Pope just doesn't look like a number 3 but these runs will be good for him and hopefully something he can use to restart his test career.

Lees has some shots in his locker but as has been said over and over again, positive cricket doesn't mean you need to thump every full ball through the covers for 4. If you get a half volley, just time it and it'll probably ping to the boundary. You don't get more runs if you've hit it so well it would go 2 or 3 times the distance.

Still work to be done with the top 3.

There's the ton for Pope. Very well done.

Pope

Needs to make it a big hundred ideally though

Well played Pope

Now go big son

50 for Root. That didn't take long.

Effortless run a ball 50 for Root, keep it up

Delighted for Pope. Took much made about batting positions and he’s gone and knocked off a great ton.

Still 300 behind

That shot by Pope was absurd. Completely changed position for an unorthodox shot into the only boundary gap

This isn't a good situation for Crawley. Lees scored 60 odd, Pope is approaching 150. Root approaching a hundred. NZ goy over 550.

Unfortunately he will still be backed despite not scoring runs on the flattest of flat decks.

Who would you pick instead mate

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 2 minutes ago
This isn't a good situation for Crawley. Lees scored 60 odd, Pope is approaching 150. Root approaching a hundred. NZ goy over 550.

Unfortunately he will still be backed despite not scoring runs on the flattest of flat decks.
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To be fair, he did get a decent ball that could have got anyone out.

I don't think this innings is the reason he should be dropped. Openers get good balls sometimes and get out early. It's part of the job. The reason he should be dropped is that he regularly gets out when he's set or to balls he shouldn't.

99

ROOOOOOOT

100

Well done Root

Really from this position we should be looking to match NZ's score, but with our tail there's still a lot of work to do for these two and the next few batsmen.

Yet another ton for Root. Bit of a lucky shot to get there but he won't care. Excellent innings overall.

comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 6 minutes ago
Who would you pick instead mate
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Ben Compton would be the guy I'd go for. There are probably about 100 comment from me on the county championship thread as to why.

Both Ben Compton and Harry Brook should be getting a chance in this team at the moment.

comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 2 minutes ago
This isn't a good situation for Crawley. Lees scored 60 odd, Pope is approaching 150. Root approaching a hundred. NZ goy over 550.

Unfortunately he will still be backed despite not scoring runs on the flattest of flat decks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

To be fair, he did get a decent ball that could have got anyone out.

I don't think this innings is the reason he should be dropped. Openers get good balls sometimes and get out early. It's part of the job. The reason he should be dropped is that he regularly gets out when he's set or to balls he shouldn't.
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Oh yeah 100%. The way Crawley plays just isn't sustainable to consistently score enough runs and that is shown by his first class record.

However there have been a lot of flat pitches this year where he has missed opportunities and this is another one. If he had gotten through the first 5 or 6 overs then he may well have made a big score. The problem is if he's not scoring runs on flat decks then he's not going to score them when it's not flat because he's always looking to score when sometimes you just need to survive.

comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 1 minute ago
Both Ben Compton and Harry Brook should be getting a chance in this team at the moment.
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Agree with you there. I get you can't just go off county form but their form has been ridiculous and it's not like our batters are untouchable bar Root.

Ollie Pope

Had we actually held our catches we'd be setting ourselves up very nicely here as this pitch looks very flat.

Got draw written all over it unless someone collapses so I hope Root and Pope statpad.

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 26 minutes ago
comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 6 minutes ago
Who would you pick instead mate
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Ben Compton would be the guy I'd go for. There are probably about 100 comment from me on the county championship thread as to why.
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I casually follow the county stuff it's difficult to have any affection to any county around here

Also find its hard to judge a player on county form translating internationally