Second Ashes Test, Lord's, 14-18 August.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I've viewed English cricket long enough to recall when a ground labelled a 'fortress' meant a pair of back-to-back wins there (Headingley in the early nineties). So England moving from fortress Edgbaston, where they lost, to Lord's where they are reputed to struggle, doesn't feel a special cause for pessimism. And the notion that the Home of Cricket inspired the tourists, always felt fanciful. Anyway, England have won four of the last five there and Pakistan who mostly do well at HQ aren't touring.

Besides, I don't really believe in fortresses of the mind. Just that the better side, playing better cricket, will probably win. And England batted lamentably in Birmingham. Lord's does have some local factor with the famous slope, and I've already seen speculation that a little native expertise will be summonsed for the Second Test, in Toby Jones. It worked for Ireland. But it is sagely said you look up not down at this venue, and as much as weather can be predicted so far in advance, we have a neutral forecast of sun and light cloud.

I doubt Jones will be picked. But England will miss James Anderson combining with Stuart Broad, so prolific have they been there over their careers. Spin hasn't been such a big factor and the urge to replace Moeen Ali after a disappointing game at Edgbaston doesn't seem pressing. Jofra Archer will come in for Anderson. Chris Woakes has a good enough record at Lord's to be retained. The batting will be excused their inefficiency once again as if the selection of Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes is mysteriously inevitable. Perhaps it is telepathically willed by Dominic Cummings. Most pressure appears to be on the little tested Joe Denly.

Only Peter Siddle, who seems likely to be left out, has played more than one Test at Lord's for these tourists. He averages 40.1 in two games. Josh Hazlewood took wickets at HQ in 2015 and may be recalled with Mitch Starc. But if England allow their thoughts to drift back to the contest in 2015, they won't put themselves in a good place mentally for this year's Test. It won't help them visualise success. On a flat batting pitch, England lost by 405 runs, and nemesis Steve Smith batted for nine hours for 215 before falling lbw to Joe Root out of 566-8. In reply, Adam Lyth made a two ball duck to leave England 0-1. England made 103 in their second innings with Stuart Broad top scoring with 25. It seems like England's batting is in a similar place still. Tapping on this keyboard in August 2019, it feels like it will be forever.

[Durhamfootman]

I think they will replace Mo

I think that Bayleaf the gardener's comments about Mo being a confidence player with no confidence who just needs to score some big runs or do well with the ball to get his confidence back means he'll be doing that with Worcestershire (for whom he'll score a big hundred and take a match 10fer, he being one of the many players our system produces who are far too good for the CC and barely good enough for test cricket) and not England

If Bayleaf's assessment of Mo is correct then if they don't do it for Lords, they can't do it at all, because Worcs only have the Northants game, starting on the 18th, between now and the end of the ashes.

and it makes sense, because if they drop him for Lords and he does indeed do very well for Worcs, then they can bring him back later in the series if they want to. In fact it makes so much sense that they'll probably keep him for Lords, miss their chance, and end up dropping him for the rest of the series

[bigfluffylemon]

Good preview AC.

I heard Vaughan saying that Starc will be in the running as the slope will be favourable for a left armer - witness the world cup game.

It seems pretty likely to me that Mo will go.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suppose Mo will go, but I'm not sure it will be much of a factor in how the game goes.

Maybe that logic for Starc might let Curran in.

[Durhamfootman]

Archer will be in for Santiago. I'd put my house on it if I was a betting man

"save us again Jof.... please"

Woakes will stay, Broad will stay, Stokes will stay, so unless they go in without a full time spinner, then there will be no room for Curran

[Durhamfootman]

even though Curran probably has more runs in him than Buttler and Bairstow combined, judging by the way they played the last test (and in the case of YJB, the last 2 tests)

[GarlicJam]

I am Impatient for this test to start. It seems so long already.

[Durhamfootman]

I noticed that it didn't take long for Glenda to start shooting 5-0

'shooting?'

sorry..... 'shouting' 5-0

what a silly typo

I've no idea what put that in my mind

[GarlicJam]

I thought I heard that he said 3-2, or something similarly unusual for him?

[yuppie]

Some of the reports regarding Starc might make his selection a little circumspect.

From memory Hazelwood and Mitch 1 were the better bowlers last time round. It is a strange world where Bancroft can walk back in this Australian team whilst the selection of Starc is not a certainty.

[Durhamfootman]

I thought I heard that he said 3-2, or something similarly unusual for him?

that was at the start of the series

the 5-0 was the other day

[yuppie]

I thought I heard that he said 3-2, or something similarly unusual for him?

that was at the start of the series

the 5-0 was the other day

Obviously forgot about the English weather

[westoelad]

Squad announced. Leach for Ali, Archer for Anderson, S. Curran for Stone.
No changes to batting - selectors obviously believe in Einstein's definition of insanity.

[yuppie]

Squad announced. Leach for Ali, Archer for Anderson, S. Curran for Stone.
No changes to batting - selectors obviously believe in Einstein's definition of insanity.

The Assumption that Curran and Archer will improve the batting?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Leach too?