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First, I wouldn't ask if they're quick enough to do well in Australia. Waqar Younis was ruddy quick and averaged 40 down there. Allan Donald was rapid yet Fanie De Villiers had a lower average in Australia than AD. Some quicks do well, some don't. It's like spinners: some do and some of the greats have struggled.
Second, was Glenn McGrath quick enough to be successful in the Ashes? Pace is nothing if you don't utilise it properly. It's why Hazlewood and Cummins are top notch and Mitchell Starc isn't to me.
Overton is more consistent with his pace than he used to be. He also does a lot more with the ball now than he did. As I moaned earlier, player development is something we haven't done well for ages. Look at his Test career: a couple in Oz, a random Test here, one in NZ... it's bullshit. Robinson is pretty similar, does a bit with the ball. His pace isn't outright quick but he does get bounce and he is more accurate than Overton. They're the two leading lights on the county scene and there's not much else. Jamie Porter seems out of the reckoning, Sam Cook is a bit too English swing and seam, and Jamie Overton ain't done shit this year and is an idiot for moving to Surrey.
Bamber's an interesting one because he's a very non-county cricketer type in that he's got more going on upstairs than most, a bit like Zafar Ansari. Not outright quick, sharp pace. He and Saqib Mahmood would be a good combo for the future. Dillon Pennington at Worcestershire is probably the quickest young one out there but having to bowl on that New Road deck must be heartbreaking for him at this time of year.
Personally, I say fuck all the talk about pace. Pick Darren Stevens. Some absolutely mighty clobber today.
Generally operates around 135kph so not dissimilar to Craig Overton. Played all his Tests in NZ so it'll be interesting to see how he handles his first overseas tour.
It makes sense for Bracey to take the gloves. Long term Pope's a middle order batsman and needs to get his head down. If you start giving him the gloves for a Test or two until Foakes or Buttler come back, then you disrupt that. Far better to let Bracey do it on the basis that it's easier for him to come in and out of the side in a manner of speaking.
All the talk appears to be of a four man attack. Brave against a side that bats deep and well. Sibley's selection means he will be in, which throws up the question as to why they bothered dropping Burns in the winter if ultimately nothing changes comes NZ time. Broad is VC with Stokes out so presumably he is playing. If we do go with the four man attack and it looks like this then it's a long batting line up with a low overall average between them.
Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Pope
Lawrence
Bracey
Broad
Anderson
Wood/Stone
Robinson/Overton
Shame Boult won't be playing, but Southree, Henry, Jamieson, and Wagner is a good mix. With the weather looking hot for the first two days and with a left-arm over bowler in Wagner playing who hits the crease hard and gets some rough going, I would pick Leach and go with the five man attack. NZ have a lot of righties in that batting line up.
Got my tickets v India at Leeds in August for later in the year so lets start the summer with a good performance and result
The first of the summer still brings the anticipation I used to have when I was a boy.
1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Joe Root (captain), 5 Ollie Pope, 6 Dan Lawrence, 7 James Bracey (wk), 8 Ollie Robinson, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson
No spinner. From my 6th floor vista in south London, the sky is blue with a few clouds but certainly not heavy overhead Lords superswing conditions. And NZ are batting first. Lordy lordy....
New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson (captain), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Neil Wagner
Of the top 7 NZ batsmen, Colin De Grandhomme has the lowest average at 37 (Conway on debut has no average as yet). Latham, Williamson, Ross Taylor and Nicholls all average 40+. Within English ranks, only Joe Root averages above 40. NZ have a very good side out now and they have reserves. Will Young could have opened and has done very well for Durham this year in hard conditions (if you can score runs at Durham early season, then you can play on seaming decks). Tom Blundell averages 38 and could have easily played in this game. NZ really maximise their talent pool and get everything out of it.
Hmmm
Perhaps Root now considers himself a front line bowler after his Indian wickets?
I know Jimmy is super fit - But in this heat it is a lot to ask JA and SB to be bowling something around 20 overs each today
Root bowling in England is a different prospect to Root bowling in India
It's about 24 degrees! They should be fine!
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
Ain't that just the loveliest bat all day sky?
https://i.imgur.com/tYFKUH1.png
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.