The cricket

[mickd1961]

Returning to the actual cricket, I feel that Bracey is not an international class wicketkeeper. In fact, I think that he has been poor. As an ex-club cricket wicketkeeper I feel sorry for the lad but he has been extremely untidy and for all that the commentators are saying that the ball is moving about a lot, should be doing much better. Now, he's just caught Taylor which should help his confidence but it was the sort of catch that any wicketkeeper should back themselves to catch 99.9% of the time.
Now he's dropped another catchable ball in the same over. Backs up my point.

He looks like a rabbit in the headlights to me.

All the options we have in this department including the seemingly redundant “resting” Bairstow yet we end up with Mr Iron Gloves!

A shame Foakes is injured as he’s possibly the best keeper in the world.

I can’t believe we’ve done such stupid squad “resting” and sacrificed this series.

We need ALL our best players back to play India.

Anderson’s lack of wickets are a tad concerning, he’s appearing to bowl with decent pace still but his control and ability to move the ball around seems to have deserted him, same with Broad, both look 10% off what you’d normally expect.

[Leicesterbaggie]

He looks like a rabbit in the headlights to me.

All the options we have in this department including the seemingly redundant “resting” Bairstow yet we end up with Mr Iron Gloves!

A shame Foakes is injured as he’s possibly the best keeper in the world.

I can’t believe we’ve done such stupid squad “resting” and sacrificed this series.

We need ALL our best players back to play India.

Anderson’s lack of wickets are a tad concerning, he’s appearing to bowl with decent pace still but his control and ability to move the ball around seems to have deserted him, same with Broad, both look 10% off what you’d normally expect.

Totally agree. While Bairstowe and Buttler are adequate, Foakes is a class apart. Certainly, the best in this country and, as you say, as good as anybody in world cricket. He has to be selected if fit. I've always been of the opinion that you select your best 'keeper and not someone who can also bat. Having said that, he's no mug with the bat either.

In all my years playing and watching the game, Bob Taylor of Derbyshire was the best English 'keeper in my opinion. The reason for him not playing for England as many times as he deserved was that he was in the same era as Allan Knott, who was the better bat. Mind you, Knott was also a very good 'keeper so to a degree, in this case, I understood the selection.

[mickd1961]

Knott and Taylor were like Clemence and Shilton in that it was very difficult to separate them.

Taylor and Jack Russell were the two top keepers of my era watching England as far as pure glove work was concerned but Knott wasn’t far behind.

I thought Rod Marsh was a genius though and along with Healey and Gilchrist the Aussies have had some absolute legends behind the stumps.

When you watch Marsh standing back 30 yards to Lillee and Thompson and his goalkeeper type agility it’s an amazing sight.

[Barrera]

I don’t understand why we don’t have Bairstow behind the stumps instead of resting him for the T20 series against Sri Lanka. The lad Bracey has had a nightmare and looks a bag air nerves. Commentators saying he has not actually played much first class cricket - are we so desperate for keepers. Looks like we will lose the Edgbaston Test against a NZ 2nd XI .... already 46-3 and trailing by 39. Batting looks so frail and liable to collapse at any time......

[Barrera]

Shambles .... now 58-5 ..... England management need to take a good luck at themselves ..... this is pathetic

[kettering_baggie]

Now 76-6! I get the impression that the ECB prioritise T20 and the one day game ahead of Test cricket, apart from the Ashes. T20 is an abomination and the current format of one day cricket isn’t much better.

[mickd1961]

This is how you bat.

Boycott’s hundredth hundred against the Aussies in 77.

Perfect stance and set up.

Look at the quality and array of shots as well, I absolutely loved watching him bat as a kid.

Perfection, class personified.

https://youtu.be/-UzPa0Vv-_U

[Barrera]

Get rid of Lawrence, Crawley, Bracey and Sibley, Stone, Broad and Wood.

Replace with Stokes, Malian, Butler, Bairstow, Archer and Moeen.

Hey Preston you have a half decent side. Absolute shocker of a selection .... and it’s all at the door of Mr Rotation Silverwood ... absolute garbage and such a great crowd .....

[Barrera]

And Woakes ... we need 11

[kettering_baggie]

I wouldn’t have Archer in instead of Wood, never looked like a test player to me.