Unless the next pitch is significantly different, I can't see any reason to change the balance of the team.
Moeen shouldn't be at 3, but the only realistic answer is for Root to man up and play 3 himself. He's not facing Starc and Cummings. Unless they replace Rashid with Denly and play him at 3, but that would be very harsh on Rashid
Simon Hughes on the BBC also didn't seem convinced by Burns against the spinners, but to drop him after 1 match would be wrong, and smack too much of "jobs for the boys"
I'd probably go with Bairstow for Rashid, given Stokes' decent showing with the ball, and I'd also consider bringing in Stone for Burns, but that'd be a less certain one
Unless the next pitch is significantly different, I can't see any reason to change the balance of the team.
Moeen shouldn't be at 3, but the only realistic answer is for Root to man up and play 3 himself. He's not facing Starc and Cummings. Unless they replace Rashid with Denly and play him at 3, but that would be very harsh on Rashid
Simon Hughes on the BBC also didn't seem convinced by Burns against the spinners, but to drop him after 1 match would be wrong, and smack too much of "jobs for the boys"
But if Root moves to 3, everyone else shifts up one and that isn't a long term solution.
"Dropping" Curran is purely to allow Bairstow to see if he can make the no. 3 spot his own because we don't have anyone who is either good enough or willing to do it. I have no doubt that Curran will become a fixture but would be rested to facilitate an established top 6 or 7 for when we do have to play the stronger sides.
I'd probably go with Bairstow for Rashid, given Stokes' decent showing with the ball, and I'd also consider bringing in Stone for Burns, but that'd be a less certain one
And if you do both of those, who opens and who bats at 3?
I would also keep an unchanged team, Burns has to be given a few test matches, and Moeen is a very good number 3 in county cricket and Sam Curran had a very important partnership with Ben Foakes in the first innings.
Ali has now batted 14 times in the top 3 and scored the grand total of 191 runs at an average of 14.25. When he bats at 7 he averages 44.9 from 23 innings. He has had his chances and is simply not a no. 3 against the best Test playing nations but is a revelation when batting at 7.
I'd probably go with Bairstow for Rashid, given Stokes' decent showing with the ball, and I'd also consider bringing in Stone for Burns, but that'd be a less certain one
Be a little bit unfair on Burns dropping him after 1 test, especially with all the chances that Jennings has been given.
I think Sri Lanka have now slipped behind Bangladesh which is a shame for them, only going to be weaker in the next game too, without Herath & the injuries
That's the Bangladesh who've just lost at home to Zimbabwe...
Though it's definitely true that this Sri Lanka side is nowhere near the team of years gone by.
Unless the next pitch is significantly different, I can't see any reason to change the balance of the team.
Moeen shouldn't be at 3, but the only realistic answer is for Root to man up and play 3 himself. He's not facing Starc and Cummings. Unless they replace Rashid with Denly and play him at 3, but that would be very harsh on Rashid
Simon Hughes on the BBC also didn't seem convinced by Burns against the spinners, but to drop him after 1 match would be wrong, and smack too much of "jobs for the boys"
But if Root moves to 3, everyone else shifts up one and that isn't a long term solution.
"Dropping" Curran is purely to allow Bairstow to see if he can make the no. 3 spot his own because we don't have anyone who is either good enough or willing to do it. I have no doubt that Curran will become a fixture but would be rested to facilitate an established top 6 or 7 for when we do have to play the stronger sides.
Not ideal but I'd rather Root at 3 and Stokes at 4, seeing that he's not bowling much this series, only 12 overs in the entire match. Buttler or Moeen at 5.
Unless the next pitch is significantly different, I can't see any reason to change the balance of the team.
Moeen shouldn't be at 3, but the only realistic answer is for Root to man up and play 3 himself. He's not facing Starc and Cummings. Unless they replace Rashid with Denly and play him at 3, but that would be very harsh on Rashid
Simon Hughes on the BBC also didn't seem convinced by Burns against the spinners, but to drop him after 1 match would be wrong, and smack too much of "jobs for the boys"
But if Root moves to 3, everyone else shifts up one and that isn't a long term solution.
"Dropping" Curran is purely to allow Bairstow to see if he can make the no. 3 spot his own because we don't have anyone who is either good enough or willing to do it. I have no doubt that Curran will become a fixture but would be rested to facilitate an established top 6 or 7 for when we do have to play the stronger sides.
Not ideal but I'd rather Root at 3 and Stokes at 4, seeing that he's not bowling much this series, only 12 overs in the entire match. Buttler or Moeen at 5.
Bairstow is no more a number 3 than Moeen.
Possibly not - but Moeen has been given any number of opportunities whereas Bairstow has never batted higher than 4 in Test cricket.
Ali has now batted 14 times in the top 3 and scored the grand total of 191 runs at an average of 14.25. When he bats at 7 he averages 44.9 from 23 innings. He has had his chances and is simply not a no. 3 against the best Test playing nations but is a revelation when batting at 7.
Moeen batting at no.4 has an average of 51.20, with a highest score of 146
Ali has now batted 14 times in the top 3 and scored the grand total of 191 runs at an average of 14.25. When he bats at 7 he averages 44.9 from 23 innings. He has had his chances and is simply not a no. 3 against the best Test playing nations but is a revelation when batting at 7.
Moeen batting at no.4 has an average of 51.20, with a highest score of 146
From a sample of 5 innings. The 146 was against India in an innings where Dawson made 60* and Rashid made 66. India replied with 759-7.
He's more of a strokeplayer than the current openers and also be a foil as a right hander ...true he hasn't batted that high before but maybe put him in at 3
If the rumours are true that he is fussy about his place in the order or keeping then don't pick him ..playing for England is honour enough..
If there is a change to be made then moeen at 8 in for curran and bairstow at 3 but bearing in mind the application foakes and Jennings showed..ie the virtues of test match batting on the subcontinent then I really wd be happy to have same again
Alec Stewart made a very interesting point about the difference between Burns and Foakes.
Foakes through 'the pathway' has had 5 previous tours to Sri Lanka with England Lions or u19's. He has scored hundreds there before and kept wicket there. That's why he was able to come in with minimum preparation and ahow what he's about.
Burns however has been ignored by England under 19's and lions despite his potential and weight of runs in county cricket. So he has never had that opportunity. I'm pretty sure he said that this was the first time Burns has been to Sri Lanka.
This I think shows off both the best and worst of the age group and lions setup.
Why has he been ignored Canters? Was there a belief he wasnt good enough through the age groups, or just a late developer?
I believe I read that Burns was a relatively late developer in that he only really really started to show his worth once he reached University age. He played for both Surrey and Hants 2nd X1s before he played a first team game and didn't actually play in the CC until he was almost 22 - all this would explain why he missed out with the U19s but not why he was ignored for the Lions although I suspect a bit of it was probably due to him not already being "in the pathway system".
Why has he been ignored Canters? Was there a belief he wasnt good enough through the age groups, or just a late developer?
I believe I read that Burns was a relatively late developer in that he only really really started to show his worth once he reached University age. He played for both Surrey and Hants 2nd X1s before he played a first team game and didn't actually play in the CC until he was almost 22 - all this would explain why he missed out with the U19s but not why he was ignored for the Lions although I suspect a bit of it was probably due to him not already being "in the pathway system".
As said here a bit of both. Was a pretty big disgrace that his first lions call up was this year given his weight of runs..
You can't really drop anyone after one test when their dismissals were strangled down leg and run out. Rashid is the only one whose place should be under threat.
You can't really drop anyone after one test when their dismissals were strangled down leg and run out. Rashid is the only one whose place should be under threat.
Assuming the pitch is similar I would absolutely not change any of the spinners. The 3 of them worked well together and complemented each other well. Unless we want an extra quick bowler I wouldn't touch anything.
I thought Joe Root captained the team very well, I have not always been a fan of Joe as captain, but I thought he handled the bowlers well
Yes agreed. There were a few criticisms of his 'conservative' field placings, but I think that's just fans being desperate for wickets now. Having a man on the boundary if it's cutting out a batsmans 'get out shot' is essential to building pressure. In general I'd say root got everything spot on.
You can't really drop anyone after one test when their dismissals were strangled down leg and run out. Rashid is the only one whose place should be under threat.
Assuming the pitch is similar I would absolutely not change any of the spinners. The 3 of them worked well together and complemented each other well. Unless we want an extra quick bowler I wouldn't touch anything.
Agree, cant see how you drop anyone after that performance. It might also give the selectors the opportunity to let Bairstow know that 1) he aint the best keeper in England and 2) If he wants to come back into the team then he isnt a shoe-in and may need to bat where the selectors want him to bat. I only saw the highlights, but Foakes was very impressive with the gloves.
Excellent four days at Galle Cricket club. After initial worry about getting tickets managed to spend 3 days actually in the Galle Cricket club section. Many others locked out though but could watch from afar from the fort. Good also to meet and have a drink or three with Bangkok Addick. Fair few Addicks scattered around.
Ollie Pope will leave SL on Wednesday to go and play for the Lions in Dubai in an unofficial Test against Pakistan A plus ODIs and T20s too returning to England on 9th December. He will then rejoin the England party in the West Indies.
Excellent four days at Galle Cricket club. After initial worry about getting tickets managed to spend 3 days actually in the Galle Cricket club section. Many others locked out though but could watch from afar from the fort. Good also to meet and have a drink or three with Bangkok Addick. Fair few Addicks scattered around.
Comments
Moeen shouldn't be at 3, but the only realistic answer is for Root to man up and play 3 himself. He's not facing Starc and Cummings. Unless they replace Rashid with Denly and play him at 3, but that would be very harsh on Rashid
Simon Hughes on the BBC also didn't seem convinced by Burns against the spinners, but to drop him after 1 match would be wrong, and smack too much of "jobs for the boys"
"Dropping" Curran is purely to allow Bairstow to see if he can make the no. 3 spot his own because we don't have anyone who is either good enough or willing to do it. I have no doubt that Curran will become a fixture but would be rested to facilitate an established top 6 or 7 for when we do have to play the stronger sides.
Though it's definitely true that this Sri Lanka side is nowhere near the team of years gone by.
Bairstow is no more a number 3 than Moeen.
He's more of a strokeplayer than the current openers and also be a foil as a right hander ...true he hasn't batted that high before but maybe put him in at 3
If the rumours are true that he is fussy about his place in the order or keeping then don't pick him ..playing for England is honour enough..
If there is a change to be made then moeen at 8 in for curran and bairstow at 3 but bearing in mind the application foakes and Jennings showed..ie the virtues of test match batting on the subcontinent then I really wd be happy to have same again
Foakes through 'the pathway' has had 5 previous tours to Sri Lanka with England Lions or u19's. He has scored hundreds there before and kept wicket there. That's why he was able to come in with minimum preparation and ahow what he's about.
Burns however has been ignored by England under 19's and lions despite his potential and weight of runs in county cricket. So he has never had that opportunity. I'm pretty sure he said that this was the first time Burns has been to Sri Lanka.
This I think shows off both the best and worst of the age group and lions setup.
I only saw the highlights, but Foakes was very impressive with the gloves.
Good also to meet and have a drink or three with Bangkok Addick.
Fair few Addicks scattered around.
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Foakes
Curran
Stone
Leach
Anderson
Harsh on Burns but Bairstow, bar a dry spell last summer, has been good for 2.5 years