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Sven Roeder 11:27 Fri Aug 25
2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

England: 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 Tom Westley, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Dawid Malan, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Stuart Broad 11 James Anderson

Roland-Jones left out for the return of Woakes

West Indies may consider the fast bowler Gabriel and the leg spinner Bishoo but few other options.

Silas Greenback 5:27 Thu Aug 31
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

In the face of the pay negotiation saga, a potential 6th ranking would be a disastrous PR storm for the Aussie players.

Kerry o'Keefe had a great quote about it yesterday,
"Nothing like getting a pay rise and then making your first day back a sicky"

Silas Greenback 4:17 Thu Aug 31
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

From Cricinfo:

"For Australia, the result might appear disastrous. In fact it was a natural continuation of their struggles against quality spin on turning pitches in Asia. They lost to Pakistan in the UAE in 2014, in Sri Lanka last year, and to India this year - albeit in India they were very competitive. And if they lose the second Test in Chittagong, they will tumble to sixth on the ICC Test rankings for the first time since the system was introduced. They have much still to play for."

Eerie Descent 4:35 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

They had to get him back in the team as preparation for the Ashes. He'll be vital to us out there, TRJ won't.

White Pony 4:23 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

There's a big difference between dropping someone and not rushing a player back after an injury lay-off.

Eerie Descent 4:08 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Well, he was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the year for 2017 for his all round performances for England, his bowling average of 30 has been coming down all the time (until this test) and he averages 32 with the bat.

You do not drop players like that after their first test match back after about 4 months injured. He is a superb cricketer.

White Pony 4:00 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Eerie - Woakes should not have been rushed back into the test team at all, don't you think? I know we've got an ageing frontline attack and not much else to back them up and 20 wickets need to be taken, but it does point to a bit of short-sighted desperation.

Eerie Descent 3:59 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

White Pony 3:53 Wed Aug 30

It was Woakes first proper game of Cricket for months, he is a much better bowler than TRJ.

Grumpster 3:58 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Australia are as average as us at the moment, will be all about who keeps their arseholes in check the most.

Good that in the space of two days the Windies have beaten us and Bangladesh have their first test win against Oz.

Test cricket needs the extra competition before it dies out.

Eerie Descent 3:58 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

As a few on here know, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Ali’s bowling, he has got the uncanny knack of taking wickets with bad balls, and does have the odd good spell, but in my opinion you cannot strive to be the best team in the world with him as your frontline spin bowler. He’s definitely a shoe in for the side batting lower down the order and offering a 2nd spin option, but I’d move him up a batting place and bring in Crane as our main spinner for the Ashes. Stokes has really moved on a level with the bat, and with Woakes being a superb batsman, and with whoever we put at 3 and 5 not performing consistently enough, we could go something like:

Cook
Stoneman
*UP FOR GRABS*
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Crane
Jimmy

Does change the dynamic, but it gives us more attacking options with the ball. We rely on the same batsmen regardless who fills in the weak spots, so I really don’t think the extra batsman is what will win us the Ashes, it’ll be our bowling attack.

White Pony 3:53 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Unchanged squad for 3rd test. TRJ should replace Woakes. All very well having runs down the order, but we struggled to take wickets in the last test. Our lack of depth in the bowling dept is indeed a worry.

Westside 3:42 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Whilst gutted to lose to the West Indies, don't have a problem with the Woakes selection. TRJ has shown what he is capable of. I don't think he will do especially well in Aus, but he is certain to be selected. I'd rather Woakes was picked, than him play a county game and get five for not many. At least the test has shown he need more work and miles in his legs.

I think Stokes is becoming a batsman, who bowls a bit, rather than an all rounder.

Disappointed with Moeen yesterday. Perhaps he does struggle when expected to perform with the ball.

England's bowling has been stronger than their batting in recent years, but as others have said, it seems our bowling strength in depth, is a stating to wane. Must be a while since we picked a team with 4 bowlers each with over 100 test wickets.


The loss of Swann, his ability to take wickets and tie an end up, can't be under estimated.

Eerie Descent 3:10 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

I don’t know why everyone is getting so down on Woakes, he’s just been rushed back from a long injury lay off, played 1 county game I think, and people are writing him off? I think you'd have to look at Broad's performances over the last year or so, he was at his best for a very long while in this test but he still didn't get wickets.

Woakes wasn’t at his best this game but it’s easy to forget he was England’s best performing bowler for nigh on a year before his injury. He’ll do very well on the bouncy Aussie pitches, when fully fit he bowls close to 90mph, and as a batsman is the best No.9 in world cricket, in fact he’s probably better than half our top order, and as we know we’ll need to bat deep.

Stokes will be fine out in Oz, he raises his game against the best teams, and again the pitches out there will suit his extra pace. I don’t think Roland-Jones will suit the pitches out there, and no one else is really putting their hand up.

White Pony 2:46 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Yeah I'm with you, Eerie.

I would have laughed my balls off if they'd pulled them off for bad light with 20 runs to get. Fuck the Windies and their seemingly permanent petulant attitude.

I do however think England have a lot of shit to sort out of we are going to be in any way competitive for the Ashes.

The second string bowling attack worries me, as well as the continued lack of a settled batting line up.

We used to have real match winners to come on after the opening pair, such as Flintoff and Hoggard. Fuck it, even Finn when he could get it on target. Where are their equivalents now? Stokes can have an impact but he is not used much presumably because he is made of glass.

We'll struggle against the Aussies if the plan is to bowl Anderson and Broad into the ground.

Eerie Descent 1:57 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

You want other teams to be competitive, but you should be fucking shot for treason for hoping another country beats us. Those cunts ripped us to shreds for decades, and now they're a bit shit, you want them to win?

I am truly astounded by some of you. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Westside 11:41 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Apart from Smith & Warner they have two batsmen in Renshaw & Handscomb who have played about 10 Tests each and numbers 3 , 6 & 7 (keeper) are in noones definite possession

Sound very similar to England! Shall we arrange an 8 a side Ashes?

Sven Roeder 11:28 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

A bit too competitive

In terms of the Ashes more concerned about Australia's top 7 rather than losing a Test on mud with grass clippings rolled into it.
Apart from Smith & Warner they have two batsmen in Renshaw & Handscomb who have played about 10 Tests each and numbers 3 , 6 & 7 (keeper) are in noones definite possession

East Auckland Hammer 11:16 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Westside 10:52 Wed Aug 30

I know I am.

Kearley 11:16 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

With about 20 runs needed for a Windies win, the English commentators were saying it would be a real shame if the umpires take them off for bad light. I didn't agree....

As ED said, do you think the great Aussie teams of the 90's had their own fans willing England to win at the Gabba because we hadn't done so in ages?

We have not been THAT good at cricket to want England to lose to give someone else a chance.

White Pony 11:13 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

Shame Root clearly only had two bowlers he could trust to bowl on Day 5. Ditch Woakes for TRJ please.

Westside 10:52 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

I wanted Australia to win every match but I did want the other countries to be competitive.

Must be delighted with Bangladesh today then.

Westside 10:51 Wed Aug 30
Re: 2nd Test England v West Indies at Headingley

aven't seen the figures but I think the West Indies gave up many more runs through poor catching.
Think there were 400 plus runs given away over the Test through BUTTER FINGERS

According to Channel 5, on the day 4 highlights, West Indie had coughed up 96 more runs, due to dropped catches, than England. I haven't seen the stats with day 5 added in.

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