ffs we've finally found bairstow a role in the test team that he excels at and now we want him to open?
Mark Ramprakash 2.0
Do you find swearing makes your point more valid? Can you not accept that, in his absence, we have found roles for numbers 3-7 that they excel at too and that having your best keeper as opposed to someone who never keeps in red ball is important?
ffs we've finally found bairstow a role in the test team that he excels at and now we want him to open?
Mark Ramprakash 2.0
Do you find swearing makes your point more valid? Can you not accept that, in his absence, we have found roles for numbers 3-7 that they excel at too and that having your best keeper as opposed to someone who never keeps in red ball is important?
yeah i completely agree. You can't drop anyone atm, but to open with bairstow when he's clearly a like-for-like replacement/rotation with brook is ludicrous.
we're complaining about not being able to drop anyone in the middle order, 18 months ago we were wondering who on earth could play in our middle order.
Don't completely discount them moving Brook up the order.
I got laughed at when I suggested that a few months ago when the re-introduction of Bairstow was last debated! I did point out that he had done the job early in his career and has said that he would be happy to do so.
Bairstow needs to bat at 6 or 7. If your recalling him, rightfully, on last summers form you need to bat him where he had that form. If you really want to drop Crawley for him put him at 6 and push everyone else up one.
Australia, in their pomp, would always pick the best six batsmen available and the best keeper plus the four best bowlers. That famous West Indies side did very much the same. Bairstow is one of our best six batsmen and Foakes is our best keeper. One shelled catch or missed stumping could make the difference between winning and losing and handing the gloves to Bairstow when he hasn't kept in red ball in years is a big ask. Bairstow regularly opens in white ball. He is one of our best six batsmen. Crawley simply isn't.
Not the way to go now though, most teams like a 6th batsman and Stokes is our captain. He would have to play whether one of the best batsman or not.
Get your point though, Bairstow is a better batsman than Crawley. Although it doesn't necessarily come down to that, it comes down to who is the best opener.
Imagine being able to put BOTH Bairstow and Brook into your team. BAZMANIA
Like the alliteration...
I heard the term "BAZMEISTER GENERAL " Yesterday..anymore BAZ terms out there?
Fwiw ..I don't think Bairstow should go straight back..he's just anywhere in top 7 if we need to change it
As far the bowlers are concerned I would alternate wood and archer if they are fit and I'd play Anderson, Robinson and Broad ( dropping Broad if we needed Leach ..which probably would be 2 games)
Imagine being able to put BOTH Bairstow and Brook into your team. BAZMANIA
Like the alliteration...
I heard the term "BAZMEISTER GENERAL " Yesterday..anymore BAZ terms out there?
Fwiw ..I don't think Bairstow should go straight back..he's just anywhere in top 7 if we need to change it
As far the bowlers are concerned I would alternate wood and archer if they are fit and I'd play Anderson, Robinson and Broad ( dropping Broad if we needed Leach ..which probably would be 2 games)
That's the way I see it, it's unfortunate for him that he got injured when he was in such a purple patch, but he's been inconsistent in the past and Pope, Root, Brook and Foakes are in form and don't deserve to be dropped or moved (and obviously Stokes stays).
I don't think Bairstow is a Test opener, but that's the one option you maybe consider.
Bairstow 12th man for me until one of Pope, Root, Brook or Foakes need a rest or lose form. Can’t have him opening IMO.
Would Root take one for the team and open with Duckett? No need to mess with a winning formula right now but that’s the best solution if we’re trying to get Crawley out of the side IMO.
Duckett and Root open… Pope 3 Brook 4 Bairstow 5 Stokes 6 Foakes 7
Bairstow 12th man for me until one of Pope, Root, Brook or Foakes need a rest or lose form. Can’t have him opening IMO.
Would Root take one for the team and open with Duckett? No need to mess with a winning formula right now but that’s the best solution if we’re trying to get Crawley out of the side IMO.
Duckett and Root open… Pope 3 Brook 4 Bairstow 5 Stokes 6 Foakes 7
I was just about to mention Root. Early in his Test career, he did score 180 opening against the Aussies but that wasn't the best attack they've ever had. The scenario at that time was somewhat similar though in that our top 7 was:
Cook Root Trott Pietersen Bell Bairstow Prior
Root has very much been into self-preservation. He has actually been the worst of those 7 batsmen in terms of results since August - 11 innings @ 22.00 - so might relish the change of scenery. I doubt it though!
sfdsfjskjcccvc now we're putting root to open?! One of the best number 4s in the world?
Take your point but he’s hardly been effective in that role in this team. Maybe the move back up the order would unlock something in him.
For the time being though, Crawley stays. If he flops in this upcoming match, I’d be in favour of opening with Root against Ireland in June with a view to the Ashes that follows.
sfdsfjskjcccvc now we're putting root to open?! One of the best number 4s in the world?
Take your point but he’s hardly been effective in that role in this team. Maybe the move back up the order would unlock something in him.
For the time being though, Crawley stays. If he flops in this upcoming match, I’d be in favour of opening with Root against Ireland in June with a view to the Ashes that follows.
Eh? Hes had a quiet couple of games but he was exceptional all summer scoring plenty at about 80 SR.
sfdsfjskjcccvc now we're putting root to open?! One of the best number 4s in the world?
Take your point but he’s hardly been effective in that role in this team. Maybe the move back up the order would unlock something in him.
For the time being though, Crawley stays. If he flops in this upcoming match, I’d be in favour of opening with Root against Ireland in June with a view to the Ashes that follows.
he's literally been our best batsman in that position for years.
Root has to stay at 3 or 4 for me. No doubt he's capable of opening but despite our winning run and the fact he's been slightly outshone over the last few months, he's still our best batsman. He will probably be our top run scorer in the Ashes and I can't see us winning it without his stability, particularly with the loss of an early wicket or two.
Comments
Mark Ramprakash 2.0
Get your point though, Bairstow is a better batsman than Crawley. Although it doesn't necessarily come down to that, it comes down to who is the best opener.
I heard the term "BAZMEISTER GENERAL "
Yesterday..anymore BAZ terms out there?
Fwiw ..I don't think Bairstow should go straight back..he's just anywhere in top 7 if we need to change it
As far the bowlers are concerned I would alternate wood and archer if they are fit and I'd play Anderson, Robinson and Broad ( dropping Broad if we needed Leach ..which probably would be 2 games)
I don't think Bairstow is a Test opener, but that's the one option you maybe consider.
Would Root take one for the team and open with Duckett? No need to mess with a winning formula right now but that’s the best solution if we’re trying to get Crawley out of the side IMO.
Duckett and Root open…
Pope 3
Brook 4
Bairstow 5
Stokes 6
Foakes 7
I was just about to mention Root. Early in his Test career, he did score 180 opening against the Aussies but that wasn't the best attack they've ever had. The scenario at that time was somewhat similar though in that our top 7 was:
Cook
Root
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Bairstow
Prior
Root has very much been into self-preservation. He has actually been the worst of those 7 batsmen in terms of results since August - 11 innings @ 22.00 - so might relish the change of scenery. I doubt it though!
Bairstow plays on last summers form, got some forlorn hope that he is the answer to an opener issue.
Bairstow plays at 6, or gets back into the team when someone else fails and he scores runs where in the position that comes avaliable.
IMO, yes it's my opinion and people are allowed their's Bairstow is England's best 6 or 7.
For the time being though, Crawley stays. If he flops in this upcoming match, I’d be in favour of opening with Root against Ireland in June with a view to the Ashes that follows.
Short memories.
As a 40 year old fast bowler - incredible.