I could quite happily watch Mark Wood bowl with a ball that's reverse swinging all day long. Unfortunately...
Jesus. Almost a shame to waste this quality on the Windies mid to lower order. This would've decimated Ponting and co
Another 3 day test. They wasted a review with Holder when I repeat.... https://barnsleyfc.org.uk/threads/england-vs-west-indies-3rd-test.331771/page-2#post-3326710
Revolutionised? If you mean for the worse, I wholeheartedly agree. Lost the Ashes (failed to regain) against a truly poor convict team that should gave been beaten by 4 or 5 nil. Got smashed by India, the only other team of any decency in the world currently. Beat perhaps the worst West indies team in history and failed to look convincing for large spells. We're currently 6th in the world test championship rankings having risen from even headier depths having beaten the current worst team, sat at half tge points we currently have. Anderson should have finished the summer. Woakes is not the future, Wood is not the future. Against such a poor nation it made more sense to play Anderson and have the rest of the bowling be completely refreshed. I have no ire at all, so please don't claim such false assumptions. We have differing opinions, different analysis, different standards and different expectations. I simply thought we've treated our best ever bowler shoddily, particularly when our general quality is at such a low ebb. There's nothing more to say without going over what we've already said, so let's park it there and hope we find some decent and fit bowlers for when we next take on the convicts.
We won 1 in 17 before they took over. We've won 17 in 25 since they took over including 3-0 in Pakistan, a feat no England dude has ever achieved. The change in style has brought attention to Test cricket that just wasn't there before. It's not the finished article but it continues to move in the right direction. And you can call them convicts all you want, that Australia side had achieved far more than the England side they were facing at the time of the ashes. 10 more minutes of Stokes at Lords and we won that. Anyway fine to leave it but still utterly confused as to why you think Anderson has been done dirty as opposed to just unceremoniously dropping him. McCullum flew to the UK just to talk to him and gave him a specific last sendoff at Lords. Woakes and Wood were outstanding this series and are both much younger than Jimmy. Wood is actually still getting quicker and having less injury issues lately in his career.
As I say, our views are never going to align on this, nor can the dreadful treatment of Andersen be undone. We're a poor team at a time of perhaps the worst state of test cricket ever, hyperbole is most definitely not required here. But of course its all relative. Never mind... Onto the convicts in due course.
No I agree. I'll never be able to align opinions with someone who calls an Australia side truly poor when it had Smith, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Head, Cummins, Lyon, Hazelwood and Starc in it.. all of whom were top 15 in The world at the time. They should have walked that series 5 nil. We were a couple of Stokes overs from walking away with the trophy. The 2005 side didn't pop up over night. They built an identity and belief over several years. Just like this side are trying to. Roll on Australia.
Oh I know, 2005 had talent, grit, style, quality and skill. They weren't just flat track sloggers like we get today. And we faced a team that had genius and quality in it... And beat them. An incredible series. I don't think any of those players you listed would get to carry their drinks let alone play. As I say its all relative. We're not going to agree on this, so finally, lets move on.