Cook
Bell
Trott
Pietersen
Ballance
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Broad
Anderson
Kerrigan
There is still the basis of a team in and around the counties. There is a lot depending on Trott but if he wasn't coming back I'd bring Ali back in and move everyone up one from Root up. Bell as captain. he's do
It's not that long ago Ali scored a superb century, Pietersen has a top score of 39 this season and is obviously toxic where England are concerned, Trott won't be back in the Test set up in the immediate future I shouldn't imagine and I've only ever seen Kerrigan bowl 8 overs, but going by his form for Lancashire I'm not sure what he'd bring to the Test arena.
England are a team in transition, I'd hate us to go back to the bad old days of throwing people in for a Test or two and getting rid, it's not that long ago people were calling for Ballance and Root to be dropped.
I didn't say that this is a team for the next test but players that we have who probably are better than what is in the test team right now. Obviously Kerrigan isn't but we need to start thinking about our spinning options. You're right that Ali hasn't done much wrong with the bat but take that hundred out and he is a slight better than Ramprakash in that he gets in and then when he should start looking for a score he gets himself out. Early days yet I agree and as our spinning option - not that he's international class by any stretch of the word - dropping him from the team is hardly an option.
The balance of the team is all wrong. Bell is not a number four but 2 or 3. Root is not a number 4 but 3 or 5. He's too scratchy at the moment for 3 so 5 is his best bet. That leaves Balance who is also not a number 4 which is where your best player should be. That is bell but he doesn't produce at 4. In fact, and without the stats I can't back this up, he also seems to produce his best work at number 5.
trot is a natural number 3 and yes I also agree he's a long long way from playing international cricket. But it was anxiety through burnout thT WAS THE PROBLEM. sO, IF THAT IS ALSO THE CASE, THAT HE'S STARTING TO PLAY AGAIN SHOULD MEAN THAT HE FEELS READY TO TAKE THE STEP UP AGAIN. nOT THAT IT WILL HAPPEN NOW, OR PROBABLY on T(oh fking caps lock...)he next tour.
Robson's technique is questionable and therein lies the nub. The only natural opener is Cook who is hopelessly out of form. Either the captaincy needs to go or he does. It will be difficult for him to have the captaincy taken from him and to stay in the team. He needs to get away (of course there are two second innings to get through yet) and make runs for Essex. Carberry and Compton have both been discarded. Bell and Root didn't take their chances. So where next?
Number 3 - no-one other than trot seems to have settled into the roll although Ballance is now starting to look like it's his spot. So, you can't drop Cook or Balance from 3. That leaves 2, 4, 5, 6. Root and Bell take two of those. I'd give then 5 and 6. Root can be our counter-attacking Gus Logie. We can't keep chopping and changing openers so we need to talking seriously to trot - which I'm sure we are. Get him in to open. He's a number 3 but he and Ballance are already 1 ball from opening anyway. If he is ready get him back.
Number 4. Sorry but I really don't care how an unmotivated Pietersen is doing at Surrey. he has been used and controlled dreadfully. Our best player shouldn't be pushed to the margins because people don't like him. He's our best player. We didn't get thrashed in Australia because of Pietersen. He should be playing. They won't pick him but he should be playing.
So, number 7. All-rounder. Stokes, Woakes, Ali, Bresnan. Ali is the better batsman but Stokes is younger and did excellently in Australia. He's struggled with the bat since but he is still only 23, I think. I don't think Ali is a good enough bowler for number 7, or for the team, so that is why for the sake of balance he gets cut. There is an argument to be had that should he learn to not keep giving his wicket away he could slot in at number 4.
Also number 7 is ideally where your wicket keeper comes in. if we were scoring better from 1-6 then we could go for the better wicket batting a little bit loser - Chris Read or Foster. But we can't so it's Buttler or Prior. Given the uncertainty over cook's captaincy and place Prior cannot be cut. I think he'll be sacrificed if England lose this test though, rather than Cook. Buttler will come in and Bell made vice-captain.
8/9-11
Broad and Anderson are gimmees. Leaving two slots left. either Plunkett is an idiot or Moores is. If the latter then Plunkett deserves a chance with someone giving him a better plan to work to given his 90 mph bowling. Finn needs to prove a lot before being considered but he shouldn't be dismissed. Jordan also. Leaving us a place for a spinner. Which we don't have at the moment. Go back to a regular turner like Gareth Batty or invest in the future? Scott Borthwick will probably be a good option but he needs to be playing on turning wickets at county level so we can see how good he is.
So to end this missive we need to get the balance right and it is all over the place at the minute. Too any bits and pieces players that riddled the one day side not too long ago. get that right and we'll perform better. Of course, poor form doesn't help.
