England v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Headingley, 29 May-2 Jun, 2015

Seeing English supporters are still in a numb state of euphoria after their team's excellent win in T1, here's the T2 thread.

Lyth and Belf to survive in a winning line-up? Broad to drop down the order to no. 13?

Surely Lyth's place isn't under question after one game? By all accounts he looked fairly comfortable on the big stage before just getting a couple of good balls. If he doesn't make a score here there will be a few questions starting to be asked, but I expect he will get at least until the middle of the Ashes series, unless he is the fall guy in a reshuffle to add a bowler with Root, Bell or Ballance shoved up to open (which would be a crap idea anyway).

Should be a match of milestones - Jimmy one off 400, Cook 40 or so off Gooch's record and another big one could see him become the first Englishman to 9000 in this match.

beamer wrote:Surely Lyth's place isn't under question after one game?

I certainly wouldn't question it, beams. But your NSP has been known to do some odd things in recent times.

After their abject failure at lords - can the snoozies come up with a halfway acceptable performance against the English juggernaut?

England will more than likely be unchanged, although ere is talk of bringing in Plunkett for Wood as a rotation policy, rather than Wood being dropped.

I like Mark Wood. He's a character, and he gives good interviews. Oh, and he looks a damn fine bowler too. I can see him becoming a Darren Gough/Matthew Hoggard type character.

So what's happened to Jordan? They've kept Broad and ditched him?

Henry wrote:England will more than likely be unchanged, although ere is talk of bringing in Plunkett for Wood as a rotation policy, rather than Wood being dropped.

I like Mark Wood. He's a character, and he gives good interviews. Oh, and he looks a damn fine bowler too. I can see him becoming a Darren Gough/Matthew Hoggard type character.

He loved geeing up the crowd on Monday as well, got well in to it.

lardbucket wrote:So what's happened to Jordan? They've kept Broad and ditched him?

Broad's an establishment player, undroppable... and does still produce important spells on occasion. Jordan is still around the squad, but for all his potential as an all-round cricketer doesn't really offer either consistent wicket taking or control at the moment, and with effectively a specialist batsman at 8 there's no point picking him just because he's a handy number 9 and good slip fielder.

Broad looked very threatening on Monday, his opening spell in particular was great.

So Cook back to slip? Jordan's going to be missed there; he's taken some blinders.

lardbucket wrote:So Cook back to slip? Jordan's going to be missed there; he's taken some blinders.

Cook always at slip. Always. Why? Because he's captain and he probably thinks he's a good slipper. Reason being, he's not very self aware. I see that, on Monday, McCullum was all over the field - mainly at mid-off. He probably thought he's not one of the best slip fielders in the team, so he probably shouldn't put himself in the slips. He's that sort of person. I wish every day that Cook was at least one iota like him. Alas, no. He's a hyped up shitbrick, who does everything with the impunity of a golden child.

You've got him for the summer now, after that Herculean performance in the first SnoozeTest.

beamer wrote:Surely Lyth's place isn't under question after one game? By all accounts he looked fairly comfortable on the big stage before just getting a couple of good balls. If he doesn't make a score here there will be a few questions starting to be asked, but I expect he will get at least until the middle of the Ashes series, unless he is the fall guy in a reshuffle to add a bowler with Root, Bell or Ballance shoved up to open (which would be a crap idea anyway).

... .

I agree with all of that. Barnacle might of course have other ideas before the Ashes, so it would be in Lyth's interests to make at least one score before then.

It would be worth a wry smile if Barney brought back Robson. ... or Compton.

Ballance should never open. Root should only be dislodged from 5 to go to 4 - he's not a gifted opener either. As for Bell - to #3 with you, my son. Been the insecure pampered one for too long. Ballance better at 4, I'd think.

lardbucket wrote:You've got him for the summer now, after that Herculean performance in the first SnoozeTest.

Cruel bastard, twisting the knife in Monkehh's gaping wound.

vilkrang wrote:Broad looked very threatening on Monday, his opening spell in particular was great.

Pitched the fukcer up. Short ball, with extra oomph, as a n option, not limply as a standard issue.

Why doesn't he do this as per normal?

PeterCS wrote:

vilkrang wrote:Broad looked very threatening on Monday, his opening spell in particular was great.

Pitched the fukcer up. Short ball, with extra oomph, as a n option, not limply as a standard issue.

Why doesn't he do this as per normal?

Because he's a dickhead?
Because the captain is a dickhead who doesn't tell him to pitch it up?
Because the bowling coach is a dickhead who doesn't tell him to pitch it up?

Mainly (A) you'd think, any strengths in (B) and (C) can be completely outweighed by stellar dickheadedness as exemplified in Broad.

PeterCS wrote:

lardbucket wrote:You've got him for the summer now, after that Herculean performance in the first SnoozeTest.

Cruel bastard, twisting the knife in Monkehh's gaping wound.

No, no, no.... You're mistaken. After this Test, we've got him until we've not only been mercilessly thrashed in the summer, but been mercilessly thrashed in the winter. He's set in stone for the SA tour now. Didn't you hear that he made a couple of good bowling changes?

3-0 or 4-0 should be the end of him. 5-0 will make it a certainty.

Deep down of course I would rather win the Ashes despite whatever crazy shit I've said, but I'd rather get thrashed than lose or draw a close series. At least with a thrashing then Cook will be gone, a closely fought loss/draw will mean no Ashes and Cook for a good while longer. Worst of every world.

vilkrang wrote:3-0 or 4-0 should be the end of him. 5-0 will make it a certainty.

Deep down of course I would rather win the Ashes despite whatever crazy shit I've said, but I'd rather get thrashed than lose or draw a close series. At least with a thrashing then Cook will be gone, a closely fought loss/draw will mean no Ashes and Cook for a good while longer. Worst of every world.

That would definitely be the worst situation. Still reckon he'll survive anyway. Remember he now has 'Straussy' in his corner giving him the entire series despite his ghastly record. Why not longer on the basis that 'Straussy' loves him like a son / favourite nephew with a good family?

My word, you two need a REJOICE! button real bad.

Look at Kallis. He's happy.

True.

PeterCS wrote:My word, you two need a REJOICE! button real bad.

Look at Kallis. He's happy.

I'm sure Vercingetorix REJOICED after his Fabian strategy had early success... didn't stop him being paraded around at Julius Caesar's triumph 7 years later.

And that Fabius, he was a right Cunctator too.

PeterCS wrote:

beamer wrote:Surely Lyth's place isn't under question after one game? By all accounts he looked fairly comfortable on the big stage before just getting a couple of good balls. If he doesn't make a score here there will be a few questions starting to be asked, but I expect he will get at least until the middle of the Ashes series, unless he is the fall guy in a reshuffle to add a bowler with Root, Bell or Ballance shoved up to open (which would be a crap idea anyway).

... .

I agree with all of that. Barnacle might of course have other ideas before the Ashes, so it would be in Lyth's interests to make at least one score before then.

It would be worth a wry smile if Barney brought back Robson. ... or Compton.

It would be worth a P45 if he brought back another shotless blocker to open alongside Cook.

As for "Ballance should never open", well I agree in that he's certainly not an opener by trade so shouldn't get the role in an official capacity... but he has been effectively opening for the past year or so, coming in at f**k all for 1 in nearly every innings!