Quote from: tomd2103 on July 06, 2017, 12:23:19 AMQuote from: PaulWinch again on July 05, 2017, 07:07:00 PMSo Dawson is going to play. Hopefully he does well but he feels like a bit of a 90s selection for me. It's a bit of a weird squad all around.Agree Paul, seems like he is there to fill an 'all-rounder' spot really rather than offer a real threat with either bat or ball. Might as well have played an extra batsman really.I'd guess his job is to, as you say, add depth to the batting but also to occupy an end for long stints without going for loads of runs. I don't care if he takes wickets, if he can make himself difficult to score off and bowl a long spell then you can give Wood, Broad and Jimmy short sharp spells at the other end and keep them all fresh. It's the job Bresnan did for a while and that Woakes does with extra wicket taking.
Quote from: PaulWinch again on July 05, 2017, 07:07:00 PMSo Dawson is going to play. Hopefully he does well but he feels like a bit of a 90s selection for me. It's a bit of a weird squad all around.Agree Paul, seems like he is there to fill an 'all-rounder' spot really rather than offer a real threat with either bat or ball. Might as well have played an extra batsman really.
So Dawson is going to play. Hopefully he does well but he feels like a bit of a 90s selection for me. It's a bit of a weird squad all around.
Quote from: paul_e on July 06, 2017, 09:35:56 AMQuote from: tomd2103 on July 06, 2017, 12:23:19 AMQuote from: PaulWinch again on July 05, 2017, 07:07:00 PMSo Dawson is going to play. Hopefully he does well but he feels like a bit of a 90s selection for me. It's a bit of a weird squad all around.Agree Paul, seems like he is there to fill an 'all-rounder' spot really rather than offer a real threat with either bat or ball. Might as well have played an extra batsman really.I'd guess his job is to, as you say, add depth to the batting but also to occupy an end for long stints without going for loads of runs. I don't care if he takes wickets, if he can make himself difficult to score off and bowl a long spell then you can give Wood, Broad and Jimmy short sharp spells at the other end and keep them all fresh. It's the job Bresnan did for a while and that Woakes does with extra wicket taking.Surely that is Moeen's role Paul? I did say it before, so not just reacting to the poor start today, but we may as well play an extra batsman in the line up.
I agree on Ballance, he's very strong against medium pace and solid against moderate spin but the step up in pace and quality just seems too much for him. It's all a bit Graeme Hick.Back to Dawson, just for the record I don't think he should be anywhere near the test team, I was just offering ideas for why they've decided to give him a go instead of someone like Roland-Jones who'd have been my pick to cover for Woakes.
No need for that from Stokes whatsoever. 2 men back on the boundary, so at most would have got a single for the shot, whilst at the same time potentially getting out in a couple of ways.
Quote from: taylorsworkrate on July 06, 2017, 04:11:40 PMNo need for that from Stokes whatsoever. 2 men back on the boundary, so at most would have got a single for the shot, whilst at the same time potentially getting out in a couple of ways.That's where he's still a risk of letting himself down, sometimes he'll try to play a shot that just isn't needed, sometimes he'll try to bounce someone out when the play is to bowl full, etc. I like him a lot and I think he's getting better and reigning himself in well most of the time but 'the inner chimp' still slips out every now and then.Great captains knock from Root though, if Ali and Dawson can stick with him we can still post a competitive target here, which is a big positive from where we were.