Playing without fear doesn't mean that you have to forget the basics of defence, running etc etc especially on a wicket that is doing a bit, mainly because of variable bounce, but isn't unplayable. The bowlers will tire and the ball will go soft but you have to earn the right to be there to cash in when that happens. Otherwise you end up with this situation of Root and Stokes at the crease with just Foakes to come and 9, 10, Jack who are highly unlikely to get any sort of score between them.
We can't be stupid, but I agree with attacking the spinner. Knocking him out of the attack could be crucial
Absolutely. Bracewell has 18 Test wickets at 45. This isn't Ashwin or Jadeja and they have no one else to turn to. But it only takes one ball like the first one that Root tried to sweep that bounced and it could be the end. A question of "who blinks first".
In the 146 years of Test cricket, just 23 England batsmen have batted in positions 1-3 as many times as Zak Crawley (58 times) and his average of 27.52 is the worst of those. None of those, though, have had their average "skewed" by one innings to the extent that Crawley has by that 267 against Pakistan and without that his average in those positions drops to 23.25.
Crawley's average is 25.19 from 48 innings when opening and that is also the worst from the 18 players that qualify with Burns, once again, 2nd in that list with the same average of 30.32 as he has only ever opened. That demonstrates the perceived lack of options but, there again, the fact that it has taken over six years to give Duckett, a player who was dropped after just 7 innings back in 2016, a second chance suggests that there might be others from left field who could be given that opportunity.
That said, I remain of the opinion that Bairstow should be the next on the rank to open as he does fit the "Bazball" profile and is a very experienced opener and Test batsman. It would also mean no disruption to the batting order and the retention of probably the best keeper in the world.
The 23 qualifiers who have batted 58 or more times at 1-3:
Agree Bairstow is next in line but I'm gonna keep banging the Sam Robson drum as an option. Another like Duckett tried too young and dropped too early.
Comments
80-5
It's like a panicky T20 chase
Unless we decide to play it as a pre Bazball match and use the remaining 80 overs rather than try & win before tea then I reckon we lose.
Definitely lost it now.
straight red a run out in Test cricket like that is fucking ridiculous
beyond pathetic
I was really interested in seeing Brook and Root really take the game to New Zealand and then I get to see one of the daftest run outs I've ever seen
129-5 and halfway to the total required
I love Stokes, the test batsman, when he bats properly. I think batting with Root is good for him.