3rd Ashes Test England v Australia July 6-10 1930hrs @ Headingley

[Pakenhamsaint]

Probably.

But we don't have the players walk back through a room full of the rank and file to get back to the rooms so it's a moot point

SCG would be the closest wouldn't it?

 

[Plugger35]

I would definitely be picking Foakes as keeper and moving Bairstow up to no.3 rather than replacing him with Lawrence if I was England.

Foakes is a far better keeper than Bairstow and he isn't a bad batsman either, he has a test average over 30 with 2 hundreds and 4 fifties.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

So we have Stokes and Foakes. Just need Woakes to make it proper comedy show

 

[frankrizzo]

Geez if the selectors overlook Foakes for Dan "The Milf Hunter" Lawrence, that is an awful decision.

Noticed them all calling him that on reddit kinda want to know what lead to that nickname but maybe its better not to ask.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Merv's been very active on Twitter during The Ashes:

Weird man Piers.

Horrible record as a newspaper editor. Implicated in scandal after scandal.

When he talks football it is almost always garbage. The endless genders debate makes him look sane as he effortlessly swats away these weirdos with their "identities" and mystical "genders". (says more about them that Piers appears to be the sane one). Then off to the cricket where he's again talking nonsense.

 

[Millky95]

Weird man Piers.

Horrible record as a newspaper editor. Implicated in scandal after scandal.

When he talks football it is almost always garbage. The endless genders debate makes him look sane as he effortlessly swats away these weirdos with their "identities" and mystical "genders". (says more about them that Piers appears to be the sane one). Then off to the cricket where he's again talking nonsense.

He'll always be the guy who got his rib or hand (I forget) broken by a retired Brett Lee in a lunch special to me

 

[Plugger35]

View attachment 1729122

 

[FredLeDeux]

He'll always be the guy who got his rib or hand (I forget) broken by a retired Brett Lee in a lunch special to me

When people are listening to this clueless muppet talk about cricket, you know that celebrity culture has permanently ****ed England.

 

[Freofalcon]

Merv's been very active on Twitter during The Ashes:

The fact it upsets Morgan makes it even more enjoyable.

 

[frankrizzo]

He'll always be the guy who got his rib or hand (I forget) broken by a retired Brett Lee in a lunch special to me

Anybody else and i would have said lee was an arseh*le for bowling way he did to a non professional but thats one bloke who deserves that and lot more.

 

[Hamez]

First glimpse at the pitch

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

First glimpse at the pitch

Basically a dead green thing.

 

[Kuuz]

Noticed them all calling him that on reddit kinda want to know what lead to that nickname but maybe its better not to ask.

Just a stupid meme Pom fans came up with during one of DLaw's earlier tours.

My understanding is its combination of the fact he is a good looking guy, had a bit of party-profile on his social media and hails from the fair land of Essex

 

[philreich]

I think deep down it really grates on them that they have to live in such a miserable place, meanwhile Australia is full of warmth, sunshine, beaches, natural beauty, natural resources.

I reckon it also grates on them that they can beat Australia about as often as Eddie McGuire barracks for Essendon on Anzac Day.

 

[DeathlyAccurate]

I have no problem with what Carey did to Bairstow, but I do find it ironic that we Australians complain about Broad not walking, when not walking is a key part of Australian cricket culture, handed down from generation to generation.

"We".


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[Iamspock]

I hope we mankad some campaigner and completely melt the joint down

Please, please, please be Broad, we would combust, and leave the ground as a puff of smoke.

 

[PoopingHindi]

of all the dumb things the English team have said and done recently picking Lawrence over Foakes might just be the dumbest

 

[Iamspock]

I'm not sure what an "attractive" test is either, but I know that hours on end of old 1920s style Pommy Leg Theory ain't it.

An attractive test is one where we are all over them like a rash.

 

[The King!]

First glimpse at the pitch

Playing on matting are they

 

[DeathlyAccurate]

and it's the last wicket to go 3-0 up. There'll be so many tears, the oceans will start rising faster than the melting icebergs can make it

That or a Cummins snorter that has him stumbling back over his own stumps. What a glorious photo that would make as the Australians celebrate around him.


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[hawkman]

First glimpse at the pitch

Hometown pitch for Bairstow

 

[Snarls Barkley]

I read english ones on reddit talking about how foakes is maybe odd man out in this setup, doesnt really play golf with the boys isnt big on going out for drinks in a side thats got a reputation for drinking heavy ect maybe thats off the mark but English sides do seem like boys clubs lot of the time and easy to fall out of the inner circle if you arent right type.

To me foakes in best keeper in world by a margin and a solid test batsmen, he should be a regular in any setup no matter their play style.

It would be disappointing if this was the case but you can't rule it out. There is a fine line between great comradery because everyone gets along so well and a boys club.

I think they were really happy with the early Bazball setup with the middle order of Pope, Root, Bairstow, Stokes and Foakes. Obviously the Bairstow injury gave Brook the opportunity which he took with both hands and made himself undroppable. Obviously Bairstow's form pre injury was outstanding as well, averaged 66 in his last 10 Tests with 6 hundreds, so he had a fair case for automatic selection and considering as a batsman he perfectly encapsulates their new philosophy he was always getting picked.

I would've leaned towards opening Bairstow and dropping Crawley which was probably the craziest of their three options (selecting Moeen after two years without red ball cricket shows they weren't scared of crazy selections). I rate Foakes' keeping very highly and think he should be in the team. Crawley has started this series decently and if he had a brain that 48 would've been 100+, he was right on top of the contest before charging at Lyon unnecessarily. Think the analytics would've said to start Bairstow over Foakes, the keeping numbers didn't show that Foakes had a real advantage over him and is a better batsman. In the end the keeping in the first Test was as big of a factor as anything that occurred. With Pope going out its a good opportunity to say we've made a mistake and right that wrong but we'll see what they do.

 

[Westend]

Lawrence is the back up batter in the squad and Foakes is not in there, which suggests it’d be just a straight swap of Pope to Lawrence.

Agree with the above though. Think they’d be crazy not to use this opportunity to bring Foakes in to keep instead of Bairstow who has been hugely costly behind the stumps. Either everyone moves up with Bairstow at 5 (think Stokes stays at 6) or Bairstow up to 3.

Bairstow is too big headed to be replaced by Foakes....they will go Lawrence

 

[BG32]

Probably an illusion but that straight boundary looks tiny

 

[Doodlesweaver]

It's a good question Plugger. To be honest, I'd say it would be very similar from the fans. Maybe not the length of the carry on. But let's be honest, in here will be an absolute zoo.

The only thing that might be different will be invoking the Spirit of Cricket. Given our recent history, it's probably best we stay out of that one. I'd like to see us embrace the villain role now and really get under their skins.

Yes, if they are complaining now, really give them something to yelp about.