The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

Wood and Finn out of the Saffer's tour is a hell of a blow.

[Villan For Life]

Wood and Finn out of the Saffer's tour is a hell of a blow.

The squad is announced tomorrow and it will be interesting to see who's in and who's not.

The bowling spots will be two from Jordan, Footit, Woakes or Plunkett. Ali will drop down the order and they won't need a second spinner so I expect a recall for Ballance, Lyth and possibly Compton. Bairstow will keep wicket and Rashid will be back to a squad player with Buttler. Stokes shoulder injury is, according to reports, responding well to treatment so I expect them to select him and hold him back until the later tests as he brings good balance to the side,

[Villan For Life]

Bell dropped from the test squad which, despite his poor form I find quite surprising. I expect him to retire from International cricket now and play for the Bears for a few seasons.

[aev]

Nick Compton?

I think Carberry should feel pretty unfortunate.

[PaulWinch again]

Blimey that squad is quite surprising. Bell's omission probably signals the end of his career, Compton is probably there as a back up opener. Footit presents an interesting option. I think Patel being a back up spinner is pretty scary, but it makes sense to let Rashid go and play in the Big Bash if he isn't going to play in the Tests.

[DaveD]

I don't understand how you drop Balance for a serious technical flaw against pace bowling, and then bring him back for South Africa away just a few months later.

Bell should feel a little aggrieved, while he was hardly fluent in UAE, he was still 3rd highest scorer, and had to go in at very early first drop far more often than he should have and play a very alien blocking game, which he worked very diligently at.

Also, Cook had a far longer and worse run of form and never got dropped.

[PaulWinch again]

Bell has been in poor form since the 2013 Ashes really. Cook did get a long time, but I guess that was the benefit of being captain. I also imagine it comes down to mental strength and Bell's is just a bit fragile.

I wouldn't want to see Ballance at number 3 again, I reckon either Root or Compton will go there maybe. I'd be open to seeing Taylor at 3.

[tomd2103]

Blimey that squad is quite surprising. Bell's omission probably signals the end of his career, Compton is probably there as a back up opener. Footit presents an interesting option. I think Patel being a back up spinner is pretty scary, but it makes sense to let Rashid go and play in the Big Bash if he isn't going to play in the Tests.

Ian Bell should have retired from international cricket at the end of the Ashes series, as it was the right time and he could have gone out on a high.  A cricket correspondant from one of the papers was on Talksport this morning saying he think Compton will open with Cook and that was before the squad announcement.

For me, I would go with a a top seven of:

Cook, Hales, Root, Taylor, Bairstow, Stokes, Ali

I think having Ali in there gives us the option of an extra seamer, which could well be Woakes batting at 8.

[paul_e]

I think you need another batsman, 6 frontline bowlers is 1 too many for me. I think 3 seamers, 1 spinner and the 5th is picked on conditions, then you can have 1-2 part timers if you want to 'waste' a few overs.

I think I'd bring Buttler back in at 6.  I know he's struggled with the bat but he had a good knock in the last ODI and he's a far better keeper than Bairstow.  The other option would be to bring Ballance in at 5.

[PaulWinch again]

I think my batting line up would be Cook, Hales, Root, Compton, Taylor, Stokes, Buttler and Ali.

[Villan For Life]

I think my batting line up would be Cook, Hales, Root, Compton, Taylor, Stokes, Buttler and Ali.

I'd leave Root at 4 and have Compton at 3. Root has got to the top of the test rankings whilst batting at 4 so we should leave him there.

[paul_e]

I think dropping Bairstow would be harsh and I agree that Root should stay at 4.

[Dr Butler]

Bell has been in poor form since the 2013 Ashes really. Cook did get a long time, but I guess that was the benefit of being captain. I also imagine it comes down to mental strength and Bell's is just a bit fragile.

I wouldn't want to see Ballance at number 3 again, I reckon either Root or Compton will go there maybe. I'd be open to seeing Taylor at 3.

same here for Taylor at 3 and not just Ian's batting being so so but his catching has been poor...

I love the lad as when he was on form England we had a lovely to watch proper shot/stroke playing batsman.

[ACVilla]

Cook, Compton, Taylor, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson

Although if Gary Ballance has rectified his all too obvious problems I'd have him back in at 3, move Taylor to 5 and take your pick between Buttler and Bairstow.

I will need a lot of convincing that Hales is a Test match quality opener.

[tomd2103]

Cook, Compton, Taylor, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Broad, Anderson

Although if Gary Ballance has rectified his all too obvious problems I'd have him back in at 3, move Taylor to 5 and take your pick between Buttler and Bairstow.

I will need a lot of convincing that Hales is a Test match quality opener.

Agree, but I think he has earned his chance.  Maybe, as rumours suggest, Compton will open and Hales will bat at 3?