down where he can bat with freedom - but that's supposed to be Buttler's role and he's not exactly setting the world on fire. So I'd be bringing in Pope for one of Roy/Buttler - not overly fussed which.

[Sydney Hacker]

If there is no Paine in the team who is the captain? Can’t be a bowler now we are rotating again, Warner, Bancroft and Smith = no. That leaves Kwaka, Head, Wade or Lyon...

I think Paine will be playing this summer!

[TheNuclearOne]

If there is no Paine in the team who is the captain? Can’t be a bowler now we are rotating again, Warner, Bancroft and Smith = no. That leaves Kwaka, Head, Wade or Lyon...

I think Paine will be playing this summer!

Paine is safe as a church.

[Grumpy8]

Paine is safe as a church.

Catholic ?

[TheNuclearOne]

catholic ?

lol!!!