1st Test England v Pakistan, Lord's 14-18 July

[hopeforthebest]

The BBC on it's website are really going on about the spot fixing, they are making it their main interest. The BBC keep proving, to me anyway, that they are more tabloid than the tabloids they sneer at.

[Dr Cricket]

lol Newman blocked a former NZ cricketer because of not agreeing with his statement of stokes and Anderson being fit for the test match.

Apparently Newman can't see how bowling in a nets and bowling 40 overs in a test match is quite different lol

the guy taking the outside cricket thing to a next level.

Really not sure why the ECB press are still cautious of the English fans cricketing view, Considering the KP and the ashes disaster is basically over now.

Newman just making a joke out of him self lol now even test cricketers think he is pathetic.

[Arthur Crabtree]

He used to be a pace bowler, so he might have some insight. But I don't really trust his views or assume his impartiality.

[Dr Cricket]

He used to be a pace bowler, so he might have some insight. But I don't really trust his views or assume his impartiality.

Well TBH I doubt stokes and anderson bowling few overs and not in full efforts means they are ready for thursday test match either, especially in Anderson case when he missed what 6-7 test in last 12 months.
not actually finished a major series for a while either excluding UAE tour last winter.

[Dr Cricket]

He used to be a pace bowler, so he might have some insight. But I don't really trust his views or assume his impartiality.

are you talking about newman or iaon o'brian.

Either way Newman deleted his tweet and guessing he knew how pathetic and idiotic he is considering Anderson and Stoke turned out not too actually be that fit either today, certainly not bowling fit maybe batting fit but Anderson won't play as a batsman.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Newman. I'm not defending him, he seems to be the epitome of the ECB lickspittle... but was once a pace bowler, so he /should/ have some knowledge.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH not sure newman took Anderson injury issues or recent problems into account.
Only Stokes could have played, playing Anderson on Lords on a slower flatter deck where he getting slower to recover from niggles and his actually missing games because of niggles which he would have played before is a worry.
not risking Anderson is a good move why play anderson at lords if it means he could miss the entire test series.

Most of the time england backroom staff are not idiots they probably know Anderson far better than what Newman knows.

By the way not sure Newman ever played back to back test or First class games either, lets not forget Anderson got 3 test after lords.
quite possible he might only get fit on the 4th day of the lords test and then it becomes a choice of risking him for a lords test and out of the rest of the series or miss lords but play all the other 3 games.
broad said anderson was not playing because lords is a flat deck but did want him in the squad for advice and help purposes.
Obrian is a modern day test cricketer so should know how double or triple back to back test affect bowlers.

Either way quite pathetic to block someone over a different view, especially over something like this where literally no one is wrong or right and is basically an opinion.
only reason this got picked up was because newman didn't know the guy was a test cricketer lol and that is how he treat all people that doesn't agree with him on twitter.

[Dr Cricket]

I have no idea which cricketer or commentator said this but a recent player or comms said that these days picking a 80 percent fit bowler for a test is not worth the risk because he might be less effective or just get a niggle that means he is out for 2-3 weeks and these days that is the whole series not a warm up game 20 years ago.

the only time you take the risk is if the guy is so much better being 80% fit and could cope with the schedule.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England habitually pick injured players. Certainly when Flower was in charge.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Three players from England will play in this Test that appeared the last time the two sides met in England, also at Lord's in 2010, the game where Broad and Trott put on 300+. That's Cook, Finn and Broad (with Anderson missing this time). Pakistan have three also, Amir, Wahab and Azhar. Swann took nine wickets in an innings win.

[Aidan11]

Daily Mail cricket journos seem to hate criticism.

[budgetmeansbudget]

I hear Joe Root is going to bat at number 3 and neither him nor Geoff Boycott are happy about it due to his weakness with the new ball.

I can understand a batsman having a preference for a certain position and 'don't change what ain't broke' comes to mind.

However I was always brought up with your best batsman coming in at number 3 and he is our best batsman right now.

Besides whether he bats 3, 4 or 5 it won't make alot of difference because 30 odd for 3 is a pretty common scoreline for England in recent years. Maybe Root can arrest that trend.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Ball to open the bowling with Broad.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Forecast looks good for all five days.

[hopeforthebest]

Ball to open the bowling with Broad.

Who said he will open the bowling?