First time in any test match since 1885 that nos 10 and 11 were the two highest scorers in an innings: it was also Mahmood's highest score in any competitive match. Now if only Leach was as good a bowler as he is a batsman!
'The Wall' was in batting form today!
Not all that long to wait as England were all out for 120 in their second innings, which took no time for the West Indies to score the required 28 runs for a 10-wicket victory.
No bowler has ever got Root out twice in the same match for as few runs as Kyle Mayers did, and that's 121 tests worth. I can't agree with your analysis at all, even down to 'destroying an attack'. Many great batsmen, from Sachin Tendulkar downwards, weren't on the whole destructive. One day and T20 cricket has emphasised big hitting, of course, but test cricket demands a lot more technique and patience. Root should have the captaincy removed, though, and passed on to Stokes. Root was as responsible for stupidly omitting Anderson and Broad as anyone else. Overton has proved he'll never be a test bowler, whereas Mahmood does look worth persevering with. And why wasn't Matt Parkinson picked? Oh, sorry. Leach had to be preferred for his batting.
Quite agree. Surely such a statement is sacrilege in the West Riding - I don't think Sir Geoffrey was renowned for destroying an attack but he didn't half accumulate runs. However, the one I remember most is Ken Barrington, Lord Ted would march out to the crease and bash the ball about a bit for a quickfire 60 or 70 but it was Barrington that would get the big hundreds, the scores that win (or save) matches. 20 tons in 80 odd tests, with a test average of over 50. You need a mixture of batting types. Right now we need a consistent opening bat - like Alastair Cook, someone to see the new ball out and ensure that the number 3 is not coming in with the shine still on the ball and the opening bowlers still fresh.
You've hit the nail on the head, we are too worried about openers being quick run scorers, their priority should be to grind the opening bowlers down. Test matches are five days long for a reason.
Whatever the masterplan was, one of them should have gone, someone who has been there, done it. Woakes is not your go-to bowler. Even if they were not playing in all of the tests, their experience would have counted for a lot. And Wood not lasting the series was pretty predictable, we needed experienced back-up.
Agreed with this, except you also need another opener to stay with Cook in order to prevent the number three batsman facing what you so describe above.
You certainly don't want to select a player purely on the basis that they have captaincy experience, otherwise you'll just get Burns or, more likely, Vince back, or Joe Leach replacing Jack Leach.
Many counties seem to deliberately choose overseas players as captains these days, perhaps as a carrot to dangle: for instance, before he pulled out of the contract, Travis Head was to have been Sussex captain in red ball cricket this summer.
Lancashire seem happy with the South African player Dane Vilas as captain, who produced some notable innings last season.You certainly don't want to select a player purely on the basis that they have captaincy experience, otherwise you'll just get Burns or, more likely, Vince back, or Joe Leach replacing Jack Leach.
Point taken. Maybe I should have said "ensure that the number 4 or 5 are not coming in with the shine still on the ball and the opening bowlers still fresh" because that is what happens far too often.
it was even worse in calendar year 2021 - England played 29 test innings* and in over half of them (15 out of the 29) the second wicket fell at less than 20, meaning that number 4 came to the crease with the score in single figures or teens.
I heard it said yesterday that Joe Root the batsman's biggest misfortune is to be playing in a side captained by Joe Root.
Judge - I was under the impression it was that his hair style resembled a judge's wig. (Probably not true now - but https://www.crictracker.com/5-insta...ers-got-fitting-replies-for-their-sledging/3/)
Anya Shrubsole removing both South African openers for not very much was also an important contribution. If she can repeat that with Healy and Haynes - who had an opening partnership of over 200 in the other semi - in the final it would be most welcome!
Yes, looks right to me.
Yes.
Joe Root steps down as England Test captain following West Indies defeat - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60895801
Not surprised.
