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Post by pierredelafranchesca on Jan 28, 2019 10:41:56 GMT
Yep, that's the problem summed up quite well Nemo, though even there I think you've Stokes a place too high at 6, Ali a place high at 7 and Broad is defo a 10/11 now, which just makes the problems more pronounced..... We've no genuine options as 2,3 and 5 and haven't for a few years, we've compensated for this by batting down to 9 or 10 with our one or two of our myriad of all rounders popping up with handy runs in most tests.
In the absence of other options, I see no viable solution other than to carry on almost as is, Bairstow will continue at 3, Stokes at 5, Buttler at 6. I'd swap Curran and Ali, if nothing more that to reaffirm to Moeen how unacceptable his dismissals were and to encourage Curran to play as more of a batting than bowling all rounder. Whilst I have little faith in Denly's ability i'd have him in for Jennings, similar to Malan and Vince, when you keep getting out in the same way you cannot continue to nail down a slot. On the bowling front, Rashid for Broad is the obvious one to balance the bowling, I have some sympathy with Rashid, as a leggie who is more often than not expensive by test standards, to be selected on a non spinning wicket with no runs to defend he was doomed from the start, but at the same time, I just don't think he's a test quality bowler outside of Asia and Taunton.
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Post by Balladeer on Jan 28, 2019 15:41:41 GMT
Malan? No. He's definitely an Oz and (maybe) SA-only pick. I would say that everyone can also bat one down the order from where's required if needed (unless they're Root due to a lack of other places); that Denly isn't worth a pick without his legspin being useful; and that Moe's batting now places him a fair way down the order. On the upside, I would hazard that Buttler could do 6 and Curran/Woakes could do 7... both of which are very helpful. I reckon it looks more like this: 1,2: Burns, Jennings (at least he hung around) 3: Nobody 4: Root 5: Nobody 6: Stokes, Buttler, Pope 7: Curran, Bairstow, Foakes 8: Woakes, Bess 9: Rashid, Ali 10: Leach, Broad, Wood 11: Anderson, Stone Two gaping holes. Out of the selection I probably agree with shunting Stokes one up, but that still leaves three, as it had for chuffing ages. Bairstow ain't it, but he's probably no worse than a bunch of other options. (Agnew's 'Woakes for three' doesn't in fact look awful: not because he'd be any good there, but because he wouldn't be much worse and it gets his bowling in the side.) I don't know what's happened to Moe's batting, and I'd probably drop him going forward. He's not as good a spinner as Leach and he doesn't have Rashid's magic touch. He needs to go back to the County Championship and remember how to score those breezy fifties. In reality, though, I think there's a fair amount of shuffling the deckchairs on what isn't the Titanic, but what has just had a near miss with an iceberg. It's not bored below the waterline. This is the same squad that won in Sri Lanka, and I reckon they'd win again if they won the toss (I'd say Root's run of luck was responsible for most of that whitewash). They need to put the loss behind them, review the pitch sensibly, and pick the best team on the day while recognising that without anyone truly quick and good (and fit), they won't win everywhere. Why is it English real-quicks seem to break down so much more often? Patrick Cummins v1 aside. Everywhere else in the top 8 has somebody brisk and fit and good, even Sri Lanka (Australia has three, and I was surprised how rapid Trent Boult was in 2018). EDIT: Everywhere else apart from Pakistan, oddly...
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Post by Humair on Jan 30, 2019 15:44:08 GMT
Rashid and Jennings dropped, Denly making his debut and one of Leach or Broad will play.
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Post by Balladeer on Jan 30, 2019 16:10:36 GMT
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Post by nemouk on Jan 30, 2019 16:23:10 GMT
Denly hasn't opened in a first class match for four years, apparently.
I suppose eventually a square peg will fit in a round hole.
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Post by Mattzo on Jan 30, 2019 16:43:36 GMT
July 2015 was the last time Denly opened in a FC match, and he averaged 30 opening in Div 1.
That said, Jennings has had 11 tests outside Asia and averages 17.50, so it's a low bar. (He does average 44 in Asia though)
What we need is a proper number 3 and at least 1 reliable opener. 4 down falls into place, even if you have to be harsh.
1. ? 2. Burns 3. ? 4. Root 5. Buttler/Bairstow 6. Stokes 7. Foakes 8. Curran 9. Broad 10. Leach 11. Anderson
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Post by pierredelafranchesca on Jan 30, 2019 17:25:47 GMT
Deck chairs shuffled, can't really complain there are no other options at 1 and 3 in the squad so what can you do.
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Post by Balladeer on Jan 30, 2019 17:33:56 GMT
...complain that there are no other options for 1 and 3 in the squad? And indeed country?
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Post by nemouk on Jan 30, 2019 17:49:52 GMT
Country is rather the problem, you can't really blame Ed Smith and co for not picking players that don't exist. That said, I'd like to see a bit more working together between the county teams and the ECB to financially incentivise the playing of English qualified players in at least two of the top three spots in the coming year as it's clearly a weakness for the national team. The focus on spin seemed to work, there are some good options if not perfect ones out there now.
As it stands, the top three for the CC1 teams last year in the final round of games looked like this:
Surrey Rory Burns - in the squad Mark Stoneman - recent discard Jason Roy - valid option, albeit one who doesn't bat top three in FC much
Essex Nick Browne - valid option Murali Vijay - overseas Tom Westley - tried and failed
Lancashire Keaton Jennings - on tour Alex Davies - with the Lions Brooke Guest - English, newly brought in so nice to see him up the order
Hampshire Joe Weatherley - valid option Oliver Soames - young lad Jimmy Adams - valid option, albeit since retired
Worcestershire Daryl Mitchell - valid option, perpetually unlucky Tom Fell - valid option Moeen Ali - on tour, albeit as a bowler
Yorkshire Adam Lyth - tried & failed Jeet Raval - overseas Jack Leaning - valid option
Somerset Marcus Trescothick - probably a bit late in the day for a recall Tom Banton - young lad Azhar Ali - overseas
Nottinghamshire Jake Libby - valid option Ben Slater - valid option Steven Mullaney - on the Lions tour
To be fair, a better picture than I'd expected with only three overseas in there, so there are opportunities. Not many of them are thriving, but it is a tough position to bat - if I was to criticise the counties, they do have a habit of dropping a struggling opener down the order and then leaving them at five/six for the rest of their career - Liam Dawson and Tom Abell stand out as examples to me. I guess it's probably best for their careers, but it would be nice to see some of them going back to opening as that's clearly the route into this England side- good luck getting in as a specialist batting six!
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Post by Balladeer on Jan 30, 2019 17:55:10 GMT
Mitchell seemed to fall dramatically out of form at just the wrong time this season and feels a bit old now. While most of them are valid options, none of them fill me with confidence. Opening is hard, mind.
I do reckon we’ll see Jason Roy pushed up the order before long though. He’ll perform similarly to Alex Hales.
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Post by waughandpeace on Jan 30, 2019 18:01:23 GMT
I hope we eventually give in and try Hildreth at 3. He'd jump at the chance, surely. Always had the talent to play for England, and I'm sure he'll do as well at 3 as anyone else has recently. People like Chris Rogers and Adam Voges have clearly shown it's not too late to start at 34.
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Post by nemouk on Jan 30, 2019 18:06:18 GMT
I love James Hildreth, but he's never batted three for Somerset. He's a 4/5 option, and it absolutely stinks that he's never had a cap, but I think if he'd really, really wanted one, he'd have gone up the order and proved himself years ago, at least when Compton moved back to Middlesex if not when Langer retired.
He'd probably still be better than Jennings mind.
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Post by Mattzo on Jan 30, 2019 18:46:43 GMT
Browne, Gubbins, Hameed and A. Davies are players I'd be keeping a very close eye on as England selector. But none ready yet, it seems.
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Post by nemouk on Jan 30, 2019 19:09:56 GMT
Only Davies of those on the Lions tour. Young Will Jacks is opening for the Lions, who are getting a pasting at the moment from admittedly a really decent India A side. Sam Hain or Ben Duckett at 3.
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Post by Balladeer on Jan 30, 2019 20:49:29 GMT
Both Hain and Duckett are much better in List A. Jacks too young, Gubbins too mediocre, Hameed too shit. Browne is another one who seemed to lose his form at the wrong time: worth keeping an eye on.
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