Cricket 38: Ashes Openers Crash and Burns

[Paxter]

Worth watching a vid of him on YouTube - he reminds me a lot of Archer actually. Definitely one for the future.

[Mosi Mynn]

13 hours ago, Paxter said:

The decision (I think Stokes') to play both Archer and Wood in the first test is all the more perplexing after watching the Windies struggle against the "line and length" of Broad and Woakes. Anderson will no doubt come back into the reckoning for the deciding match.

IMO Wood and Archer should never play in the same Test together.  I totally get the desire to see them bowl together, but they both should be used in short, devastating bursts, which means placing the burden of more overs onto other bowlers.  And Archer suffers as well.  He is seen as so much stronger than Wood, who I think is still seen as a bit fragile, that Root seems OK with over-bowling him sometimes, and that should not be his role.

If fit, I would always have Broad and Woakes and rotate Anderson (to prolong his tenure), Wood and Archer.  Dropping a fit Broad is just bananas.  Fired him up, though!

[Paxter]

2 hours ago, Mosi Mynn said:

IMO Wood and Archer should never play in the same Test together.  I totally get the desire to see them bowl together, but they both should be used in short, devastating bursts, which means placing the burden of more overs onto other bowlers.  And Archer suffers as well.  He is seen as so much stronger than Wood, who I think is still seen as a bit fragile, that Root seems OK with over-bowling him sometimes, and that should not be his role.

If fit, I would always have Broad and Woakes and rotate Anderson (to prolong his tenure), Wood and Archer.  Dropping a fit Broad is just bananas.  Fired him up, though!

Agreed - with the exception of tours of SA, WI and Australia. I think genuine pace works well in those nations.

I would never pick Woakes for an Ashes tour again!