"I'll certainly talk up Alex Davies of Lancashire. I've watched him this year and he has played splendidly - averaging over 50 opening the batting"
Monday 29 July 2019 08:42, UK
David Lloyd takes a break from the gardening to reflect on a crazy Lord's Test against Ireland, look at how England might line up for the Ashes and speak about his excitement for Accrington Stanley's start to the football league season...
My garden is looking lovely. I've been to the races - I actually have an interest in a race horse - and I've got my boat which I toddle up and down the River Ouse on.
I've been really busy, but it was great to get back to the cricket last week with the Test match at Lord's.
Ireland gave such a good account of themselves. They just got caught out by England on that third morning in perfect bowling conditions - Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad were superb.
It was a brilliant occasion for Ireland, something their players would all have dreamed of, to play a Test match at Lord's.
They will be bitterly disappointed at the 38 all out, but they more than played their part in the Test match. It's just that on that third morning, England finally switched on. They looked a different team to the one that had struggled over the first two days where I can only describe them as being in the doldrums.
That said, the batting problems are still there. We were asked to pick our Ashes teams for the first Test, and you treat that as a bit of fun because you could pick a different XI every time you do it.
It's the same as being Manchester United manager, everyone will have a different idea of the team that should play.
Nasser's selections for the openers positions left one or two scratching their heads, 'Opener A' and 'Opener B'. I said at the time that I reckon my openers of Harry Houdini and the Invisible Man would be better than his, but I see his point - he was quite forceful - that he wasn't prepared to pick two openers, some of whom he had never seen.
He hasn't seen Dom Sibley, Zac Crawley in red-ball cricket. He doesn't mind who the openers are, chuck whoever in there as long as they score runs.
I'll certainly talk up Alex Davies of Lancashire. I've watched him this year and he has played splendidly - averaging over 50 opening the batting. Saqib Mahmood too, he is a quality bowler, though is partial to injuries. If he stays fit, he will be pushing like mad for international recognition.
Both have played their part in a strong start to the season for Lancashire - top of the table in Division Two of the Championship and in the North Group of the Vitality Blast.
I always fancy the Lancys in the, they always look well-equipped and they picked up a good Roses win the other night. It's always nice to get one over the Yorkies, especially as they're a strong team this year too - turning them over at Headingley in front of 18,000 odd is a damn good win.
The England selectors have largely stuck with the same names as against Ireland, with big guns Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler coming back in.
I watched the last hour and a half of the World Cup final. I had been to see my grandson play cricket on that day and got back just in time to watch the sensational drama unfold. I was thrilled for Stokes.
It's real salvation for the lad, and it is nice to see him named vice-captain for the Ashes too. He is older and wiser after the chastening experience of Bristol a couple of years ago. This could well be his series!
The obvious worry right now for the selectors would be Rory Burns at the top of the order, but their preference will always be to try to and give guys another go.
Joe Denly is another perhaps under pressure, but what's not to forget is that he top-scored in the first innings against Ireland, the captain ran him out in the second, and he played beautifully in that final Test match in Antigua over the winter. It's only right that he retains his place.
Burns has been prolific in county cricket for the last three years, but he looks horribly out of touch right now. He just got to back himself and try to suddenly find some form - hopefully that's in the cauldron of an opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Edgbaston will be rocking once again! It will be a full house, the Hollies Stand always a hoot and very vocal. It's a really good place to start for England as they've got a great recent record there.
They'll have to see the pitch, the conditions, the weather, before deciding on the make-up of their bowling attack.
Woakes has a lot of things going for him, it's his home ground and he has just taken six-for against Ireland and Broad, despite taking four in that same innings, has missed out before - for Sam Curran in the Caribbean.
Also, Olly Stone is named in the squad for a reason - they don't know about these injured players and they're covering for a couple. Jofra Archer, and Jimmy Anderson, for that matter, are only going to play if they're 100 per cent fit. I don't care who you are.
Australia too have a quality bowling attack. Everybody knows that. There's Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins etc, and Nathan Lyon is probably the premier spinner in world cricket right now.
Their top order is strong also, with Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft back in the fold, but they may struggle in the middle order.
The captain, Tim Paine, is an interesting one. He needs runs from a personal point of view, as well as a strong team performance, or he will be quickly under pressure.
I'll be keeping half an eye on the start of the football league season during the Test. Accrington Stanley have signed as many as 10 players this summer, I think - a massive turnaround.
John Coleman is really shrewd in how he recruits, with a number coming in from non-league and on free transfers. He looks for a player that's ambitious and who is looking to prove a point. But we're always very modest as a club, first and foremost we're looking to stay in League One.
As for England, it's important to get off to a good start, and they aren't always known for being strong starters.
That's why being pushed so hard in that Ireland Test might have helped dust off a few of the cobwebs.
While at Lord's I did something for Sky Sports that will run for the second Test when the Ashes returns to the home of cricket.
It will be full to the rafters for that Test in a couple of weeks, with Jerusalem belting out each morning.
It gives me the burning desire for a crusade, like back in the day. Richard the Lionheart. Who knows? I might re-enact it.
Watch England take on Australia, live on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404) and Sky Sports Main Event (channel 401) from 10am on Thursday.
