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[Neon Cricket]

Surely this is mind games more than anything haha

[biffa]

Has to be! Our tea lady does more with the ball!

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[csnew]

Soft dismissal from root before the new ball. Looked like a tired shot.

Could lose a few here against the new ball

[L21]

Looked as if Root was struggling.

Maybe with his back.

Hopefully nothing long term

[Vic Nicholas]

This pitch is DEAD.

Dropping short is an utter waste of time as even cowards can hook a boundary on this deck.

Short of Australia having a brain fade batting collapse, you would think there are stacks of runs to be had on this pitch.

If this is an indication of the pitches we will be served up this series, it would seem that the ECCB are hoping for four dull draws and a hopeful Aussie brainfade somewhere for a win to pinch the series.

Mighty fine innings by Root today all the same. But easier to do when the fangs have been removed from the cobra as Smith and Kohli proved on the roads in Oz this last summer.

[ProCricketer1982]

This pitch is DEAD.

Dropping short is an utter waste of time as even cowards can hook a boundary on this deck.

Short of Australia having a brain fade batting collapse, you would think there are stacks of runs to be had on this pitch.

If this is an indication of the pitches we will be served up this series, it would seem that the ECCB are hoping for four dull draws and a hopeful Aussie brainfade somewhere for a win to pinch the series.

Mighty fine innings by Root today all the same. But easier to do when the fangs have been removed from the cobra as Smith and Kohli proved on the roads in Oz this last summer.

Quite agree, boring wicket so far, lifeless and not what cricket needs. No physical threat so batsmen are able to play the short ball with impunity

[Vic Nicholas]

Quite agree, boring wicket so far, lifeless and not what cricket needs. No physical threat so batsmen are able to play the short ball with impunity

Seriously, Root is a class player on more challenging wickets than this one. What highlighted the placid nature of the pitch though was Moeen Ali hooking bumpers for four with all the time in the world. The same Moeen Ali who was shitting his pants facing the no more than lively medium pace of Ishant Sharma last northern summer.

If you love batathons, this is the pitch for you. Root was enjoying himself out there today...like batting in a benefit.

[Seniorplayer]

Quite agree, boring wicket so far, lifeless and not what cricket needs. No physical threat so batsmen are able to play the short ball with impunity

Let's not forget though there was some pretty poor bowing at Cardiff today .

[21wilsonj]

Any thoughts on what , if any , changes should be made to the batting order , such as root to 3 and buttler or stokes moved higher up in the order as our current top 4 lack a certain spark and ability to score quick runs.

[21wilsonj]

also suggest your "dream" batting order , mine is
Ballance
Cook
Root
Bell
Buttler
Stokes
Bairstow (wk)
Ali

[Seniorplayer]

Any thoughts on what , if any , changes should be made to the batting order , such as root to 3 and buttler or stokes moved higher up in the order as our current top 4 lack a certain spark and ability to score quick runs.

The thing is James there's a lots of overs in test cricket which means there's normally no need to score quick runs especially on the 1st day

[potzy248]

If Ballance is the best number 3 you can find then I'm shocked. He's like watching paint dry, and thats bad for the paint.
Aussies bowled very poorly to him, I don't think they will make the same mistake for the rest of the series.

[21wilsonj]

@potzy248 exactly what i'm thinking. He hasn't gone big since at least the West Indies tests and i am not even sure he played well then. Today was OK with 61 but he was slow scoring and boring to watch.

[Six Sixes Cricket]

Fair play to ballance, did what he had to do, steady'd the ship. That's what England needed. From where we were in the morning we ended well. Great days cricket.

[ppccopener]

Just seen the highlights as above Ballance did a job and i think batted pretty well
No its not pretty and he has limited shots but he held things together and showed he can battle throu some average form
Surely thats what you want to do as a top order batter?
The aussies have had a full day in the field and we are still batting day 2