Alex

Obvious point but you can’t expect fast bowlers to be able to bowl consistently fast with so little rest after their efforts yesterday. The weather has been like a warm summer’s day in England too so you can only expect the weather to exacerbate the issue for the bowlers as the tour goes on if England can’t find a way to bat long. There’s only 7 of them and 5 have played here. So the pace rotation options aren’t that great. Stokes will need to need to play every match when fit too as he’s so essential from a balance point of view as well as being the skipper. He’ll only be rested (maybe) if it’s a dead rubber. So frustrating as you could see it coming a mile off and such a massive opportunity wasted here with giving away cheap wickets

All over bar the shouting

As with that, it’s the hope that kills you.

Since England went 2-1 up against India in the summer the narrative seems to have been that the penny has dropped and it’s ‘Bazball with brains’ and that England now bat with controlled aggression, etc. But I have seen little evidence to suggest there’s been any real change during this summer or now. It’s going to cost them this match you’d think. Probably about 60 or 70 runs short of what they should’ve had in the first innings. And as for today….

Jesus Christ

Apart from Rogers looking good for England when he’s played as a 10 I think Bellingham is less well suited playing there for England because Kane drops deep. He wants people running beyond him. There are players better in the wide positions and there are more disciplined players to shield the back 4. That’s in a 4-2-3-1 anyway. I know Tuchel has played a central 3 too where maybe he’s better suited in the England starting XI but does he want to play there? It’s difficult when you’re playing in your favoured position for the biggest club in the world then being asked to adapt for England. And fwiw, I think Ian Wright is spot on in that clip.

Like several other ‘reality’ programmes, I just can’t see the attraction of something that’s been going for decades with almost the exact same format

There’s definitely a logic to it but there’s a happy medium where they’re still aggressive without playing like it’s a T/20. Even if we win this test it’s going to be a long hard series for the fast bowlers if they’re getting very little rest due to how short the England innings are.

Gemmill and PL really pushing the boundaries of what qualifies as a prediction

Less than 80 overs bowled. Robin will feel short changed

Jesus titty fucking Christ

Stokes again. Fucking hell

Only been 5 previous tests though and the home team batted first in four of them. So you can’t read too much into it

Right on cue

Carse is bowling beautifully

Still think they’re unlucky only to have 4 down. Could’ve easily been more. The ball is just moving enough

Get in!

Got a place in Spain as well. The gammony cunt

The people behind aren’t too happy about it though

Almost like they’re batting in a test match after losing an early wicket

I know the game evolves all the time and run rates are generally quicker now too. But has an England team ever won a series in Australia without at least a couple of batsmen who could really dig in and bat time?

Get in!

I can see why they didn’t pick Bashir now

Or it replaces them with bland, homogenous shite

That’s worth a watch just for Monty’s face but it was ages ago so I would suggest it’s deflection (to put it mildly ) on Smith’s part here