The Cricket Thread 2013

[PaulWinch again]

Comedic end and we've bowled well after our first day of bowling. We need to look at the batting though as we overall were not impressive, and we've got to start games with sufficient intensity and dominate the opposition and not meander along and let our run rate drift.

[tomd2103]

Comedic end and we've bowled well after our first day of bowling. We need to look at the batting though as we overall were not impressive, and we've got to start games with sufficient intensity and dominate the opposition and not meander along and let our run rate drift.

Can't see Compton being a fixture at the top of the order for much longer, so I would look to move Root to opener for the Ashes.  The kid is a class act and seems at home at that level.  Hopefully KP will be back by then, which just leaves the question of who will bat at six.   

[Dave Cooper please]

Winning easily without playing particularly well is the sign of a very good team surely?

[PaulWinch again]

Winning easily without playing particularly well is the sign of a very good team surely?

I'd say it's a sign of a good bowling unit. The batting is still a concern.

[PaulWinch again]

Comedic end and we've bowled well after our first day of bowling. We need to look at the batting though as we overall were not impressive, and we've got to start games with sufficient intensity and dominate the opposition and not meander along and let our run rate drift.

Can't see Compton being a fixture at the top of the order for much longer, so I would look to move Root to opener for the Ashes.  The kid is a class act and seems at home at that level.  Hopefully KP will be back by then, which just leaves the question of who will bat at six.   

Depending on his form if we're moving Root to opener and then KP back in at 4, I'd like to see Morgan at 6. That is though like I say dependent on him showing some first class form prior to the Ashes.

[paul_e]

I've said it before, on his day Broad is unplayable, if he could develop some consistency he'd be a special player.  He was excellent yesterday, the 5fer from his first 5 overs was spectacular.

[Villan For Life]

Comedic end and we've bowled well after our first day of bowling. We need to look at the batting though as we overall were not impressive, and we've got to start games with sufficient intensity and dominate the opposition and not meander along and let our run rate drift.

Can't see Compton being a fixture at the top of the order for much longer, so I would look to move Root to opener for the Ashes.  The kid is a class act and seems at home at that level.  Hopefully KP will be back by then, which just leaves the question of who will bat at six.   

Depending on his form if we're moving Root to opener and then KP back in at 4, I'd like to see Morgan at 6. That is though like I say dependent on him showing some first class form prior to the Ashes.

I like Morgan but question whether he has the technique needed to be a test player. He's a wonderful one-day batsman but has been found out at test level. Another Bopara.

[Dave Cooper please]

Winning easily without playing particularly well is the sign of a very good team surely?

I'd say it's a sign of a good bowling unit. The batting is still a concern.

Scored 170 more runs that New Zealand did on exactly the same wicket.

It was a low scoring test match, they happen, the pitch, whilst not poor, never allowed any batsman to ever settle in, it was always doing something.

[paul_e]

Winning easily without playing particularly well is the sign of a very good team surely?

I'd say it's a sign of a good bowling unit. The batting is still a concern.

Scored 170 more runs that New Zealand did on exactly the same wicket.

It was a low scoring test match, they happen, the pitch, whilst not poor, never allowed any batsman to ever settle in, it was always doing something.

It was Lords, in May.  Bowl a decent line and length and you get your rewards quickly, it was clearly a great wicket for the quicks and offered a bit for the spinners as well, there's no shame in no one getting big scores with the bat, I actually think Root's knocks in both innings were as valuable as a century on most other pitches.

[PaulWinch again]

I'm not only looking at that game in isolation though, we've had quite a few poor collapses over the last year or so. Also with reference to Morgan his struggles came when he completely lost his technique, which he has now rediscovered. So it might be worth looking at him again.

[Dave Cooper please]

Yeah, but it wouldn't be England without at least one batting collapse per match!
We'll be fine, Compton looked a bit rusty but has two test centuries already, Prior won't be that poor again all season, Bell had tonsillitis so can be forgiven I reckon, our tail usually wags better than this and will do as the summer wears on, I'm not worried at all.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Compton will be under threat if we don't make a positive batting statement in the next game.

[Villan For Life]

I think Compton will be under threat if we don't make a positive batting statement in the next game.

I agree. He looks overawed to me, as if he can't believe that he's in the test side. That's in sharp contrast to Joe Root who has slipped right in and looks at home.

[PaulWinch again]

We need to impose ourselves on the opposition, especially the Aussies, and setting that tone starts with the openers. I have nothing against Compton, but his rate of scoring just seems to slow when combined with Cook and Trott.

[PaulWinch again]

Oh and as Paul says, if only Broad could consistently bowl with that sort of length and movement that'd be great.