COMMENT
No more talk of Bazball – continue like that and we have no chance in the Ashes
Anyone who thinks you can whack top-class fast bowling is talking rubbish and defeat at Lord's to South Africa proved that

SIR GEOFFREY BOYCOTT
20 August 2022 • 4:53pm
Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Jonny Bairstow attempt to take on the South African attack in the first innings ended with his middle stump cartwheeling
Jonny Bairstow's attempt to take on the South African attack in the first innings ended with his middle stump cartwheeling CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
The way our batsmen dealt with the South Africa pace attack does not augur well for the Ashes next year in England.

In the past three Ashes series - one home and two away - Australia’s quicks have blown us away.

So don’t tell me we are going to beat Australia next year after we play like that against South Africa at Lord’s. I watch people’s feet and hands when they face fast bowling. I don’t listen to what the coaches or players say. Talk is cheap but runs win matches.

At the moment when you watch England face fast bowling you don’t want to get up and make a cup of tea or go for a pee because if you do by the time you get back they will be all out.

There is no substitute for nasty, hostile fast bowling mixed up with the odd throat ball that makes batsmen jump around and gets them outside their comfort zone. It takes courage, good technique and a method to survive.

Also let’s have no more talk about Bazball otherwise there will be more days like Friday. Anyone who thinks our batsmen, or any batsmen for that matter, can consistently whack top-class fast bowlers around when they have a new ball in their hand has never played Test cricket and is talking rubbish.

I’ve only seen two batsmen in my life make a successful career out of attacking the new ball: Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden of Australia.

Read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2022/08/20/want-no-talk-bazball-continue-play-like-have-no-chance-ashes/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr

RH

On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 10:00:30 PM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
> Virender Sehwag also had a successful career out of attacking the new
> ball, other than slater and hayden.

2500 Tests matches, and we talk of 3 batsmen where that type of opening works?

Even if there were 100x more batsmen doing it successfully, it would still be risky.
It also requires the SKILLS to do it. Not just the mindset.
It might work for Bairstow and Stokes. Who else in the England team?

On Monday, August 22, 2022 at 6:33:45 PM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
> On 8/22/2022 12:23 AM, jack fredricks wrote:
> > On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 10:00:30 PM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
> >> Virender Sehwag also had a successful career out of attacking the new
> >> ball, other than slater and hayden.
> >
> > 2500 Tests matches, and we talk of 3 batsmen where that type of opening works?
> The sample should be the last few hundred tests, NOT 2500, because the
> STYLE of playing/batting has CHANGED due to ODIs and especially T20s.
> > Even if there were 100x more batsmen doing it successfully, it would still be risky.
> > It also requires the SKILLS to do it. Not just the mindset.
> > It might work for Bairstow and Stokes. Who else in the England team?
> I didn't say Bazball works and every team should employ it.
>
> Against top class bowling of SA, yes, England opening batsmen should see
> off the new ball for the first hour or so.
>
> It's common sense.
>
> If the pitch is flat and batsmen have the skills, then they can play
> bazball.
>
> Bazball worked against NZ because bowlers were fatigued.
>
> Bazball WON'T work every test match, every inning, on every pitch in
> every condition, in every game situation, against every team.

I essentially agree with all of that.

I like Bazball. It's exciting cricket that has worked more than it has failed. Also, when it has worked, it has been SPECTACULAR. Superb cricket entertainment that is near-impossible to beat (in terms of entertainment value).
I just don't think Bazball will last. England don't have enough quality to make it work.
I foresee a confidence implosion. Then the UK papers will do what they do. Then the public will join in. Then Bazball will be shelved and forgotten.

It must be pointed out that some of Sehwag's best innings started traditionally. Then, once his "eye was in", he lifted his scoring rate. This is the style I'd like to see England try. I think it's the best of both worlds.

On Monday, August 22, 2022 at 5:23:11 PM UTC+10, jzfre...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 10:00:30 PM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
> > Virender Sehwag also had a successful career out of attacking the new
> > ball, other than slater and hayden.
> 2500 Tests matches, and we talk of 3 batsmen where that type of opening works?

They're recent examples, Grace wasn't exactly a stonewaller, Trumper....
>
> Even if there were 100x more batsmen doing it successfully, it would still be risky.
> It also requires the SKILLS to do it.

So does playing defensively.

> Not just the mindset.
> It might work for Bairstow and Stokes. Who else in the England team?

On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 16:51:04 -0700 (PDT), Hamish Laws
<hamish.laws@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Monday, August 22, 2022 at 5:23:11 PM UTC+10, jzfre...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 10:00:30 PM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
>> > Virender Sehwag also had a successful career out of attacking the new
>> > ball, other than slater and hayden.
>> 2500 Tests matches, and we talk of 3 batsmen where that type of opening works?
>
>They're recent examples, Grace wasn't exactly a stonewaller, Trumper....

I notice that Boycott, who played against Greenidge and Haynes, said
that only Slater and Hayden had attacked opening bowling, which makes
one wonder how much attention he was paying during his playing days.

Sanath Jayasuriya was another noted stonewaller, of course, along with
Herschel Gibbs.

Of course, the big question is why know-nothings like the village
idiot and jzf want to change a style that's been successful 4 times
out of 5. They spent years telling us that county cricket couldn't
produce Test players because England kept losing. Then England start
winning and they are scared shitless that their precious theories
might be proven to be as vacuous as they themselves are and seize on
the first loss to say that England should revert to playing the way
they approve of, in which losses are much more likely and wins as rare
as hen's teeth.

Cheers,

Mike

On Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 4:17:43 PM UTC+10, Mike Holmans wrote:
> Of course, the big question is why know-nothings like the village
> idiot and jzf want to change a style that's been successful 4 times
> out of 5.

I don't WANT to change it. I've said it's amazing cricket.
I just don't think it will be successful *enough* in the long run.

On Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 6:13:19 PM UTC+10, jack fredricks wrote:
> I don't WANT to change it. I've said it's amazing cricket.
> I just don't think it will be successful *enough* in the long run.

I'd also be willing to make cyber bets on it.
Bazball won't last 18 months.