England v Ireland, Only Test, Lord’s, 24-27 July, 2019

So, back to the Mickey Mouse red ball cricket that we’re shit at... apparently a warm-up for something called the Ashes.

A first visit to HQ for the Irish, which will be interesting. Will the England selectors really take the piss and pick Eoin Morgan to face the land of his birth? Almost certainly not, but a lot of the World Cup winners will feature, surely.

The squad will give plenty of clues as to what is to come next month in terms of the England line-up. What will the top three look like (other than “crap”)? Surely Jennings has had his file stamped NTPFEA, and perhaps Vince as well. Burns was OK-ish over the winter, but there must be at least a bit of temptation to go with Roy and Bairstow at the top? Also, where does the captain bat, how many all-rounders/keeper-batsmen/Currans can we shoehorn in, what about spin, will Jimmy be fit and will Joffrey be unleashed on the longer game? All will be revealed soon...

There's been talk of a top three of Burns, Roy and Denly. That seems like a typically English way of making the worst out of a great success. Interestingly, Foakes batted at 3 for the Lions against Australia (without success, yet). Denly has just had a very good match with a few wickets, a 150-score, and a not out in an unsuccessful attempt to thrash a way to an unlikely target against Hampshire. His last Test innings was a fifty, and he bowls reasonable leg-spin filth. He sounds like a very English pick.

I like Roy as a cricketer but I thought the World Cup final showed everything about him in the kind of conditions you'll probably see more of this late Test summer. Does he have the technique to prevail when it's nipping around, with 3 slips in place, and no field restrictions to help him out? If he was batting anywhere really in Test matches, I'd see him more as a number 6. Ben Stokes is probably got the best mix of craft, guts and ability to make a good go of batting at 3, if Root isn't going to bat there.

As for the rest of the team, particularly where it relates to the World Cup winners, Archer seems like a shoo-in. Mark Wood is carrying an injury, but his bowling won us the last Test that we played. I'd personally like to see us find a way of fitting both of them into the side, but with Anderson and Broad around, it's a logistical nightmare. Buttler and Bairstow will surely start the 1st Ashes Test regardless of whether they play against Ireland. It's probably really only the top 3 that's up for major debate, and the spinner - if we choose to play one. Mo has generally been good in home conditions with the ball, even if he's turned into a tail-ender with the bat.

Seems Jimmy’s not fit for this one, which gives others a chance to stake a claim.

I think Roy has to be given the chance to play his natural game if he’s selected at the top of the order. The way to deal with the slips? Force the opposing captain to put them in the deep because you’re going at 6 an over in the first hour. We’ve tried traditional openers and they’ve all failed - the only other option left to try, other than the one-day approach, is opening with nightwatchmen and saving the proper batsmen for once the shine has gone off the ball.

England squad for Ireland Test: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

England squad for pre-Ashes camp: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

So, a semi-second string side really, with Stokes and Buttler rested and Archer and Wood given a bit more time off to recover from injuries.

A few with a chance to make a case for the Ashes, but a lot of question marks.

So Jandy IS fit for this one?

beamer (and anyone else - Poms especially, as it's an internal matter of sorts ...):

We now appear to have an embarrassment of semi-riches in the Test seam/swing bowling department. (I nearly said "among the quicks", but that may be pushing it with some).

Anderson, Broad, Wood, Archer, Woakes, Stokes, Curran S. if not also T., also Gregory, Stone (& what happened to Overton??) ... not Plunkett as his Test days are clearly considered over.

A couple of those are obviously already inked in for the Ashes, if fit. Stokes for his all-rounder role and Bothamesque presence, for example.

But which three or four are we about to go with, as first choices? And who are the next two, three in line?

I don’t think Jimmy will play, even though he’s been named - too much of a risk if he’s not 100%, even though he will fancy a few cheap wickets to head towards 600.

I suspect he and Sturat are still the men in possession, along with Stokes obviously, but the backup seamer(s) and new ball succession plan are very much up in the air. I think it will be down to who takes their chances when they get them, though the selectors may have some idea of their favoured way forward. A bit of “horses for courses” is likely as well.

Names and numbers on shirts for the first time in Test cricket. About time...

The weather is going to be sweltering. I wonder if that increases Leach' s chances of playing.

Yeah but it won't be complete until w have music between overs, Mar hing girls the uwr. A wiv et falls and a r ok co concern at the innovative Ng's changeover.

If it's all as rocky as the wording of that post, I'll regret going ...

Bradman wrote:Yeah but it won't be complete until w have music between overs, Mar hing girls the uwr. A wiv et falls and a r ok co concern at the innovative Ng's changeover.

I think your phone needs a charge.

Bradman got it cheap, from vilkrang ...

Basil wrote:The weather is going to be sweltering. I wonder if that increases Leach' s chances of playing.

Maybe we should have played them at Ciderabad...

Apparently going to be 38 degrees on day 2. No joke, I don’t think the UK is equipped to handle a day like that?

Hopefully it will melt Boris down to a wad of tousled blonde glue.......

Will anyone except Crosby notice any difference?

It'll be good to see how Olly Stone goes. We may need him in the first Ashes test as Wood is definitely until the fourth test and Archer may not be around until the second test.

And Jimmy doubtful for Edgbaston, though presumably Woakes is his understudy. Anyone’s guess what the first choice attack will be, playing four seamers plus Stokes seems overkill so some options regarding balance of the side.

England going with three quicks and two spinners. Definitely looks like win the toss and bat. Even if the pitch is a bit green, it’s going to be baking hot the first two days.

Carrrrrnnn Ireland.

Oh dear, 42-4........ same old story for the test side.

6/42

Bit bizarre

FFS, this is what happens when I return to this f*cking place

I know it’s only England’s second eleven but jeez.
43/7

8/61 now. All up to Curran I guess