First stop: the West Indies
England’s brave new dawn looking grimly familiar so far: 17-2 with Root bedding in to hold the innings together.
It's fine, though, Ben Foakes can do everything, so England will win.
I still don't understand why so many people were so keen to have Root bat at 3. It's obviously no good to anyone having him coming in in the third over.
Is this on the radio anywhere? I assumed it would be Talksport, but if it is, they're not advertising it.
I caught a few minutes of the Talksport commentary this afternoon, just after play started. Lees was out while I was listening. I hung on for a few minutes waiting to hear how many he'd scored, or what England's total was, but heard neither. Pretty poor.
Anyway, 214-6 now, not brilliant but you'd definitely take it having been 48-4. Foakes just out for 42 after a partnership of 99 with Bairstow.
Still pondering the axing of Anderson and Broad. Jimmy being rested I can understand but I don't get why Broad was dropped after being one of the few England players to emerge from the Ashes drubbing in credit. Have they paid the price for symbolising the old era, regardless of their performances?
Hundred for Bairstow. Outstanding effort after coming in with the innings falling apart.
This is quite odd. Jason Roy has been fined and given a suspended two-match ban, but we're not allowed to know why
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/22/jaso
n-roy-fined-and-given-suspended-two-match-ban-for-undisclosed-reason
Social media says that he was caught in a bar with Alex Hales and Kevin.
Been seeing this latest debacle compared to England's 1999 loss to NZ at the Oval, widely seen as a nadir at the time. Here's the scorecard for that game:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/new-zealand-tour-of-england-1999-62074/england-vs-new-zealand-4th-test-63844/full-scorecard
The England top order included Atherton, Hussain, Thorpe and Stewart - England would kill for any of them now. They might even kill for Ramprakash, who was also in that team.
The '99 team's bowling was quite weak, and the tail ridiculously long (this was one of the occasions England had Mullally-Tufnell-Giddins at 9-10-11). Even so, Tufnell was a better bowler than Leach, and Caddick would obviously walk into the current team.
Caddick would obviously walk into the current team
Provided he hadn't been left at home as part of some 'reset', that is.
Not sure what all the fuss is about.. Collingwood thinks that Root has been doing an amazing job as captain.
I’m actually surprised, I thought he’d have done it by now if he wa going to. Seems like some time out of the bubble, away from the pressure to generate soundbites about ‘the positives’, has allowed him to look at more things clearly.
Stokes and Broad the only real candidates I think. I reckon Stokes would be a disaster but it’ll probably be him.
Every player to play under Root's captaincy - can you get all 42 of 'em?
https://wisden.com/play-and-win/quizzes/quiz-name-every-england-player-to-play-under-joe-roots-test-captaincy
I got 40 - of the two I missed, one was fairly obvious, the other was a one-Test wonder.
Stokes to be captain.. no surprise there.Crawley tipped to be vice-captain.. now that Key is the team director, that is even less surprising
Very few captains make any difference. Jardine, Illingworth, and Brearley maybe. But generally, it's luck, having the bowlers to throw the ball to.