England v Ireland Only Test 2023 at Lords June 1-June 4

[greyhound punter]

The confidence Australians have about Bazball falling apart is quite ridiculous.

The issue with "Bazball" has always been, what happens if it fails when it matters the most?

Thy hyperbole about "changing the game" is utter tosh and typical of the English when ever they get on a little roll, or string a few wins together.

We all know England are going to come out swinging in their first innings in the first test, whether they are batting first or second. We just need to put the doubt in their minds and then go to work.

Really, England are on the ropes. Stokes is on one knee, which he has admitted to essentially. Australia need to bat long and make Stokes' knee ache and throb. really give whatever cartilage that is remaining in that knee a good and proper going over.

He has 12 months left as a test player max imo, his value on the T20 circuit is as an all-rounder, playing test cricket for too long will devalue his earning potential on the t20 circuit through wear and tear on his knee. Like Flintoff, I don't see Stokes really playing much test cricket past 32.

Archer is the same.

If England lose this Ashes series, what future is their for Anderson and Broad? There is no way either will make it out for the next Ashes in Australia in 25/26.

If England go down 2-0 after two tests with 3 to play, then Bazball will go the way of the dodo.

 

[big_e]

The issue with "Bazball" has always been, what happens if it fails when it matters the most?

Thy hyperbole about "changing the game" is utter tosh and typical of the English when ever they get on a little roll, or string a few wins together.

We all know England are going to come out swinging in their first innings in the first test, whether they are batting first or second. We just need to put the doubt in their minds and then go to work.

Really, England are on the ropes. Stokes is on one knee, which he has admitted to essentially. Australia need to bat long and make Stokes' knee ache and throb. really give whatever cartilage that is remaining in that knee a good and proper going over.

He has 12 months left as a test player max imo, his value on the T20 circuit is as an all-rounder, playing test cricket for too long will devalue his earning potential on the t20 circuit through wear and tear on his knee. Like Flintoff, I don't see Stokes really playing much test cricket past 32.

Archer is the same.

If England lose this Ashes series, what future is their for Anderson and Broad? There is no way either will make it out for the next Ashes in Australia in 25/26.

If England go down 2-0 after two tests with 3 to play, then Bazball will go the way of the dodo.

You're assuming it will fail.

 

[Browney2006]

The issue with "Bazball" has always been, what happens if it fails when it matters the most?

Thy hyperbole about "changing the game" is utter tosh and typical of the English when ever they get on a little roll, or string a few wins together.

We all know England are going to come out swinging in their first innings in the first test, whether they are batting first or second. We just need to put the doubt in their minds and then go to work.

Really, England are on the ropes. Stokes is on one knee, which he has admitted to essentially. Australia need to bat long and make Stokes' knee ache and throb. really give whatever cartilage that is remaining in that knee a good and proper going over.

He has 12 months left as a test player max imo, his value on the T20 circuit is as an all-rounder, playing test cricket for too long will devalue his earning potential on the t20 circuit through wear and tear on his knee. Like Flintoff, I don't see Stokes really playing much test cricket past 32.

Archer is the same.

If England lose this Ashes series, what future is their for Anderson and Broad? There is no way either will make it out for the next Ashes in Australia in 25/26.

If England go down 2-0 after two tests with 3 to play, then Bazball will go the way of the dodo.

If, if, if

 

[greyhound punter]

You're assuming it will fail.

Cricket is game of randomness. Of course it is going to fail at some point. It will be interesting to see how the English cope when it happens in the Ashes.

 

[greyhound punter]

If, if, if

2006/07: 5:0
2013/14: 5:0
2017/18: 4:0
2021/22: 4:0

Maybe next time you can manage a 3:0 thrashing, just to make it interesting.

 

[greyhound punter]

England are gambling on their aggressive Bazball style batting succeeding more than it fails and on recent results the odds are in their favour.

Their batsmen aren't just wildly slogging, they are just batting in a good aggressive style and they have the talent to do it, it's a calculated gamble.

Bring it on.

Id back our bowlers against a fairly ordinary batting line up swinging from the hip.

 

[greyhound punter]

Cool your jets buddy, this is the England v Ireland test match thread, if you want to bang on about Australia take it to one of their test match threads.

Don't buddy me champ.

 

[Lia]

This will end up being a hiding but I still think that it is cool that Ireland have played four tests this year.

 

[NYRB]

Ireland need to bat all of day 3 to have a chance of putting England under some sort of pressure here.

They also to have to look to be attacking as well .

With a 255 run deficit ive seen funnier things happen in test cricket before. Need a VVS Laxman special from here.

 

[NYRB]

OK you heard this first .

Ireland to bat all day tomorrow, and have around a 75 run lead at stumps with around 4 wickets in hand heading into Day 4.

I reckon we could maybe have a game on in that situation. As they say, cricket is a funny game.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

England are gambling on their aggressive Bazball style batting succeeding more than it fails and on recent results the odds are in their favour.

Their batsmen aren't just wildly slogging, they are just batting in a good aggressive style and they have the talent to do it, it's a calculated gamble.

We have Travis head though. So he can do it too and counter them

 

[Jamurp]

Hope Ireland can dig in and post a score from here, they won't win, but posting a strong total will do them wonders. England very tough to beat at home, no shame in losing, but hope they can show some fight.

 

[Melvin]

If, if, if

 

[big_e]

Ben Stokes on track to be the first England captain to neither bat not bowl in a test since 1931.

 

[big_e]

England are gambling on their aggressive Bazball style batting succeeding more than it fails and on recent results the odds are in their favour.

Their batsmen aren't just wildly slogging, they are just batting in a good aggressive style and they have the talent to do it, it's a calculated gamble.

I don't even think it's a gamble, tbh.

They've deliberately chosen a strategy and the players that suit it. If Crawley gets two pairs to kick off the series, they're not going back to Rory Burns - they'll go with another attacking opener.

The fact that it's so different means that their opponents have to come up with plans they've never used in test cricket. Different bowling plans, different fields, different decisions on when to declare, etc.

And how will Scott Boland go when the ball goes back over his head a few times in quick succession?

How does Cameron Green feel when, in his first Ashes test in England soil, in front of a rowdy full house at Edgbaston, he delivers a perfect ball but gets ramped by Harry Brook for six?

That's the real beauty of Bazball, IMO.

As for putting England under pressure early in the series, as old mate seems to think will happen?

Well, we haven't won in England since it was the Waugh brothers, Gilchrist, McGrath, Warne, etc taking apart Nasser and Athers for the umpteenth time in a row. England are far better than that, and we're nowhere near as good.

Let's not forget that we shat the bed "defending" 360 last time around, either.

Yeah, they're only beating up on Ireland this week, but they're a very good cricket side in these conditions and they should go in as clear favourites.

 

[akkaps]

I am surprised that Root has adapted to it so well, considering that he has not been a consistent part of any T20 team in ages. He has the shots (ramping and dancing). It's good though that he can play the solid innings as well if things don't go England's way, something that will probably be needed in the Ashes

 

[Sphynx]

If Leech bowls like this in a few weeks, England are in trouble.

Pie factory.

 

[big_e]

48* for Adair, all on the leg side. Never seen that before.

 

[Browney2006]

If Leech bowls like this in a few weeks, England are in trouble.

Pie factory.

It’s day 3 on an absolute road in perfect batting conditions, not exactly the best gauge.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

What a shot from McBrine! Great to watch from these two!

 

[Jamurp]

These two having a genuine go!

 

[danielnajdek]

It’s day 3 on an absolute road in perfect batting conditions, not exactly the best gauge.

If they make pitches like this for the Ashes good luck to Leach and Lyon.

 

[Jamurp]

Ireland taking the piss with this England bowling line-up, good signs for Australia.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Hopefully Hand can play a good hand here and give McBrine some support.

McBrine is on for a ton here with with how well he is batting.

Struggling to rotate strike a bit

 

[big_e]

Good effort by Ireland but the gap between the two sides is too great.

More test cricket for Ireland, please. It's the only way they can catch up.