BensGrandad
New member
Who is there to consider for the No 3 spot?
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2nd Test: England v South Africa at Nottingham, Jul 14-18, 2017
- Thread starter Titanic
- Start date
Garry Nelson's teacher
Well-known member
Nobody wants to over-react or get things out of perspective................but the whole lot of 'em should be taken out and shot.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Root is the obvious candidate. If he is genuinely as good as we talk him up, he is better placed to set the tone of an innings ala Ponting did for the Aussies.
Ballance bats at 4 and 5 for Yorkshire which is where he gets his runs. I'd say Root needs to accept that while 4 is his favoured position, we are struggling at 3 and he needs to bat there. Might help Ballance to then bat either before or after Bairstow.
GT49er
Well-known member
Might have a spot of trouble filling that no.3 slot then......................................
GT49er
Well-known member
There must be one or two Saffers playing in the counties who can quickly have their qualification arranged to play for England?
There's the lad at Durham, he scores lots of runs for the county.
Let's send for Keaton Jennings ...... oh
OzMike
Well-known member
To be honest I think this was bound to happen and now the problems should be able to be identified and it may even be worth experimenting with separate squads for limited overs cricket and test cricket.
Different temperaments required and even though Joe Root is shocked at the comments that Michael Vaughan made, he can't deny that he has a point.
It should be considered as constructive criticism and not insulting, though it really didn't help saying this in public and should have been behind closed doors, but the comments had to be made.
Mr Boycott should be an advisor when it comes to test match practice, say what you like but he was a consistent player at test level with a lifetimes worth of experience.
One day cricket and T20 has brought cricket back to the attention of sports fans, but test cricket should always last at least the 5 days allotted.
Different temperaments required and even though Joe Root is shocked at the comments that Michael Vaughan made, he can't deny that he has a point.
It should be considered as constructive criticism and not insulting, though it really didn't help saying this in public and should have been behind closed doors, but the comments had to be made.
Mr Boycott should be an advisor when it comes to test match practice, say what you like but he was a consistent player at test level with a lifetimes worth of experience.
One day cricket and T20 has brought cricket back to the attention of sports fans, but test cricket should always last at least the 5 days allotted.
maltaseagull
Well-known member
Is there an English test batsman apart from Root who can bat for a day in a test?
Cook maybe?
The rest seem to think it's limited overs cricket.
Definitely part of the problem. Long term it is too as the counties are only interested in bringing in/on players who can bash it about for the 20 & 50 over stuff (that's where the money is) so the 4-day game is dying on its arse and not producing test match batsmen.
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
What did Vaughan say?
Edit: Don't worry, found it online.
So, to add: If Root feels the players DO respect Test Cricket, then it's either mental or technical. Which is worse.
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Ironically, on the very same day we were discussing England's failure to apply themselves in the face of a huge fourth innings target, Sri Lanka were pulling off the fifth highest winning chase of all time, in a terrific Test match in Colombo.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO41971
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO41971
BensGrandad
New member
Exactly what I was saying and you slated me for saying it. No 3 has been a problem for most of my time of watching cricket and many good county batsmen were tried and failed to make the step up.
BensGrandad
New member
Should there be changes for the 3rd test and if so who and which players or do we give them all one more chance to redeem themselves?
After Zimbabwe recovered from 59-5 to make 377 in their last innings. Ouch!
Indeed.
ZIM added 520 runs for the last five wickets across their two innings. Impressive.
In return, SRI went on from 203/5 in their chase, still almost 200 short, to win with the loss of just one more wicket.
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
I would say
1. Alistair Cook - stick with
2. Keaton Jennings - needs a score - stick
3. Mark Stoneman - opens for Surrey - averaging 67 this season. Playing at no 3 for England is the equivalent of opening. So play him here
4. Joe Root - stay where he is
5. Jonny Bairstow - needs to knuckle down
6. Ben Stokes - Keep
7. Moeen Ali
8. Adil Rashid Add him. Will also get some runs
9. Broad
10. Wood
11. Anderson
Perry Milkins
Just a quiet guy.
Joe Root has a tough job to pull this team tighter. I have always thought and continue to think that when the breaks go our way we can look a very useful unit. It is when we need to adapt to certain passages of play we fail to employ alternative plans.
I am on the outside looking in but feel that Root has to contend with tough personalities in the locker room in Broad and Anderson. In particular Broad seems to be very very single minded in what he thinks is the right thing to do and be blowed with what is best for the team. Anderson whilst an outstanding swing bowler can fail to alter his length to suit conditions. if Philander can be some damn tricky then there is no doubt Jimmy can as well. I am astounded that Saffers were allowed to bat with limited pressure in first innings.
Finally I also worry about overhyping Stokes he can pull out an extraordinary delivery but in general has limited control. How was he allowed to bowl with that fall away action! and just what does Wood bring to the party?
This is just an opinion from someone with limited knowledge of the fine art so just expressing and venting at the same time.
I am on the outside looking in but feel that Root has to contend with tough personalities in the locker room in Broad and Anderson. In particular Broad seems to be very very single minded in what he thinks is the right thing to do and be blowed with what is best for the team. Anderson whilst an outstanding swing bowler can fail to alter his length to suit conditions. if Philander can be some damn tricky then there is no doubt Jimmy can as well. I am astounded that Saffers were allowed to bat with limited pressure in first innings.
Finally I also worry about overhyping Stokes he can pull out an extraordinary delivery but in general has limited control. How was he allowed to bowl with that fall away action! and just what does Wood bring to the party?
This is just an opinion from someone with limited knowledge of the fine art so just expressing and venting at the same time.
Marshy
Well-known member
Do we need 6 bowlers ?.....
Id be tempted to add another bat like Stoneman and go with Moeen, Stokes, Broad, Anderson plus another seamer/spinner depending on surface.....
Move Ali down to 8.
Cook
Jennings
Stoneman
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Broad
Wood/Spinner/Seamer
Anderson
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Those numbers would also work, and I think there is a strong case for it. What worries me is retaining Ballance as his technique is flawed at this level.
Maybe play Bairstow as a batsman only and play Buttler as wicket keeper?
Marshy
Well-known member
Yep worth thnking about, dont want to write Ballance of just yet.... moving him down the order gives him a better chance... if he fails at that for this series then time to look elsewhere.