Gus the spoilsport.

Imagine getting 12/106 on debut and not getting to keep the match ball

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 34 minutes ago
Forcing him to retire all because he probably won't play in a series 2 years away.

He's clearly still one of the best bowlers we have.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can see the logic tbh. When conditions don't suit him nowadays he can be very blunt. The transition needs to start sooner or later and it's not like we can use substitutes to get young bowlers match experience like you can in football. I'm glad he's being given the opportunity to go out on a high too, rather than it being dragged out for sentimental reasons long after the decline sets in.

All that said, it still sucks to see him go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure England have tried this logic before and it's not really worked. I get the thought process but there's no reason he can't just be a guy we use more sporadically rather than every test. He's not got the ego that others may have and would happily accept that role. It's a pointless argument of course and it sounds like he and the management are keen for him to continue being in and around the set up.

Hell of a time for your boy to get 12fer though although he won't be taking Jimmy's place. I think it will be Potts but I know the regime are keen on Pennington.

In fact, given Woakes is 35 and unlikely to be opening the bowling down under, I wouldn't be surprised if we see Pennington and Potts open the bowling in at least one of the tests this summer.

Jimmy

Wonder if he feels now with hindsight he wishes he'd gone in the same game as broady.

It’s very likely he’d have beaten Warne’s record if he’d just played in the first 2 tests

Best test 11 Anderson has played with:
Strauss
Cook
Root
Bell
Pietersen
Stokes
Prior
Woakes
Swann
Broad
Anderson

comment by junction8 (U1074)
posted 13 minutes ago
Wonder if he feels now with hindsight he wishes he'd gone in the same game as broady.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nah, I would think that he is happy that Broady had that final game to have the lime light. I think if he had decided to also call time at that moment, it would have been strange having one of the all time greats retire in the shadow of Broad. Given how this has all played out, he is probably pleased that he's bowled well and taken a few wickets in his final game rather than finishing with 1 wicket on the back of a pretty poor series. Would have felt more like he's retiring on the decline whereas now people can see he's still a world class bowler.

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 25 minutes ago
In fact, given Woakes is 35 and unlikely to be opening the bowling down under, I wouldn't be surprised if we see Pennington and Potts open the bowling in at least one of the tests this summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree, Woakes was a weird pick for this game

comment by Snooker_49 (U10665)
posted 7 minutes ago
Best test 11 Anderson has played with:
Strauss
Cook
Root
Bell
Pietersen
Stokes
Prior
Woakes
Swann
Broad
Anderson
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Put Stewart in for Prior, just to give extra credit to his longevity, picking a guy who started playing first class cricket in the early 80s.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 18 minutes ago
It’s very likely he’d have beaten Warne’s record if he’d just played in the first 2 tests
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone made the point, possibly on this thread, that they probably would have let him carry on if it was the overall record but given Murali is on 800, going past Warne probably wasn't that much more significant for his career. He probably could have got to 750ish but then you're thinking, can he keep going to get past Murali, can he bowl up until he's 45/46?

Awful WI side...utterly spanked...they need to improve

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Snooker_49 (U10665)
posted 7 minutes ago
Best test 11 Anderson has played with:
Strauss
Cook
Root
Bell
Pietersen
Stokes
Prior
Woakes
Swann
Broad
Anderson
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Put Stewart in for Prior, just to give extra credit to his longevity, picking a guy who started playing first class cricket in the early 80s.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Or Flintoff instead of Woakes.

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 34 minutes ago
Forcing him to retire all because he probably won't play in a series 2 years away.

He's clearly still one of the best bowlers we have.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can see the logic tbh. When conditions don't suit him nowadays he can be very blunt. The transition needs to start sooner or later and it's not like we can use substitutes to get young bowlers match experience like you can in football. I'm glad he's being given the opportunity to go out on a high too, rather than it being dragged out for sentimental reasons long after the decline sets in.

All that said, it still sucks to see him go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the logic but I think phasing him out would work a lot better if he gets the whole summer to help out the new guys both in the nets and in game situations.

Atkinson and Pennington would surely learn more off Jimmy during games than just as a bowling mentor.

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 40 minutes ago
Awful WI side...utterly spanked...they need to improve
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Think they generally bowled pretty well but it's a poor batting line up on paper and they were even worse on the field. Other than Brathwaite, the rest of the top 7 average below 30. Louis making his debut looked okay and has a FC average of 45 so could be a decent test player for them.

Still, it is the side that beat Australia a few months ago and on the back of a heavy defeat. They've come back against us strongly in the past as well after bad opening defeats so I do expect an improvement from them.

It also annoys me we always talk about bowlers when it comes to touring Australia when we typically lose because our batsman play sh!te

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 23 minutes ago
It also annoys me we always talk about bowlers when it comes to touring Australia when we typically lose because our batsman play sh!te
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep, people talk about Jimmy, Bresnan, Finn, Tremlett for that 10/11 series being so crucial and they were great but look at the batting from that series and not just Cook. We always assess the bowling and make changes to the bowling though.

Cook 766 runs @ 127.66 average
Trott 445 @ 89
Pietersen 360 @ 63.94
Bell 329 @ 65.80
Strauss 307 @ 43.85
Prior 252 @ 50.40

Hopefully WI turn up better prepared for the next one...we want a contest

Mark Wood has replaced Jimmy in the squad. Not a shock.

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 1 hour, 50 minutes ago
Mark Wood has replaced Jimmy in the squad. Not a shock.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Would probably give Atkinson another go and bring in one of the new boys. We know what Wood can do, it's just about keeping him fit.

I'd like to see what Pennington can do, at some stage at least.

Wood comes in for Jimmy.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/eng-vs-wi-2nd-test-mark-wood-returns-to-england-test-attack-in-place-of-retired-james-anderson-1443481

Surprising but I guess we are looking to speed up the attack. I wonder who will share the new ball with Woakes. Presumably they want to get Wood bowling 95mph bombs from ball 1.

Hope the windies improve or it'll be a three day shat show

England need to do better with the bat.. 300s are ok in England to win in Australia you need 450+ in you're first innings