I think that is a good move bringing Ollie Pope in, I am not sure Chris Woakes is fit enough to play a test match at the moment and I would go for Porter or Mooen to replace Stokes, depending on the wicket.
When everyone is fit,in the future you could have a situation where England play with 4/5 genuine all-rounders...Moeen,Stokes,Curran,Woakes and Bairstow
Cook has both Jennings has a ton and has bowled in tests Root has both JB has both Malan has a ton and an international wicket Butler has neither! Stokes has both Ali has both Broad has both Curran will get a ton one day Woakes has 9 1st class tons
On reflection - if Root hadn't been run out and Kohli not dropped on 21 by Malan we may very well have cruised this test.
That said wouldn't have changed a thing as that was a fantastic test match
If India had picked a second spinner instead of Hardik who hardly bowled all match, things would have been a lot harder for the England batsmen, whereas the same can't be said of the English attack where all 4 seamers made key contributions.
How the fuck does Woakes just stroll back in like that, with no form to speak of?
Rory Burns is still in the 'run selector's cat over' bracket I think
Especially when he was crap last year against the Windies when brought back in similar circumstances.
Think they are desperate for a fourth seamer and know it's a risk with only three in the side, if the pitch does turn then Root can bowl his off-spin in tandem with Rashid.
Think we'll see the following XI - very strange side these days with so many all-rounders, I can remember when England used to pick seven batsmen (including Stewart as keeper) and just four bowlers!
Cook Jennings Root Pope Bairstow Buttler Woakes Curran Rashid Broad Anderson
How the fuck does Woakes just stroll back in like that, with no form to speak of?
Rory Burns is still in the 'run selector's cat over' bracket I think
Especially when he was crap last year against the Windies when brought back in similar circumstances.
Think they are desperate for a fourth seamer and know it's a risk with only three in the side, if the pitch does turn then Root can bowl his off-spin in tandem with Rashid.
Think we'll see the following XI - very strange side these days with so many all-rounders, I can remember when England used to pick seven batsmen (including Stewart as keeper) and just four bowlers!
Cook Jennings Root Pope Bairstow Buttler Woakes Curran Rashid Broad Anderson
I don't think Woakes was crap, against the Windies last year, he scored 61 not out in the second innings, our failure again in that game was not to score enough runs when batting first, 258 all out, with Stokes scoring 100 of those
Over the moon for Pope. And thoroughly deserved he's been another level this year. Just like I said about Sam last week I think it may be slightly too early - but Sam proved me wrong and I hope pope can too. It's right to pick him while he is in form and confident.
My one worry is that he bats at 6 for Surrey. He has only once batted at 5 (he scored a ton) and never at 4. It's a different role batting at 4 to batting at 6. To expect him to come in at 4 in a test side and be comfortable is a big ask. I can't see them moving Bairstow up unless they take the gloves off him.
Good to see England following Surrey's lead and getting 3 keepers in the side. Get burns and Foakes in soon and we can have a whole team of them!!
It'll probably depend on the pitch to decide which of Moeen or Woakes get the nod. With Sam proving he is capable in the last match of be happy to go with 2 spinners and use Jennings useful seam bowling as 4th seamer.
Over the moon for Pope. And thoroughly deserved he's been another level this year. Just like I said about Sam last week I think it may be slightly too early - but Sam proved me wrong and I hope pope can too. It's right to pick him while he is in form and confident.
My one worry is that he bats at 6 for Surrey. He has only once batted at 5 (he scored a ton) and never at 4. It's a different role batting at 4 to batting at 6. To expect him to come in at 4 in a test side and be comfortable is a big ask. I can't see them moving Bairstow up unless they take the gloves off him.
Good to see England following Surrey's lead and getting 3 keepers in the side. Get burns and Foakes in soon and we can have a whole team of them!!
It'll probably depend on the pitch to decide which of Moeen or Woakes get the nod. With Sam proving he is capable in the last match of be happy to go with 2 spinners and use Jennings useful seam bowling as 4th seamer.
I would move Bairstow up to 4, give Butler the gloves, and play Pope at 5, I would like to see Moeen play, if not give Porter a chance
For the Moeen doubters btw....he did play The Ashes with an injured bowling hand, and is now back to his best. Looked extremely menacing on TV the other day, albeit in a T20
For the Moeen doubters btw....he did play The Ashes with an injured bowling hand, and is now back to his best. Looked extremely menacing on TV the other day, albeit in a T20
A fit Moeen Ali would always be in my England test side. He didn't whinge or hide at all during the ashes which shows remarkable strength of character.
For the Moeen doubters btw....he did play The Ashes with an injured bowling hand, and is now back to his best. Looked extremely menacing on TV the other day, albeit in a T20
Agree. He also had just had England messing around with his action. Before that he had been very good. Last summer there was the whole Moeena Lisa thing with the fans idolising him. His stats as an England all rounder are fairly solid.
Having said that I would stick with Rashid for now. Moeen comes in as second spinner if needed.
I always think that Ben Foakes is unlucky not to get a game, even if he comes in just as a batsman his form for the last 2 seasons has been good enough
Yeah, I think Rashid did enough to get another go as first choice - the test will come when he's bowling at the upper order, needing to make breakthroughs. I like a two-spinner attack though!
Personally never seen Pope bat so can someone confirm to me whether he is right or left handed? Bairstow should go up to 4. I wouldn't have thought Woakes is fit enough for a 5 day test match. Unlikely to need 2 spinners (in fact hope we don't as we will have no chance if the wicket is produced for that) and Rashid certainly does deserve another go On that logic the final place should go to Porter.
Personally never seen Pope bat so can someone confirm to me whether he is right or left handed? Bairstow should go up to 4. I wouldn't have thought Woakes is fit enough for a 5 day test match. Unlikely to need 2 spinners (in fact hope we don't as we will have no chance if the wicket is produced for that) and Rashid certainly does deserve another go On that logic the final place should go to Porter.
Cook Jennings (Burns in if Jennings fails at Lords) Root Pope Bairstow Foakes Stokes Curran Rashid Broad Anderson
I should be dismayed at Surrey losing their 2 best young players for the run in to winning the championship. But I'm not. We are in a great position and have such depth that nothing can stop us now.
England could call up 10 of our first team and is still back us to win the championship. We are that good.
The Surrey bashing on the BBC comments section is hilarious. It seems born out of some kind of inferiority complex and completly misinformed!
When was the last time Surrey had a regular player in the test side? And if we are producing the best young players in the country - as demonstrated by running away with the championship with a squad that is 3/4 home grown then why shouldn't the beta young players be in the England side.
A case could be made for at least 4 others to be considered for the test side. Foakes, Burns, Virdi and Borthwick are all having great seasons. Stoneman and Tom only recently played test cricket. Smith and Bayliss rate Roy and want him in the middle order.
The same people are calling for DBD or Bell instead. FFS. Idiot's.
Comments
The other option, with Livingstone injured, would have been Hildreth, but England appear to simply not believe in him
Jennings has a ton and has bowled in tests
Root has both
JB has both
Malan has a ton and an international wicket
Butler has neither!
Stokes has both
Ali has both
Broad has both
Curran will get a ton one day
Woakes has 9 1st class tons
On reflection - if Root hadn't been run out and Kohli not dropped on 21 by Malan we may very well have cruised this test.
That said wouldn't have changed a thing as that was a fantastic test match
That spell that Sharma bowled to him was top-class and would have got most batsmen out.
Probably the last we will see of Malan which is a shame because he played pretty well in Oz against a top-class attack.
Think they are desperate for a fourth seamer and know it's a risk with only three in the side, if the pitch does turn then Root can bowl his off-spin in tandem with Rashid.
Think we'll see the following XI - very strange side these days with so many all-rounders, I can remember when England used to pick seven batsmen (including Stewart as keeper) and just four bowlers!
Cook
Jennings
Root
Pope
Bairstow
Buttler
Woakes
Curran
Rashid
Broad
Anderson
My one worry is that he bats at 6 for Surrey. He has only once batted at 5 (he scored a ton) and never at 4. It's a different role batting at 4 to batting at 6. To expect him to come in at 4 in a test side and be comfortable is a big ask. I can't see them moving Bairstow up unless they take the gloves off him.
Good to see England following Surrey's lead and getting 3 keepers in the side. Get burns and Foakes in soon and we can have a whole team of them!!
It'll probably depend on the pitch to decide which of Moeen or Woakes get the nod. With Sam proving he is capable in the last match of be happy to go with 2 spinners and use Jennings useful seam bowling as 4th seamer.
Having said that I would stick with Rashid for now. Moeen comes in as second spinner if needed.
Cook
Jennings (Burns in if Jennings fails at Lords)
Root
Pope
Bairstow
Foakes
Stokes
Curran
Rashid
Broad
Anderson
Bairstow should go up to 4.
I wouldn't have thought Woakes is fit enough for a 5 day test match.
Unlikely to need 2 spinners (in fact hope we don't as we will have no chance if the wicket is produced for that) and Rashid certainly does deserve another go
On that logic the final place should go to Porter.
England could call up 10 of our first team and is still back us to win the championship. We are that good.
When was the last time Surrey had a regular player in the test side? And if we are producing the best young players in the country - as demonstrated by running away with the championship with a squad that is 3/4 home grown then why shouldn't the beta young players be in the England side.
A case could be made for at least 4 others to be considered for the test side. Foakes, Burns, Virdi and Borthwick are all having great seasons. Stoneman and Tom only recently played test cricket. Smith and Bayliss rate Roy and want him in the middle order.
The same people are calling for DBD or Bell instead. FFS. Idiot's.