Will the Aussie’s come back and take the next two, or will the new found ‘dislike’ of them bite their arse’s?
Asking for a friend.
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Will Mitchell Marsh leave the Ashes team so he can get me points in the MLC fantasy league? £££ over National pride I say. 
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I still can’t believe Bairstow retained his place for the 4th test. He’s been rubbish as WK this series and there’s many statistics to prove that his batting average is loads worse when he keeps wicket as opposed to being in the team as a batsman only. I’d have recalled Foakes but maybe the ‘Bazball’ hierarchy don’t want to lose face having brought Bairstow back in.
The Harry Brook batting at 3 experiment didn’t last long. He’s much better off at 5 anyway. Apparently Moeen went to Stokes & McCullum and offered to bat at 3 in our 2nd innings, he’s an astute guy. Moving Brook back to 5 probably won us the test in all honesty. Mo to stay at 3 for the rest of the series, for me. He needs 23 more test runs for the 3000 test runs and 200 test wickets double, that’s a decent milestone for any all rounder.
Stokes needs 3 more test wickets for the 6000 runs, 200 wickets, 100 catches treble. Only two players in test history have achieved it - Sobers & Kallis, so it’s an exclusive club to be a part of. Hope his knee holds up so he can maybe snag a wicket or two to pull him nearer the milestone.
Both Woakes & Wood were amazing, fair play to both for coming in cold and performing. Hope they’ve pulled up OK after Headingley and I hope Broad is fit too, because we need him (and he needs 2 more for the 600 test wickets milestone). The consensus seems to be that Anderson will replace Robinson at Old Trafford, Anderson has seemed off colour so I’m not sure if that is simply a sentimental ‘home ground’ pick for our fast medium legend. Time will tell.
Hope the weather behaves next week!
England have the momentum, let’s see if we can force a decider at The Oval.
I don’t think any of us can understand this decision, I’m with you play him in the field and bring in Foakes to WK. Can we get a check in from @mR_fr0g on this topic.
Much respect for what Anderson has done for English cricket over the years, but he should have had a fair well tour about 2 years ago. Simply a liability at this point in his career.
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Also pivotal is tonight’s first match in Major League Cricket history as Texas Super Kings face off against Los Angeles Knight Riders. I’m cheering for this league to do well and get more English players next year.
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I’ll only cheer for it if they find a nice unused spot in the calendar that doesn’t clash with the cricket season in England. Perhaps a parochial comment, but I hope Jason Roy’s recent decision to ditch playing for England isn’t the tip of the iceberg.
I do genuinely hope that cricket becomes more widely followed in the US, it’d be good for the game. I can’t see 'Muricans taking to test cricket though!
I’m always pushing folks that say "Cricket is boring’ or “I don’t understand it” to the T20 format. It’s like 120 deliveries of home run derby for Muricans. I’m hoping for some good slog fests with some of the players brought in year 1.
I think the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier was part of this starting so late in July and overlapping the Hundred.
Side note: If there was a format to push to make cricket an Olympic sport I would suggest the Hundred format.
I can’t agree with that on the basis of his figures in the Bazball era, but I would agree that he’s probably not got too much longer. That’s decent record over the past 13 months or so.
I mean numbers don’t lie, but I guess it just feels like it because of this Ashes. Plus that 1 run loss to NZ where he made the final out still stings in my mind.
Agreed. Especially when he says in the media that he’s never scored the winning runs in a test match, that was his ideal opportunity.
I suggest if we get to 100 for less then 3 W lost we just declare anyway
Cmon chaps … modern cricket and all that !
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Don’t think you can justify retaining YJB as a fielder and bringing in Foakes, who do you sacrifice? I’m surprised Jonny has kept his place, but that seems to be the ethos around the sqaud, give them enough chances and they’ll come good - hopefully it works and he scores loads of runs, takes loads of catches and maybe a couple of stumpings (all in the spirit of the game, obvs)
I’d drop Bairstow and play Foakes instead. Appreciate that he only came out of the team due to a freak injury but if we assume he is going to bat 4, 5 or 6 and as a batsman without the gloves then he should wait for an opening to come back in. 2022 was a purple patch for him but he’s had them before, and probably will again. We need a keeper who is going to take their chances and if that means YJB sits on the sidelines for a bit then so be it.
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After the first test I was all for keeping Bairstow as a batsman and bringing Foakes in as wk, Pope’s injury seemed the opportunity to do that. Since the first test YJB has been poor with the bat as well, but has probably earned the right to be given a chance with the bat without the gloves distracting him. Sad to say (especially as a Yorkshire resident) Bairstow cost us the first two tests and (given the likelihood of rain at Old Toilet) probably the Ashes
As for Anderson, if there’s one place to play him it’s OT. Wood though was superb in the third test, shame he wasn’t fit for first two.
The England team announced yesterday was pretty much as expected. I’m glad they’ve retained Mo at 3. Hope Jimmy can find some rhythm bowling from his own end at Old Trafford.
I’ve seen so many posts on social media about Jonny Bairstow, it seems that a good proportion of the people that would drop him at WK would still have him in the team as a batsman. I’d have favoured Foakes in as WK and dropping YJB, as he can only bat in Brook’s place at 5, and Brook is the future.
No surprise that the Aussies are bringing back Hazlewood for the completely ineffective Boland. I’m a bit more surprised that they are going in with no spinner, Cam Green comes in for Todd Murphy but it strengthens their batting line up. Aussies playing not to lose.
Hope the weather doesn’t spoil any chance of a result, it seems that there may be a good few interruptions during the match if the weather forecast is to be believed.
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Yes, I can only see a draw at the 4th Test if the weather forecast is to be believed (heat wave here in Southern California) for Manchester.
Selectors nightmare is Bairstow at the moment, couldn’t catch a cold but may well hit a barn door with a banjo a few times to give us the runs we need.
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You all still watching the Ashes? The inaugural Major League Cricket is on. Still pissed I selected Mitchell Marsh and he will obviously not come to the USofA for this tournament as he’s been selected for the 4th Test.
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It’s TMS for me over here, not that it all works outside the UK. It’s the best I can do.
Of course we all try and watch the Ashes, it’s part of our countries heritage, you Americans can’t do ‘History’ as you haven’t got any!
Went to the ‘Avocado Capital of the World’ last week; what a crock of shit! Take a look at ‘Fallbrook’ if you have a minute of your life to lose, we lost more than that.
See you again one day, most likely when we least expect it.
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No history? We taught you all how to Brexit, I’m sure you watched the great fireworks display on the 4th of July. Similar to the explosions seen on the Royal Navy fleet in around 1781 just down the road from my house in Yorktown. All that aside, this is a cricket thread!
As for cricket you also underestimate this American!
I’ve drown my England Cricket test sorrows in a luke warm cask golde following a day at Edgbaston with @SarkyNorthener
Every time I think they are going to change…I end up swear off watching the test format again.
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