Ask George | "Where is the 'refinement' in England’s batting which Baz was talking about?"

George is joined by Huw Turbervill and Mark Machado from the Murali End podcast as Sri Lanka set up a chance for victory on day four at The Kia Oval.
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[@andrews418]

I'm waiting for Ben Duckett to say Sri Lanka should be grateful for showing Nissanka how to bat😂

[@richpowell5449]

I strongly disagree with George: Hull selection is a poor one. He doesn’t have great pace, is extremely erratic & nowhere near the level yet. He should go on a Lions Tour. But we have many options better than Hull at this time.

[@tharukaepaarachchi6110]

They are saying he will become more quick as he is still 20 but then let him develop and grow as a bowler and gain more experience playing first class/county why would you pick him this early just make him feel bad and lose his confidence. Hull was horrendous in the second innings, he got tired and was balling all around the pitch and it was very clear he is nowhere near ready to play Test. If they want to play him they should have started with T20. Also when there's are so many better bowlers with more experience he's selected makes no sense.

[@edmoss7952]

McCullum is a complete bengal lancer. Who knew talented young guys might enjoy playing in an environment where there is zero consequence for failure and everyone tells each other how great they are all the time. Groundbreaking stuff.

[@HkFinn83]

I agree, it’s not arrogance - it’s…weird. There’s no subtlety or nuance. It’s not a choice between Boycott cricket and the embarrassing stuff we’ve seen from Lawrence and Brook. There’s attacking and there’s just reckless. It doesn’t seem that complicated, but apparently it is.

[@simonl2358]

I MHO it was arrogant and not a great thing to watch from and England perspective but good luck to Sri Lanka tomorrow, I hope they win - not that England will learn anything as Stokes, McCullum et al are incapable of admitting that they are wrong about anything…..

[@richpowell5449]

Totally agree with this.

[@labkl253]

TOTALLY agree. im 30, i loved watching Cook and Trott. i don't find trying to whack every ball entertaining. I think its stupid, and i think you could see the Sri Lankan bowlers found it a bit disrespectful. if you want that, then go watch T20 every time. There's being positive and there's been reckless. today they totally lost the balance.

[@pauls7803]

I once watched Trott defend enlessly at Headingley during an evening session of a test where England were already way ahead with several wickets and one full day left. It was against New Zealand. The crowd were not very happy. How can anyone enjoy watching that?

[@heliumtrophy]

@@pauls7803 Well now that we've seen the other extreme, a bit of defensive batting doesn't seem so bad.

[@labkl253]

@@pauls7803 did England win? i enjoyed watching Trott average 44 at number 3 in a very successful team. was watching Lawrence and Duckett throw their wickets away today enjoyable? for better or worse, we're obsessed with the ashes, so with that in mind, does anyone really see us challenging in Australia playing like this? unless they show an ability to adapt, no chance. and as discussed in the video here, the bowlers will be absolutely knackered, get given no rest at all.

[@SimonHolcroft]

This.

[@pauls7803]

@@labkl253 I reckon England were just having fun in the last test v Sri Lanka. They would probably use the approach they used last year in the next Ashes ie positive but not completely reckless. England won that match v NZ easily in the end on the final day, although I wasn't there to see it. Trott's batting was puzzling though given the situation.

[@DoFi12]

There’s zero chance England are winning in Aus lol

[@heliumtrophy]

I don't understand the confetti cap policy with bowlers. I realise that there is a need to look to the future but England's selection policy is completely haphazard where we keep hearing about "rough diamonds" and never anything else being the definitive article save for the enduring duo of Broad and Anderson were for many years. As for the batting, Christ I don't think they have the humility to learn from mistakes.

[@David-jj9wc]

The message from the dressing room is to play your natural game. For most players, that means to go out there and smash it!

[@mickw1842]

Comparison between hull and green when 1st selected is a poor one. Green had a 1st class batting average over 45 when he played his 1st test. Hull averages 3.75 with the bat and over 60 with the ball.

[@user-re8lg1qk8y]

Yes, Green is an International Standard player. He scored 174 vs NZ few months ago.

[@cricketstation2004]

england clearly lacking experience with the bat, they will rely heavily on root against better sides (even now they are), I think they should consider getting bairstow back as a batter for the winter tours esp when crawley is injured and stokes doubtful

[@richpowell5449]

we definitely shouldn’t go back to Bairstow. He’s had a decade of chances & has 2 terrific streaks mixed with way too many lean spells. Jordan Cox will be next.

[@cricketstation2004]

@@richpowell5449 you are right but test cricket requires some experience too when you play against good teams, having so many newbies around puts too much pressure on root, having someone like bairstow around for another year or 2 isn't a bad idea

[@richpowell5449]

Assuming Crawley is fit then he will open with Duckett both of whom are experienced, as are Pope, Root and Stokes. Not exactly bereft of experience. Btw I think YJBs fitness probably counts him out these days

[@cricketstation2004]

@@richpowell5449 i think crawley is ruled out of pakistan tour so may not be a bad idea getting bairstow in especially because lawrance has struggled

[@cricketstation2004]

@@richpowell5449 yeah bairstow definitely not for long term but no harm having him around for short term series, its a bit unfair completely discarding someone who’s played 100 tests plus he’s one of the key players who made bazball popular, was single handedly winning games in 2022

[@hershpuri289]

Bazball have endeavored to save the world by playing the way they play ... I think it is a noble pursuit!! It will not get them the noble peace prize, but they will bully weaker teams playing for draws. It will also help them compete against Australia and India.

[@davidanbudurai5931]

I don't think arrogance. This team has not done enough to be arrogant They won against New Zealand at home They won against South Africa at home They won against Pakistan in Pakistan which even Bangladesh managed to do They drew against New Zealand in New Zealand They drew against Australia at home They lost against India in India They won against West Indies at home They won against Sri Lanka at home For all their bluster and bravado they don't have a signature series victory Vaughan's signature victory was Ashes 2005 Strauss's was Ashes 2010-11 Cook's was India 2013 What is Stokes'?

[@user-re8lg1qk8y]

I saw all shots were clueless imagine playing T20 style shot in Tests. Then, bowlers will find you to get out as possible.

[@rajivjalota3487]

Eng taught Srilanka Bazball in third test

[@geoffbutler2893]

Some of the shots are pathetic, Duckett and lawrence simply not good enough for test cricket . Lawrence has a opener is simply crazy. Duckett not consistent enough. Just play proper cricket shots. Its getting boring now if that makes sense play sensibly. And brook so much talent but he needs to play a bit more like root

[@nikitamohan3390]

Why can't they find some other opener from the domestic circuit as a replacement for Zac Crawley? Weird.

[@aleeshaphilip6684]

Just send them to India , England batters can be humbled!

[@stoicpoker94]

Going to miss these ask George’s guys ! In the words of rob key strap yourself in next year is going to be a ride

[@donna25871]

England has always been arrogant - it’s not a new phenomenon. Case in point - you didn’t invent attacking test cricket. West Indies did it in the 1980’s and Australia since the 1990’s.

[@mahi36]

They got humbled in summer by India !! Atleast give them 12 month to dominate 😂😂😂 they can become arrogant if they defeat India or Australia in their soil

[@nikitamohan3390]

India can defeat England on their soil. We got some new promising players like Jaiswal and Pant is back too. Not to mention Bumrah and our bowling attack!