creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Worthy4England]

Well they must reckon there's some spin in it then...

[jimbo]

Do any of us see Brook as a 3!?

[Worthy4England]

Not here, at the moment. Visions of an opener getting a first baller and young Harry needing to see off a fresh opener...

[TANGODANCER]

Not here, at the moment. Visions of an opener getting a first baller and young Harry needing to see off a fresh opener...

#

On the Tails side, they might bat first and if we get amongst them, we might take the pressure off our own innings.....might mind..

[Worthy4England]

TBF TD some shots he played were about as village as I've seen from a test match batsman, but the book has recorded him getting 41 more runs than we'll ever get against the Aussies in a test. He's certainly wearing a sign with "bounce me" writ large...

[BWFC_Insane]

Do any of us see Brook as a 3!?

No. I’ve no idea why we wouldn’t put stokes up there tbh. Stokes is almost ideal for the role. Start slow. Then accelerate.

[TANGODANCER]

"Getting your eye in" is an old adage, but has long been an essential to me. Even the times when we are scoring well and then are interrupted by drinks, lunch and tea even now make me apprehensive. A Geoff Boycott crossed with a Ben Stokes would do very nicely, especially about now, but there are no easy options, so Que Sera as ever.

[Worthy4England]

^^ Stokes usually does that pretty well, as Insano says, I thought I read he doesn't like "3" but that doesn't mean he wouldn't if the need arises...he has only done it once in tests, lasting just over 4 overs and scoring 19...probably 90% of his innings he's been 5 or 6.

[BWFC_Insane]

^^ Stokes usually does that pretty well, as Insano says, I thought I read he doesn't like "3" but that doesn't mean he wouldn't if the need arises...he has only done it once in tests, lasting just over 4 overs and scoring 19...probably 90% of his innings he's been 5 or 6.

Yeah I just think Stokes and how he naturally plays would suit it more. If he gets in he could anchor the innings. He can change how he bats too so if Root also got in with him Stokes could be the aggressor yet if Root is then out Stokes could go back to anchor it.

He's probably the most obvious for the role IMHO. I'd also say that broadly if Stokes is in early at 3 and is out to a jaffa with the new ball its less of a blow than if we'd put Root up there but I also feel Stokes has more chance of surviving a tough spell than Brook.

[jimbo]

The team has been confirmed. Brook to 3, Bairstow to 5, with Ali, Woakes, Wood, Robinson, Broad.

Brook at 3 seems a step too far for me. It’s a position where I really think you need some orthodoxy. He’s talented but has been shown up a little so far in this series against very good bowling. I’m not sure moving him to 3 helps him. It’ll just leave him more exposed to the things he’s found hard.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah, that's some interesting calls, right there...

[Worthy4England]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66097255

Some interesting perspective in this article from Andy Zaltzmann...pointing out that England's collective batting average is higher than Aussies after 2 tests, we've scored more runs, we've taken the same amount of wickets (including having the two leading series wicket takers). He also points to extras (where we gave away 74 to 39 = diff 39) in a test we lost by 43. We were also 44 - 19 in the first test...

Certainly it doesn't really speak to batterings at the moment, despite being 2-0 down...

[BWFC_Insane]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66097255

Some interesting perspective in this article from Andy Zaltzmann...pointing out that England's collective batting average is higher than Aussies after 2 tests, we've scored more runs, we've taken the same amount of wickets (including having the two leading series wicket takers). He also points to extras (where we gave away 74 to 39 = diff 39) in a test we lost by 43. We were also 44 - 19 in the first test...

Certainly it doesn't really speak to batterings at the moment, despite being 2-0 down...

11th out of last 19 Ashes where England lost first two tests...

That is quite staggering. What an absolutely dismal record we have in the Ashes.

That article basically seems to say 'its the drops innit'. Which I guess it probably is. We're 14-7 up there.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah, and when you look at the end result, there's lots you could point to where if just one of them swings the other way, the result flips. My pet peeve is no balls and wides. They're just freebies...

[BWFC_Insane]

Yeah, and when you look at the end result, there's lots you could point to where if just one of them swings the other way, the result flips. My pet peeve is no balls and wides. They're just freebies...

Arguably shows bowlers out of nick.

Also the drops have been more costly on average for us. So not only have we made double we’ve also been punished more for them.

[Prufrock]

Oosh this is going to be fun. Lightening outfield, Warner blocked it for 4 down the ground.

And then Broady! Oosh! Good grab that from Crawley.

[Prufrock]

Though extras are currently their top scorers.

[BWFC_Insane]

I’m not sure why we bowled first on what looks a very true batting surface. I know we chased in 2019 but that was a mental game where we chased against the odds.

[Prufrock]

God I love Mark Wood

[BWFC_Insane]

That’s fast. I mean seriously fast. Completely unplayable.