England v Ireland at Lord's, 24/7.

[alfie]

Good to see the Somerset lad with his fifty

Played well. No frills ...nothing silly (though that lofted celebratory boundary was ambitious !). Team needed this.

Roy still not entirely convincing. Hits the power shots well ; a few dodgy dabs in between. As BFL says , it comes down to how often he gets away with enough early to get to play his aggressive game. So far today it's working. Time and the Ashes series will tell us more.

[sussexpob]

Yes, indeed. I thought dropping Robson was a massive error at the time, but he got out the same way twice, and people instantly said he couldnt defend his stumps.... he did have a technical irk, but one that seemed workable.

[alfie]

To be fair to Roy, he's been picked to play like he does in ODIs, and given some licence to go out there and attack a bit and try and put the opposition bowlers on the back foot. He's not going to be successful trying to play like a classic opener, and if he does play 'his way', when it does come off, England will be in a good position.

The question is whether it comes off often enough to be worth the inevitable failures the methods will bring.

Meanwhile, while Burns also doesn't look convincing, who else is there? In all seriousness, England have been through just about everyone in the county game, and either they've not been up to test level either, or any promise they have shown has been ruthlessly crushed by poor management.

Plenty of players do well being aggressive at the top... Sehwag, Warner to name two.... but niether have played anywhere near their career rates in English conditions. Its a we will see... my guess is at least, when conditions are more tame, he at least has proven he can score big runs. I imagine he might to better away, and be very up and down.

As for Burns, I respect the point, but I also am not in the frame of mind to give up and just accept a player has no alternatives. I concede its early doors for him and he needs more opportunity, but I just dont see a technique there. If a bowler with 10 FC wickets at 50 and a 72 mph military medium guy is unopening major technical errors in your game, it leaves little hope that he can do it against the very best.

How a player can get through a winter in the England setup and a county career with a great record without being able to judge length or get forward... ok maybe hes off form or needs time, but these are massive elementary mistakes. And the ball did nothing today.

Agreed, but I just don't know who the alternatives are.

Robson was very hard done by IMO.

Never seen Sibley bat ; but he is piling up the runs...

Would concede Robson was a little easily dismissed.

[backfootpunch]

This is the highest score by an England opener batting in England and not named Alastair Cook since Alex Hales made 94 v Sri Lanka at this ground in June 2016!
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ew=innings

That is a brilliant but damning stat

[bigfluffylemon]

Good to see the Somerset lad with his fifty

Played well. No frills ...nothing silly (though that lofted celebratory boundary was ambitious !). Team needed this.

Roy still not entirely convincing. Hits the power shots well ; a few dodgy dabs in between. As BFL says , it comes down to how often he gets away with enough early to get to play his aggressive game. So far today it's working. Time and the Ashes series will tell us more.

As sussex says, he may well get away with it more overseas, especially in the subcontinent.

[bigfluffylemon]

Why is the first session being given an extra 15 minutes?

[backfootpunch]

Good to see the Somerset lad with his fifty

Played well. No frills ...nothing silly (though that lofted celebratory boundary was ambitious !). Team needed this.

Roy still not entirely convincing. Hits the power shots well ; a few dodgy dabs in between. As BFL says , it comes down to how often he gets away with enough early to get to play his aggressive game. So far today it's working. Time and the Ashes series will tell us more.

As sussex says, he may well get away with it more overseas, especially in the subcontinent.

Surely they will just open with a spinner against him on turning tracks

[backfootpunch]

Why is the first session being given an extra 15 minutes?

4 day test

Meant to be 98 overs in a day so longer sessions

[sussexpob]

50 for Roy.....brought up by a signature boundary. SR 110

[bigfluffylemon]

Roy 50 on his debut, and the scores are level with England only 1 down. Well done.

There's a difference in facing military medium and 90mph, but Roy has proven he can score against Australia's bowlers, at least with a white ball. Unlike say Vince, who you never felt would go on. If Roy gets in, he will punish oppositions.

[bigfluffylemon]

Why is the first session being given an extra 15 minutes?

4 day test

Meant to be 98 overs in a day so longer sessions

Ah. Thanks.

[bigfluffylemon]

50 for Roy.....brought up by a signature boundary. SR 110

Fastest ever 50 on debut for England, apparently.

[alfie]

Fifty for Roy

Has come at the rapid rate you'd expect. Had some early fortune , of course. But he's played in the manner he's picked to do.

Doing it against Australia might be another matter ? But at least he'll be going in with some runs behind him...

Ireland have to bat again anyway...thanks to Leach

Good session for the home team. Ireland will be glad to get out of the sun for a bit now...

[Alviro Patterson]

Dom Sibley is yet to be chewed up and spat out by the ECB...

Problem is top order batsmen are up against it in the County Championship because of the toss rules and plying half their trade in early season conditions. Playing The Hundred in peak summer for six weeks means little room for County Championship matches in the best weather unless if both competitions coincide with each other.

[backfootpunch]

Roy 50 on his debut, and the scores are level with England only 1 down. Well done.

There's a difference in facing military medium and 90mph, but Roy has proven he can score against Australia's bowlers, at least with a white ball. Unlike say Vince, who you never felt would go on. If Roy gets in, he will punish oppositions.

Tbf to roy in his white ball career so far he has looked a better player of 90mph bowling than 80mph

Seems to enjoy pace on the ball

The problem though is that the white kookaburra and red dukes ball are very very different

I just hope he gives himself a chance, play 20 balls to have a look then play your natural game

Today he was very very frenetic at the start