Woakes is a wonderful test bowler in England. He averages 23! Yes he's poor away, and that is why his overall test average drops away to 30. But any bowler who averages 23 at home, and can bat as well, is a certainty in my book.
Seems I've done him a disservice. I honestly didn't think his stats were that good. But I do think that Broad and Woakes are similar bowlers and we've got to play a spinner as Root is missing the first test. I suspect Woakes will miss out if they go with Bess.
No room for Wood who was brilliant in SA and surely merits a place. What has Anderson got left to prove? I feel he owes his county a service in the dignified manner that Alastair Cook is doing with Essex.
I don’t follow cricket as closely as I used to, but where does Sam Curran come in the pecking order? I thought he was being promoted as the next big break through player, but like I say, I don’t follow it closely. He’s just tested negative for coronavirus. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/53282287
Apparently three options for the county season are being put to the vote on Tuesday: 1. Four-day cricket (split into three groups) played either side of t20 cricket (split into three groups) 2. One-day cricket (split into three groups) followed by t20 cricket (split into three groups) 3. One-day cricket (straight knock-out, quick fire tournament), followed by four-day cricket (split into three groups) played either side of t20 cricket (split into three groups) Thinking behind the third option, whilst the most difficult to squeeze in, is to effectively use the one-day competition as warm-up matches, particularly for bowlers. Rather than throwing them straight into four-day matches.
As expected, it's now been confirmed that the three ODIs vs Ireland will take place at the Bowl during the 10-ish day window between the WI and Pakistan test series'. It's been fairly obvious ever since it became clear that the two test series' would begin at the Bowl, then move up to OT, then return back to the Bowl again (otherwise you'd just have had one entire series here, and then the other entire series up there - but by taking it away, and then bringing it back a month later, space becomes available to play the ODIs here with a two-week gap either side.) Despite being named in the initial 30 man squad, the fact that neither Moeen and Bairstow made the smaller 22 man squad would suggest that neither will be heading up to OT, and hence can play in the ODIs instead. Along with the likes of Roy, Morgan, Rashid and Tom Curran.
Good luck to both England and the "Windies" tomorrow. The most important thing is that it is a tightly fought game and both sides have to battle hard. Anderson getting 6 for 20 is good, but not if we want a competitive series.
If England bowl first that is exactly what could happen. Ideal Jimmy conditions tomorrow. 100% banker whoever wins the toss bowls.
The worst thing would be to see the Windies skittled and the match completed in 3 days, weather permitting. It does England no favours either.
This is the weather forecast, and not the Windies being all out for less than a 100. Looks like you have had an early summer. Hope I am wrong. Play the tests in Gibraltar if the summer looks dodgy. They must have some good pitches down there for the forces personnel.
Corfu has cricket pitch, oh English not welcome in Greece although I'm led to believe there's an approved route via Bulgaria . OK for me living in the Hague with Dutch permanent residence so still have freedom of movement under the current restrictions. Not that we're going anywhere, not convinced it's safe yet.
It was hard enough already for Stokes to pick his bowling attack. Waking up to this weather, I'm not sure if it's been made even harder for him, or in fact easier. Do we need two fast bowlers in overcast conditions? Likewise, a spinner. The Bowl is absolutely a bat-first wicket, but these seeming bowler-friendly conditions are only expected to last today and maybe tomorrow.