Wood not good enough for Test cricket, are you mad. I would not make wholesale changes. Woakes has to come in for Dawson, when fit. I would stick with Jennings for now and I would replace Ballance with Stoneman.
Still means you are playing with 6 bowlers, which doesn't sit right for me - we clearly need to bolster the batting, and remove Dawson for Woakes, and then drop Wood for a batter to let him get back to some form with Durham.
agreed, Wood certainly has time to be a very good test match bowler, bu the needs a bit of form at the minute. We need to find at least 1 batsman to go in the top 3 because Root at 4 and Bairstow at 5 are under too much pressure to consistently make big scores at the minute.
I would also bring in a number 6 (possibly 7) with Stokes at 7, Ali 8, Woakes 9 and then Jimmy and Broad opening the bowling. Gives you a balance and 6 men in the team to score runs.
Not sure who fits the criteria, the number 6/7 probably isn't as important as the top 3, neither Jennings or Ballance are the answer but the question's not going away.
Wood not good enough for Test cricket, are you mad. I would not make wholesale changes. Woakes has to come in for Dawson, when fit. I would stick with Jennings for now and I would replace Ballance with Stoneman.
You may want to change your views on Jennings. Out for 3 to Philander - moved his guard more to off stump & got bowled through the gate. Another failure. Not seen him have a good innings on home turf & we need a strong top 3 otherwise Root keeps coming in after 20-30 mins & batting to stay in the match.
Although just reading that they don't believe Woakes will be back til Windies series
No need for Woakes as I think even I could play against the W Indies next month. They are in 7th place in the world rankings & have left out 4 of their major players (Gayle, Bravo, Sammy & Samuels). One word - whitewash.
Jennings was dropped on 0 in his very first Test innings and went on to make 112. Since then his scores have been 0, 1, 54, 8, 33, 0, 3. His First Class average is only 36.13
I see nothing to suggest that he is a Test opener - yet anyway. But if Ballance is given the benefit of the doubt then so should Jennings and afforded the rest of this series to do so.
And it really is time for Ballance to go once and for all. Said it two years ago when he was scoring runs for fun against weak bowling attacks that he would be found out. And he has time and time again.
As has been pointed out on cricinfo, barring injuires and suspensions, SA could have opened with Steyn and Philander, and then had Rabada and Morkel for first change! Luckily for us, its likely that only one of them will be here for next series v SA.
Christ we are so fragile. An incredible Root innings in the first game has papered over some serious cracks in our batting line up.
We are fragile but I also think we are only 2 batsmen away from a top class batting line up. Cook's record speaks for itself. Root and Bairstow are quality and run our middle order. Stokes continues to get better and better and has thrived at 6. There aren't many players in the world of have above those 4. The task is to find the right combination at opener and 3.
It's such a shame that James Taylor is unable to play cricket as he was just cementing his spot in the side and could have been the solution to our problem at 3. Stoneman is the next in line for a go at the openers spot and will get a go sooner or later.
We thought our opener worries were over last winter with the emergence of Hameed and Jennings but both lost all form they had by the start of this season.
I read that a number of county experts and commentators have been suggesting Sam Robson should get another chance. He was thrown in too young and certainly didn't disgrace himself (did better than many who followed him). Apparently he has worked hard at his game since then and improved significantly. He has also been earmarked as a leader and having good cricket brain which will help.
Christ we are so fragile. An incredible Root innings in the first game has papered over some serious cracks in our batting line up.
We are fragile but I also think we are only 2 batsmen away from a top class batting line up. Cook's record speaks for itself. Root and Bairstow are quality and run our middle order. Stokes continues to get better and better and has thrived at 6. There aren't many players in the world of have above those 4. The task is to find the right combination at opener and 3.
It's such a shame that James Taylor is unable to play cricket as he was just cementing his spot in the side and could have been the solution to our problem at 3. Stoneman is the next in line for a go at the openers spot and will get a go sooner or later.
We thought our opener worries were over last winter with the emergence of Hameed and Jennings but both lost all form they had by the start of this season.
I read the
Cook's not had a regular opening partner since Strauss, no 3 is surely a vacancy again, and surely a batsman will come in for Dawson (or Wood). That's a lot of batting issues to be resolved
Christ we are so fragile. An incredible Root innings in the first game has papered over some serious cracks in our batting line up.
We are fragile but I also think we are only 2 batsmen away from a top class batting line up. Cook's record speaks for itself. Root and Bairstow are quality and run our middle order. Stokes continues to get better and better and has thrived at 6. There aren't many players in the world of have above those 4. The task is to find the right combination at opener and 3.
It's such a shame that James Taylor is unable to play cricket as he was just cementing his spot in the side and could have been the solution to our problem at 3. Stoneman is the next in line for a go at the openers spot and will get a go sooner or later.
We thought our opener worries were over last winter with the emergence of Hameed and Jennings but both lost all form they had by the start of this season.
I read the
Cook's not had a regular opening partner since Strauss, no 3 is surely a vacancy again, and surely a batsman will come in for Dawson (or Wood). That's a lot of batting issues to be resolved
I highlighted opener and 3 and finding the right combination there is key. For me the 7th batsman is less of an issue. We have options to try there (personally I'd go Foakes to keep and allow Bairstow to focus on batting)but with players like Moeen and Woakes in the side it's not a disaster if we don't have a clear candidate.
Christ we are so fragile. An incredible Root innings in the first game has papered over some serious cracks in our batting line up.
We are fragile but I also think we are only 2 batsmen away from a top class batting line up. Cook's record speaks for itself. Root and Bairstow are quality and run our middle order. Stokes continues to get better and better and has thrived at 6. There aren't many players in the world of have above those 4. The task is to find the right combination at opener and 3.
It's such a shame that James Taylor is unable to play cricket as he was just cementing his spot in the side and could have been the solution to our problem at 3. Stoneman is the next in line for a go at the openers spot and will get a go sooner or later.
We thought our opener worries were over last winter with the emergence of Hameed and Jennings but both lost all form they had by the start of this season.
I read that a number of county experts and commentators have been suggesting Sam Robson should get another chance. He was thrown in too young and certainly didn't disgrace himself (did better than many who followed him). Apparently he has worked hard at his game since then and improved significantly. He has also been earmarked as a leader and having good cricket brain which will help.
How is that comparison between Cook and Ballance going President? Ballance LBW again. He has got a technical issue. He is not good enough for Test Cricket. It looks like Jennings isn't. We have a major issue at the top of the order.
How is that comparison between Cook and Ballance going President? Ballance LBW again. He has got a technical issue. He is not good enough for Test Cricket. It looks like Jennings isn't. We have a major issue at the top of the order.
GSB will come good, give him another 20 tests and he'll be alright.
Looking at dismissals today ...3,4 and 8 terribler as they say here in Lux.
Comments
I would also bring in a number 6 (possibly 7) with Stokes at 7, Ali 8, Woakes 9 and then Jimmy and Broad opening the bowling. Gives you a balance and 6 men in the team to score runs.
Not sure who fits the criteria, the number 6/7 probably isn't as important as the top 3, neither Jennings or Ballance are the answer but the question's not going away.
I see nothing to suggest that he is a Test opener - yet anyway. But if Ballance is given the benefit of the doubt then so should Jennings and afforded the rest of this series to do so.
Luckily for us, its likely that only one of them will be here for next series v SA.
It's such a shame that James Taylor is unable to play cricket as he was just cementing his spot in the side and could have been the solution to our problem at 3. Stoneman is the next in line for a go at the openers spot and will get a go sooner or later.
We thought our opener worries were over last winter with the emergence of Hameed and Jennings but both lost all form they had by the start of this season.
I read that a number of county experts and commentators have been suggesting Sam Robson should get another chance. He was thrown in too young and certainly didn't disgrace himself (did better than many who followed him). Apparently he has worked hard at his game since then and improved significantly. He has also been earmarked as a leader and having good cricket brain which will help.
No idea why Morris didn't play in the first test, I thought he looked promising in the CT
1. Cook
2.
3.
4. Root
5. Bairstow
6. Stokes
7. Ali
Sort out 2 & 3 and we're pretty solid.
Looking at dismissals today ...3,4 and 8 terribler as they say here in Lux.
Recall Hales, to either open or bat at 3.
And Stoneman definitely deserves a chance as soon as possible.