|
Post by nemouk on Feb 5, 2019 9:33:01 GMT
England seem to be on the verge of bolstering the batting my bringing in Wood for Curran. Hmm.
It's not a terrible change, I can see Wood being an above average pick for these conditions, but it does show that we don't really have any options.
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 5, 2019 9:54:26 GMT
Stone would have worked really well... sigh.
|
|
|
Post by pierredelafranchesca on Feb 5, 2019 12:00:50 GMT
I called it a day into the 2nd test that the changes would be Foakes for Jennings and Curran for Woakes, would be v surprised to see Wood over Woakes, on batting alone really. Genuinely think they'll use the sore hand excuse to ridiculously jettison Foakes, get JB back down the order where he belongs and bring Jennings back in either at 3 or push Denly there. Deckchairs a shufflin
|
|
|
Post by nemouk on Feb 5, 2019 13:47:48 GMT
Woakes has a slight knee injury apparently, which would explain his non contention.
In the current world, I think I'd play three openers, with one at three, in the hope they can do the job of two. I'm really not sure Jennings should be one of them, I'd probably like to see the pair of Burns & Stoneman in the summer because an actual natural pair would be helpful.
That would of course mean making some actual hard decisions about the number of middle order players we can feasibly play. I'd hope the summer side is something like:
Burns Stoneman Browne (? Form opener from early CC) Root Buttler Stokes Bairstow/Foakes Moeen Woakes/Curran Broad Anderson
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 5, 2019 20:50:55 GMT
Stoneman? Is he back in pole position then?
Moeen's fifty has made things tougher for me, I'd have picked Leach over him if it hadn't been for that. As things are... dunno really.
Burns Mitchell/Browne Browne/Hildreth (one new one old) Root Stokes Buttler Foakes (sorry Jonny) Curran Moe/Leach Seamer 1 Seamer 2
with the seamers alternating between Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Stone if fit, and anybody else remotely not rfm who takes some wickets in Div. 1 (and isn't Harry Gurney).
In Curran we trust. Like heck I'm dropping the lad who won the last series in England as soon as England get back to England.
|
|
|
Post by nemouk on Feb 6, 2019 9:47:13 GMT
Stoneman? Is he back in pole position then? I don't especially think so, just picked him because he's Burns' opening partner in County Cricket too and I think players who are used to playing in partnerships are underrated, especially at the top of the innings. I think England have a lot of openers at a roughly similar (not quite good enough) level, and Stoneman is probably one of them.
|
|
|
Post by pierredelafranchesca on Feb 6, 2019 16:01:47 GMT
For the next test, it's a case of using whatever we've got out there, no idea what i'd do if it was me! Given we're 2 down i'd be tempted to try anyone (bowler or bat) who hasn't played yet, give Jimmy a test off for Wood, stick Leach in for Mo, possibly Jennings for Foakes if his hand is still poorly.
If we're looking at XI's for the summer, basically anyone who has the fortune to bat on friendly pitches in April and May has a shot at the England team I reckon.....I can't imagine anyone's name is off the table, Ballance, Vince, Stoneman, Malan et al, if one of them has a good start to the season they'll be in.
I genuinely cannot even give a this is my preferred XI as I've no idea who to put at 2 and 3! What I would like to see would be Pope in at 5 and a shuffling down of our all rounders, so our top 5 are pure batsmen.
Wicket keeper wise, is a real ball ache as I just cannot see how playing 3 of Bairstow, Foakes and Buttler is sustainable, whoever does keep wicket needs to bat at 8 for me, thought it was interesting that in Foakes' absence JB took the gloves rather than t'other JB, if Buttler is going to stay in the team as a pure batsmen, is he good enough to play @ 6? i'm not sure.....if they want Bairstow to keep wicket, he needs to be no higher than 7 for me. I want Burns to succeed, I think he has the temperament and certainly has the runs last year, fingers crossed.
Bowler wise....in England I can't see past us playing just one spinner and there's no way one of Broaderson will be dropped, or Stokes, so it comes down to a shoot out between Woakes (cracking home stats) and Curran (variation and super form at home) for #8.
Burns, TBC, TBC, Root, Pope, Bairstow, Stokes, Foakes, Curran, Moeen, Broad, Anderson (if Foakes keeps) Burns, TBC, TBC, Root, Pope, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow, Curran, Moeen, Broad, Anderson (if YJB keeps)
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 6, 2019 19:49:47 GMT
Your teams have twelve men Pierre! Which... sums it all up really.
|
|
|
Post by pierredelafranchesca on Feb 6, 2019 22:13:54 GMT
Your teams have twelve men Pierre! Which... sums it all up really. It's the next step......and fuck me.....it is a problem isn't it! I know, stick Curran at 3 and remove a TBC, when that goes wrong try Buttler/foakes there
|
|
|
Post by nemouk on Feb 7, 2019 9:14:15 GMT
Agnew has been arguing for Woakes at three for a while.
Interesting developments on this front- the Lions are playing a test with a top three of Holden, Duckett & Hain (http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/19084/scorecard/1169343/india-a-vs-england-lions-1st-unofficial-test-eng-lions-in-india-2018-19)
And the Telegraph reckon Ed Smith has had a word with Joe Clarke and told him to bat 3 for Notts and James... Vince... who he's asked to open... for Hampshire.
I'd like to be angrier about that, but actually it's much better to tell someone to try something at County level than to throw them straight into it at test level (Hello Johnny B).
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 7, 2019 9:52:20 GMT
JOE CLARKE IS NOT THAT GOOD
At the same time not many people in CC are, but I really don’t see what people see in him. Low forties average coming in at 4. Maybe because I’ve never seen him play and have only seen his scores, but that’s how I avoid things like e.g. thinking James Vince’s cover drive should be negotiating Brexit.
Incidentally Billings is playing Ipple again and saying it shouldn’t work against him red ball selection-wise, which is bobbins unless you’re Buttler-level batting prodigy; Duckett scored runs but he’s good in spinning conditions, that doesn’t mean he should be playing anywhere else with his technique; and Sam Hain has 39 off 106 at the last count of Lions scorecard updating.
|
|
|
Post by nemouk on Feb 7, 2019 14:55:55 GMT
Joe Clarke is pretty bloody good for 22. Not the finished article yet, but a season of D1 cricket at 3 would be good for him - the risk is that we call him up too soon and break him.
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 7, 2019 15:51:43 GMT
Well quite. Age can go both ways.
On a completely unrelated topic, how’s that young Lancashire opener doing these days? What was his name... Hameeb? Haneed? He was quite good, wasn’t he?
|
|
|
Post by Balladeer on Feb 7, 2019 21:13:04 GMT
The apparent breakdown of everybody who rhymes with 'brokes' (thank you George Dobell) makes selection a bit easier, ironically. Burns/Keaton/Denly/Root/Jonny/Moe/Buttler/Curran/Wood/Broad/Anderson. Swap 5/6/7 around if needs be.
They'll be shit, but it does make selection easier.
EDIT:
|
|
|
Post by pierredelafranchesca on Feb 8, 2019 21:58:06 GMT
called it on Foakes, ever since they put him in and unbalanced the team they've been waiting for an excuse to drop him, pretty futile, may as well have him open than Jennings for all the runs it'll get us
|
|