O/T: Ashes Test

[LaxtonLad]

I’m not old enough to remember Boycott, can remember Chris Tavare though.

I'm old enough and I can remember him being well criticised for his slow scoring. If you wanted a draw before a ball was bowled, he was your man but if you wanted to win a game don't rely on Boycott - Boycott played for Boycott.

[SwalePie]

Does anyone remember the old one about a Yorkshire based Indian restaurant promoting their 'Boycott Curry'?

It still gave you the runs, it just took a lot longer.

[jackal2]

I'm old enough and I can remember him being well criticised for his slow scoring. If you wanted a draw before a ball was bowled, he was your man but if you wanted to win a game don't rely on Boycott - Boycott played for Boycott.

A good Test side has both type of player. You need a couple who will drop anchor and then the others can be given relative freedom to express themselves. If everyone goes in and plays a high-risk innings, then you get the domino effect we often see with England batting collapses.

Very occasionally you get an exceptional talent like a Steve Smith, a David Boon or a Graham Gooch who seem to be able to score rapidly and stay in for a long time, but such greats of the game they are few and far between. England do need to find from somewhere a couple of batmen who can just block up one end, especially when the opposition bowlers are threatening to run riot.

[i961pie]

A good Test side has both type of player. You need a couple who will drop anchor and then the others can be given relative freedom to express themselves. If everyone goes in and plays a high-risk innings, then you get the domino effect we often see with England batting collapses.

Very occasionally you get an exceptional talent like a Steve Smith, a David Boon or a Graham Gooch who seem to be able to score rapidly and stay in for a long time, but such greats of the game they are few and far between. England do need to find from somewhere a couple of batmen who can just block up one end, especially when the opposition bowlers are threatening to run riot.

T20 has seen the demise of our test batsman. Jason Roy a prime example.

[LaxtonLad]

T20 has seen the demise of our test batsman. Jason Roy a prime example.

Don't the Aussies play T20 then?

[jackal2]

T20 has seen the demise of our test batsman. Jason Roy a prime example.

I agree.

In theory, it should be possible for a batsman to adopt a different approach to Test batting compared with T20 or ODI, but when you're playing the short game a hell of a lot, it will gradually affect your mindset. So much about shot-playing at the top level is instinctive, and if your mind gets conditioned to favour aggressive shot playing then that's what you will revert to under pressure.

Of course, this doesn't just apply to England, because T20 is played by international batsmen across the world, but I would argue that Test batting by most teams is not what it was. T20 makes big money so it's not going anywhere, but it's more akin to rounders and baseball than cricket.

[legs77]

Don't the Aussies play T20 then?

Have you been watching the Aussies bat with your eyes closed they are horrific and the facts back it up.

[legs77]

I agree.

In theory, it should be possible for a batsman to adopt a different approach to Test batting compared with T20 or ODI, but when you're playing the short game a hell of a lot, it will gradually affect your mindset. So much about shot-playing at the top level is instinctive, and if your mind gets conditioned to favour aggressive shot playing then that's what you will revert to under pressure.

Of course, this doesn't just apply to England, because T20 is played by international batsmen across the world, but I would argue that Test batting by most teams is not what it was. T20 makes big money so it's not going anywhere, but it's more akin to rounders and baseball than cricket.

Roy doesn’t look a test batsman to me but in his defence he hadn’t played a red ball game for Surrey for 14/15 months and to top it off he doesn’t even open for them !

Basically Bayliss couldn’t care less he was brought into win the World Cup so as far as he is concerned it is job done.

[Notts78]

Roy doesn’t look a test batsman to me but in his defence he hadn’t played a red ball game for Surrey for 14/15 months and to top it off he doesn’t even open for them !

Basically Bayliss couldn’t care less he was brought into win the World Cup so as far as he is concerned it is job done.

I think that’s a bit unfair on Bayliss. I am sure he does care. The ECB tasked him with delivering with an improved World Cup performance, something he achieved, emphatically.
When it comes to the test team though, we are simply not good enough. Our top players don’t tend to play a great deal of red ball cricket. Due to how our international fixtures are set up many of them will be playing IPL cricket in ‘preparation’ for our test summer. The County scene is ****e also. Look at Notts. Absolute garbage, but it’s OK as they have made finals day.
England have not been helped this summer. Australia had some red ball cricket to prepare before and during the series. Our lads could go and have a rest or play T20. It says a lot for the fixture lay out that Jimmy Anderson was asked to prove his fitness playing second team cricket as did Archer. So it isn’t like we could pluck an inform player from a County.

[legs77]

I think that’s a bit unfair on Bayliss. I am sure he does care. The ECB tasked him with delivering with an improved World Cup performance, something he achieved, emphatically.
When it comes to the test team though, we are simply not good enough. Our top players don’t tend to play a great deal of red ball cricket. Due to how our international fixtures are set up many of them will be playing IPL cricket in ‘preparation’ for our test summer. The County scene is ****e also. Look at Notts. Absolute garbage, but it’s OK as they have made finals day.
England have not been helped this summer. Australia had some red ball cricket to prepare before and during the series. Our lads could go and have a rest or play T20. It says a lot for the fixture lay out that Jimmy Anderson was asked to prove his fitness playing second team cricket as did Archer. So it isn’t like we could pluck an inform player from a County.

His remit was to win the world cup is what i'm saying and over the years he just doesn't seem to care about the test side he said in 2017 "I have never seen him live when asked about a player I don't watch county championship" is that what you would want leading the country.

I am not having we are not a good side we are as good as anybody around the world our record especially in England proves that India are number one and this team hammered them last year....imo there is no outstanding test side for example Aussies would batter India at home but it would be reversed if India were at home.

What the issue is there seems to be "favourites" who are not dropped regardless of performance eg Bairstow averages 25 in 18 months is he ever under threat ? NO then Moeen and Woakes both who have outstanding test records in England have a few bad games and are dropped, does that seem fair ?!

We have also had Anderson, Stone, Wood out all would be more useful than Overton as for the batting we tend to pick players inside the T20/50 over sides which in turn creates a closed shop for example Hildreth & Northeast have scored heavy for counties for 3/4 years and not had a sniff.