Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted July 17, 2017 Author Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 Like you say, it's not surprising, this. Pretty much expected and got. My concern is that they'll just persevere with Ballance and Jennings like they did with Vince all last summer. Technically they're just not good enough at this level and Philander is a superb bowler who will exploit any technical issue that is there. Dawson and Wood should go with them but they're never making 4 changes, are they? 2 at the most. I'd make 3. I'd give Ballance a go in the middle order to test this theory that he'd be better at 4 and go with this:- Cook, Stoneman, Root, Ballance, Bairstow, Stokes, Ali, Roland-Jones, Parry / Leach, Broad, Anderson I'd personally prefer to have one of the Overtons or Currans instead of Roland-Jones but as he's around the squad, the assumption is he'd be the next one. Wood should stick to being a limited overs specialist. If they want a genuine paceman, pick Footitt or Jamie Overton or Saqib Mahmood. Hopefully Root sees that he HAS to bat at 3 to give that top 3 some stability at last. If we must persevere with this idea that Moeen is the second spinner, let's pick someone who's actually a front line spinner. I'd obviously prefer Rashid but he's been anonymous this summer so they probably won't. Parry has been really tidy for Lancashire although he's not played much first class cricket, but he's a great fielder and can bat a bit. Leach is the better bowler of the two but is naturally talented so obviously the selectors will be reluctant to go for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 Oh yeah, if we're talking fantasy selections then I pretty much agree with all of that. I am a big fan of having all-rounders (or people will mixed skills) for limited overs games. I much prefer having some specialists at test level and actually putting pressure on people to do their jobs. I know I have tractor-tinted glasses, but Jack Leach is the best spinner in the country and a serviceable blocker with the bat. Just because he's never going to average 35 with the bat, this ought not to preclude him from selection. He's a quality enough bowler (and I have seen him on turners and flat-tracks) to get wickets anywhere. I love Moeen, but I am not sure he is. I'd be looking to get Footit or Jamie Overton in to replace Wood too. Considering I am a Somerset supporter, I don't actually rate Joverton that much (far too leaky), but he bowls short, aggressive spells at 90 that are a change from the norm and would be fantastic to have on bouncy Australian tracks. 4 fast-medium bowlers doing different versions of the same thing isn't going to cut it. Again, Australia. Really, that's what we should be looking at and we simply aren't. What do we need for the Ashes? Because it sure as shit isn't bang-average left arm spinners masquerading as all-rounders, nor is it Mark Wood doing a poor impression of the two senior seamers. I'm not convinced by Stoneman, but he ought to get a go. The problem with Jennings isn't 'well he needs a few games' it's that his technique isn't good enough. He's not going to learn that on the fly. We can't be dicking around again right before the flights leave and lobbing in Michael Carberry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 I think the problem at opener is that Habbib was going to open but he can't buy a run this season. I also think Wood wouldn't have played if Woakes was fit. Ballance is only playing because he is Root's mate, and if that's how we are selecting the England side then Dawson could be replaced by Billy Root in the next test. I'm not saying I'm against that idea, Dawson can't play in the next test, has to be another batsman or a genuine spinner.  Also James Taylor has just said Bollock on TMS. CMJ and Brian Johnston wouldn't have said that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Cod Eye Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 I'm not decided on Jennings yet, as it is still early days, but Ballance has had his chance now(and as a Yorkshireman, that is hard to say).  I was thinking to myself today about that troublesome No.3 slot and, taking into account Joe Root's strange aversion to playing there, was wondering in Bairstow could make a go of it? He's right handed(so breaks up the plethora of Lefties at the the top) and is aggressive enough to counter attack should an early wicket go down, but can play a steady game to accumulate if he comes in with a few hundred on the board. What do folk think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 If Bairstow is batting 3 he can't keep wicket. If they move him there they would probably bring back Buttler to keep. That would just be another attacking batsman and hardly brings solidity to the order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 (edited) I don't particularly care if Root hates batting at 3. He's good at it, there is no one else who seems cut out for it and he is playing for the national side. Bring back Ray Illingworth, he'd never have settled for this outrageous dereliction of duty. Edited July 17, 2017 by Gus Mears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted July 17, 2017 Author Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 Bell did this for years, too. Kept telling management he didn't want to bat at 3, probably because it would have meant responsibility. Then when Trott came along, suddenly he wanted to bat at 3 and they rightly told him to fuck off. Root needs to compare himself to Williamson, Kohli and Smith. They're all captains and they all bat 3. He can't use the excuse that he doesn't like being in early because New Zealand and Australia have also had their issues with openers, and that didn't stop Williamson and Smith batting there. It's a dereliction of duty, we need him batting there instead of trying all and sundry when we have someone ready made to bat there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 The idea that it's because he doesn't like the new ball is laughable too. He's at the fucking crease by about the 5th over most of the time anyway! I know it's part and parcel of being a captain, but this from Root a minute ago: Quote We don't like giving anything away. That's just patently absurd. We give it away like Safestyle UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Cod Eye Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 4 minutes ago, Gus Mears said: The idea that it's because he doesn't like the new ball is laughable too. He's at the fucking crease by about the 5th over most of the time anyway! I know it's part and parcel of being a captain, but this from Root a minute ago: That's just patently absurd. We give it away like Safestyle UK. Best thing is, he's the textbook example of an international No.3. Unless someone makes the breakthrough at County level, then he will have to accept the position eventually, in my opinion... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted July 17, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 17, 2017 Need a number 3?  Still baffled by the decision to play two spinners on a traditionally seaming pitch. Especially when on is Liam Dawson, this generations Jamie Dalrymple. I know D-Mal doesn't but I rate TRJ, but isn't five seamers a bit too loaded. Four seamers and the spinner should do it with an extra bat. Fuck knows wjo though, other than Stoneman.  Mind you the Oval tends to turn so I expext Dawson to keep his place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted July 17, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 17, 2017 (edited) As of 7am Sky Sports Cricket exists.  Bet they still don't show County 4 dayers, instead showing a day of their lazy 20 minute documentaries, their Griegless and Benaudless coverage of Ashes 05, and The Verdict twenty times (although I fucking love Bob Willis) until T20 Blast starts. Edited July 17, 2017 by PowerButchi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gadge Posted July 17, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2017 It's not like Sky suddenly have a new contract with the ECB - it's bound to be exactly as you describe.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted July 18, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 18, 2017 Â This is the best picture ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted July 18, 2017 Author Paid Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 If they ever remake Raising Arizona, there's your Leonard Smalls right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted July 18, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted July 18, 2017 Looks like Gary Ballance is set to miss the next test. Obviously, I'm very upset by this terrible news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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