The Cricket Thread 2016

[Richard]

Two things I'd say are that Woakes is a decent odi player but not test standard.

And never in a million years are Hales Compton and Taylor better test players than Bell.

[tomd2103]

If Bell starts the domestic season with bucket loads of runs then he's in for a shout for the first test against Sri Lanka.

I'm not convinced by Hayles as a test player. He seems to get caught in two minds whether to leave the ball or not. Compton is another who I think should be dropped. His use of a referral yesterday to a ball that he'd clearly nicked illustrated that he's more interested in himself and not the team. He's a pretty average fielder too.

I'd get Lyth back in along with one of either Bell or Balance.

Big Ian Bell fan, but not for me.  We should be building towards the next Ashes series and there it's no point going back now.  I think Compton has done enough in this series to start the next one, but I would have him opening.  I don't think Hales worked out, so would look at Ballance or Vince at three.  I would stick with Taylor at five or move Bairstow up there and bring in a keeper further down the order.

Looking forward to the ODIs. 

[PaulWinch again]

I'd definitely stick with Taylor, because he got a couple of scores across the UAE and in South Africa so there's plenty there to work with. Hales probably isn't going to work out and I'm not sure on Compton because I get the feeling he values his own performance over the team's.

[peter w]

I'd also stick with Taylor but bin Compton. Again. I'd look at Vince to come in and keep Hales for Sri Lanka. See if he can perform the Sehwag role.

Cook
Hales
Vince
Root
Taylor
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson or Finn

[tomd2103]

I'd also stick with Taylor but bin Compton. Again. I'd look at Vince to come in and keep Hales for Sri Lanka. See if he can perform the Sehwag role.

Cook
Hales
Vince
Root
Taylor
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson or Finn

Agree with nearly all that team Peter, but as said above I would go for Compton instead of Hales.  I think Jimmy has got another English summer in him, but the tour of India might be the beginning of the end for his international career.  If he gets carted around on the dust bowls over there, the Ashes might begin to seem a long way off and he might call it a day.

[Dave Cooper please]

Yep, I'm with tomd, move Compton up to opener and drop Hales for Sri Lanka, then have a good look at who has started the season well domestically with a view to bringing them in for Pakistan.
Compton's style and obdurance should make him a good opener.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd also stick with Taylor but bin Compton. Again. I'd look at Vince to come in and keep Hales for Sri Lanka. See if he can perform the Sehwag role.

Cook
Hales
Vince
Root
Taylor
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson or Finn

Can't argue with most of that, but for me Anderson starts and if Finn is fit he has to start. Wood is a good option, but he's not the same quality as Finn.

[tomd2103]

I'd also stick with Taylor but bin Compton. Again. I'd look at Vince to come in and keep Hales for Sri Lanka. See if he can perform the Sehwag role.

Cook
Hales
Vince
Root
Taylor
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson or Finn

Can't argue with most of that, but for me Anderson starts and if Finn is fit he has to start. Wood is a good option, but he's not the same quality as Finn.

Agree Paul.  Finn is fast becoming the bowler we hoped he would be. 

[taylorsworkrate]

There should be no doubt over Anderson's position. He didn't bowl badly in SA, just a little unlucky with his figures. He was exceptional in the UAE in what were the complete opposite of his optimum conditions.

I think him, Broad and Finn, if all fit should be guaranteed

[tomd2103]

Just caught a bit of the U19 World Cup.  England have now won 3 from 3 and qualified for the QFs.  Only playing Zimbabwe, but there looks to be some decent talent there and quite unusually for us, a promising leg spinner in Mason Crane.

[Dave Cooper please]

To alleviate the Villa misery for a while.
England are currently slaughtering the Sarfers attack in the first ODI. Going at nearly 8 an over at the moment.

[paul_e]

This is the Alex Hales that we really want to see in the test team, I really think we need to persist with him and get his mind right that he needs to play like this even in the longer format.

[Dave Cooper please]

Good positive move that from Morgan, promoted Buttler up the order when Hales got out.

[PaulWinch again]

Good platform set by the openers, middle order needs to push on now.

[paul_e]

That 6 from Buttler just was a thing of beauty, made it look like the easiest thing in the world.

This is a truly fantastic start, anything under 350 will be disappointing from here, 400+ is a definite possibility.