3rd Test Headingley 6th July

Another average Bairstow performance with the bat to back up his average wicketkeeping. What does he have to do to get dropped?

England's batting seems to be reduced to one bloke with a gammy leg. 80 out of 250 odd. Not sure he'll take the field 3rd innings.

When England have one genuinely quick weapon, why do they not open the bowling with him?

Write off Broad at your peril!

596 - I can picture him getting his 600th being Warner at Old Trafford.

The only thing that could save Bairstow is to score a match winning century in the 2nd innings!!! We wish!!!!

Chinaman wrote:England's batting seems to be reduced to one bloke with a gammy leg. 80 out of 250 odd. Not sure he'll take the field 3rd innings.

He always seems to have one injury or another.Perhaps he's just a drama queen? Who cares if we lose 5-0 it's just great to see even more T20 Cricket this time in the test arenas.If Bairstow and the fucking awful Moeen are selected for the next T20/Test i'm not watching.

Another drop by Bairstow is,how demoralising for a bowler to toil so hard to get an edge,only for Bairstow to drop it!

The comedy is good though.

Iron Gloves fails to adjust his feet in preparation for a makeable leg side catch. Next over, Labuschagne slog sweeps to the deep and Iron Gloves shouts catch it!

The hapless clown posing as a 'keeper has just dropped yet another one.Luckily not costly this time.

'Fucking awful' Moeen getting both Smith and Labuschagne

Alex! wrote:'Fucking awful' Moeen getting both Smith and Labuschagne

He picks and chooses when he wants to play.Normally when he can't find a 5/10/20 over slog up somewhere on the planet to go to.He was out today (yet again) in ludicrous,embarrassing fashion.He has also not played a CC game in at least 4 years.It's an insult to those who have.

I'm sorry, 23 wickets and counting in fewer than two days in mainly perfect batting conditions on a true, rock hard pitch and fast outfield is a dreadful advert for test cricket.

Australia at least are intending to bat properly, but they are still playing stupid shots to ordinary balls.  England's 50-overs-and-out Bazball needs to be consigned to the dustbin

Well yes, but while Stokes is still standing and the unwashed still booing, it will no doubt continue. Interestingly, Mr Bazball himself and dodgy wicket keeper never liked the term. Indeed he is no good at the wicket or with the bat so far in this series. But as I speak the covers are going on at Headingley, so a possible draw will ensure England have no chance.

Jackers wrote:I'm sorry, 23 wickets and counting in fewer than two days in mainly perfect batting conditions on a true, rock hard pitch and fast outfield is a dreadful advert for test cricket.

Australia at least are intending to bat properly, but they are still playing stupid shots to ordinary balls.  England's 50-overs-and-out Bazball needs to be consigned to the dustbin

I don’t think you can say that Crawley, Brook, and Root’s dismissals were outrageous slogs. They were defending balls they arguably didn’t need to and I expect McCullum to say they didn’t go after the ball hard enough - and he’d be right. It sounds simple but if it’s not hitting the stumps you should be leaving it or attacking it.

I get very frustrated with the hypocrisy from purists like Boycott when cover drives are nicked to slip. If the batsman hits a wide half-volley for 4 you would be applauding. If he nicks off the purists go “he should have left it”. It’s hypocritical.

As has been pointed out by David Gower, England didn’t play like this last year. They were much more confident in what to leave, play, and attack respectively, rather than having a hoik at everything as per Lord’s. Had England been smarter there they’d have won that test easily. Losing one player to the bodyline might be bad fortune. To lose four, plus a no ball reprieve of Root, was careless. As Bob Willis once said, I’d seen fewer hookers in Soho on a Saturday evening.

The one that sticks in my mind is Duckett’s excellent 76 in Mount Maunganui. Every delivery you just thought “well, that was the right shot to play to that ball” and he ended up scoring at about a run a ball.

England’s day, for the first time since Day 1 at Edgbaston.

Come on, they have been unerringly lucky in every game with toss and weather conditions

Jackers wrote:Come on, they have been unerringly lucky in every game with toss and weather conditions

Exactly they have had the best of the conditions for all 3 Tests. Also Australia are missing Lyon. The difference in this Test is Wood and to a lesser extent, Woakes on the bowling front. But you know 3 quick wickets and it's a case of can Stokes do it again to get them over the line? I wouldn't bet on it.

Rumour is Moeen Ali will bat at 3.

Rumour is he did (briefly).

Great player though he may be, Joe Root is as much a team player as Geoff Boycott or Kevin Pieterson. Bat at 3 - stop throwing others to the wolves.

RB wrote:Rumour is Moeen Ali will bat at 3.

Well whose bright idea was that.

Jackers wrote:Rumour is he did (briefly).

Great player though he may be, Joe Root is as much a team player as Geoff Boycott or Kevin Pieterson. Bat at 3 - stop throwing others to the wolves.

I still think he should open. This England top 3 is a mess.

Chinaman wrote:

Jackers wrote:Rumour is he did (briefly).

Great player though he may be, Joe Root is as much a team player as Geoff Boycott or Kevin Pieterson. Bat at 3 - stop throwing others to the wolves.

I still think he should open. This England top 3 is a mess.

See what I mean.

Crawley averages 40. Every other innings.

This was surely Bairstow’s last test ,shocking keeper and just not scoring any runs,can’t afford to play him any longer!!

dougieginn wrote:This was surely Bairstow’s last test ,shocking keeper and just not scoring any runs,can’t afford to play him any longer!!

Oh they will now. 2/1.