*Official* Second Test at Lord's

[Furball]

He's got to give Finn some confidence somehow.

 

[superkingdave]

Australia 3/1 to win the second test, crazy odds. Got on that again, they will get on top at least at some point in the test so I can cover it.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Monty and Ben Stokes too. I have to say, I'm not at all confident if Ben Stokes is in line for the number 6 spot.

Clearly a straight swap for Bairstow - ginger, northern, young and averaging around 30 with the bat.

Stokes a proper bowler though, given the way his career has progressed (starting out as a batsman who bowls occasionally) he may be lacking a bit in bowling nous given he comes across as a bit thick as well. But England will definitely be looking at his bowling.

 

[grecian]

Clearly a straight swap for Bairstow - ginger, northern, young and averaging around 30 with the bat.

Stokes a proper bowler though, given the way his career has progressed (starting out as a batsman who bowls occasionally) he may be lacking a bit in bowling nous given he comes across as a bit thick as well. But England will definitely be looking at his bowling.

Nah Christchurch is on the South Island.

 

[BeeGee]

Selvey seems to think Finn will play at Lords.

Don't change a winning team is the conservative pick. I think the selectors will choose conservative.

 

[Expressway76]

Don't change a winning team is the conservative pick. I think the selectors will choose conservative.

Combine that conservative nature with the fact that it's his home turf and the rumour that the pitch will be more suited to him and it's almost a shoo-in that he'll play.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Combine that conservative nature with the fact that it's his home turf and the rumour that the pitch will be more suited to him and it's almost a shoo-in that he'll play.

Exactly, the fact that next in line is Bresnan and his record at that ground is poor and it is even more certain.

 

[Furball]

England, and the selectors, have clearly invested a lot in Steven Finn.

There's probably no-one on this forum that rates Finn less than I do, but given that the selectors do I don't think it would be the wisest move to just dump a guy based on one bad game. If for no other reason, because it sets a terrible precedent. What do you do if Bresnan or Onions stinks up the joint? Drop them and go to the other one for Old Trafford?

 

[Cabinet96]

Finn's been stinking it up for a while though. He's had 6 tests this year and has hardly impressed. It wasn't as clear cut as all that before the test, so it's not quite as simple as dropping him after one game. I agree in general though, which is why I'd be surprised if Finn isn't in the line up come Thursday.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

England, and the selectors, have clearly invested a lot in Steven Finn.

There's probably no-one on this forum that rates Finn less than I do, but given that the selectors do I don't think it would be the wisest move to just dump a guy based on one bad game. If for no other reason, because it sets a terrible precedent. What do you do if Bresnan or Onions stinks up the joint? Drop them and go to the other one for Old Trafford?

Na drop them and go for Scaly's mate Monty in a spin twin with Swanny on a bunsen burner then watch it rain for a week as it is Manchester.

 

[BeeGee]

Even though Australia did well despite a poor showing from Clarke, they still desperately need him to perform. I just can't see Australia winning this series if Clarke continues to fail.

It would also help if he didn't waste reviews on marginal umpiring decisions. The review system is designed to stop howlers, NOT to challenge 50/50 decisions. It makes me laugh that the captains specifically asked for a system to stop howlers and not a system to challenge every marginal umpiring decision and yet they all use it for the latter. inevitable, I guess.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Even though Australia did well despite a poor showing from Clarke, they still desperately need him to perform. I just can't see Australia winning this series if Clarke continues to fail.

It would also help if he didn't waste reviews on marginal umpiring decisions. The review system is designed to stop howlers, NOT to challenge 50/50 decisions. It makes me laugh that the captains specifically asked for a system to stop howlers and not a system to challenge every marginal umpiring decision and yet they all use it for the latter. inevitable, I guess.

To be fair England learnt quickly after using it that way. Cook is fairly good using it which I think is down to Prior mainly.

Most other sides seem to gamble far more than they should.

 

[Handsome Harry]

If you are going to lay the boot in that hard about his first couple of Ashes series at least give him a bit of credit for his success, he was more than just 'good' last time, he was excellent, averaged 66 and was in supreme knick the whole tour.

I was referring to Anderson, not Bell.

 

[Adders]

I was referring to Anderson, not Bell.

I thought you were talking about Bell there as well H.......you can disregard my reply to your post, if your comments were about Jimmy you'd be very right.

 

[Adders]

England, and the selectors, have clearly invested a lot in Steven Finn.

There's probably no-one on this forum that rates Finn less than I do, but given that the selectors do I don't think it would be the wisest move to just dump a guy based on one bad game. If for no other reason, because it sets a terrible precedent. What do you do if Bresnan or Onions stinks up the joint? Drop them and go to the other one for Old Trafford?

Reckon Scaly may have something to say about that!!

Agree with the rest of your comments, on reflection and now that I've got over the disgust at his performance at TB I think Finn should play at Lords. His record there is too good to ignore and given it's his home ground and all.....it's set up for him to put in a series saving effort. I guess a lot will come down to how the camp view his mental state, he looked shot at TB and how you bounce back from something like that can be career defining.......Flower, Cook and Saker will have to decide whether they think he has the metal for the fight or not.

Big big call this one. Finn is the future of this attack and how he and the team management handle this will have repercussions long after this series IMO.

 

[Carn_the_pies]

No way Baa boi, Finn must go.

Surely Bresnan gets a game? Or even Onions?

He's a liability.

 

[Top_Cat]

Unless the other options are bowling well, Finn should stay. Onions probably the closest to selection but he's as likely to leak runs as Finn I'd have thought.

 

[Adders]

No way Baa boi, Finn must go.

Surely Bresnan gets a game? Or even Onions?

He's a liability.

Finn has taken 29 test wickets at Lords @ 20.66

Bresnan has 5 @ 66.00, Onions record there is good but has only played 2 tests......taken 10 @ 19.3 (never knew his returns there were that good tbf)

Jimmy Anderson was a liability once PieMan.

This is not a clear cut call by any means fella.

 

[hendrix]

yeah but wasn't Anderson dropped when he was a liability? or was he given the same faith as Finn?

Anyway I think Anderson had showen far more potential than Finn has. There's a lot more to fast bowling than just being fast and tall.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Unless the other options are bowling well, Finn should stay. Onions probably the closest to selection but he's as likely to leak runs as Finn I'd have thought.

Onions has good control, he goes for runs because he bowls an aggressive line. If they want him to bowl less aggressively and to a plan he can do that.

Finns just sprays it all over the shop. You can't set a field to him.