England v Australia, 1st Test, Edgbaston, 16-20 June, 2023

Stokes is pretty much a specialist captain these days, maybe he should bat himself at 8…

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
for Englanders little and large

Teatime assessment.

1. Big Ben's instant dismissal leaves him fresh for bowling

2. Brook shows great promise for the Ashes in 2027, maybe earlier
(tough luck, in fairness)

3. Crazyhorse Woody's up the sleeve & in the torpedo chute, for release in T2 or T3

4. It's cracking weather, Gromit lad

5. Today at least, and though not faultless (he never was, esp early in an innings), Joe is somewhere near himself again

6. We're still alive, those of us who are still alive, and prodding with our toes

7. Crawley scored a decent few.

8. Little Ben didn't duck it. And he's not Ben Dover - so a double blessing.

9. Al Johnson's not strutting around, claiming victories for himself, dissociating himself from defeats (well, he is in *politics*, but hey - cricket here)

10. A lot of enjoyable cut-and-thrust, good for everyone and cricket

11. Big Bren is in his heaven, hallelujah.

12. Moeen's a star, even if he does nowt with bat, ball or in the field.

13. Good to see the Bearded Tyke Redhead back in the frame, even though you'd probably miss the Browncap's glovework.


More seriously:

Despite unusual defensiveness in the field until they got (pretty much, not yet decisively) on top, Australia's *bowlers* in particular have legged the G & G expertly back into a lead.

As I just said: not yet decisively. We'll see! Cricket is cricket. Oh, that's #14/



Hi, all who still qualify under #6 above! As of: 16.06.2023

"A drink to the living - a toast to the dead", if you know the song. RIP Gord.

The Yorkshire veterans (still feels crazy describing Root as such, but he’s now played as many Tests as Lara did…) just about keeping us in it. We need 100 partnerships not 50s on this surface though.

Delighted we got Pigsty cheaply

Alloysimian wrote:

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:We’ve gone with the old guard plus Robinson, then… I do have concerns that there’s no change-up option to break a partnership, especially if Stokes can’t contribute with the ball, could be some long sessions in the field.

Is this guy that guy??

Norfolk Enchants.

But where is Nadia ... ?

Can’t remember who Norfolk Nadia (and Aidan Klofron) were…

Welcome back Peter, almost doubled the English contingent!

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:Can’t remember who Norfolk Nadia (and Aidan Klofron) were…

Welcome back Peter, almost doubled the English contingent!

Embee and Yes, seconded.

Cheers, "Grinner" & inexplicably, grotesquely misnamed "Lardbouquet" ...

Joe Root’s “only” an MBE? Sort it out, King Charlie and Rishi Rich…

Declaring short of par to have a shot at them this evening, that’s brave…

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:Joe Root’s “only” an MBE? Sort it out, King Charlie and Rishi Rich…

But he's a YL, which matters more.

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:Declaring short of par to have a shot at them this evening, that’s brave…

Big Bazballs.

bizarre declaration. will oz show them how its done and get 600? 2 days in the field might see most of
our bowlers crocked. i believe the clouds arrive on sunday, just in time for england to bat again facing a huge deficit.

Jimmy may be fuming.

Or maybe not.

No breakthrough, should have tried something unorthodox like the Harmison/Flintoff slower ball beamyorker, especially after that wide gave Tommy an extra delivery.

Still expect them to be 400-3 at close tomorrow.

"Fred Boycott:

Put Root on

#goldenarm
#fromyorkshire"

In my eyes, absolute lunacy to declare. The pitch is a pancake. I can't rightfully criticise, because "that's the way they play" but were it not for four or five injudicious shots we'd probably be in the position to get our foot on the throat, albeit at a markedly lesser scoring rate. So, OK fine, that's how we're going to do it. But to turn down the opportunity to throw the bat in the first innings against a flagging attack, for the sake of four uneventful overs defies belief. Especially when they omit their prize opening bowler from opening the bowling. It has to be some form of psychological warfare that I'm too dense to be able to fathom. Good luck to them and I hope they succeed, but to me it was akin to pissing on a plug socket. It was like: "Hi, I'm Ben Stokes, welcome to Jackass". Stokes' unbelievable waft outside of off was a microcosm of what occurred at the end of the day. "hahaha I'm going to stick my dick in a tiger's mouth, waggle it around and see how long it takes for it to bite it off". I was more agog at that than seeing that long haired twat Burns get gated first ball in the last series. Like watching a family member continuously self harm. It's like some meme. I'm waiting for the day when they turn up and Stokes informs the media that for the impending Test match all the batsmen and bowlers are going to perform their duties on their weaker hand... because why not.

I expect he will bowl at least 10 overs tomorrow…

30th Test century today, surpassing the peerless Bradman on that count and only the 15th to achieve the milestone (Smith the only other active one, a single ton ahead).

PeterCS wrote:

Alloysimian wrote:

Norfolk Ian Goode wrote:We’ve gone with the old guard plus Robinson, then… I do have concerns that there’s no change-up option to break a partnership, especially if Stokes can’t contribute with the ball, could be some long sessions in the field.

Is this guy that guy??

Norfolk Enchants.

Big kisses to you, sugar. Lots of love as ever

Wow, shades of the good old days of this place.

Welcome back, Peter. Great to see you. And the ever-entertaining Monkeh, waxing lyrical as only he (and Dello) can.

Shirley Dello will stick his head in at some point!!

Anywho, to Day1.

On the flattest of flat decks (the Edgbaston road builders were busy in the weeks before the Test) Bazball flourished. Root and Bairstow cashed in on a fast start from Crawley.

I went for the sheets well before Tea and England we going at 4.5 an over. By the declaration they'd upped that to 5 an over. Exhilarating stuff but, for Aussies, a worry for the fate of rest of the series.

Well done England, especially Joe Root, who looked impassable on the dead wicket. It now remains to be seen what England's bowlers can get out of the Birmingham Highway.

Interesting decision to declare , time will tell if it was made in haste.
Looked to be a autobahn for a Pitch , so the declaration might look foolish if Aus pile on 500+
Will be interesting to see how Bazball relates to bowling and fielding.

If Stokes gets the 5 flat decks he's requested it's gonna be an exhausting series for the bowlers of both sides.

Pitch will be a little faster on days 2-3, can’t help but hope we make 750 and declare half an hour before tea on day 3 but the fear is we will try to slog at 6 per over and succumb for 250 at tea on day 2.

skully wrote:If Stokes gets the 5 flat decks he's requested it's gonna be an exhausting series for the bowlers of both sides.

5 Tests in 6 weeks says each team will use at least 5 quicks (or quickishs) ... over the series. Starc, Wood most obviously. And that's if there are no injuries and callups.

But that means somebody on each team - Cummins & Stokes most obviously - aren't going to be relieved. Presumably then their workloads are going to be restricted where possible.

Hi Skulls, Monks, "Cannonball" (same musical stable as "Dizzy")!