England Cricket chat

[muckthenuts]

The classic question with ansari is who do you pick instead? No other spinner good enough.  Another batsman would be ballance (not good enough) or buttler (no red ball cricket in a year) I think ansari has done the holding role passably So far.  The days where rashid goes round the park he'll be important.

Duckett will be fine,  he's learning on the job but hopefully Thorpe will be a good help for him.  Hope he doesn't just plonk his front foot on off stump as an over reaction,  as he'll. Then be lbw fodder for the one that goes straight on.

Out of the lot have to go with Batty, though can't just pick 3 spinners if all are poor just because it's India. Wouldn't go near Ballance and he should never have been picked. Buttler should be in team, plays IPL and knows conditions.

This. Would have even rather played a fast bowler over Ansari as England have quite a few of those who are good. England need to learn to play to their strengths and not just pick x player from county circuit because spinner.

[nellberg]

Issue would be with woakes injured in would be ball or finn,  so it's not much of an upgrade. Next test could be the best chance of a helpful wicket for seamers so hopefully woakes/broad will be able to play.

[TightEnd]

good photo

Stokes catches Kohli again

Click to see full-size image.

[horseplayer]

Gritty stuff from England today

Shame cook out at the end but both nothing could be done really.

Complete agree with nasser as I usually do.

Kholi likes to shout a lot but his field placings are average at best gets away with it due to this attack

[TightEnd]

a very creditable effort today. ball is keeping low and turning. good technique to only be two down at the close

game was lost with the first innings batting from the top 5 (not Cook), run outs and slogs etc. arguably lost the moment they lost the toss i suppose

[horseplayer]

Yep won't be many who survive against this pitch when losing the toss.

Nick knight like kholi no surprise there

[verndog158]

id drop duckett for buttler next test, bairstow to 4. just dont think duckett is going to get anything out of this tour, and maybe give him a go next summer.

[TightEnd]

i am a fan of ansari and batty but unless they rock up and find mohali cracked crazy paving and dusty (they might) then i think given the way broad bowled here they'll be tempted to go with 4 quicks (anderson, broad and woakes + stokes) and moeen/rashid as suggested in this thread

they also have 4 left handers in the top six, so buttler for duckett could well be an option for that reason

tomorrow is a big inning for duckett's short term future, though whatever happens has a very bright future. not easy to rock up on the sub-continent and begin a test career there.

[verndog158]

i am a fan of ansari and batty but unless they rock up and find mohali cracked crazy paving and dusty (they might) then i think given the way broad bowled here they'll be tempted to go with 4 quicks (anderson, broad and woakes + stokes) and moeen/rashid as suggested in this thread

they also have 4 left handers in the top six, so buttler for duckett could well be an option for that reason

tomorrow is a big inning for duckett's short term future, though whatever happens has a very bright future. not easy to rock up on the sub-continent and begin a test career there.

broad is injured, inflamed tendon i think? and will be out for the next test, surprising given how well he bowled today!

[vegaslover]

i am a fan of ansari and batty but unless they rock up and find mohali cracked crazy paving and dusty (they might) then i think given the way broad bowled here they'll be tempted to go with 4 quicks (anderson, broad and woakes + stokes) and moeen/rashid as suggested in this thread

they also have 4 left handers in the top six, so buttler for duckett could well be an option for that reason

tomorrow is a big inning for duckett's short term future, though whatever happens has a very bright future. not easy to rock up on the sub-continent and begin a test career there.

Yeah one for the future, just need to remind him hat he's still in their thoughts for the summer when they pull him. Nothing wrong with getting exposed to Test level and then given time to go away and work on it.

[muckthenuts]

Looks like Buttler for Duckett. Is there anyone who doesn't agree he should have replaced Ansari instead? #frustrating

[nellberg]

Looks like Buttler for Duckett. Is there anyone who doesn't agree he should have replaced Ansari instead? #frustrating

me. I think Ansari gets left out, for either Ball or Batty. Broad looks likely to miss out for Woakes. Whatever combo we go with we're going to need 6 bowlers. Anderson Broad and Woakes are have injury doubts, if one of them breaks down then you'd be down to 4 bowlers, risk bowling Stokes into the ground etc.

I do agree it's time for Ansari to be took out of the firing line, but I don't think he's been horrendous ala Ian Salisbury of old, Kerrigan etc.

Any changes we make won't necessarily enhance our team. Duckett needs taking out, but the man replacing him had a shocker the last time he played test cricket and has a first class average below Rashid and Woakes ... Other batsman in the squad in Ballance.

[TightEnd]

Broad and Ansari out injured

Buttler replaces Dckett and will bat 7


Cook
Hameed
Root
Moeen
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Woakes
Rashid
Batty
Anderson

the pitch is very dry. Must win the toss and bat to have a shot

[Karabiner]

Who gets the gloves?

[nellberg]

Who gets the gloves?

Bairstow keeps them