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Post by Humair on Oct 17, 2016 10:51:54 GMT
Fifties for both Hameed and Duckett, looks like both of them might play in the first test with Duckett in the middle order.
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 17, 2016 10:53:59 GMT
But here comes Ballance to pull a team-slot-saving last-minute-countermeasure out of his backside again.
"Did you just get out Chris? Did you? What a shame. Guess who didn't. Guess who, in fact, is still in. And when I say 'still in', I don't just mean still batting. Give the pavilion my love Chris."
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Post by aneesh on Oct 17, 2016 12:05:53 GMT
A nice selection headache to have, is to choose two batsmen between Hameed, Duckett and Ballance. Still, his underutilized and devastating leg spin may hold Gaz Baz in good stead. Duckett at No 3 and Root back at No 4 would be a good choice as well. It also looks like Rashid will be picked ahead of Ansari. It also looks as if all the XI can bat decently. My XI would be: Cook, Hameed, Duckett, Root, Stokes, Ali, Bairstow, Woakes, Ansari, Broad and Rashid / Batty.
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 18, 2016 9:23:20 GMT
Whereas presumably they'll go for Cook/Hameed/Root/Duckett/Bairstow/Stokes/Ali/Woakes/Rashid/Broad/Batty.
You're right, Aneesh, that this would mean no room for Ballance's special brand of leggies, in the first innings when nobody else is taking wickets. A shame.
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Post by aneesh on Oct 18, 2016 11:11:11 GMT
There is one thing about batting deep. But this batting order looks like batting through to the grave. #WeneedproperNo11s.
Special shoutout to the (potential) record breakers: Alistair Cook is on verge of beating Alec 'Gentleman with a moustache' Stewart for most caps, and Broady is set to win his 100th. And of course to the two debutantes.
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 18, 2016 11:32:27 GMT
Broad is a proper no. 11. I don't think he'll play there though, the selectors still have mental images of him when he looked like an all-rounder.
That said, I notice you put Woakes ahead of Ansari, who occasionally opens for Surrey! Then again, Rashid is a far better bat than the slot he's usually given.
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Post by aneesh on Oct 18, 2016 17:09:12 GMT
Broad is the only hope for us purists to see a clueless No 11 in this series. Its fair to say that he has not been the batsman he was after being struck by a barrage of bouncers. It is almost as if he has become scared to face the ball since then. Still, he does not match the wile and guile of James 'I don't give two shits about batting' Anderson, who swept and reverse swept mercilessly in the last series.Good God! We will be missing so many things. I wish to see Ballance bowling leg spin and Finn bowling off spin operating at the opposite ends to make life difficult for batsmen. As for Ansari, I think he played higher up the order to mirror England's needs to get a suitable player for that spot. Recently he batted at No 5, hoping to put pressure on the current incumbent. Similarly, he has been moving up and down the order in hopes of breaking into the team. It just goes to show the emphasis England are putting in the batting performances of the bowlers. Sure, those runs are vital but it is important to have the best set of bowlers you have got. Its not that anyone is perplexed if Anderson or Broad fail to score decent runs and that is how I think it should be. And true, Rashid is a solid bat. Lets just hope he is in the right frame of mind
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 19, 2016 10:28:12 GMT
Anyone going to try to creak awake at 5-ish to follow the Test? I'm gutted that I'll be waking up just as lunch hoves into view, tomorrow at least. Stupid time zones.
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Post by Mattzo on Oct 19, 2016 13:48:19 GMT
Probably not, but I've done it before so I may yet change my mind.
Looks like Hameed is going to miss out.
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 19, 2016 13:49:42 GMT
Oh - who sez, Lord Matt?
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Post by Mattzo on Oct 19, 2016 15:34:42 GMT
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Post by Balladeer on Oct 19, 2016 17:29:05 GMT
Huh. And now Dobble's saying the same thing. Which is... huh.
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Post by aneesh on Oct 19, 2016 17:57:45 GMT
No Hameed, no party. Very sad. Its as if you have been taken to Disneyland only to find that it is a holiday.
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Post by nemouk on Oct 19, 2016 20:09:46 GMT
Gaz Baz (it occurs to me that that's now two players, I mean batting Baz) seems pretty lucky but I can understand the desire to open with a more positive player considering the new ball is usually the best time to score quickly on the subcontinent. Sad to see no Hameed but I'm ridiculously excited to see if Duckett can step up, box office doesn't do him justice. You could easily play seven England wicketkeepers as a batting line up and it would be bloody great to watch if not neccessarily solid...
Duckett, Davies, Billings, J. Clarke, Foakes, Buttler, Bairstow,
Would pay to watch!
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lawrence
Amar Virdi
Getting old is no fun at all it seems
Posts: 165
Team Supported: Yorkshire
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Post by lawrence on Oct 20, 2016 4:49:10 GMT
Well I woke at 5 and its a bunsen, 3 down already Balance goes lbw to review
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