England v Ireland & Australia Test Cricket 2019

Nightwatchman Leach topscored with 92 as England finished the day on 303/9. The lead is 181, but that's enough for the bookmakers to have England as fairly strong favourites.

Ireland all out for 38 & England win by 143 runs.

(26-07-2019 12:52 )Rammyrascal Wrote:  Ireland all out for 38 & England win by 143 runs.

Conditions turned against Ireland and England's bowlers bowled as you would expect to exploit them to the fullest! Clearly they got a right serve about their first innings bowling performance.

Convenient, though, how Ireland being blown away 2nd inns was 'excellent....exceptional bowling', with little reference to Ireland making the same mistakes as England did with the bat....ie hard hands, and seeking to drive everything, instead of waiting for the ball to come, and playing within ' the box'. When England subsided for 80 odd first dig, it was not Ireland's bowling skills (except for some begrudging acknowledgement), but all about England's batting frailties!! In general, they could all do with a long session in front of the dvd player watching the sports best player....K Williamson!! to learn the art of protecting your wicket 'almost with your life'

Glad it is over, was running out of patience with the 'This is about England...Ireland incidental' presentation and commentary. Same - if not even more rabid - 'The Debate' This just swells the A.B.E brigade.

Mikey Holding made a very salient point about England selection alongside bumble this morning re the players that 'needed a rest' and how they would have been available if this match was the beginning of the Ashes!! We all know what point he was making, and he is right!!

I was amused to read that Joe Root complained that the Lord's pitch was "substandard".

It looked pretty good when our No. 11 was making 92 as night watchman!

Wouldn't want to be a selector choosing the pace bowlers for the 1st ashes test. Presuming Stokes and Ali play, the max you can select is 4 out of Anderson, Broad, Woakes, Archer, Stone and Curran.

Surely Anderson and Broad will get the nod, won't they? Over 1000 test wickets between them. But then I like the batting of Woakes and Curran to shore up the tail, especially the way Moeen is batting at the moment. But then I want the raw pace of Archer and Stone to level the playing field against Starc and Cummins. Maybe we should play them all, drop Burns and Denly, and have a top 3 of Roy, Curran and Woakes! Probably wouldn't do any worse than the chosen incumbents.

First test today and Steven Smith has stood alone for Australia on the opening day at Edgbaston, as high-class bowling from Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes had everyone else in trouble. Bad news for England though, as James Anderson bowled only 4 overs after a recurrence of his recent calf injury.

Tea on the 3rd day. England have replied to Australia's 284 with 374, a lead of 90. Anderson batted for England but hasn't come out to field.

27 fro 2

(03-08-2019 14:45 )straw man Wrote:  Tea on the 3rd day. England have replied to Australia's 284 with 374, a lead of 90. Anderson batted for England but hasn't come out to field.

If in the Australian dressing room, I would have been much harder on this. England took a chance on him despite doubts about his fitness before the start of the test! If fit to bat, fit to field. If not to bowl, then a lame duck fielder around the park....tough!! Too much of this now - and for a long time actually - where players wander on and off with impunity, while 'fresher' replacements take to the field, and in the Anderson instance too where injured players can play one role, but not any other. ALL teams do it, and it should be stopped once and for all!! Play with a man down if necessary or reintroduce 'active substitutes' for injury only

Mr Stay at the crease forever is in now .