The Ashes; Second Test, Lord's, July 16-20

[captaincolly]

The mark for Anderson is over-generous.

He did absolutely nothing in this test.

Yes, Willis did add that it was his worst ever Test at Lords so for once Bob is being kind with his score.

[yorker_129-7]

Bob Willis is tweeting his verdicts on the England players, think he's sentencing a few of them to death judging by these scores!
Cook 7/10, Lyth 0/10, Ballance 1/10, Bell 1/10, Root 5/10, Stokes 7/10, Buttler 3/10, Moeen 5/10, Broad 6/10, Wood 3/10, Anderson 3/10.

Seems harsh to give Bell and Ballance more than Lyth. Also Broad deserves a 7.

Root probably also a mark too high, didn't do much. I'm not counting his buying of two wickets,

[captaincolly]

Willis suggesting Stoneman could be a good option to replace Lyth before deciding to go for Hales!

[Arthur Crabtree]

England are going to burn through every opener out there.

[captaincolly]

England are going to burn through every opener out there.

Looks like it. Bob seemed to be going for Stoneman as one of those players who might step up to test cricket despite a modest FC record a la Vaughan & Tresco before he settled on Hales despite doubting if his technique is up to it!

[sussexpob]

Bob Willis is tweeting his verdicts on the England players, think he's sentencing a few of them to death judging by these scores!
Cook 7/10, Lyth 0/10, Ballance 1/10, Bell 1/10, Root 5/10, Stokes 7/10, Buttler 3/10, Moeen 5/10, Broad 6/10, Wood 3/10, Anderson 3/10.

Stokes gets a 7/10 despite scoring an idiotic duck and giving away 0/130 odd.....

[Arthur Crabtree]

Why is Willis saying they need help getting sideways movement, because they don't have any pace... won't the Aussie bowlers just get sideways movement faster?

[sussexpob]

Willis suggesting Stoneman could be a good option to replace Lyth before deciding to go for Hales!

Well, if Stoneman COULD be a good option, then so COULD anyone.

Last few batsman to get the slot had great seasons and good careers....a bloke scrapping an average of 30 over his career, and only 35 in his last two first class seasons smacks of pure desperation.

[captaincolly]

Why is Willis saying they need help getting sideways movement, because they don't have any pace... won't the Aussie bowlers just get sideways movement faster?

Think his theory is that the faster Aussie bowlers will get more out of slow pitches so England need to take a risk by preparing ones that will assist our bowlers even though it will make the Aussies even more dangerous.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Willis saying Cook got out because he was tired and careworn. Which is a worry for him, because they are mental things, and Cook's overwhelming strengths as a batter are his mental attributes.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Why is Willis saying they need help getting sideways movement, because they don't have any pace... won't the Aussie bowlers just get sideways movement faster?

Think his theory is that the faster Aussie bowlers will get more out of slow pitches so England need to take a risk by preparing ones that will assist our bowlers even though it will make the Aussies even more dangerous.

England's plan was based around drawing the teeth of the Aussie pace bowlers....

[Arthur Crabtree]

Marcus is right. Bell looks needy and beseeching at the crease, like an insecure adolescent boyfriend.

[Making_Splinters]

Willis saying Cook got out because he was tired and careworn. Which is a worry for him, because they are mental things, and Cook's overwhelming strengths as a batter are his mental attributes.

Thought he got out because he played a daft shot personally. Funny that we're all happy to jump on th top three a based on their collective failure as soon as skip has made a couple of runs.

Said before the start of this test it would be interesting to hear the pundits on Cook's captaincy if things didn't go right. Unsuprisingly they're all a little quiet on the follow up to Cook's "Greatest Test".

[captaincolly]

Why is Willis saying they need help getting sideways movement, because they don't have any pace... won't the Aussie bowlers just get sideways movement faster?

Think his theory is that the faster Aussie bowlers will get more out of slow pitches so England need to take a risk by preparing ones that will assist our bowlers even though it will make the Aussies even more dangerous.

England's plan was based around drawing the teeth of the Aussie pace bowlers....

That was plan A!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Willis saying Cook got out because he was tired and careworn. Which is a worry for him, because they are mental things, and Cook's overwhelming strengths as a batter are his mental attributes.

Thought he got out because he played a daft shot personally. Funny that we're all happy to jump on th top three a based on their collective failure as soon as skip has made a couple of runs.

Said before the start of this test it would be interesting to hear the pundits on Cook's captaincy if things didn't go right. Unsuprisingly they're all a little quiet on the follow up to Cook's "Greatest Test".

It was a poor shot. I suppose they were trying to find some context for it.