The Ashes - official thread

[Gooseberry]

First topic message reminder :

SR that's not how mental fatigue works.
Also Stokes had a long break last year ...which he came back from err ...mentaly fatigued. Buttler and Bairstow haven't had that luxury.

But anyway it's not a case of "attitude" , ask Trott and Trescothick.

[Gooseberry]

Anderson will be fit by the time they get round to starting this match so they could always pick 6 seamers just incase

[compelling and rich]

what time is start of play tomorrow after missing the whole of today?

[Duty281]

what time is start of play tomorrow after missing the whole of today?

Same time as usual - 11:00, toss at 10:30. I know abroad they generally start half an hour earlier, but we don't do that here! However the close of play will be extended to 19:00 to get 98 overs in.

[alfie]

what time is start of play tomorrow after missing the whole of today?

Same time as usual - 11:00, toss at 10:30. I know abroad they generally start half an hour earlier, but we don't do that here! However the close of play will be extended to 19:00 to get 98 overs in.

Bah! No consideration for antipodean viewers ...have to stay up until 4am now

[Gooseberry]

I doubt they will get the full extra overs uneven with penalties for slow rates. Chances are they will be off for light with a lot of cloud around.
Forecast for Friday has improved, looks like they will loose some of the afternoon still. After that two full days hopefully. So in total we could get 4 dyas worth of play out of this test which is a lot better than it had looked from Wednesday's forecasts

[jimbohammers]

Common sense would be to start at 10.30, but this is cricket so 11am start. The sport doesn't help itself. Almost as frustrating as when it takes 30 mins after the toss to get started and everyone is just waiting around/playing football. Get on with it

[Duty281]

Surprised to see Australia bowling first on what look like very batting-friendly conditions, especially with tomorrow looking tougher to bat on, but apparently England would have done the same too.

A great chance, though, for the Aussie seamers to get amongst this dismal England batting order.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Aussies win the toss and bowl first - interesting choice, sunny today. Hazlewood gets the nod ahead of Starc, England as expected with Curran missing out.

[LondonTiger]

We have to get to Lunch no more than 2 wickets down. I fully expect it will be 5 or 6

[Duty281]

Interesting stat dug up from Cricviz - none of the last eight tests at Lord's have lasted longer than 350 overs. So it seems we're likely to get a positive result despite yesterday.

[robbo277]

Surprised to see Australia bowling first on what look like very batting-friendly conditions, especially with tomorrow looking tougher to bat on, but apparently England would have done the same too.

A great chance, though, for the Aussie seamers to get amongst this dismal England batting order.

Tim Paine and his batters running scared from Jofra?

England might feel pressured and that they have to force this game, when really they don't. If they can bat long then they can bowl more aggressively at the Australians and try to force a result that way. If they try and win the match in the first (second) morning then they might come unstuck and leave themselves with an uphill struggle just to stay in touch for the rest of the game.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Interesting stat dug up from Cricviz - none of the last eight tests at Lord's have lasted longer than 350 overs. So it seems we're likely to get a positive result despite yesterday.

If the pitch plays like it did against Ireland we might not make play on Sunday!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

We have to get to Lunch no more than 2 wickets down. I fully expect it will be 5 or 6

This is a huge "if" - but "if" we can get through the morning session relatively unscathed, we have a real chance to grind the Aussie attack down, with it being in theory a 98 over day...that's a lot of overs "if" we can bat long...

[Duty281]

Bat the day and score 300. 300 would be alright. Give Broad/Woakes/Archer something decent to defend in (expected to be) difficult conditions tomorrow. That's the hope!

The expectation is Australia are batting for an hour or so tonight after bowling England out for 200-240.

[robbo277]

Bat the day and score 300. 300 would be alright. Give Broad/Woakes/Archer something decent to defend in (expected to be) difficult conditions tomorrow. That's the hope!

The expectation is Australia are batting for an hour or so tonight after bowling England out for 200-240.

98 overs today and we could easily be on 350 if someone gets in. Then bowl them out for 50 and 100 following on tomorrow in between the rain. All done in time for the rugby this weekend.

[alfie]

The really significant part may be that England should not now have to bat last... I wish Leach all the best but he can't compete with Lyon.

Simple game plan : never mind trying to force anything , just make as many runs as you can. Won't be easy but it shouldn't be as wild as the conditions for the Ireland match !

[eirebilly]

A Roy special innings today, just ye wait and see

[robbo277]

Anyone know why Leach isn't opening? Averages 92 as an opener here...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

A little note - great to see many people decked out in red for the Ruth Strauss foundation day...but I wonder if it might effect the fielders at all, what with it being a red ball and all. Just a musing!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jesus Christ, Roy

[Duty281]

It only took 9 balls for the optimism to be punctured! Roy outclassed by some good bowling from Hazlewood.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

A Roy special innings today, just ye wait and see

You’re to blame for this, Billy!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Again, it's almost like playing a guy you see as a long term middle order player, who hasn't opened in first class cricket, as an opener in test matches, is a *bad* idea...

[alfie]

Not a great start for England

The Roy experiment hasn't gathered much traction so far , I'm afraid.

[LondonTiger]

FFS.

[compelling and rich]

urgh, roy really needs to learn to leave. played at everything well outside off stump

[eirebilly]

A Roy special innings today, just ye wait and see

You’re to blame for this, Billy!

Simply unbelievable... Sorry.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

There’s so little logic in what they’re doing with Roy

[compelling and rich]

on a bright note our tail is looking very long. leach a well know performer with the bat at lords coming in at 11

[eirebilly]

If Roy is to play tests, I do believe he can, then he has to bat lower down the order. He is simply not an opener.

[alfie]

Again, it's almost like playing a guy you see as a long term middle order player, who hasn't opened in first class cricket, as an opener in test matches, is a *bad* idea...

May be too early to be definitive , Olly. Like guildford , I prefer not to pick and unpick teams until after a game.

But I would suggest that if Roy were being selected as a middle order player he probably wouldn't have been ? Must be plenty of middle order bats with superior first class records : surely the whole idea of selecting him was that his aggressive opening style - if it came off - would get the team away to a flying start. If they're just planning to shuffle him down the order whats the point ? Another number 5/6 ; Root pushed up to the top ; still looking for top order bats ...like most Smith picks it doesn't really help much.

[jimbohammers]

Well Roy is making Vince look better player at test cricket!

[eirebilly]

Hazelwood is such a stylish bowler, wish England had him.

[robbo277]

Again, it's almost like playing a guy you see as a long term middle order player, who hasn't opened in first class cricket, as an opener in test matches, is a *bad* idea...

May be too early to be definitive , Olly. Like guildford , I prefer not to pick and unpick teams until after a game.

But I would suggest that if Roy were being selected as a middle order player he probably wouldn't have been ? Must be plenty of middle order bats with superior first class records : surely the whole idea of selecting him was that his aggressive opening style - if it came off - would get the team away to a flying start. If they're just planning to shuffle him down the order whats the point ? Another number 5/6 ; Root pushed up to the top ; still looking for top order bats ...like most Smith picks it doesn't really help much.

You could play Roy at 4 instead of Denly I suppose. Leaves yet another gap at the top though.

Roy's 3 tests in though and not even that actually. Just 5 innings and he'll probably bat again this test. Bit early for the post-mortem, although could be worth discussing at the end of the test if he fails in the second innings.

[BamBam]

A Roy special innings today, just ye wait and see

It certainly was special

[Pal Joey]

Hazelwood is such a stylish bowler, wish England had him.

Hands off. The Bendemeer Bullet is ours!

[Gooseberry]

I'd say Roy is performing the role of England opener to an even greater extent than the others who've been tried have managed.

That's not a compliment.

As for the logic ...hes a talented player who is mot afraid of fast bowling and came in with great confidence at the top of his game. Facing the harder ball in theory means the ball flies off the bat better, so batting up the order he can score in his natural way without having to absolutely hammer a soft lump of wet leather. Even edged defensive strokes off a 90mph bowler can fly through the slips.
Having a more aggressive partner to Burns allows him to play his much more careful game.

The reality is he doesn't seem to be able to see the ball and has been an utter disaster both in shot selection and execution.

[eirebilly]

Hazelwood is such a stylish bowler, wish England had him.

Hands off. The Bendemeer Bullet is ours!

I hear he has Irish roots

[Pal Joey]

Hazelwood is such a stylish bowler, wish England had him.

Hands off. The Bendemeer Bullet is ours!

I hear he has Irish roots

That's no way to talk about Cherina.

[eirebilly]

[LondonTiger]

Well Roy is making Vince look better player at test cricket!

And the odds on Vince opening before the end of the series continue to drop.

[robbo277]

England have 7 players who's first name begins with J in their team. A world record apparently (most for any letter for any team).

The players not playing along are:
Rory Burns
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Stuart Broad

Can we get an all-J team of current (and preferably realistic) players?

James Anderson for Broad would be an easy one to start, and as we're talking about him James Vince could come in to the equation, although I'm sure some would explode if we have Vince and Roy opening a test for us.

[Soul Requiem]

England have 7 players who's first name begins with J in their team. A world record apparently (most for any letter for any team).

The players not playing along are:
Rory JOSEPH Burns
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Stuart Christopher JOHN Broad

Can we get an all-J team of current (and preferably realistic) players?

James Anderson for Broad would be an easy one to start, and as we're talking about him James Vince could come in to the equation, although I'm sure some would explode if we have Vince and Roy opening a test for us.

[robbo277]

England have 7 players who's first name begins with J in their team. A world record apparently (most for any letter for any team).

The players not playing along are:
Rory JOSEPH Burns
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Stuart Christopher JOHN Broad

Can we get an all-J team of current (and preferably realistic) players?

James Anderson for Broad would be an easy one to start, and as we're talking about him James Vince could come in to the equation, although I'm sure some would explode if we have Vince and Roy opening a test for us.

Feels like cheating. Any improvements on Jamie Overton at 8?

1. James Vince
2. Jason Roy
3. Joe Root
4. Joe Denly
5. Jos Buttler
6.
7. Jonny Bairstow
8.
9. Jofra Archer
10. Jack Leach
11. James Anderson

[Duty281]

Oh well, Root's struggles with the bat continue. Hazlewood has been magnificent all morning.

A shame for England as Burns/Root looked to have seen out the toughest period of play and were beginning to score, helped with Siddle bowling rubbish from the other end.

[alfie]

Excellent bowling from Hazlewood

Root is becoming quite the lbw mug , isn't he ? Caught on the crease again...

Still don't like him batting at three. With the general batting frailties , I'd far prefer a measure of protection for the one truly top class bat in the team. But what do I know ...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Excellent bowling from Hazlewood

Root is becoming quite the lbw mug , isn't he ? Caught on the crease again...

Still don't like him batting at three.  With the general batting frailties , I'd far prefer a measure of protection for the one truly top class bat in the team. But what do I know ...

Apparently, it’s better we protect Denly

[Afro]

England have 7 players who's first name begins with J in their team. A world record apparently (most for any letter for any team).

The players not playing along are:
Rory JOSEPH Burns
Ben Stokes
Chris Woakes
Stuart Christopher JOHN Broad

Can we get an all-J team of current (and preferably realistic) players?

James Anderson for Broad would be an easy one to start, and as we're talking about him James Vince could come in to the equation, although I'm sure some would explode if we have Vince and Roy opening a test for us.

Feels like cheating. Any improvements on Jamie Overton at 8?

1. James Vince
2. Jason Roy
3. Joe Root
4. Joe Denly
5. Jos Buttler
6.
7. Jonny Bairstow
8.
9. Jofra Archer
10. Jack Leach
11. James Anderson

An opportunity for James Hildreth to finally get his chance?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Excellent bowling from Hazlewood

Root is becoming quite the lbw mug , isn't he ? Caught on the crease again...

Still don't like him batting at three.  With the general batting frailties , I'd far prefer a measure of protection for the one truly top class bat in the team. But what do I know ...

I agree Alfie...never understood this idea "your best bat bats 3" - as Smith and Kohli have proved in back to back summers now...something which loud mouthed pundits such as Vaughan and co seem to conveniently miss out when asking for Root at 3...

Anyways - without wishing to put the muckers on him, Burns has looked comfortable so far.

[Duty281]

Lyon could do well here against one lefty and Denly who looked clueless against him last time out.

[Sponsored content]