Fourth Test: England vs India 2018

[sussexpob]

I am struggling to think of a worse top order for England in the last 20 years.

I think 20 years, you are being kind. In all seriousness, the emergence of Trescothick, Vaughan and Butcher finally batting well after 2000 to say 2003/04, until Strauss/KP/Bell arrive, along with Thorpe makes early 2000s a non starter. 2005-2013 we had a frequently competitive team. Post 2013 it slowly declines to now.

Pretty much leaves you with 1999 or winter of 2000.

Lords test in 1999......

Alec Stewart - Just been sacked as captain and struggling to keep his career together. Didnt register a 100 in a year
Mark Butcher - Couldnt buy a run before 2000.
Hussain - A bit like Root has been, the sole batsman on form
Aftab Habib - The worst player ever to be picked for England
Mark Ramprakash - The worst player ever to be picked by England 20 times
Chris Read - He ducked a yorker in this test.
Graeme Thorpe - The era of the bad backs, Thorpe wouldnt play much until he got the injury and pain past him, and would flourish again, but he was a shadow of himself at the time

[sussexpob]

I cant remember what test it was in South Africa in 1999/2000, but I think at one point the top 7 was...

Atherton.... who was essentially what Cook was now at that stage.
Butcher..... one year away from finding form, but still averaging like Jennings is now
Hussain..... I think the year after taking the job as was captain, he had a horror show. Averaging somehting like 12 in as many test matches (thats from memory)
Darren Maddy.... who FC average suggested he was lucky to even get in a county XI
Chris Adams..... sorry Chris, I love you, but only in a Sussex shirt. Terrible
Gary Hamilton.... who registered 2 ducks and then never was seen again
Flintoff..... who averaged 13 for the first 4 years of his career.

If you could capture a single test match worth of form, or isolate the batters to how they were at the time, I think this line up has to be the worst in decades

[backfootpunch]

Doesn't help our numbers 4,5,6 and 7 are all number 7s really

All 4 of them would be very useful counter attacking number 7s but no good as middle order players

We desperately need an opener and a number 3, someone to take the shine off the ball, so the when the ball gets soft like it is now we are only 2 or 3 down and the middle order can cash in

Typical moeen dismissal, playing nicely then commits batting suicide

[sussexpob]

Mo goes, but its been a handy innings...

[backfootpunch]

That was knowhere near full enough to be sweeping

[Durhamfootman]

going well, then?

[Durhamfootman]

what with England being pathetic, Durham being pathetic, Newcastle Utd being pathetic and the Brits getting a thrashing in the tennis, I wonder why I *modded* bother

[backfootpunch]

Always looked like it was going down leg that

Poor decision from the umpire

Unlucky for Rashid that both reviews had already been wasted

[DiligentDefence]

what with England being pathetic, Durham being pathetic, Newcastle Utd being pathetic and the Brits getting a thrashing in the tennis, I wonder why I *modded* bother

It's an encouragement to get out into the garden.

[andy]

50 for Curran

[sussexpob]

At what stage do we bat Curran at 3

[andy]

In overseas conditions when he won;t be effective as a mainline seamer, no reason why he can't bat 6/7 and be 4th seamer...

[backfootpunch]

At what stage do we bat Curran at 3

Try him as opener with cook?

[andy]

50 partnership between Curran and Broad

[backfootpunch]

The first 30 or 40 overs of India's innings will be vital

Looks much easier to bat once the ball gets older