Sad there isn't a Test at Old Trafford for Jimmy's last series.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 39 minutes ago
Sad there isn't a Test at Old Trafford for Jimmy's last series.
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That would have been fitting. Sad he's going at all of course, but all good things....

Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson

Could both be mainstays for years if they hit the ground running.

Hope England treat Smith better than the last Surrey keeper to be called up...

Just seen Dan Lawrence made the cut. Well deserved for a brilliant start to the summer.

Ollie Pope coasting on the vice captaincy at the mo, needs a good series

Was only a matter of time for Smith given his talent but really don't get the logic in calling him up as WK ahead of the guy who he can't even replace as WK for his own County.

Also if they wanted to replace Foakes I thought Robinson would have been a lock given how he's started the season.

Agree with that. Smith is a decent enough keeper but it's the classic "batter who can keep" rather than a specialist again.

At last, proper cricket returns.. Roooot can go beyond 12000 runs this summer.. & Jimmy being forced to retire isn't good

Jimmy has just casually taken 4/9 from 7 overs in his first County game this season.

Why are we forcing him to retire

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 13 hours, 23 minutes ago
Jimmy has just casually taken 4/9 from 7 overs in his first County game this season.

Why are we forcing him to retire
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Tbf I reckon I could take 3 or 4 on the typical CC pitch vs that calibre of opps.

He should have bowed out gracefully like Broad.

Glad Bairstow is gone. very good player at times for us. had some sparkling innings. but time to move on. Dunno what Foakes has done wrong. Guess they just don't fancy him. And Oille Pope. really needs to start to deliver more consistently otherwise hes gone . Apart from a great innings in India he did nothing after that

Jamie Smith is a class player who is having a very good season for Surrey. Yes he's a keeper but he's playing as a specialist bat at 4 this season. Personally I would have gone for Ollie Robinson who is actually wearing the gloves for Durham also whilst scoring a bucket load of runs. He bats 5 but he scores at a strike rate that works for this regime. Both are an improvement on Bairstow though.

Atkinson plays. Assume Potts will come in for Jimmy with Pennington on standby if Big Gus struggkes

Surprised they've picked Atkinson over Potts but they seem obsessed with having 1 proper fast bowler in every lineup.

I'm not sure Atkinson is quick enough to be a guy who just comes in to bowl fast and short. Think he's a handful if he bowls on a good length with the extra pace and bounce but England love a short pitch barrage and Stokes I'm sure is pleased he doesn't have to be the one doing it. The good news he can use himself as an actual 4th seamer now rather than come on to bowl a 12 over spell from 60 overs on.

Atkinson would be wasted as a short pitch "rough'em up" bowler. His main strength is the surprising bounce and carry he gets on a good length. He's not even that tall.

You already know that's going to be their plan with him though

decent forecast for the test. so be enough time for a result

An emotional down as today marks the beginning of the end for James Anderson. Hopefully we won't see him today though

An emotional day*! Although down is definitely what many of us will be feeling.

Oh, win the toss and bowl. Completely forgot after the India series that we prefer to bat second most of the time! Jimmy will feature heavily today after all then.

I’m gonna miss Jimmy.

Don't think bowling first was right call.

Pitch looks flat as a pancake.

Atkinson gets Brathwaite with his second ball in Test cricket.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 15 minutes ago
Don't think bowling first was right call.

Pitch looks flat as a pancake.
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Yeah I'm not overly surprised that Stokes chose to bowl given he has chosen flat decks to bat 2nd on quite often but Lords is usually bat first.

Great start for Atkinson who is bowling faster than I thought he would. I know he can bowl 90mph but he usually drops his speed a little in the longer form.

Big Gus doing the business with extra pace. Good to see he's not just been asked to bowl short.