Johnners and the Leg Over Giggles

[barnflatwyngarde]

Sitting watching the third day of the Ashes third test, and loving it.

Cricket is a truly great game.

Listening to Atherton, Gower et al, my mind drifted back to this great moment when the late Brian Johnson
got a fit of the giggles over an innocent observation from Jonathan Agnew.

It never fails to make me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsVTpX7LdZQ

[Graham]

You can hear Aggers in the background egging poor old Jonners on...magic! Jonners' other one, possibly apocryphal, was when commentating at an England v West Indies match, he said, "Now the bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey".....did that really happen? Tell me it did!

We could do with Jonners to cheer us up during the current Test Match. Dear oh dear!

Graham

[Ozzy]

When I heard Smith was out of the 3rd I thought we might have a chance.
Root is batting OK at the moment but for England to win this match is a huge ask.
If England lose that's it isn't it? England might win the 4th and 5th matches to bring the series to 2-2 but when it's a draw don't the previous winners retain the Ashes? Australia won the 2017-18 Ashes.

[Ozzy]

Root is batting OK at the moment

I spoke too soon.

[Herlock Sholmes]

This is dire stuff from England. We’re a team of two halves. Our bowling is pretty decent especially with Archer adding some much needed bite but our batting....sheesh!

Roy thinks he’s still playing t20, Denly looks ok.....for a few minutes, Burns hasn’t fully established himself yet, Buttler can’t put an innings together in test cricket even though he plays well in limited overs, Root hasn’t looked the same player since becoming captain (hopeful today’s knock is a corner turned?) and Bairstow has been below par by his high standards. Add this to the fact that England have all the mental strength under pressure of a eight year old girl on a ghost train i think we’d all agree that things aren’t looking good. I think that England need toughening up considerably. I’d ask someone like Nasser Hussein to take over.

Id drop Roy, Denly and Buttler. I’d put Root at number four where he feels most comfortable and I’d move Bairstow up to three or five. Let’s face it, apart from Root, Bairstow has been our best batsman in recent years. Number seven is too low although the fact that he’s keeper comes into it. If Root’s run of poor form continues then I’d say his position as captain has to come under question. We need him scoring big runs.

So for me it’s Roy out and Geoffrey Boycott in (see how long you have to wait to see him getting out to a daft shot) Denly out and David Gower in. Buttler out and Sir Ian Botham in. I might also tell Bairstow to focus on his batting and bring in Alan Knott to keep wicket. I’d also give Trevor Bayliss the welly and ask Mike Brearley to take over. What do you think? Good plan or what?

[Robert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPIjT-zdryY

[Herlock Sholmes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPIjT-zdryY

Hook, line and sinker

[barnflatwyngarde]

You can hear Aggers in the background egging poor old Jonners on...magic! Jonners' other one, possibly apocryphal, was when commentating at an England v West Indies match, he said, "Now the bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey".....did that really happen? Tell me it did!

We could do with Jonners to cheer us up during the current Test Match. Dear oh dear!

Graham

Here you Graham, straight from Jonners' mouth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etmukKLR-pM

[Graham]

Thanks a million, BFW! I hoped and prayed it was true! What a true gent Jonners was. We could do with a few more like him in all walks of life these days.

England are 197-4 as I write this. Can we do it???

Graham

[barnflatwyngarde]

Thanks a million, BFW! I hoped and prayed it was true! What a true gent Jonners was. We could do with a few more like him in all walks of life these days.

England are 197-4 as I write this. Can we do it???

Graham

I think you can, if Stokes can curb his natural aggression.

What England need is the Boycott mentality

"I'm going to stay at this crease forever, because I'm mentally tougher than any of your bowlers."

[Robert]

Some sage advice :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F3n80V_sb0

[barnflatwyngarde]

Some sage advice :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F3n80V_sb0

Very funny from the old grumpster.

The thing about Boycott is that athough he has his detractors, I suspect that he would be in everyone's starting XI to play Mars.

[Robert]

Yes, provided it was real cricket, i.e. a test match, and not junk cricket.