Pace like fire!!! This boy Archer is going to give folk nightmares. Andy Roberts quick beautiful to watch.
It has but in cricket it can soon swing back. It’s really annoying that we were denied an almost certain victory by the weather. But as you say we have the momentum. Especially if Smith is still ruled out. Football or rugby there would be no way he can play but cricket rules seem a bit less clear
About time Root got a score because at the moment the fab four is more of a three without him. No place better than Headingley to finally have a captains innings.
Mitchell Starc will surely get his first game at his old ground. I don't get why Steve Smith is only a doubt and not already ruled out. In football a head issue is at least a week out before you can play 90 minutes again. But in Cricket you can be hit at 90mph and possibly play for five days again less than a week later.
Headingley. Notoriously bad wicket. Famed for it's uneven bounce. England have a terrible recent record there.
Terrible recent record? - you and I have a different definition of terrible then We won 2 of the last 3 and so far this century we have won 8 lost 8 and drawn just 1 Or did you mean our record against the Australians is terrible at Headingly? again recent is OK where we only played them twice since 2000 and won 1 and lost one - it wasnt good in the 80's and 90's after the famous Botham/Willis test but then again our record against them wasnt so good anywhere else either in that period
The bowling attack definitely looks a lot better for having some genuine pace, and a spinner that doesn't have the yips. But Root needs to show more faith in Leach and Woakes, otherwise Archer could be burnt out before he peaks. If Woakes isn't fit, then Roland-Jones would probably be the like for like replacement. Not quite as strong with the bat, but adequate number 8. As for the batting, Roy and Denly need to swap places in the order, and maybe put Stokes at 4 and Roy at 5. If Anderson is declared fit for 4th test, who does he replace, if anyone?
I'm fully expecting Starc to play and for us to be skittled out pretty cheaply twice. We don't seem to want to make the hard decisions and persist with players who aren't capable of playing test cricket properly. An Australia win would mean they retain the Ashes already.
Never as a team been 2 down ,they have come back to win the ashes . Doesn't bode well but we have to hope smiffy is missing for this test. I get what your saying about Starc dangerous on this wicket however so is archie
