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Post by Balladeer on Jul 4, 2016 8:44:12 GMT
Stop being dead you stupid forum, WAKE UP! (bangs top)
If Sri Lanka was a stroll in the park, this tour seems likely to be a stroll through No Man's Land under heavy fire. Exempt from the IPL, this Pakistan team have been training hard, including preparation for the climate, using the Duke's ball in domestic games, and a current warm-up match against a reasonable Somerset outfit.
The Pakistan Test team sheet more or less writes itself, except Shahzad is injured. So I'd assume Masood / Hafeez / Azhar / Younis / Misbah / Shafiq / Sarfraz / Yasir / Riaz / Amir / one other quick. The bowling is unsurprisingly threatening, but from two down that is also one hell of a batting line-up.
England, fitness permitting, will presumably play Cook / Hales / Borthwick / Rootytoot / Vince (bleurgh) / Stokes / Bairstow / Moe / Woakes / Broad / Anderson. Rashid might have forced himself into contention, maybe? Finn... hasn't.
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Post by Humair on Jul 4, 2016 10:13:51 GMT
Pakistan have so far had a surprisingly positive preparation for the tour, hopefully they put up a good fight.
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Post by Mattzo on Jul 4, 2016 11:49:12 GMT
Should be a fascinating series, and one I am really looking forward too. Would be good to see Borthwick play, hopefully Vince will score some runs and Woakes will continue to improve.
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Post by belleoftheredball on Jul 4, 2016 17:51:25 GMT
I doubt Rashid has seriously impressed impressed upon the selectors, but I think Moeen may have seriously depressed them. I think it's his last chance saloon honestly. Personally, I think the Borthwick selection has as much to do with dissatisfaction with Moe as it does pleasure with Borthwick's batting.
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Post by Balladeer on Jul 4, 2016 18:20:16 GMT
Borthwick has had a good few seasons, but he's seriously cocking this one up. I don't think they'll choose him for his spin again, though: if they want a "proper" part-time spinner, they'll go with Ansari (if fit). He played at 3 today, didn't he? For his onerous 40.
Westley probably impressed the most out of potential number 3 candidates today, but there's the usual "division 2" caveat.
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Post by belleoftheredball on Jul 4, 2016 21:48:44 GMT
I agree with you. They definitely aren't looking for a part time spinner. My point is that Borthwick has done nothing to get selected this year whilst Robson & Westley have... *if* they're looking for pure batsmen. This leads me to believe they're going with the potential all rounder because Mo has been so bleeeeeeeeeeeeep.
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Post by Humair on Jul 7, 2016 11:12:47 GMT
England squad Alastair Cook (Essex, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Two interesting selections from the selectors, Ballance in after one big score and Roland-Jones a slightly left field pick. One confirmed debutant between ball and Jones.
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Post by Mattzo on Jul 7, 2016 11:20:31 GMT
Well, that's interesting. Root confirmed to bat at 3.
Cook, Hales, Root, Vince, Ballance, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Finn, Ball/Roland-Jones
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Post by Balladeer on Jul 7, 2016 11:22:42 GMT
The flying crying bleah? So. Cook/Hales/Root (whyyyyyy)/Vince I presume/Gary "horrendously out of form" Ballance/Bairstow/Moeen/Woakes/Broad/Ball or TRJ/Finn. I mean, good for TRJ, goodness knows he's been putting in the performances of late and with Anderson out of the squad he's actually a fairly decent alternative. And of course he'll know Lord's. I just wonder if he has the pace, he's down as rmf. Has Mark Footitt really fallen so far out of contention? He won't play of course, so it's moot (although he would lop even more off England's tail). The real left-field pick for me is Ballance. One single ton, on a pudding of a pitch, last match. What does Borthwick have to do? Meanwhile James Hildreth cries salty tears. EDIT: Apparently Ball has an elbow niggle. TRJ to become a one-test wonder?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2016 12:03:07 GMT
Well, that's...surprising. I like Ballance but didn't expect him to be picked at all on current form. Feel bad for Borthwick (and Hildreth too but I suppose he was never going to be picked at this point, sadly).
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Post by Srihari on Jul 7, 2016 12:17:29 GMT
I know I haven't been here in forever. But when Borthwick is overlooked for a yorkie when the position that he will be playing is up for grabs, it is time to come over and rant.
I mean, who in their right minds would pick someone who has an inferior average in Div 1 this season. The badger has more runs at a better average and also plays at No.3, which is the position vacated by Compton but no no no, we have to improve our yorkie quota, so lets bring in Ballance because he scored a century recently.
Pathetic.
And if they were seriously thinking about India and want Root at No.3, then wouldn't it be better to have a leggie in the side before that? And what is with playing Root at No.4 anyways, your best batsman should always bat No.4.
#Rantover
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Post by Srihari on Jul 7, 2016 12:19:06 GMT
Make that three in three. Didn't realise there was another thread songster. Also #yorkiebias #fauxnorth #overrated All of this goes along amazingly with my current rank, which I'd like change btw how has everyone been. Apologies for the prolonged absence. Work has been too much fun to spend much time on anything else.
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Post by Balladeer on Jul 7, 2016 12:43:20 GMT
Hello Sri, welcome back! We've all been well, although the country has been in the midst of certain upheavals that have turned families against each other and made the Internet an uncomfortable place.
I refer of course to Middlesex topping the County Championship table.
Anyway, as you'll see above, I agree with you. I feel that Root should stay at 4, and that this is slightly inflexible Australian mindset on the part of Bayliss. The good thing is, I think that if he's found out quickly then I think they will drop him back down.
If they want a 3 they should have gone with Borthwick; if a 4, arguably Hildreth. I'd also have put Robson ahead of Ballance on current form. Most odd.
Thoughts on TRJ's inclusion Sri?
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Post by belleoftheredball on Jul 7, 2016 12:43:51 GMT
I actually quite like the Ballance selection. The online meltdowns which are going to ensue upon his failure are going to be epic. England cricket hasn't had a really good controversy for a while now and I, for one, am getting rather tired of entertaining myself by trying to say Ballance, Buttler, Bairstow, Borthwick 3 times really fast.
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Post by Srihari on Jul 7, 2016 12:53:59 GMT
As you know songster, always like TRJ. Whether he is good enough to replace Anderson, not a chance in hell. But I guess this shows how far Footitt has fallen if even an injury to Anderson can't get him in.
I hopes he does well and seeing as Rushie hasn't become Mt Rushmore yet and TRJ has done well so far, I'd say he deserves the selection on merit.
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