Stokes gone in last over before lunch. He just can’t play spin unlike Gill who can play any of our bowlers. It’s a waste of time going off for lunch as the last 4 wickets will go for about 6 runs in a couple of overs.
We’ve been humiliated in this test and India will be well up for Lords especially with Bumrah back. We need a complete bowling change but who is there. Doesn’t bode well for the Ashes as the Aussie bowling attack is even better than India’s. Luckily their batting line up isn’t as good as India’s so our inept attack may be able to cope.
Could be something special going on in Zimbabwe who are in the field against South Africa whose captain, Wiaan Mulder, is 367 not out at lunch on day 2, closing in on Lara's record 400no.
Could be something special going on in Zimbabwe who are in the field against South Africa whose captain, Wiaan Mulder, is 367 not out at lunch on day 2, closing in on Lara's record 400no.
Or maybe not, he declared at lunch leaving himself stranded on 367no 😂🤣😂.
I think he did himself a favour. Getting the top score against one of the weakest Test teams around would take the shine off it. Not decrying the feat itself just that it would be a bit hollow.
England win another toss, and this time will bat. Only one change, Archer comes in for Tongue, let's hope Carse is fully fit as he seemed to be hobbling rather a lot in the last Test with the big toe of his landing foot seemingly the problem. With Archer having his first Test for 4 years after all his injury issues, and Stokes himself only really able to bowl short spells, it's putting a lot of pressure on Woakes and Bashir.
Not good news, Stokes appears to have a groin strain; he's going to carry on batting, but you've got to wonder whether he'll be able to bowl when the times comes, seems highly unlikely to me.
251-4 at the close, with Root not out on 99, and the injured Stokes on 39. A very slow day, especially compared to others in the Bazball era, but the bigger worry is the injury to Stokes and the likelihood that we'll be a bowler down when we take the field.
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It’s a waste of time going off for lunch as the last 4 wickets will go for about 6 runs in a couple of overs.
We need a complete bowling change but who is there.
Doesn’t bode well for the Ashes as the Aussie bowling attack is even better than India’s. Luckily their batting line up isn’t as good as India’s so our inept attack may be able to cope.
But then Smith falls in the first over after lunch.