England's Summer Of Cricket against New Zealand and AUSTRALIA!

[Shaggy]

I would pick Onions today, for either Broad or Bresnan.

Sounds like it's grey and drizzly in Durham.

[Alex]

You have to keep Broad in. He is decent enough to weigh in with some crucial runs at the tail end. His bowling has been hit and miss, but hes not been as woeful as Bresnan.

[Shaggy]

You have to keep Broad in. He is decent enough to weigh in with some crucial runs at the tail end. His bowling has been hit and miss, but hes not been as woeful as Bresnan.

No but I think they might look to give one of the bowlers a rest so maybe Broad is a candidate. He's bowled mainly rubbish again IMO. I reckon Onions is a better bowler.

[Alex]

Its a fair point I suppose. You wouldnt drop Jimmy then? He has been nearly bowled into the ground over the first 3 tests.

[Chazza]

Get Tremlett in!

[Shaggy]

Its a fair point I suppose. You wouldnt drop Jimmy then? He has been nearly bowled into the ground over the first 3 tests.

No I wouldn't. Everyone keeps saying that, but has he really? I don't know how many overs he's bowled but we've had them all out a couple of times in about 55 overs so he can't have bowled that many. They've only made one score.

Also did you know England have only scored 400+ eight times in the last 44 Test innings. How **** is that. I know we keep scraping by - scraped a draw v NZ, making heavy weather of the Aussies - and in a sense making it difficult to question Cook and this England side, but I maintain we are too conservative, **** with the bat and essentially nowhere near as good as we think. South Africa would tonk us again.

[Alex]

Im basing it off reading that Anderson has bowled about double the amount of overs than any one of the Aussie Bowlers in the last 12 months.

Just seems like we might burn him out. He is always at the forefront of our attack. Plus that 13 over spell at Trent Bridge sticks in the back of my mind.

Think we can win without him too.

[Shaggy]

Im basing it off reading that Anderson has bowled about double the amount of overs than any one of the Aussie Bowlers in the last 12 months.

Just seems like we might burn him out. He is always at the forefront of our attack. Plus that 13 over spell at Trent Bridge sticks in the back of my mind.

Think we can win without him too.

Is that not because Anderson is a fixture in the team and they chop and change almost constantly? It'd be interesting to see the stats on how many overs Jimmy has bowled compared to other leading Test bowlers.

[Alex]

Also, yes, we have been totally **** with the Bat.

It doesnt really help that Troot and Cooks form has dropped off a cliff. They were both making 100s last year if I remember. Cooks form improved dramatically too when he became captain for a few tests.

Just a blip I think. Our top 4 batsmen are 4 of the best in the world. Obviously Root is young and inexperienced. But he seems as good as any with the bat. So its definitely form rather than a quality issue.

[Shaggy]

Nick Hoult @NHoultCricket
Rumour Anderson might not be playing and he's not taking part in warm ups at the moment. Onions on hand. team will be announced at toss

[Alex]

Is that not because Anderson is a fixture in the team and they chop and change almost constantly? It'd be interesting to see the stats on how many overs Jimmy has bowled compared to other leading Test bowlers.

The one specific stat I read was that he has bowled 120 overs more than Siddle in the last 12 months. But that was only up to the first test.

[Shaggy]

Malcolm Conn @malcolmconn
#cricket #ashes word is that Bird is playing.

[Reece]

Jimmy is in.

[Shaggy]

England win the toss and bat. Unchanged.

Australia bring Bird in for Starc.

[Shaggy]

At 12pm we'll be 30-3.