Cricket fred

[p/d]

Chasing a quick single. That’s the way!!

[Banquo]

Wheels off

[p/d]

When you know one of you has to hit at least a double century you can’t go fishing.

So Root and Bairstow to show why they were selected

[p/d]

Or not.

[Banquo]

sh*t or bust. The former, sadly. Terrible two days from England, hope they don't change philosophy, just shot selection and catching practice. YJB might want to go before he's pushed.

[p/d]

But isn't poor shot choice part of the philosophy?

I mean the best we could have expected when our openers took guard was a draw. And yet…

[p/d]

Hartley returns best bowling figures and now our top scorer

[Banquo]

But isn't poor shot choice part of the philosophy?

I mean the best we could have expected when our openers took guard was a draw. And yet…

Not at all. The philosophy - which has been brilliant- is to play attacking cricket. That doesn't equal stupid shots- people have been having a go at Root for playing ramp shots, but with his skill and expertise its always been a productive shot in his test locker-- his strike rate has always been high, so all the folks saying 'bazball doesn't fit with his game' are talking bs frankly- he's just in bad nick, he's had these often before.

and the 'best we could have expected' has been turned on its head, that's exactly the point of it (in this case had we batted to the end of tomorrow, we'd have faced c 140 overs ish...4 an over gives you a win).

[Banquo]

cue panic ....mind, 8th worst defeat in test history needs some thought!

[fivepointer]

Horrible capitulation.

I'm all for attacking intent but you have to mix aggression with a degree of pragmatic game management. We were in a good position starting the 3rd day and have just been blown away.

[p/d]

But isn't poor shot choice part of the philosophy?

I mean the best we could have expected when our openers took guard was a draw. And yet…

Not at all. The philosophy - which has been brilliant- is to play attacking cricket. That doesn't equal stupid shots- people have been having a go at Root for playing ramp shots, but with his skill and expertise its always been a productive shot in his test locker-- his strike rate has always been high, so all the folks saying 'bazball doesn't fit with his game' are talking bs frankly- he's just in bad nick, he's had these often before.

and the 'best we could have expected' has been turned on its head, that's exactly the point of it (in this case had we batted to the end of tomorrow, we'd have faced c 140 overs ish...4 an over gives you a win).

I get what you are saying but I personally think one leads to the other. Root is an example yes but if only it was him we were talking about.

[Banquo]

But isn't poor shot choice part of the philosophy?

I mean the best we could have expected when our openers took guard was a draw. And yet…

Not at all. The philosophy - which has been brilliant- is to play attacking cricket. That doesn't equal stupid shots- people have been having a go at Root for playing ramp shots, but with his skill and expertise its always been a productive shot in his test locker-- his strike rate has always been high, so all the folks saying 'bazball doesn't fit with his game' are talking bs frankly- he's just in bad nick, he's had these often before.

and the 'best we could have expected' has been turned on its head, that's exactly the point of it (in this case had we batted to the end of tomorrow, we'd have faced c 140 overs ish...4 an over gives you a win).

I get what you are saying but I personally think one leads to the other. Root is an example yes but if only it was him we were talking about.

Not necessarily, just good decision making.

[Banquo]

Horrible capitulation.

I'm all for attacking intent but you have to mix aggression with a degree of pragmatic game management. We were in a good position starting the 3rd day and have just been blown away.

yeah, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Stokes is (usually) the best example of playing to the situation...he nearly always plays himself in for example.

[Big D]

soft middle order again, Root and YJB very poor this series so far. YJB maybe needs pensioning out of test cricket.

He has been needing pensioned off since his injury. Playing him v West Indies and Sri Lanka would be detrimental as he'll score well in the odd innings then keep his place for NZ where he'll be crap again.

With Root, he is having to bowl an awful lot of overs. that is very slight mitigation that YJB doesn't have.

[Banquo]

soft middle order again, Root and YJB very poor this series so far. YJB maybe needs pensioning out of test cricket.

He has been needing pensioned off since his injury. Playing him v West Indies and Sri Lanka would be detrimental as he'll score well in the odd innings then keep his place for NZ where he'll be crap again.

With Root, he is having to bowl an awful lot of overs. that is very slight mitigation that YJB doesn't have.

[fivepointer]

Cue a Bairstow double hundred in the 4th test....

Unlikely. Brook will come back in and YJB will be the one who is left out. Or should be.

[Puja]

I don't get the histrionics going on in the press about "This could be the end for Bazball." Yes, it was an incredibly impressive defeat that we engineered for ourselves, but also it's India at home. Sides will get dicked by India at home - it's just going to happen. One shitty performance shouldn't require us to even consider chucking out our whole approach, given how well it's gone for us previously.

Puja

[Banquo]

I don't get the histrionics going on in the press about "This could be the end for Bazball." Yes, it was an incredibly impressive defeat that we engineered for ourselves, but also it's India at home. Sides will get dicked by India at home - it's just going to happen. One shitty performance shouldn't require us to even consider chucking out our whole approach, given how well it's gone for us previously.

Puja

It’s because the likes of Vaughan and other older hacks don’t like their status quo ‘of how Test Cricket should be played’ being challenged. And forgetting that’s it’s been brilliant by and large, with matches being won from impossible positions against the grain of ‘history’

[Galfon]

After Crawley & YJB, Root and Foakes are scoring at less than 0.5/ball, 'steadilly'...a sensible response some say.
Bazball maybe being re-defined as we speak.. :

[p/d]

After Crawley & YJB, Root and Foakes are scoring at less than 0.5/ball, 'steadilly'...a sensible response some say.
Bazball maybe being re-defined as we speak.. :

Root and Foakes playing sensible cricket.

[Puja]

After Crawley & YJB, Root and Foakes are scoring at less than 0.5/ball, 'steadilly'...a sensible response some say.
Bazball maybe being re-defined as we speak.. :

Bazball's always been adaptable to the situation though - it was never about swinging for every ball, no matter the conditions. The pundits are making out like it's "Root and Foakes going into their shells and abandoning Bazball", but they're doing the same - attacking the bad balls, playing bold shots like sweeps, but on a very uneven pitch against a very good attack. Let's not forget that 0.5/ball is 3 runs an over, something which previous English batting styles in this situation could only have dreamed of.

Puja

[Banquo]

Rooooot

[Banquo]

After Crawley & YJB, Root and Foakes are scoring at less than 0.5/ball, 'steadilly'...a sensible response some say.
Bazball maybe being re-defined as we speak.. :

Bazball's always been adaptable to the situation though - it was never about swinging for every ball, no matter the conditions. The pundits are making out like it's "Root and Foakes going into their shells and abandoning Bazball", but they're doing the same - attacking the bad balls, playing bold shots like sweeps, but on a very uneven pitch against a very good attack. Let's not forget that 0.5/ball is 3 runs an over, something which previous English batting styles in this situation could only have dreamed of.

Puja

agreed, this 'its all about daft shots' is complete crap touted by the likes of Vaughan, Agnew (and p/d ). Its always been about seizing the moment in the right way, and looking to win- just look at how Stokes has been varying his innings in this period. As you say, they are scoring at a rate that still enables us to look to win the game.

[Puja]

Tremendous innings by Root, with great support by Foakes (and then Hartley and Robinson down the order). Getting to 302-7 from 112-5 is a fantastic result and you'd have to say over par for this track (especially since we don't have to bat last). Any runs tomorrow morning will be bonuses and, if we can get to 350, it'll put us in a very strong position.

Puja

[p/d]

What a load of tosh.