[JonB]

Johnnyspireite7, on 17 October 2015 - 02:35 PM, said:

It would have done had the Pakistani's not been time wasting left right and centre.

We'd have done the same the other way round. Down to the umpires to get them moving really.

[clarevoyant.]

JonB, on 17 October 2015 - 04:57 PM, said:

We'd have done the same the other way round. Down to the umpires to get them moving really.

trouble is the umpires don't have any weaponry to do so

[Westbars Spireite]

I'm not sure what to make of this game of cricket featuring old men at a Baseball Stadium in New York. In winter.

I wonder how many of the crowd are not either West Indian or Asian ex-pats? Will the dimensions of the outfield make it work?

[JonB]

Footitt signs for Surrey and more or less instantly makes an England squad as he is called into the squad to tour Sth Africa with Wood & Finn injured and Plunkett dropped. Also no place for Ian Bell...full squad :-

[HistoricWarwick]

JonB, on 19 November 2015 - 10:24 AM, said:

Footitt signs for Surrey and more or less instantly makes an England squad as he is called into the squad to tour Sth Africa with Wood & Finn injured and Plunkett dropped. Also no place for Ian Bell...full squad :-

Mixed feelings about this.

I hope he has a good tour but, there will be little or no credit for DCCC.

Makes me wonder what sort of side we'll have next year now as well.

[JonB]

To be honest its more a case of timing as anything else. Suspect that if Wood and Finn were fit he wouldnt be there although strange they've dropped Plunkett on the back of tour where he didnt get a chance!

To be honest its a bit of a strange squad full stop with Compton and Ballance back in, i'm not convinced about Hales opening in test cricket although at least being in Sth Africa its slightly similar to opening here, i'm also not sure Patel is up to it despite his one half decent test the other week, Woakes seems to be some sort of Warwickshire golden boy that keeps getting chances and Jordan gets picked for his catching i think!!

[HistoricWarwick]

JonB, on 19 November 2015 - 11:13 AM, said:

To be honest its more a case of timing as anything else. Suspect that if Wood and Finn were fit he wouldnt be there although strange they've dropped Plunkett on the back of tour where he didnt get a chance!

To be honest its a bit of a strange squad full stop with Compton and Ballance back in, i'm not convinced about Hales opening in test cricket although at least being in Sth Africa its slightly similar to opening here, i'm also not sure Patel is up to it despite his one half decent test the other week, Woakes seems to be some sort of Warwickshire golden boy that keeps getting chances and Jordan gets picked for his catching i think!!

Ballance v Morkel or Steyn or the other quickie....

Think I know who will win that one.

Compton I can see because they want some experience albeit not exactly exciting.

JonB, on 19 November 2015 - 11:13 AM, said:

To be honest its more a case of timing as anything else. Suspect that if Wood and Finn were fit he wouldnt be there although strange they've dropped Plunkett on the back of tour where he didnt get a chance!

To be honest its a bit of a strange squad full stop with Compton and Ballance back in, i'm not convinced about Hales opening in test cricket although at least being in Sth Africa its slightly similar to opening here, i'm also not sure Patel is up to it despite his one half decent test the other week, Woakes seems to be some sort of Warwickshire golden boy that keeps getting chances and Jordan gets picked for his catching i think!!

Ballance v Morkel or Steyn or the other quickie....

Think I know who will win that one.

Compton I can see because they want some experience albeit not exactly exciting.

[JonB]

Compton will be the straight swap for Bell and will bat three as he has done for Middlesex this season i suspect. Team for the first test injuries permitting will be along the lines of :-

Cook
Hales
Compton
Root
Two from Taylor\Bairstow\Butler with one of the latter two keeping wicket
Stokes
Ali
Broad
Anderson
3rd seamer from Woakes\Jordan\Footitt but knowing England probably Woakes cos he can bat and we like to pick bowlers because they can bat unless they decide Jordan in which case they will be picking a bowler cos he can catch!

[Stents]

Sure he has been selected in other England squads but not made the actual XI before?

Could it be worth looking at Compton at 2 and Hales at 3?

Cook, Compton, Hales, Root, Bairstow, Ballance, Stokes, Ali, Broad, Anderson, Jordan I'd guess at.

[JonB]

Stents, on 19 November 2015 - 02:54 PM, said:

Sure he has been selected in other England squads but not made the actual XI before?

He made the squad for the ashes test at Trent Bridge but never looked like playing really. He's also been a few performance\training squads but not actual travelling squads for series.

Stents, on 19 November 2015 - 02:54 PM, said:

Could it be worth looking at Compton at 2 and Hales at 3?

Cook, Compton, Hales, Root, Bairstow, Ballance, Stokes, Ali, Broad, Anderson, Jordan I'd guess at.

We tried Compton opening and he did ok but nothing sparkling plus he's been batting 3 since going to Middlesex, throw in the fact that Hales is an opener and been picked on the back of being one I dont see the point in playing them the other way around. Although its typical england thinking to pick players and bat them in the wrong places!

[Cartman]

shock horror, go to Surrey, get picked

Ballance is a joke selection

As is Patel over Rashid!

Fatel will never ever be a test cricketer

[JonB]

Rashid has been left out so he can go and play t20 in oz ahead of the world t20 next year which is a good decision. That will do him more good than carrying drinks in sth Africa on the off chance Ali gets injured and even then they could call him up to play from oz. I agree that Patel isn't good enough but he's probably next in line after Ali/rashid and again would only come into the reckoning should Ali get injured.

Bell should still be in but if they are going to drop him then who else gets picked if you don't pick ballance?

[Stents]

Doesn't matter who gets picked to replace Bell, they'll get taught a lesson by SA, the whole team will.

And then next series Bell will come back as "Our best option at 3, just look at the SA series"

I think its tactical.

[JonB]

Well that was rather special by Jos Buttler!! 100 in 46 balls, 116 from 52 once he'd finished and his second 50 in 16 balls! Worth watching the highlights if you missed it.

England finish on 355-5.

[JonB]

Anderson out of the first test starting on Boxing Day...early reports suggest cannon fodder Woakes to replace him!! FFS!!

[Westbars Spireite]

JonB, on 24 December 2015 - 08:56 AM, said:

Anderson out of the first test starting on Boxing Day...early reports suggest cannon fodder Woakes to replace him!! FFS!!

Footitt should play.

[JonB]

Westbars Spireite, on 24 December 2015 - 01:25 PM, said:

Footitt should play.

If he cant get a game having moved to Surrey he never will!! Sth African tracks in general should suit his extra pace...he has to play. If they pick Woakes they are picking a bowler cos he bats a bit!

[Westbars Spireite]

JonB, on 24 December 2015 - 01:27 PM, said:

If he cant get a game having moved to Surrey he never will!! Sth African tracks in general should suit his extra pace...he has to play. If they pick Woakes they are picking a bowler cos he bats a bit!

It's always been a stupid reason to pick bowlers. If two bowlers are absolutely equal then fair enough, pick the better bat but how often do numbers 8/9/10 win Test matches with the bat?

[JonB]

Always struck me as admitting you werent good enough with the bat as a team or not trusting your batsman.

[Westbars Spireite]

Good toss to lose I reckon here. Not sure what Cook would have done but batting through these favourable bowling conditions could put us ahead of the game.