Cricket fred

[Galfon]

This team needs a bit of a culling.
Dire batting and very patchy bowling

Yup, Beaker-lobbingly poor.
Re-set needed.

[fivepointer]

That was a lame effort. Time for a shake up.

[Banquo]

Jimmy. Fantastic. Legend.

[Puja]

Jimmy. Fantastic. Legend.

Such a shame he's not being allowed to play out the series. I get that we're looking to move on and build for the next Ashes and that we're doing him a mark of respect by giving him "one last Test" instead of binning him off-screen (like they've done with Foakes), but I'd like to've seen him overtake Warne in terms of wickets and it feels weird forcing retirement on him halfway through a series.

Puja

[Banquo]

Jimmy. Fantastic. Legend.

Such a shame he's not being allowed to play out the series. I get that we're looking to move on and build for the next Ashes and that we're doing him a mark of respect by giving him "one last Test" instead of binning him off-screen (like they've done with Foakes), but I'd like to've seen him overtake Warne in terms of wickets and it feels weird forcing retirement on him halfway through a series.

Puja

Agree emotionally. But also need to move on, harsh world and all that.

[Puja]

Jimmy. Fantastic. Legend.

Such a shame he's not being allowed to play out the series. I get that we're looking to move on and build for the next Ashes and that we're doing him a mark of respect by giving him "one last Test" instead of binning him off-screen (like they've done with Foakes), but I'd like to've seen him overtake Warne in terms of wickets and it feels weird forcing retirement on him halfway through a series.

Puja

Agree emotionally. But also need to move on, harsh world and all that.

Agree on the general respect about moving on, but then why the hell are we playing Woakes and Wood, who are 35 and 34? That goes doubly for Woakes, who is vicious in English conditions, but a complete waste of space as soon as he gets his passport out, so has a very limited lifespan. I'd be absolutely behind binning Jimmy mid-series if we were planning on blooding the next generation of pace who will take us through to the next Ashes OR I'd be absolutely behind keeping some of the old guard there to shepherd the youngsters and give vital support and control if it starts not going well. I don't get how we're ditching Jimmy and then not playing the young pace attack.

Puja

[Banquo]

Such a shame he's not being allowed to play out the series. I get that we're looking to move on and build for the next Ashes and that we're doing him a mark of respect by giving him "one last Test" instead of binning him off-screen (like they've done with Foakes), but I'd like to've seen him overtake Warne in terms of wickets and it feels weird forcing retirement on him halfway through a series.

Puja

Agree emotionally. But also need to move on, harsh world and all that.

Agree on the general respect about moving on, but then why the hell are we playing Woakes and Wood, who are 35 and 34? That goes doubly for Woakes, who is vicious in English conditions, but a complete waste of space as soon as he gets his passport out, so has a very limited lifespan. I'd be absolutely behind binning Jimmy mid-series if we were planning on blooding the next generation of pace who will take us through to the next Ashes OR I'd be absolutely behind keeping some of the old guard there to shepherd the youngsters and give vital support and control if it starts not going well. I don't get how we're ditching Jimmy and then not playing the young pace attack.

Puja

Kinda, but certainly wood has had more impact when fit than Jimmy and Woakes has a different job.

Mind I’d started from the viewpoint that it was Jimmys choice to step down, and it wasn’t. They gave him the choice of where, somewhat different

[Banquo]

looks like Jimmy would have been handy. Attack being flayed, relatively, by a poor WI lineup this time.

[Stom]

looks like Jimmy would have been handy. Attack being flayed, relatively, by a poor WI lineup this time.

Won comfortably in the end.

I still don't see why Woakes is there...but there are a number of injuries, no?

[Banquo]

looks like Jimmy would have been handy. Attack being flayed, relatively, by a poor WI lineup this time.

Won comfortably in the end.

I still don't see why Woakes is there...but there are a number of injuries, no?

Need an experienced swing bowler, decent bat, was excellent last summer lest we forget

[Galfon]

Mott no longer in the Pot..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 9xz36ql00o

White ball disappointments bring an early exit, which keeps things consistent tbf.
Not sure Buttles has shown enough skippership to be retained, but his batting in these formats is still up there.

[Banquo]

This is so sad... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

He was a proper cricketer and good guy.

[paddy no 11]

Terrible, RIP

[Galfon]

This is so sad... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

He was a proper cricketer and good guy.

True, and a rare talent who you felt could be relied upon in any situation, with few dramatics.
Evidently immensely respected as a player and a person by fellow professionals.
RIP

[Donny osmond]

This is so sad... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

He was a proper cricketer and good guy.

I heard he'd died but didn't realise he took his own life, heartbreaking.

[Banquo]

This is so sad... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

He was a proper cricketer and good guy.

I heard he'd died but didn't realise he took his own life, heartbreaking.

It was so bad, poor fella jumped in front of a train. So sad.

[Mellsblue]

This is so sad... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

He was a proper cricketer and good guy.

I heard he'd died but didn't realise he took his own life, heartbreaking.

It was so bad, poor fella jumped in front of a train. So sad.

Heartbreaking.

[Galfon]

Double-wicket maidens are as rare as blue moons, so a nice start for Woakes, especially with the disruption to the team.

[Puja]

Cloudy day on an English pitch - should be a lopsided day with Sri Lanka not even having had a warmup match to get used to the conditions. No doubt England will press the advantage, even to the point of cruelty.

Ideal for Woakes - it's the kind of conditions where he thrives that unfortunately can't be bottled up and taken outside of England.

Puja

[Galfon]

Ideal for Woakes - it's the kind of conditions where he thrives that unfortunately can't be bottled up and taken outside of England.

Puja

Indeed, like a modern day Mike Hendrick, but with added batting value..he has a three-fer already;
It's very muggy 'oop 'ere atm - rain is forecast (quelle surprise)
but probably overnight, so may see Eng. at the crease later.

[Banquo]

bizarrely the Sri Lankan pace bowlers getting more movement than our guys- reversing it on a damp day is amazing!

[Galfon]

Two big players in the team's future getting things back on track..always good to see the next generation deliver

[Banquo]

Two big players in the team's future getting things back on track..always good to see the next generation deliver

Smith looks like an excellent shout

[Galfon]

Wrapped up on D4, credit to Sri L for sticking at it with bat & ball.
Root good at steady-eddying it when needed again.
Does seem odd playing Tests from mid Jul. into early Autumn, but
with all these variants something had to give suppose.

[Banquo]

#popethenewbell #notanumber3

that said, he actually averages better at 3 than 4-7

Ollie Pope averages 42 in Test cricket across innings where he faces 26 or more balls--- basically, a shyte starter