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Cricket 2021 - all things cricket for this year on pfm

It has been most pleasing to see England contest this game despite having such a bad first day. Hopefully this fighting spirit is going to be a feature of the Silverwood era and in stark contrast to the Bayloss years at least in the long format of the game. It looks like I was wrong about Bairstow though as he looks reinvigorated by test cricket as does Moen Ali. Wise move to bring them both back in time for the Ashes.
 
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Much better performance all round , Moen back to form and Bairstow playing test cricket . Root outstanding , hopefully we can at least force a draw if a win is not possible time wise .
 
I'm ok with Burns for a while. Sibley, however, seems unable to adjust his technique and keeps getting out in the same manner. That's what I was getting at above re Crawley being retained.
 
I'm ok with Burns for a while. Sibley, however, seems unable to adjust his technique and keeps getting out in the same manner. That's what I was getting at above re Crawley being retained.

I like Crawley. I think he has the ability and technique. He's just out of sorts at the moment. Burns and Sibley appear unable to play the straight one which is pretty important for test openers.
 
Was watching this morning thinking wow - we could win this. Only need to get their bowlers out now and knock off 200.

Was excruciating to watch what happened next.

Yeah Mark Wood was injured but the rest of the bowling was rubbish and the field placements were just plain bizarre.

Well played India. You deserved to win after that total capitulation.
 
You wonder if England will ever have a side that can at least keep up with Joe Root now and again.

Also to question him when he does things that will cause issues like today.

The issue England have is they have no proper test batsmen, apart from Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson is the only proper test bowler.

You cannot have a test side made up of just two good players, the rest of the side are all T20 or ODI players.
 
You wonder if England will ever have a side that can at least keep up with Joe Root now and again.
Also to question him when he does things that will cause issues like today.
The issue England have is they have no proper test batsmen, apart from Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson is the only proper test bowler.
You cannot have a test side made up of just two good players, the rest of the side are all T20 or ODI players.

And Jimmy is retiring soon. England will have to get used to being a middleweight in many things... including cricket.
 
I think that was probably the worst captaincy I have seen from Root so far and I've seen some pretty poor efforts. What was he doing with the field? Why were the bowlers not attacking the stumps? To lose from a winning position llike that, blow all the hard work and inside three sessions too, will be highly demoralising for the team...
 
I think that was probably the worst captaincy I have seen from Root so far and I've seen some pretty poor efforts. What was he doing with the field? Why were the bowlers not attacking the stumps? To lose from a winning position llike that, blow all the hard work and inside three sessions too, will be highly demoralising for the team...

Bit harsh on Joe that verdict. Unlike previous England captains his batting performance has not crumbled under the pressure of Captaincy. His last innings was superb. But he hasn't got many Test players to work with. I also think the Lords pitch didn't help. I was there on Sunday, am was brilliant cricket. PM was like watching paint dry with a pitch that killed the bowling. Runs were so few the Indian crowd members went mad for each run. So neither side had a great time. The evening session picked up with Ali's bowling and by the bad light close (was that really necessary?) an English victory looked on. My first time at Lords and I think my last. The game at Trent Bridge is much more entertaining.
 
It's called test cricket for a reason - the five days of play will expose any weaknesses in your technique, skills, fitness and attitude.

And so it was at Lords where India's superiority in every department eventually came to the fore. This England squad are weak in many areas which Roots batting and Anderson's bowling can only mask for so long.

I think Silverwood is getting the most out of the team but recognises their limitations and hopes to find more capable players in the County game hence his change to chief selector too.

Congratulations to India who deserve the plaudits for seeing test cricket as the ultimate format of the game. But I have to say I have no idea where we go from here with our top order in terms of the remainder of the series and the upcoming Ashes.
 
Congratulations to India who deserve the plaudits for seeing test cricket as the ultimate format of the game. But I have to say I have no idea where we go from here with our top order in terms of the remainder of the series and the upcoming Ashes.

I think Sibley will be dropped, and Hameed moved up in his place. Hameed deserves the same chances that Burns and Sibley have had. Number 3 is a more interesting conundrum. Malan back? Ironically Stokes can bat well enough to occupy 3, but he's not in contention for this series.

I feel our bowling is better than our batting. Not many teams have an Anderson (or Broad) with his fitness and experience. Robinson and Wood are very viable test players, as is Overton. I've seen Mahmood bowl and once he works out line and length will niggle test opposition batsmen out, I have real optimism he will be a good replacement for Anderson.

Spin options - I'd get Matt Parkinson into the squad, and quickly. he looked really good in the ODI series, and when I've seen him bowl on different tracks he looks to have good control and rip on the ball.

Wicket keeper - if Foakes is/was fit, I'd pick him.

Batting - I'd go something like: Burns, Hameed, Malan, Root, Bairstow. Then one from two or three from Parkinson, Pope etc.
 
We have had several years of chasing one day success under the last regime, in reality I’m amazed our test form has held up at all.

At the moment the top end batsmen just don’t seem to exist. I wouldn’t pick Burns again, he’s not good enough & never has been.
 
Openers are critical as India showed.
If we had openers who could stay more than 5 mins maybe Root would move up to No3. Building his innings from, say, 30 for 1 rather than 0 for 2...
Then in any order Stokes, Moeen, Bairstow, Buttler at 4,5,6 and 7. Only need 2 of the 4 to move the score along nicely.
But where are two openers ?
 
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