cricket 2025 (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter tisza
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Skyblueweeman
Well-Known Member
Hopefully we get to day 3 this time!
Exactly. People just keep shouting bazball but in a majority of cases it’s just poor decisions/shot selection. Stokes got 19 off 49 balls (including a couple of nicks for 4) so hardly reckless and showed a willingness to dig in. The scoreboard was barely moving after tea so he was trying to rotate strike especially as it was one left and one right hander in to get bowlers off their lines. It was just a terrible run. Roots strike rate was about 50-60% for majority of innings ie normal test match pace. Smith was bowled playing a forward defence
My main frustration is with brook coming in from the off playing like it’s 20/20 when the situation required calmer heads and he’s too good a player to be giving wicket away, as well as players not giving Starc adequate respect by just leaving him more. Easier said than done though as he’s a top quality bowler
ps bazball would’ve been declaring 9 down like everyone was wanting us to on comms but we’d have been 60 light. Cant win sometimes
fatso
Well-Known Member
5 batsmen failed to make 5 runs between them.Exactly. People just keep shouting bazball but in a majority of cases it’s just poor decisions/shot selection. Stokes got 19 off 49 balls (including a couple of nicks for 4) so hardly reckless and showed a willingness to dig in. The scoreboard was barely moving after tea so he was trying to rotate strike especially as it was one left and one right hander in to get bowlers off their lines. It was just a terrible run. Roots strike rate was about 50-60% for majority of innings ie normal test match pace. Smith was bowled playing a forward defence
My main frustration is with brook coming in from the off playing like it’s 20/20 when the situation required calmer heads and he’s too good a player to be giving wicket away, as well as players not giving Starc adequate respect by just leaving him more. Easier said than done though as he’s a top quality bowler
ps bazball would’ve been declaring 9 down like everyone was wanting us to on comms but we’d have been 60 light. Cant win sometimes
That suggests a fundamental failing in attitude, ability or application.
Root was the only batsman that played the conditions, showing patience when necessary.
Its not as if they are up against a world class attack, Australia only have 1 front line bowler!
I agree with a lot of that but my point was that people just lumping it all in as ‘Bazball’ are wrong
Root, stokes and Jacks all played themselves in. Smith out playing forward defence as I mentioned (edit - just seen Ducketts and it was also a defensive shot). Cant comment on Crawley as I didn’t see enough of his innings but 70 odd will do for me. There was a lot of poor shots and some decent bowling from Starc.
I’m a frustrated as anyone and some of the batsmen, like Brook, need to apply themselves better to the situation
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Skyblueweeman
Well-Known Member
Exactly. People just keep shouting bazball but in a majority of cases it’s just poor decisions/shot selection. Stokes got 19 off 49 balls (including a couple of nicks for 4) so hardly reckless and showed a willingness to dig in. The scoreboard was barely moving after tea so he was trying to rotate strike especially as it was one left and one right hander in to get bowlers off their lines. It was just a terrible run. Roots strike rate was about 50-60% for majority of innings ie normal test match pace. Smith was bowled playing a forward defence
My main frustration is with brook coming in from the off playing like it’s 20/20 when the situation required calmer heads and he’s too good a player to be giving wicket away, as well as players not giving Starc adequate respect by just leaving him more. Easier said than done though as he’s a top quality bowler
ps bazball would’ve been declaring 9 down like everyone was wanting us to on comms but we’d have been 60 light. Cant win sometimes
Good post that. On the last point, you could see England were poised to get on for a couple of overs at the Aussies at the end of the day. Whether that was because of the expectation for Archer to get out or a declaration, who knows but I'm pretty sure they would've been considering it.
Regardless, right choice not to do it this time as Archer played the innings of his career at the end! Hopefully he and Root can hang around for an hour tomorrow.
StrettoBoy
Well-Known Member
At least you didn't have long to wait!
A decent enough recovery in the end, thanks to Root. At least we are still in the game. It would be great if we could get another 25 in the morning to take us to 350.
tisza
Well-Known Member
Plan was obviously for Archer to have a swing and probably get out after he got a quick 10 or so. But Australia's poor field positioning and Archer not getting out changed the intentions. Stokes was stood up to call them in then they took 35 off those 2 overs and he sat back down (right call ). Highlights the need to be flexible - react to the situation in front of you.
Where they can't win is if Australia get off to a strong start with the bat and somewil be saying they should have had 4/5 overs at them at the end of day/
Personally i'd take the runs on the board as no guarantee they'd have taken wickets this evening. If Root and Archer can add 20/30 over the first 10 overs (that's an hour's play based on today's over rates) tomorrow it takes time out of the easier daylight sessions as well