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

Will England make lunch?

Wtf? Something in the pitch?

lol, 85 all out

Well Well!!

Good Grief!!! What a scoreline to wake up to in Colombia!!!

Thank you England for restoring the faith.

Well, the bowlers eventually just about got us back into it. But to be bowled out for 85 by what is probably a second division county attack at best, has to be a new low for English Test cricket, and shows what we’re up against in the Ashes. Never mind the fact Australia have a weak top order themselves - the two cheats on their own could get enough runs for nobody else to need to contribute.

I’d sack Root as captain and install Morgan, whether or not he plays any regular red ball cricket these days. Maybe stick Bairstow up to open with Roy and tell them to pretend the ball is white, I don’t know... something has to change in a big way and preferably before we’ve lost 5-0 in the series coming up.

I don't know what the panic is all about, afterall, it is only an England 2nd X1 however it does perhaps pose a problem over lack of depth.

Well nice to see the Good Blokes in a reasonable position at the end of the. My mob were clearly too strong for the Poms who.to their credit passed 50 and fought back with the ball..

This is the new England under Boris Schlockson.

Big Dog wrote:I don't know what the panic is all about, afterall, it is only an England 2nd X1 however it does perhaps pose a problem over lack of depth.

2nd XI? We’re only missing Stokes, Anderson and Buttler in terms of nailed on selections. There’s plenty of places up for grabs, and nobody laying claim to them. We’ll probably have the same top order next week.

I think England still have the upper hand in the Ashes if only because our bowler's won't be able to do what the Irish did. Heat may help.

Pitch should be a belter today.

England to make 500 in 2nd innings.

skully wrote:Good Grief!!! What a scoreline to wake up to in Colombia!!!

Careful, "score line" has a different meaning over there.

Stoopid Ireland - lost 7/75 to let the Poms back into it.

England only paying 1.30 at the moment.

LOL. They must have been blessed by Boris Johnson before the start of play. "Be like me, boys, show all your jolly skill, and give it lots of bull!

Apart from Curran, possibly Broad (though some very loose deliveries) & Stone (not in his nervous, inaccurate start, but once he "tuned in" in his second & third spells), absolutely none of that team pressed a case for inclusion in a team versus Oz. And that includes the skipper and the keeper. If they really were still "suffering" from the WC, or couldn't be arsed, they shouldn't have played ...

Roy should never be let near the Test team (but what's the betting he'll be #1?) He started with a solid "PACK" of the middle of the bat, and it went downhill all the way from there. His dismissal was almost the worst of a bad lot: a big fat edge off a shambolic forward defensive, like giving catching practice. And he shells catches like nuts. Keep him for the bish-bash forms of the game, where technique, patience and concentration are not at a premium, and he can just trust his eye and sinew for a bit. The fact that either he didn't have the guts, or Root thought he didn't have the skill, to survive one single over - and sent out poor old #11 Leach - says it all.

Leach. Oh dear. Didn't have any real solution to getting leant forward & swept on the volley by Stirling in particular. Should I blame Leach here, or Root and Co? Their brains seemed to be in second gear at best.

And I hadn't realised how grotesquely far Burns leans forward in his stance. Has he got worse?

Denly? No no no. Bashed a couple of nice fours, but played and missed time after time. No no no. Not good enough. Bits and pieces man for the short forms.

But I always like the look of Sam No-Neck. Like a left-handed Gladstone Small, with better batting. The only one of the 11 who looked like a batsman, with some authority. Ok, he too got out cheaply - but at least he LOOKED the part!


An amazing day for Irish cricket. And epecially their London Irish, who know Lord's well. Balbirnie also can bat. Murtagh's batting was the best clown show of the year, but he put willow to cork with some brief effect. and outscored all but a couple of the England "batsmen"!


Was a great day out. Glad we were in the Grand Stand, though. Shade. Bit of breeze. Lifesavers!

Crikey. Collapse after big effort by NW Leach.

Eng 5 down & only 85 in front!!

3 wkts left & 143 to the good.

What can Eng defend?

Yippee ... Pomgolians 8fer. Keeping the target under 150 would give the good guys a real chance.

9fer and a lead of 170 now.

Going to be tight... a number 11 showing the rest the way, even more embarrassment for the top order players.

As far as I’m concerned, Leach has earned himself the role for next week. Never mind his FC average barely in double figures... it backs up my long-held belief that nightwatchman-openers are the way forward. A bit like the old sticky wicket reversing the batting order approach. Put a couple of resilient tailenders up there, in the hope they can see off the new ball. If they can make 15 or 20, great. If they get out early, nothing lost. Once in a while, they will come off as per today, and you can effectively knock two wickets off the total once they’re out. So why waste spots on specialist openers averaging 20? I’d put Woakes up there with him, he’s got the defensive technique, and start the main batting line-up at 3, with lots of all-rounders down the order. Something like:

Leach
Woakes
Roy
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Foakes+
Morgan*
S Curran
Broad/Archer
Anderson

More chance of success than what they probably will go with.

181 ahead with a wicket left.

Enough?

50-50 I think. We need to bowl well, one partnership would do it for them.

beamer wrote:50-50 I think. We need to bowl well, one partnership would do it for them.

Agree. We need to bat well and build partnerships. The weather looks diabolical for the next two days with many interruptions.

My mob will have the worst of the batting conditions but have a live chance.

Will England be burning the stumps after the game?