There's no real like for like replacement. This compounds Stokes' frailties (he will not be fit to bowl in the role of all-rounder) and leaves the selectors with an almighty headache.
Yeah, that is not good news at all. As you say, we have no one capable of ‘holding an end’ when they have batsmen set. Root will have to step up, and go for a four man (plus Stokes) pace attack, with Woakes or Curran fourth seamer, coming in at no 8. That does strengthen the tail. If there is a pitch that is likely to spin, maybe give Rehan an opportunity, Also could ask Moheen to come out of retirement, but not sure when he last played red balll cricket. Massive loss.
Given the propensity to attack, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Liam Livingstone called.up, fits the bill for Bazball, and is an underrated spinner.
Leach is out of the ashes which is a blow, a stress fracture to his back. I wonder if the young lad Rehan Ahmed will get his chance.
He hardly bowls in red ball for Lancs even when he plays. While he can spin it both ways, he doesn’t have the ability to bowl long spells when Smith is 150* and pace bowlers are knackered. Mind, we don’t have many options, if they did go for a part time bowler, think they’d more likely go for Jacks though I’m not convinced he’s any better then Root. Moheen is apparently considering it, but he too hasn’t played any red ball since his last test in 2021. I suspect they’ll go all pace, with Root back up unless it’s a spinners wicket (possibly The Oval?).
India making a game of the WTC final, Aus odds-on to win but at least it goes to another day. After a nights rest I can see Aus bowling it out pretty quickly tomorrow.
Yorkshire just won their first county game this season!!!!!!!! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000235
First since April last year, and even then we've scraped over the line against (now - it was us til today) the ****test County side on the country, we've got some real problems in red ball cricket!
Well, a day to go before the start of the Ashes, I'm really looking forward to it, expecting a rollercoaster of a series.
Interesting first day. Regarding this test, I suspect it is pretty even after day one, think we were 50 runs short and may have got there with Root on fire and Robinson looking solid, so an odd declaration but that’s Bazball. We’ve certainly taken the draw out of the equation, and we saw from the first ball that we are making Aussies having to adapt to Bazball, and not particularly comfortable with it. Most batsmen got in, which is crucial in a series with no time between tests. In terms of the series (not this test), England won first day on points.
Not sure we’ve got the bowling fire power on this wicket could see them getting 100-150 lead , hope rain on Sunday works for us
