When you see the likes of Potts swinging it, you know Boult & probably Southee will do better, especially against the fragile top order England (still) have. Openers in my time were told to leave as much as possible early doors, whereas the likes of Lees want to go at things straight away. I think Mark Butcher on Sky was being very charitable when he said there are still 3 1/2 days of this game left, perhaps a bit more circumspection is required.
Add in a bit of senseless batting and you almost get to the recipe for a follow-on…and that cake hasn’t yet emerged from the oven.
The England top order (bar Root & excluding Stokes) continue to demonstrate material technical deficiencies in the way they bat, but this appears the modern way.
Lees, Crawley and the Pope were facing very good and dangerous deliveries. Just watched the replays again, Crawley and Pope were not playing defensive shots. Big swings of the bat. Crackers.
Classy opening spell from Boult but familiar technical issues. Pope falling over and off balance early in an innings and Crawley loose and playing too hard at the ball (and missing).
These two are definitely not an opener or No. 3 respectively in my view. Good bowlers have exposed them again and again. Pope probably gets more time in the side for now (although I think would be better at 5-6) but Crawley just looks broken and it might be a kindness to drop him v India. England have consistently been thirty something for 3 or similar on so many occasions in the last few years. However attacking they want to play it is hard from those false starts almost every innings.
I also wish Stokes could watch his great Headingley Ashes innings again and remember he actually played himself in before going bonkers. He is better than a crazy cameo.
Meanwhile Bairstow just continues to be fearless, and get away with it. Mention also to Mitchell (and his mate Blundell) for their sheer consistency.