The International Cricket Thread

[Gareth]

Woakes is fine at 8, but I’m not convinced Mo is at 7 nowadays. At least it would give us some bowling flexibility.

Let’s hope Mo gets the 49 runs and 2 wickets he needs for 3000 test runs and 200 wickets this test

[olaftab]

Sounds like they have gone with Mo, Wood and Woakes instead of Pope, Tongue and Jimmy with Brook at 3

Not a massive cricket fan but Mo, Wood might work better than Tongue.

Not on all strips. I think Tongue would be better on freshly laid surface.

[Risso]

Seems a bit harsh on Tongue.

[paul_e]

Seems a bit harsh on Tongue.

Yep, he bowled well enough to deserve the next test, but maybe it's a fitness thing as Gareth suggested above.

[PaulWinch again]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Tongue is struggling for back to back games. He hasn’t played that much first class cricket over the last few years.

[PaulWinch again]

Brook definitely has the technique to bat 3.

[Brazilian Villain]

Sounds like they have gone with Mo, Wood and Woakes instead of Pope, Tongue and Jimmy with Brook at 3

Not a massive cricket fan but Mo, Wood might work better than Tongue.

Not on all strips. I think Tongue would be better on freshly laid surface.

If it's freshly laid you're probably right. Knew a proper cricket fan would know.

[Bully2345]

Brook at three. Did not expect that. Batting looks a lot more brittle but plenty of bowling options reduces pressure on Moeen to bowl 30 in a day

[paul_e]

That team seems fair to me. If Robinson is still bowling below 80 I'd look at replacing him with Tongue next time and I suspect Jimmy will come back in. Bairstow needs a big game for me.

[PaulWinch again]

Core batting is weaker, but lower order is potentially much stronger which could be important.

[UK Redsox]

England team: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson.

[UK Redsox]

Surprised that Robinson has kept his place rather than Tongue

[olaftab]

Core batting is weaker, but lower order is potentially much stronger which could be important.

You know that never works. If your first 5 don't do it bottom 5 don't  as there is far too much pressure. They have weakened the top order.

[olaftab]

Surprised that Robinson has kept his place rather than Tongue

Yes, Tongue was far more effective in one match than Robinson has ever been in any Test match he has played.

[PaulWinch again]

Surprised that Robinson has kept his place rather than Tongue

Yes, Tongue was far more effective in one match than Robinson has ever been in any Test match he has played.

Sorry Aftab, but that’s absolute nonsense. Tongue did well, but a couple of sub par games doesn’t change the fact that Robinson had had an exceptional Test career to date.