Tomorrow sees a return to red ball relaxation. Or at least the test match against Ireland at Lord’s should be a relaxing experience for England supporters. We’ll get to sit back in the shade with a pina colada (or seven) whilst the players sweat buckets in the sweltering sun.
The match shouldn’t provide too much emotional stress either. England are huge favourites against test crickets newboys, so we’re far more likely to experience literal sweaty bums than the metaphorical variety on this occasion.
Having said that, we’ve been over-confident before and it’s come back to bite us on the bum (yes, another arse reference) in times gone by. Ireland will be hugely motivated, England might treat the game as a glorified training exercise as they nurse their world cup hangovers, and Ireland have a couple of players capable of making us blush.
The problem for the Irish, however, is that few people (including yours truly) can see it happening. The truth is that even without Jimmy Anderson, Mark Wood, and Jofra Archer, England’s bowling attack simply looks too strong for Ireland’s batting:
Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes are a skilful opening pair, Ollie Stone should provide plenty of fire power if utilised in short spells, Sam Curran provides left arm variety, and Moeen Ali and Jack Leach offer the ideal spinning combination. It’s hard to think of a more balanced attack.
England do have a slight weakness, however. And it doesn’t take Jacque Clouseau to figure it out. Our batting looks weak on paper with only Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow (who will be batting one place too high for a keeper-batsman) proven test match performers.
Yes one could argue that Jason Roy is dangerous player, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he destroys the opposition in this particular game, but he’s not a proven test batsman (yet). The latter can also be said of Rory Burns and Joe Denly. Meanwhile, a totally out of sorts Moeen Ali at 6 doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence and optimism.
Unfortunately one could argue that a top six of Burns, Roy, Denly, Root, Bairstow and Moeen is possibly the weakest top six England have fielded in a test match. I certainly can’t think of a poorer one. Perhaps only one of the makeshift sides we fielded in the 1980s, when the selectors would basically give every player on the county circuit a cap before unceremoniously dropping them again, could rival this top six for lack of quality and experience.
At this point I’d usually reassure readers that England’s batting is still better than Ireland’s bowling – and it clearly is – however, there is one small caveat I’d like to mention. And the caveat’s name is Tim Murtagh, the Middlesex stalwart and nephew of my old English teacher.
Murtagh isn’t a bad bowler at all if conditions suit. What’s more, he averages approximately 23 with the ball at Lord’s. Yes he’s a bit long in the tooth now, but age rarely withers those bowlers who had little pace to begin with. Murtagh still has some skill. England will hope that the pitch is flat and the skies remain blue so that he’s somewhat neutered.
Overall however, I’d expect England to win this match at a canter. Although Ireland have some talented players they’re a bit of a funny team really: a number of their best players are getting up there in age, and most of their lesser known individuals are yet to tear up trees.
Ireland might have been able to spring a surprise in white ball games in the past – apparently the mere mention of Kevin O’Brien’s name still gives Andrew Strauss palpitations – it would take one extraordinary cock up all round for England to lose this test match.
James Morgan
‘England’ is short for ‘England and Wales’ in international cricket parlance, as I’m sure you know, Marc. It’s just that we Welsh don’t have anyone to offer at this level at the moment. Ironically, nor do the Irish. Having spent decades growing old in the process of convincing the blazers to take them seriously, they’ve now lost the quality service of Joyce, Morgan and others. So I’ll be at Lord’s expecting our good friends the Micks to take a good shellacking home with them.
How about bloggers coming up with a post war home international test X1 from Scotland, Wales and Ireland, including players who’ve appeared for England. There’s a few tasty players available if you include the likes of Simon Jones and Eoin Morgan, even going back to Mike Denness and of course many Glamorgan players.
For what it’s worth, to see if it can provoke a few responses, my X1 after a frenzied list making hour; bearing in mind this is for test cricket, not ODI’s.
Ed Joyce
Brian Hardie
Hugh Morris
Tony Lewis (c)
Mike Denness
Dougie Brown
Geraint Jones (wk)
Simon Jones
Jeff Jones
Alan Jones
Pat Pocock
This leaves out the likes of: Robert Croft, Gavin Hamilton, Kevin O’Brien, Matthew Maynard and Eoin Morgan, all of whom I rate highly, but more as one day cricketers.
There may be a few glaring omissions here, so please feel free to point them out.
This could well prove to be no more than an extended net. It’s a pity Ireland were awarded Test status after most of their best players had retired. Hope they spring a surprise though, if it does a bit Murtagh will get Roy for single figures I suspect. Sublet is an absolute glaring admission though in this game, averaging over 60 in the Championship, but then the ECB and Baylis don’t watch it. Shame, the guy deserves a chance.
Totally agree, but as we saw with Afganistan in the World Cup, ‘minnows’ can throw up enough relatively unknown talent to prove a threat at any level. If they’d had more self belief and maybe a better captain, they could have well beaten India, amongst others. I know a test is on a different level, but I’m sure Ireland will be up for the fray, especially against our largely experimental selections, where our batting looks a bit thin.
Just hope Anderson can prove his fitness for the Ashes by looking the class above he is at his best.
This could well prove to be no more than an extended net. It’s a pity Ireland were awarded Test status after most of their best players had retired. Hope they spring a surprise though, if it does a bit Murtagh will get Roy for single figures I suspect. Sublet is an absolute glaring admission though in this game, averaging over 60 in the Championship, but then the ECB and Baylis don’t watch it. Shame, the guy deserves a chance.
For ‘Sublet’ should we be reading Sibley? Not sure he’s ready for the fray yet and I’m a Warwickshire man.
County cricket seems to be taking a back seat as breeding round for test players at the moment.
Moeen at 6 does conclude a dodgy looking batting line up but he shouldn’t be too unsettled against the Irish attack. Against the Aussies he might start backing away again so if he plays as our spinner in the Ashes I’d Stick him down at 8/9 and hope he hits a flashy 30 while we’re scrambling towards setting a target.
So they should, given the huge disparity between how much is spent on the England set-up compared to Ireland’s. Were they not to, the whole raison d’etre of ECB would, quite rightly, be called into question, including its grossly overpaid administrative sinecures.
England currently 36-3 thanks mainly to that man Murtagh.
Make that 42-6. Humiliating.
I said in a previous post we were still capable of 20-6 and hoped it didn’t happen in the Ashes… well at least it’s not The Ashes… utter shambles
Playing Murtagh like England played Glen McGrath in the 90’s but blindfolded
All out 85. Total humiliation. So much for experimentation and resting key players.
The Aussies must be licking their lips.
I said Murtagh would get Roy for single figures, but I didn’t expect 85 all out. Blimey. Too much one day cricket.
“At this point I’d usually reassure readers that England’s batting is still better than Ireland’s bowling – and it clearly is – however, there is one small caveat I’d like to mention. And the caveat’s name is Tim Murtagh, the Middlesex stalwart and nephew of my old English teacher.
Murtagh isn’t a bad bowler at all if conditions suit. What’s more, he averages approximately 23 with the ball at Lord’s. Yes he’s a bit long in the tooth now, but age rarely withers those bowlers who had little pace to begin with. Murtagh still has some skill. England will hope that the pitch is flat and the skies remain blue so that he’s somewhat neutered.”
Very prescient James!
I’m glad someone noticed :-)
So, is this Theresa May’s legacy or the shape of things to come under Johnson?
Either way the real tension is at Cheltenham today.
I have blocked out all events at Cheltenham. Played there once. Didn’t score any. Nothing good comes from Cheltenham College. Ever.