The most ridiculous thing about Duckett, especially as an opener, is that he has succeeded in averaging 41 by only leaving 2% of the balls he faces. The next lowest is Warner with 15%.
Watching the golf I've been itermitingly switching over just to see the score. Saw the Windies going great guns and getting to 50-odd in no time. Turned back again just now to see them 3 down. Then just seen the 4th.
Bazball 2024 has been refined. Well at least for Joe Root as was demonstrated yesterday when he scored only seven 4's in his Century but kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely with low risk shots. The reverse sweep only came into play after his ton.
Why someone with Joe's record of accumulating runs needed to copy the likes of Duckett, Crawley, Pope and Brook was always a strange one. Perhaps Joe worked it out for himself.
Unchanged side for the 3rd Test. Slightly surprising not to give Potts or Pennington a game.
I just don't get it apart from the one major reason for doing so. The World Test Championship. Because we don't play many Tests against the "lesser" countries, we have to boost our chances of moving up the table by comprehensively beating them when we do. However, doing so tells us nothing about the likes of Potts or Pennington and we might have to throw them in against the likes of Australia without the requisite experience and we would probably do no worse against the Windies with one or other in the side anyway.
The reason for playing Wood is for him to get some momentum going. He is bowling very fast but not taking wickets. In his last 13 innings, in all forms of the game, he has 11 wickets and that includes 3-12 against Oman. In his last four Tests his figures are 6-399. He's locked into a three-year central contact and is seen as out spearhead come the Ashes so I suppose he has to play more often than not when fit to do so. Woakes doesn't though as he won't be going to the Ashes and Atkinson will need a rest at some point.
Unchanged side for the 3rd Test. Slightly surprising not to give Potts or Pennington a game.
I just don't get it apart from the one major reason for doing so. The World Test Championship. Because we don't play many Tests against the "lesser" countries, we have to boost our chances of moving up the table by comprehensively beating them when we do. However, doing so tells us nothing about the likes of Potts or Pennington and we might have to throw them in against the likes of Australia without the requisite experience and we would probably do no worse against the Windies with one or other in the side anyway.
The reason for playing Wood is for him to get some momentum going. He is bowling very fast but not taking wickets. In his last 13 innings, in all forms of the game, he has 11 wickets and that includes 3-12 against Oman. In his last four Tests his figures are 6-399. He's locked into a three-year central contact and is seen as out spearhead come the Ashes so I suppose he has to play more often than not when fit to do so. Woakes doesn't though as he won't be going to the Ashes and Atkinson will need a rest at some point.
Yes, it's a bit awkward really. Wood has only played 1 Test this series, so could do with another. Woakes needs matches and decent spells to get his zip back, and won't get that playing in the Hundred. Atkinson can't be dropped, leaving no space for any other pace bowlers.
In an ideal world Woakes would go back and play a 4 day game for his County, but there aren't until games until the end of August when the Sri Lanka series is on anyway... It would be better for him to play in the 50 over competition than the Hundred, as at least he would be able to bowl some longer spells, but that will never happen.
Comments
Root 115 no.
Root out 122
421-9.
WI need 385.
61-1
66-2
74-3
Hodge lbw Bashir 0
82-5
Might be all over tonight.
91-6.
Da Silva lbw Atkinson 14
113-8
129-9
Bashir 5-41
England win by 241 runs
Well at least for Joe Root as was demonstrated yesterday when he scored only seven 4's in his Century but kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely with low risk shots.
The reverse sweep only came into play after his ton.
Why someone with Joe's record of accumulating runs needed to copy the likes of Duckett, Crawley, Pope and Brook was always a strange one. Perhaps Joe worked it out for himself.
The reason for playing Wood is for him to get some momentum going. He is bowling very fast but not taking wickets. In his last 13 innings, in all forms of the game, he has 11 wickets and that includes 3-12 against Oman. In his last four Tests his figures are 6-399. He's locked into a three-year central contact and is seen as out spearhead come the Ashes so I suppose he has to play more often than not when fit to do so. Woakes doesn't though as he won't be going to the Ashes and Atkinson will need a rest at some point.
In an ideal world Woakes would go back and play a 4 day game for his County, but there aren't until games until the end of August when the Sri Lanka series is on anyway... It would be better for him to play in the 50 over competition than the Hundred, as at least he would be able to bowl some longer spells, but that will never happen.