still an utter failure from England and still a long way adrift of the Aussie 1st Innings score.
I'd love to know which numpty could even consider Ashley Giles for any position in the ECB lineup, the one at the top has to fall.Some facts about Jonny Bairstow - he has a test batting average 8 runs higher when he keeps wicket too: his batting average when he's kept wicket is higher than anyone other than the incomparable Les Ames and Matt Prior: from the Boxing Day test of 2013 to the last test of the Ashes tour of 2019 he played in 57 of the 73 England tests. Like Mooen Ali, he's been treated disgracefully by the England management, shunted up and down the batting order in the sporadic tests they played. I pin the blame on Ashley Giles, appointed Managing Director of Men's Cricket in December 2018, a man with a final test bowling average over 40, which, for a player chosen as sole spinner for much of the time, is fairly pathetic. He was Michael Vaughan's best mate in cricket and thus able to secure his patronage for some years as skipper of the renowned Ashes series 0f 2005. His place on an Ashes tour of Australia when Monty Panesar had already shown he was a much more promising bowler led to much criticism, borne out by results.
I'm not surprised at his century, which came on the anniversary of his father's suicide in 1998, and he must don the gloves for the next test, regardless of whether Sam Billings plays. Buttler should never play another test (even Khawaja's drop by Root was because Buttler never got a hand to it!) Without that, England might have matched Australia's score at least.
P.S. Giles's benefit committee ordered tee shirts with 'King of Spin' emblazoned, but they came in with 'King of Spain' instead, which some might say was equally untrue.
....and of course there was the quote - attributed to Henry Blofeld, I think - that Giles runs up to bowl like a wheelie bin, which I think Giles took exception to!Some facts about Jonny Bairstow - he has a test batting average 8 runs higher when he keeps wicket too: his batting average when he's kept wicket is higher than anyone other than the incomparable Les Ames and Matt Prior: from the Boxing Day test of 2013 to the last test of the Ashes tour of 2019 he played in 57 of the 73 England tests. Like Mooen Ali, he's been treated disgracefully by the England management, shunted up and down the batting order in the sporadic tests they played. I pin the blame on Ashley Giles, appointed Managing Director of Men's Cricket in December 2018, a man with a final test bowling average over 40, which, for a player chosen as sole spinner for much of the time, is fairly pathetic. He was Michael Vaughan's best mate in cricket and thus able to secure his patronage for some years as skipper of the renowned Ashes series 0f 2005. His place on an Ashes tour of Australia when Monty Panesar had already shown he was a much more promising bowler led to much criticism, borne out by results.
I'm not surprised at his century, which came on the anniversary of his father's suicide in 1998, and he must don the gloves for the next test, regardless of whether Sam Billings plays. Buttler should never play another test (even Khawaja's drop by Root was because Buttler never got a hand to it!) Without that, England might have matched Australia's score at least.
P.S. Giles's benefit committee ordered tee shirts with 'King of Spin' emblazoned, but they came in with 'King of Spain' instead, which some might say was equally untrue.
Once bitten ...
he has had injuries and i think is out at present
It's between Burns, Pope and Billings probably if Buttler and Bairstow are ruled out due to injury. I would personally stick with Pope having done a good job as sub, but think they will go with Billings. I am a big fan of surprise on team sheets, so would name a paceman as keeper to confuse the opponents, of course not using him in that role.
It's only a draw thanks to the rain disruption today and on previous days. The match should have been extended to compensate for the time lost. Appalling England deserved to lose.
Test matches should never be extended - in fact I don't like the extra half hour catch up they use for previous days' delays. The challenge of a Test match is to beat your opponent and the weather. I also don't like this nonsense of its too dark for pace bowlers but OK for spinners. If it's too dark for any type of bowler, we should be going off the field
Harsh