Test squad v Ireland

[JasonP]

They're treating this match as a little bit of a practice match thinking they'd win pretty easily no matter what and it didn't go well on day 1!

Murtagh knows the Nursery End like the back of his hand & a lot of the Irish side have played county cricket.   

They were fired up & England (Curran & Stone aside) were complacent.

Complacency as well as being short of preparation.  Woakes and Roy haven't played first class cricket this year, Ali and Bairstow for 6 months and Root since April.  They made 7 between them in the first innings.  With such a small gap between the world cup and the Ashes it was always going to be very difficult to get the best preparation.

[Andy]

Once upon a time England players when from Test to one day cricket to 3 day in the same week. Our snowflakes nowadays can’t seem to ‘change their mindset’ whereas their opponents can.

Watch how Khwhaja and Smith move smoothly into 5 day (well 3.5 day) mode.

[Andy]

Moeen has a decent record in England as a bowler coming in at 8.  When Buttler and Stokes are back that's where he'll bat.  They're treating this match as a little bit of a practice match thinking they'd win pretty easily no matter what and it didn't go well on day 1!

Ali’s Test batting average has been poor for a couple of years. He’s been worked out. Playing him at 8 works only if you don’t bounce him, rather like Broad at 10.

[bwildered]

Heading for a test match super over ?

[Andy]

Heading for a test match super over ?

Well, in the end the Irish innings managed to survive more than 6 deliveries.  Presumably for a bit of 'criac' they sent out the cast of Father Ted...

[LeedsExile]

I think this Test Match is a glimpse of the future and not one I like the look of. It was billed as a 4 day match, a retrograde step in my opinion, but actually lasted only two days and a session, albeit extended sessions. It was not a case of one team scoring heavily and rolling the other over twice which can happen. Twenty wickets fell in the match and only Jack Leach played anything resembling a test innings. The inability of modern day players to "value their wicket" has now reached epidemic proportions. I expect the Ashes tests to follow a similar pattern as there are few batsman on either side capable of staying in against the moving ball.

[bwildered]

Do both countries play for  .....The  Jimmy Cricket Cup. ( There's more ).

[Andy]

I’m coming around to the idea of a 4 day Test. Providing that the teams get their overs in promptly, better to have four competitive days. I think too many teams get behind the 8 ball and give up because there’s no way they’ll hang out for 5 days.

Funnily enough, the use of lights means that we shouldn’t lose as much time and batting is more difficult. In effect, it could work against 5 day tests (especially in damp overcast conditions). Again, could it mean that we should welcome 4 day matches?

[nat]

I’m coming around to the idea of a 4 day Test. Providing that the teams get their overs in promptly, better to have four competitive days. I think too many teams get behind the 8 ball and give up because there’s no way they’ll hang out for 5 days.

Funnily enough, the use of lights means that we shouldn’t lose as much time and batting is more difficult. In effect, it could work against 5 day tests (especially in damp overcast conditions). Again, could it mean that we should welcome 4 day matches?

Get their overs in promptly? Don't make me laugh. Over rates are a joke and still declining. Players and administrators don't seem to care.

Test cricket is on the way out, I'd give it 5 years tops.

Players are increasingly opting for 'white ball only' contracts, Liam Dawson is the latest to apparently show such an interest. The advent of the despised '100 competition'  will only increase the player exodus from proper cricket.

[squarelegumpire]

I’m coming around to the idea of a 4 day Test. Providing that the teams get their overs in promptly, better to have four competitive days. I think too many teams get behind the 8 ball and give up because there’s no way they’ll hang out for 5 days.

Funnily enough, the use of lights means that we shouldn’t lose as much time and batting is more difficult. In effect, it could work against 5 day tests (especially in damp overcast conditions). Again, could it mean that we should welcome 4 day matches?

Get their overs in promptly? Don't make me laugh. Over rates are a joke and still declining. Players and administrators don't seem to care.

A good reason not to buy a life membership.

Test cricket is on the way out, I'd give it 5 years tops.

Players are increasingly opting for 'white ball only' contracts, Liam Dawson is the latest to apparently show such an interest. The advent of the despised '100 competition'  will only increase the player exodus from proper cricket.

[Andy]

somewhere down the line, once people get bored with white ball cricket, someone will ‘invent’ multiple innings cricket that will last more than one day. What goes around comes around...