spring hall convert
Well-known member
It depends on what we are selecting for. To win in England it's probably yes.
Long term we need to be developing a proper frontline spinner. Moeen's figures on helpful tracks have been tragic, he's had nearly 40 Tests to develop as a bowler and he hasn't. He's not a big enough wicket taking threat to justify his economy rate. Of course, in English conditions two things work in his (and any other spinners favour) 1) He doesn't bowl long spells 2) People try to get after him because of the threat coming from the other end.
I really don't mind us choosing one of Buttler or Moeen to bat 7 and playing the best spinner we have available even if it makes us a worse side in the short term. We don't need 4 all rounders. Long term we need the best spinner we possess to be playing. I also have half a mind that one of the reasons we keep collapsing in a heap is the team look at Woakes/ Rashid coming in at 9 and think "there's plenty to come," I've been in dressing rooms myself in teams with long batting line-ups where we've thought like that. The top 7 need to understand that runs are their responsibility and anything else is a bonus, like the period where we had 6 batsmen, Prior at 7, Broad at 8, Swann at 9 and not much else and more often than not scored heavily.
Also, we've got Australia coming up where the tracks are going to be lightning fast. That seam attack is too one paced for me, I want to see Wood involved if he can prove his fitness.
