Still talk that Stokes wont be able to bowl during to a niggle. If that's the case and the form hes in with the bat I would bat him at 3 at the expense of Crawley for this game. Curran or Woakes are good enough to bat 7.
If Stokes has any sort of niggle I would rest him full stop. He seems to do the work of two men every game. Resting him for one test will do him no harm.
Still talk that Stokes wont be able to bowl during to a niggle. If that's the case and the form hes in with the bat I would bat him at 3 at the expense of Crawley for this game. Curran or Woakes are good enough to bat 7.
Yes, he's a world class Batsman. Tell him he's batting only and fielding in the slips just for this match
It might depend on the pitch. If it's spin friendly, then will we need 4 seamers anyway? Bring back Denly instead of another seamer and use him as a second part time spinner alongside Root
Windies win toss. Put England in. Crawley left out and everyone moves up one so Root bats at 3. Curran left out too with Anderson and Archer coming in.
Still talk that Stokes wont be able to bowl during to a niggle. If that's the case and the form hes in with the bat I would bat him at 3 at the expense of Crawley for this game. Curran or Woakes are good enough to bat 7.
Still talk that Stokes wont be able to bowl during to a niggle. If that's the case and the form hes in with the bat I would bat him at 3 at the expense of Crawley for this game. Curran or Woakes are good enough to bat 7.
Called it. But Root at 3 with Woakes at 7.
Love to see Cornwall playing!
Me thinks he won't be in the slips and won't be a boundary rider. And that there will be a single to him on most occasions.
But looking forward to his bowling and of course his batting.
Feel a bit sorry for Crawley and Buttler, both under pressure for their places but forced to sacrifice themselves to get quick runs, whereas Burns and Sibley are able to "protect their averages"!
Crawley can feel slightly hard done by to be left out. If he had been able to bat normally in the second innings, and scored a nice 50, would he have been the one sacrificed? After all, it's not as if Pope has made any runs this series, and he's been batting at the much easier No 6 slot
Feel a bit sorry for Crawley and Buttler, both under pressure for their places but forced to sacrifice themselves to get quick runs, whereas Burns and Sibley are able to "protect their averages"!
Crawley can feel slightly hard done by to be left out. If he had been able to bat normally in the second innings, and scored a nice 50, would he have been the one sacrificed? After all, it's not as if Pope has made any runs this series, and he's been batting at the much easier No 6 slot
Totally agree about him being hard done by but Pope is the better bat
Another Kent player treated appallingly by the selectors, Ed smith taking his revenge on how he left Kent all those years ago, clearly!
no doubt there’s going to be outrage on here that Dom sibley, test average of 44 and off the back off a century is in the team. Especially now they’re playing a second spinner!
Still talk that Stokes wont be able to bowl during to a niggle. If that's the case and the form hes in with the bat I would bat him at 3 at the expense of Crawley for this game. Curran or Woakes are good enough to bat 7.
Called it. But Root at 3 with Woakes at 7.
Love to see Cornwall playing!
Me thinks he won't be in the slips and won't be a boundary rider. And that there will be a single to him on most occasions.
But looking forward to his bowling and of course his batting.
Take that back. He's "hiding" at first slip and clearly has a decent pair of hands to match his bowling and batting.
Meanwhile Dowrich continues to go one way standing back when the ball goes the other.
Buttler was the next on the chopping board, not Crawley. No doubt they’re waiting for bairstow to score some runs in the ODI’s to call him up as buttler’s replacement for the Pakistan series...
Feel a bit sorry for Crawley and Buttler, both under pressure for their places but forced to sacrifice themselves to get quick runs, whereas Burns and Sibley are able to "protect their averages"!
Crawley can feel slightly hard done by to be left out. If he had been able to bat normally in the second innings, and scored a nice 50, would he have been the one sacrificed? After all, it's not as if Pope has made any runs this series, and he's been batting at the much easier No 6 slot
Totally agree about him being hard done by but Pope is the better bat
Move Pope to number 3 then
The whole point of having Denly in the side was to protect Root from the new ball. If we lose an early wicket, he'll be in VERY early.
no doubt there’s going to be outrage on here that Dom sibley, test average of 44 and off the back off a century is in the team. Especially now they’re playing a second spinner!
Another Kent player treated appallingly by the selectors, Ed smith taking his revenge on how he left Kent all those years ago, clearly!
no doubt there’s going to be outrage on here that Dom sibley, test average of 44 and off the back off a century is in the team. Especially now they’re playing a second spinner!
Obviously I wasn't questioning the place of the openers
Buttler was the next on the chopping board, not Crawley. No doubt they’re waiting for bairstow to score some runs in the ODI’s to call him up as buttler’s replacement for the Pakistan series...
Bairstow got a ton this week in an England warm up game.
Buttler was the next on the chopping board, not Crawley. No doubt they’re waiting for bairstow to score some runs in the ODI’s to call him up as buttler’s replacement for the Pakistan series...
Or give Pope the gloves for this match. Instead we have
Pope at 5 - no runs this series yet Buttler at 6 - scratchy in Tests for a long time now Woakes at 7 - one place too high?
Feel a bit sorry for Crawley and Buttler, both under pressure for their places but forced to sacrifice themselves to get quick runs, whereas Burns and Sibley are able to "protect their averages"!
Crawley can feel slightly hard done by to be left out. If he had been able to bat normally in the second innings, and scored a nice 50, would he have been the one sacrificed? After all, it's not as if Pope has made any runs this series, and he's been batting at the much easier No 6 slot
Totally agree about him being hard done by but Pope is the better bat
Move Pope to number 3 then
The whole point of having Denly in the side was to protect Root from the new ball. If we lose an early wicket, he'll be in VERY early.
I did think that they might give Pope a go at 3 if they were going to leave out Crawley but thought that Root would spit his dummy out at having to move up again!
If anyone moves to 3 it should be Stokes, he has the technique for it and is in the form of his life. Pope is young and learning. Batting in the top 3 is a whole different game he has never done it and never should. He will eventually move up to 5 and then 4 but his game just isn't suited to batting 3 it would be like asking him to bat with one arm tied behind his back. Pick players in positions that suit their game and then you'll get the best out of them. Zak will be back for the next match and series.
Dropping Buttler for this match wouldnt have solved anything as you'd still need to bring in a keeper. Pope whilst a useful backup at county level should not be an option to keep for England unless have a mid game emergency.
Woakes is a perfectly capable 7. He has something like 13 first class centuries - one in tests. If we werent blessed to be playing in the generation of Stokes I am certain we would be thinking of Woakes as a good all rounder, he would have made that 7 slot his own. All our keepers are capable of batting 6.
Buttler was the next on the chopping board, not Crawley. No doubt they’re waiting for bairstow to score some runs in the ODI’s to call him up as buttler’s replacement for the Pakistan series...
Bairstow got a ton this week in an England warm up game.
One Day game though. We (and England selectors) know that he is quality in the shorter formats his form hasnt translated between formats. Its recognised that he is a player capable of averaging 50 in tests or limited overs but due to technique changes he cant do both at once.
Buttler was the next on the chopping board, not Crawley. No doubt they’re waiting for bairstow to score some runs in the ODI’s to call him up as buttler’s replacement for the Pakistan series...
Bairstow got a ton this week in an England warm up game.
One Day game though. We (and England selectors) know that he is quality in the shorter formats his form hasnt translated between formats. Its recognised that he is a player capable of averaging 50 in tests or limited overs but due to technique changes he cant do both at once.
I'm certainly not suggesting that Bairstow should return. I'm just suggesting how the selectors are thinking!
I would back Foakes to get more runs batting at 6 than Buttler or Bairstow would. And he is, as we know, the better keeper.
As for technique I would suggest that other sides will find Sibley out unless he sets himself to play in the "V" against the new ball. He doesn't like to do so because, being so leg side dominant, it would take out almost all of his scoring areas.
Sides have done exactly the same thing with Denly and Ballance who averaged over 60 for the first half of his Test career and barely 20 for the second.
The beautiful thing is, literally every cricket club in the country has a Cornwall. Can’t bat, useless in the field outside of first slip, but can pick up wickets somehow off no run up.
The beautiful thing is, literally every cricket club in the country has a Cornwall. Can’t bat, useless in the field outside of first slip, but can pick up wickets somehow off no run up.
The Club my son plays at (as I did too for over 30 years) has someone known to many on here through his work on behalf of the KCL and KRCL. He has 1,162 recorded wickets to his name - it was always a pleasure as well as entertaining playing with him.
Comments
14 man squad including all 6 of the fast bowlers used in this series. Bess keeps his place
He seems to do the work of two men every game.
Resting him for one test will do him no harm.
It might depend on the pitch. If it's spin friendly, then will we need 4 seamers anyway? Bring back Denly instead of another seamer and use him as a second part time spinner alongside Root
Love to see Cornwall playing!
But looking forward to his bowling and of course his batting.
no doubt there’s going to be outrage on here that Dom sibley, test average of 44 and off the back off a century is in the team. Especially now they’re playing a second spinner!
Meanwhile Dowrich continues to go one way standing back when the ball goes the other.
The whole point of having Denly in the side was to protect Root from the new ball. If we lose an early wicket, he'll be in VERY early.
1-1
Root striding out at 1-1
Pope at 5 - no runs this series yet
Buttler at 6 - scratchy in Tests for a long time now
Woakes at 7 - one place too high?
Dropping Buttler for this match wouldnt have solved anything as you'd still need to bring in a keeper. Pope whilst a useful backup at county level should not be an option to keep for England unless have a mid game emergency.
Woakes is a perfectly capable 7. He has something like 13 first class centuries - one in tests. If we werent blessed to be playing in the generation of Stokes I am certain we would be thinking of Woakes as a good all rounder, he would have made that 7 slot his own. All our keepers are capable of batting 6.
I would back Foakes to get more runs batting at 6 than Buttler or Bairstow would. And he is, as we know, the better keeper.
As for technique I would suggest that other sides will find Sibley out unless he sets himself to play in the "V" against the new ball. He doesn't like to do so because, being so leg side dominant, it would take out almost all of his scoring areas.
Sides have done exactly the same thing with Denly and Ballance who averaged over 60 for the first half of his Test career and barely 20 for the second.