We look a more solid unit. It's not been often that Root has been able to come in with 159 on the board. We also have a good balance of left/right combinations - hopefully Stokes will return for the Ashes in which case the top order will look something like this:
Brilliant to have a rested Root coming in to face tired bowlers instead of at 21-2. A perfect scenario for England to have loads of stroke makers coming in after the openers have worn down the Indian seamers
No wish to curse Malan but when was the last time our top 4 all reached 40 let alone 50 in an innings?
Answers on a postcard because I have no idea!
2013 was the last time the top 4 all made 50s
So only 8 years ago! Did they all make 60 though?
I think I've found the innings in question for the last time the top 4 made 50. Numbers 3 and 4 made 56 and 52 respectively. The openers were Cook (116) and Compton (117) and the number 4 was Trott. I will post the answer to number 3 at the bottom of this post but I could have had a lot of attempts at getting him and got nowhere near!
nowadays Bairstow is strictly a 1 day 'batter' .. Buttler has publicly stated in a recent Times interview that he is undecided if he will be available for the next tour to Australia .. on this form, he has no worries, he won't be selected, although his keeping is improving
Comments
Burns (left)
Hameed (right)
Malan (left)
Root (right)
Bairstow/Pope (right)
Stokes (left)
Buttler (right)
Answers on a postcard because I have no idea!
Steven Finn
Of course this will mean that he'll burn lots more reviews in the future, based on this one success
Couple more innings like that and he's a shoo-in for the Ashes given he did OK over there last time.
Promising stuff last couple of days from him & Hameed.
On day 2!