England squad for 1st Test

[Pubey]

hopefully we can kick on now... cook especially needs to prove that he can up the run rate a bit. too slow for a test opener at the moment

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

hopefully we can kick on now... cook especially needs to prove that he can up the run rate a bit. too slow for a test opener at the moment

This is test match cricket, not one-day cricket. Having lost the toss and been put in on a green pitch, in overcast, humid conditions surivival is the key. These two need to concentrate on still being there at lunch and any runs are a bonus.

 

[Pubey]

This is test match cricket, not one-day cricket. Having lost the toss and been put in on a green pitch, in overcast, humid conditions surivival is the key. These two need to concentrate on still being there at lunch and any runs are a bonus.

but the ball isn't doing anything so the initiative needs to be seized early... our players have been getting out not because they are trying to increase the rate, but by trying to force shots whilst protecting their wicket.... if he played his natural essex game then he wouldn't have any problems... strauss is pushing on already because he knows that getting a score down is important with rain threatening.

test matches require teams that can take the initiative early... like Australia always do if they bat first... putting the bowlers under immediate pressure is the best way to protect your wicket IMO

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

but the ball isn't doing anything so the initiative needs to be seized early... our players have been getting out not because they are trying to increase the rate, but by trying to force shots whilst protecting their wicket.... if he played his natural essex game then he wouldn't have any problems... strauss is pushing on already because he knows that getting a score down is important with rain threatening.

test matches require teams that can take the initiative early... like Australia always do if they bat first... putting the bowlers under immediate pressure is the best way to protect your wicket IMO

For so long as these two are here, the iniative is with England. If you win the toss and insert the opposition, you should pick up at least two, probably 3 wickets before lunch. If they occupy the crease runs will come. They need to build a platform from which the middle order can attack and go after tired bowlers (the Windies have only 3 front-line seamers, plus Bravo).

Test matches aren't won in the opening session, but they can be lost in it.

Besides, Cook has a strike-rate of nearly 70, which is more than respectable.

 

[canveyshrimper]

but the ball isn't doing anything so the initiative needs to be seized early... our players have been getting out not because they are trying to increase the rate, but by trying to force shots whilst protecting their wicket.... if he played his natural essex game then he wouldn't have any problems... strauss is pushing on already because he knows that getting a score down is important with rain threatening.

test matches require teams that can take the initiative early... like Australia always do if they bat first... putting the bowlers under immediate pressure is the best way to protect your wicket IMO

It's a 5 Day game & a minmum of 450 overs, England are going along at 4 an over, and Cook is outscoring Strauss, so I'm not sure what your point is. I agree that way the convicts under initially Steve Waugh moved test cricket to another level. However on an under preapred wicket on the first day at Lords of a new season, then England are playing this right. Cook will never be a big shot merchant like Trescothick, but he will score well & regularly, more in the mode of an Atherton. Plus there are plenty of times when application is required, like in Perth in the winter when he scored a great 100.

IMO England have more than enough to beat this poor WIndies team in a canter.

Can't wait for that to come back and bite me on the @rse.:p

 

[Pubey]

For so long as these two are here, the iniative is with England. If you win the toss and insert the opposition, you should pick up at least two, probably 3 wickets before lunch. If they occupy the crease runs will come. They need to build a platform from which the middle order can attack and go after tired bowlers (the Windies have only 3 front-line seamers, plus Bravo).

Test matches aren't won in the opening session, but they can be lost in it.

Besides, Cook has a strike-rate of nearly 70, which is more than respectable.

yep I'm not knocking what the boys are doing at the moment, they are playing the bad balls and the windies haven't had a sniff... cook looks good out there. however so far cook has yet to look like he can make big scores quickly, which is important in todays game as frequently the middleorder are expected to quickly continue the runrate without anytime for them to get settled (which players like freddy and collingwood often need)

and i believe that psychologically games can be won very early... the windies attack is really limited and for them not to get any break through and already be 100+ down they will feel like the game is already getting away from them

 

[Pubey]

It's a 5 Day game & a minmum of 450 overs, England are going along at 4 an over, and Cook is outscoring Strauss, so I'm not sure what your point is. I agree that way the convicts under initially Steve Waugh moved test cricket to another level. However on an under preapred wicket on the first day at Lords of a new season, then England are playing this right. Cook will never be a big shot merchant like Trescothick, but he will score well & regularly, more in the mode of an Atherton. Plus there are plenty of times when application is required, like in Perth in the winter when he scored a great 100.

IMO England have more than enough to beat this poor WIndies team in a canter.

Can't wait for that to come back and bite me on the @rse.:p

my point is in the past we have failed to beat weak teams convincingly and so need to prove today that we can take the intiative early and put them under sustained pressure... again I'm not knocking what the boys are doing as they are batting well and scoring at a good rate

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

81/0 off 20.3 ov on a green Lord's wicket in May, on a morning when the ball may actually be moving around a lot. I'd say that was more than respectable. They aren't playing in Taunton, you know!

:thump:

Far better to be 85/0 than 120/2 at lunch. These two can push on in the afternoon, and put the bowlers to the sword after tea.

Matt

 

[Bluesmanager]

If we can get to anywhere around 300-450 for between 4 and 6 I think we'll have had a good day.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Cook doesn't have to make scores quickly in test cricket. His scoring rate in test cricket is perfectly acceptable. If he can get a hundred at a strike-rate of 40, he gives a platform for the shotmakers, Like Pietersen, Shah, Prior (and when fit Flintoff) to go and score quickly.

England can bat at under 3.5 runs an over (they are currently just under 4) until tea tomorrow or an hour before close and still rack up 550-600. That then gives them 9 and a half sessions to take 20 wickets. With wickets in hand they can then look to really go after a tired Windies attack after lunch tomorrow.

If the bad ball is there to be hit, hit it, but on the first morning of a test I'd rather be 80-0 than 120-2.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The captain departs for 33.

Poor show for him. He scores 25% of his test runs (and a third of his tons) at his home ground of Lords.

 

[SUFC_Al]

88-1

Strauss c D Smith b D Powell 33

Owais Shah in at no. 3.

Cook just passed 50 :D

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Poor show indeed from Strauss. Meanwhile, Cooky brings up his half century.

:)

 

[SUFC_Al]

Cookie
:)

mmm Cookie :hilarious:

 

[Pubey]

shocking shot by strauss

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Shah out for 6.

His test average plummets from the inflated 63 to 44.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

What was that we were saying about 120/2, Cousin Weir...?

:cry:

Still, Cook ploughs on - top man.

Matt

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

What was that we were saying about 120/2

:eek:

Thank goodness we went into lunch with all ten in tact. Had we gone in at 120-2 and then lost another 2 in the helpful conditions after lunch we'd be in all sorts of trouble.

KP 17* off 10 so far. I hope he doesn't get too carried away with it and throw away his wicket.

 

[SUFC_Al]

Cook and KP have put on 40 in 20 minutes.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Cook needs to work a few singles to give KP some more strike.

KP has only faced 3 balls in 5 overs.