England v Australia, 2nd Test, Lords, 28 June - 2 July, 2023

I've thought further since last night, and do wonder whether they might try a one-off Boland for Lyon exchange in the next game, especially given Head's good bowling here in the first innings. I can't see them leaving Starc or Hazlewood out of the next match, and they clearly won't rest Cummins for the Third Test ... maybe the Fourth, but only if the series is done.

I doubt they'll go this way though. Suspect they will indeed bring Murphy in for Lyon, in which case Boland will miss another game, before coming back for the Fourth match.

More commentary box hilarity as I catch up with sesh 1 last night in replay, of the kind you're bound to get when you let Benny Hill pick both teams, as seems to have happened here:
As Dunder lands his first ball on a perfect length, Tubby informs the world that 'Head could be just as effective as Root'.

Slow over rate continues combined with four bouncers an over. Bairstow drop Ussie. Smarter play is to leave the bouncers knowing Bairstow will add to the bye tally.

Anderson looking like the weakest link in the attack. Surely he’s out of the next Test.

What are the rules governing number of bouncers that can bowled in an over?

Bouncers are effort balls and this will be taking it out of the bowlers, the unfit Slobbo in particular.

Feel a bit for the English bowlers. Thus far they have bowled on each of the nine days of the Tests. Price of BazBall is in the flat decks and aching bodies of the long suffering English bowlers.

Even though the Poms have had the best of the atmospheric conditions for bowling, Jimmeh in particular must miss having a decent English pitch to bowl on.

Stoopid Billy

Bwahahahahahaha

Stoopid Spiv

lardbucket wrote:Stoopid Billy

By my count that was the fourth bouncer/short ball to Ussie in the over.

Should have appealed the decision to not call a no ball.

Broad and Robinson are now guaranteed chin music when they bat in future.

Umpires have greenlit 6 bouncers per over.

It’s slowed the scoring.

Bouncer war.

lardbucket wrote:It’s slowed the scoring.

Sure…. Missing some no ball sundries through ump incompetence

Turgid stuff, this just isn’t a pitch for good Test cricket.

Can't understand why Root is not Option #1.

See first innings. See his success against Green. See also the shortage of options in England's attack, with a Stokes not himself, Jimmy playing the match like an OAP and Robbo whanging down "bouncers" at 78 mph.

horace wrote:Broad and Robinson are now guaranteed chin music when they bat in future.

Umpires have greenlit 6 bouncers per over.

Didn’t think of the fact we have a Broad and a Robinson together in this side. For many years those two names topped the batting order for Notts (not sure if they ever played for England together, with Gooch usually a fixture alongside one or the other?)

This is crap.

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:

horace wrote:Broad and Robinson are now guaranteed chin music when they bat in future.

Umpires have greenlit 6 bouncers per over.

Didn’t think of the fact we have a Broad and a Robinson together in this side. For many years those two names topped the batting order for Notts (not sure if they ever played for England together, with Gooch usually a fixture alongside one or the other?)

Nice spot.

Now, if they can bat like Tim and Chris (preferably the alpha version stroking a ton dahnanda, not the omega version demolishing his stumps in a fit of pique) .....

Fred Nerk wrote:This is crap.

Blame the groundsman… it’s not Test cricket when both sides think boring the opposition out with short stuff is a better option than trying to get catches behind the wicket.

Two expansive lefties in ... you know it makes sense.

(Does Big Ben?)

Get Root on!!

Bloody hell - Aussies have caught the English disease.

Still - already enough in the bank.

How many more? 350 could be enough but it’s not going to be enjoyable watching England trying to make 350 against a barrage of short stuff

This shows why banning runners was a ridiculous decision from the ICC. The umpire should be able to make a judgement call on whether someone’s doing a Ranatunga.

Brave effort here by Lyon. He’s nailed half a dozen pull shots at least ... only one for profit.

Onya Lyon. Most likely that was the last he will be seen in a Test in England. A pretty memorable effort that produced a partnership of 15 valuable runs.