I think it was on a lunchtime TMS discussion, but one suggestion was for Smith and Pope to swap roles, with Smith at 3 and Pope taking the gloves at 6/7. Smith is too good to be batting so low down, while Pope's keeping is just as good as Smith's. When Root retires, you can see Brook and Smith at the heart of the middle order at 4 and 5.
Plus Smith to me is too tall to be a keeper. I worry he might get back issues in the future from the crouching down, especially if he to keep in a 5 match series in India on bunsens.
3,293 runs were scored in the first two Tests. That is the most in the history of Test cricket beating the 3,230 in the opening two matches of the 1924/25 Australia v England series.
Surprised Carse is still playing, he looked shot by the end of Edgbaston
I think that it's the least of a few evils - they don't want to have to bring back two players in the shape of Archer and Atkinson back from lay offs and can't play Woakes and Cook together.
I do hope Cook gets another chance , I know he's hardly quick and might end up being " What if Ollie Robinson was a nice bloke" player wise but you don't take the amount of wickets he does without talent.
I just don’t understand the selection. It was obvious to me that both Woakes and Carse needed a rest. Why not bring another couple of fresh bowlers in? What has Crawley got to do to get dropped?
Dawson has to be in the frame. Bashir does not have the control or skill to hold an end up or have the ability to cause the Indian batsmen problems. Dawson offers a bit with the bat too.
I just don’t understand the selection. It was obvious to me that both Woakes and Carse needed a rest. Why not bring another couple of fresh bowlers in? What has Crawley got to do to get dropped?
Woakes averages 12 with the ball and in the 40’s with the bat at lords, probably is the reason behind him being picked.
I just don’t understand the selection. It was obvious to me that both Woakes and Carse needed a rest. Why not bring another couple of fresh bowlers in? What has Crawley got to do to get dropped?
At Lord's, Woakes averages 42.50 with the bat and 12.90 with the ball. Only five other England players have a better difference average (batting average minus bowling average) than him since Test cricket started. Of those, only one player has played in the last half-century and he's injured (Atkinson). Unless he's absolutely crocked (which it appears he isn't) you can't drop Chris Woakes for a Lord's Test.
Why oh why won't they pick Dawson. Just changes the whole look of the side.
Dawson at 8, Potts to get through a lot of overs, then you need a proper new ball bowler to partner archer.
I named Dawson in my Ashes XI but I'm starting to wonder if it is that simple for him to play - for both sides - because of the thorny issue of central contracts and his own contracts in place around the world.
Selecting him makes England look very silly for picking Moeen Ali (who was also not centrally contracted at the time) for the Ashes and then promoting the likes of Bashir, Rehan Ahmed and Hartley above him. It also serves to undermine all they've said about Bashir.
From Dawson's perspective, he has to be willing to give up a lucrative contract with the Sunrisers East Cape which would be worth more than he would receive for appearance money in the Ashes and would also scupper any hopes that he might have of playing in the IPL. At the age of 35, would he be happy to do that given that England will not give him any guarantees regarding a central contract.
Can't see Dawson giving up his SA20 deal to potentially play a couple of tests. I don't think there is a nailed on option spinner wise, Hartley can't even get a regular game for Lancs, Rehan Ahmed still needs to learn his craft , Leach always has injury concerns and I don't think Bashir is good enough and someone like a Travis Head or Beau Webster will absolutely feast on Bashirs bowling.
What about the Elephant in the room ? . Crawley should have been dropped a couple of years ago yet still gets picked despite awful shot selection every game . If we take him to Australia we might as well give them the ashes now . It’s time to bring someone else in immediately . Whether that be Smith open and Bethnal coming in , Bethal opening or someone completely different but it has to happen now.
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Plus Smith to me is too tall to be a keeper. I worry he might get back issues in the future from the crouching down, especially if he to keep in a 5 match series in India on bunsens.
https://x.com/willis_macp/status/1942866991343137266
Then add in we've not had a decent spinner since Swan.
Dawson at 8, Potts to get through a lot of overs, then you need a proper new ball bowler to partner archer.
Selecting him makes England look very silly for picking Moeen Ali (who was also not centrally contracted at the time) for the Ashes and then promoting the likes of Bashir, Rehan Ahmed and Hartley above him. It also serves to undermine all they've said about Bashir.
From Dawson's perspective, he has to be willing to give up a lucrative contract with the Sunrisers East Cape which would be worth more than he would receive for appearance money in the Ashes and would also scupper any hopes that he might have of playing in the IPL. At the age of 35, would he be happy to do that given that England will not give him any guarantees regarding a central contract.